Water meter

• US 8,690,117 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Capstone Metering LLC
• Original Assignee: Capstone Metering LLC
• Inventors: Dunn, David James Carlos, Kowalchuk, Kevin Peter, Smith, Stephen Williams, Williamson, Jack Ryan, Williamson, James Scott, Williamson, Walter Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): KEASEL, ERIC S
• Application Number:
  US13/359,920
• Publication Number:
  US 20120210708A1
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 251/129.01, 251/129.04, 251/129.11, 290/43, 290/54, 7386177-86184, 7386187-86194, 702/46, 702/47
• US Class Current: 251/129.01
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/075 with magnetic or electromagnetic coupling to the indicating device
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/0755 with magnetic coupling only in a mechanical transmission path
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/363 with electrical or electro-mechanical indication G01F1/37 and G01F1/38 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 15/063 using electrical means
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 25/10 of flowmeters

Abstract

A meter includes an inlet for receiving a fluid and a housing defining a cylindrical chamber receiving the fluid from the inlet, wherein a chamber axis passes through a center of the cylindrical chamber. The meter also includes an outlet coupled to the housing, wherein the outlet is axially aligned with the inlet along a flow axis, and the flow axis does not intersect the chamber axis.

Claims

1. A meter comprising:

an inlet for receiving a fluid;

a housing defining a first cylindrical chamber receiving the fluid from the inlet, wherein a chamber axis passes through a center of the first cylindrical chamber, and said first cylindrical chamber utilized a first turbine for metering fluid flow;

a second cylindrical chamber defined by said housing for generating electric power, wherein said chamber axis passes through a center of the second cylindrical chamber;

a second turbine housed within said second cylindrical chamber, wherein fluid flow through said second cylindrical chamber causes the second turbine to rotate;

a generator coupled to said second turbine, wherein rotation of said second turbine causes the generator to rotate, and said generator utilizes rotational energy to generate electrical energy;

a control valve coupled to the housing, wherein the control valve is aligned along a flow axis;

a valve motor coupled to the control valve, wherein the valve motor actuates the control valve; and

an outlet coupled to the housing, wherein the outlet is axially aligned with the inlet along the flow axis, and the flow axis does not intersect the chamber axis, and a distance between said inlet and said outlet is 7½

inches.

2. The meter of claim 1 further comprising a gearbox coupled to the control valve and the valve motor.

3. The meter of claim 1, wherein the control valve comprises a ball valve.

4. The meter of claim 1, wherein settings for the control valve are open, closed, and partially open.

5. The meter of claim 1, wherein said generator is a pancake motor, and the pancake motor is utilized to generate power.

6. A meter comprising:

an inlet;

a housing defining a first chamber, wherein the housing is coupled to the inlet;

an impeller housed within the first chamber, wherein the impeller rotates around a chamber axis passing through a center of the first chamber, and said first chamber utilizes said impeller for metering fluid flow;

a second chamber defined by said housing for generating electric power, wherein said chamber axis passes through a center of the second chamber;

a second turbine housed within said second chamber, wherein fluid flow through said second chamber causes the second turbine to rotate;

a control valve coupled to the housing, wherein the control valve controls entry of the fluid provided to the meter, and the control valve is aligned along a flow axis; and

an outlet coupled to the housing, wherein the flow axis passes through the inlet and the outlet, and the chamber axis is offset by a selected distance from the flow axis.

7. The meter of claim 6 further comprising:

a valve motor coupled to the control valve, wherein the valve motor actuates the control valve.

8. The meter of claim 7, wherein the control valve comprises a ball valve.

9. The meter of claim 7, wherein settings for the control valve are open, closed, and partially open.

10. The meter of claim 7 further comprising a gearbox coupled to the control valve and the valve motor.

11. The meter of claim 6, further comprising:

a generator coupled to said second turbine, wherein rotation of said second turbine causes the generator to rotate, and said generator utilizes rotational energy to generate electrical energy.

12. A fluid metering system comprising:

an inlet;

a first housing defining a first chamber for power generation, wherein the first housing is coupled to the inlet;

an first turbine housed within the first chamber, wherein the first turbine rotates around a first chamber axis as fluid flows through the first chamber;

a second housing defining a second chamber for metering fluid flow, wherein the second housing is coupled to the first housing;

a second turbine housed within the second chamber, wherein the second turbine rotates around a second chamber axis as fluid flows through the second chamber;

a control valve controlling entry of the fluid provided to the meter, wherein the control valve is aligned along the flow axis; and

an outlet axially aligned with the inlet along a flow axis, wherein the first chamber axis is offset by a first selected distance from the flow axis and the second chamber axis is offset by a second selected distance from the flow axis.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a flow restrictor positioned within the system; and

a pressure differential sensor coupled to the flow restrictor, wherein the pressure differential sensor is utilized to calculate fluid flow.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a control valve controlling entry of the fluid provided to the meter, wherein the control valve is aligned along the flow axis; and

a motor coupled to the control valve, wherein the motor actuates the control valve.

15. The system of claim 14 further comprising a gearbox coupled to the control valve and the valve motor.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the control valve comprises a ball valve.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising a generator coupled to said second turbine, wherein rotation of said second turbine causes the generator to rotate, and said generator utilizes rotational energy to generate electrical energy.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein settings for the control valve are open, closed, and partially open.