Apparatus and method for detecting asymmetric flow in vibrating flowmeters
AssigneeMicro Motion, Inc.
InventorMartin Andrew Schlosser
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A flowmeter is provided that includes a sensor assembly and meter electronics. The flowmeter comprises two or more flow tubes, a driver coupled to the flow tubes that is oriented to induce a drive mode vibration in the flow tubes. Two or more strain gages are coupled to the two flow tubes and oriented to detect the phase of the drive mode vibration. One or more bridge circuits is in electrical communication with the two or more strain gages, wherein the bridge circuits are configured to output a signal indicating an asymmetric flow between the two flow tubes.
Claims27
A flowmeter (5) including a sensor assembly (10) and a meter electronics (20), comprising:
- two or more flow tubes (130, 130′);
- a driver (180) coupled to the two flow tubes (130, 130′) and configured to induce a drive mode vibration in the two flow tubes (130, 130′);
- two or more strain gages (200A-D) coupled to the two flow tubes (130, 130′) and configured to detect a phase of the drive mode vibration;
- one or more bridge circuits (206, 206′) in electrical communication with the two or more strain gages (200A-D), configured to output a signal indicating an asymmetric flow between the two or more flow tubes (130, 130′).
A flowmeter (5) including a sensor assembly (10) and a meter electronics (20), comprising:
- two or more flow tubes (130, 130′);
- a strain gage and a bridge circuit (200) coupled to at least one of the two or more flow tubes (130, 130′), wherein the strain gage is in communication with the bridge circuit (200) configured to output a signal to indicate the presence of an asymmetric flow between the two flow tubes (130, 130′).
A method for determining flow asymmetry through two flow tubes in a flowmeter, comprising the steps of:
- vibrating the two flow tubes in a drive mode vibration;
- measuring a vibrational response of a first flow tube of the with a first strain gage;
- measuring a vibrational response of a second flow tube of the with a second strain gage;
- comparing the vibrational responses of the first and second flow tubes;
- and
- determining the presence of a flow asymmetry between the first and second flow tubes.
A method for determining flow asymmetry through two flow tubes in a flowmeter, comprising the steps of:
- vibrating the two flow tubes;
- determining an absolute phase of a first flow tube of the two flow tubes;
- determining an absolute phase of a second flow tube of the two flow tubes;
- and
- determining a difference in absolute phase between the first flow tube and the second flow tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.