Method and arrangement for an ultrasound clamp-on flow measurement and circuit arrangement for control of an ultrasound clamp-on flow measurement

An arrangement for the ultrasonic clamp-on flow measurement according to a transit time method, the arrangement comprising:

• four acoustic transducers arranged on a measurement pipe, the four acoustic transducers being arranged diametrically opposite to each other in pairs on the measurement pipe;
• and
• a control unit for the flow measurement both in a reflection configuration and in an X configuration,
• wherein the control unit performs a first flow measurement in the X configuration, in which at least one average flow velocity is determined, wherein if the average flow velocity is lower than a maximum flow velocity allowable for the reflection configuration, the control unit performs a second flow measurement in the reflection configuration, or if the average flow velocity is greater than or equal to the maximum flow velocity allowable for the reflection configuration, the control unit repeats the first flow measurement in the X configuration.

A circuit arrangement for controlling an ultrasonic clamp-on flow measurement according to a transit time method, the arrangement comprising:

• four acoustic transducers arranged on a measurement pipe, the four acoustic transducers being arranged diametrically opposite to one another in pairs on the measurement pipe;
• and
• a signal transmitter connected via switching elements to the four acoustic transducers and an amplifier connected via the switching elements to the four acoustic transducers,
• wherein, for a first flow measurement, a top left acoustic transducer is connected via the switching elements to a bottom right acoustic and then a top right acoustic transducer is connected via the switching elements to a bottom left acoustic transducer to form one transmit/receive pair each so that the bottom right acoustic transducer and the bottom left acoustic transducer are wired as transmitting units and the top left acoustic transducer and the top right acoustic transducer are wired as receiving units, and a flow measurement in an X configuration is realized thereby,
• wherein, for a second flow measurement, the top left acoustic transducer and the top right acoustic transducer are connected via the switching elements and the bottom right acoustic transducer and the bottom left acoustic transducer are connected via the switching elements to form one transmit/receive pair each and the flow measurement in a reflection configuration is realized thereby, and
• wherein the first flow measurement in the X configuration, at least one average flow velocity is determined, wherein if the average flow velocity is lower than a maximum flow velocity allowable for the reflection configuration, the second flow measurement in the reflection configuration is performed, or if the average flow velocity is greater than or equal to the maximum flow velocity allowable for the reflection configuration, the first flow measurement is repeated in the X configuration.