# US 11,307,075 B2 · Apparatus and method for decreasing vibrational sensitivity of strain-based measurements of fluid flow parameters for a fluid flow within a conduit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,307,075 B2 - Document ID: US11307075B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/825,559 - Filed: 2020-03-20 - Published: 2021-09-23 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2020-03-20 - Assignees: Expro Meters, Inc. - Applicants: Expro Meters, Inc. - Inventors: Daniel L. Gysling; Gabriel Dragnea; Siddesh Sridhar - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307075B2 ## CPC - G01F 1/662: {Constructional details} - G01F 1/845: {arrangements of measuring means, e.g., of measuring conduits} - G01F 1/8413: {means for influencing the flowmeter's motional or vibrational behaviour, e.g., conduit support or fixing means, or conduit attachments} - G01F 15/18: Supports or connecting means for meters - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME ## Abstract An apparatus and method of decreasing vibrational sensitivity of strain based measurements of fluid flow parameters for a fluid flow in a conduit is provided. The method includes using at least one vibrational sensor to sense a conduit to determine vibrational characteristics of the conduit, determining a predominant elastic axis using the measured vibrational characteristics, and securing a strain sensor array to an outer surface of the conduit, the strain sensor array having a plurality of strain sensors disposed at different axial positions of the conduit, the strain sensor array secured to the outer surface of the conduit at a position so that the strain sensor array is oriented substantially symmetric to the determined predominant elastic axis. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of decreasing vibrational sensitivity of strain based measurements of fluid flow parameters for a fluid flow in a conduit, comprising: using at least one vibrational sensor to sense a conduit to determine vibrational characteristics of the conduit; determining a predominant elastic axis using the measured vibrational characteristics; and securing a strain sensor array to an outer surface of the conduit, the strain sensor array having a plurality of strain sensors disposed at different axial positions of the conduit, the strain sensor array secured to the outer surface of the conduit at a position so that the strain sensor array is oriented substantially symmetric with respect to the determined predominant elastic axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the strain sensor array is secured to the outer surface of the conduit using a clamp device, and further comprising: circumferentially orienting the clamp device relative to the conduit at a position so that the clamp device is substantially symmetric with respect to the determined predominant elastic axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the clamp device is asymmetric and the asymmetry of the clamp device is positioned substantially symmetric with respect to the determined predominant elastic axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one vibrational sensor includes an accelerometer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the vibrational characteristics include bending vibrations. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the determining said predominant elastic axis includes producing a visual display of a plot of the vibrational characteristics. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the conduit is a cylindrical pipe. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the vibrational characteristics of the conduit are sensed at a first point in time and form a first set of vibrational characteristics, and the predominant elastic axis is determined using the first set of vibrational characteristics; and further comprising: using the at least one vibrational sensor to sense the conduit to determine a second set of vibrational characteristics of the conduit, the second set of vibrational characteristics sensed at a second point in time, which second point in time is later than the first point in time; determining a second predominant elastic axis using the second set of vibrational characteristics sensed at a second point in time; and comparing the second set of vibrational characteristics to the first set of vibrational characteristics. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising reporting a difference between the second set of vibrational characteristics and the first set of vibrational characteristics. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, further comprising comparing the second predominant elastic axis to the predominant elastic axis. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising reporting a difference between the second predominant elastic axis and the predominant elastic axis. ### Claim 12 An apparatus for measuring one or more fluid flow parameters for a fluid flow in a conduit, comprising: one or more vibration sensors configured to sense a conduit to determine vibrational characteristics of the conduit; and a fluid flow sensing device having a strain sensor array configured to be secured to an outer surface of the conduit, the strain sensor array having a plurality of strain sensors disposed at different axial positions of the conduit; wherein the strain sensor array is secured to the outer surface of the conduit at a position so that the strain sensor array is oriented substantially symmetric with respect to an elastic axis of the vibrational characteristics of the conduit. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the elastic axis is a predominant elastic axis of the vibrational characteristics of the conduit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an asymmetric clamp device configured to secure the strain sensor array the outer surface of the conduit; wherein the asymmetric clamp device is positioned relative to the conduit at a position so that the asymmetry of the clamp device is substantially symmetric with respect to the determined predominant elastic axis. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the one or more vibrational sensors include an accelerometer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a display device configured to produce a visual display of a plot of the vibrational characteristics. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the conduit is a cylindrical pipe. ### Claim 18 An apparatus for measuring one or more fluid flow parameters for a fluid flow in a conduit, comprising: one or more vibration sensors configured to sense a conduit to determine vibrational characteristics of the conduit; a processing unit in communication with the one or more vibration sensors and a memory device storing instructions, the instructions when executed cause the processing unit to determine a predominant elastic axis based on the determined vibrational characteristics; a fluid flow sensing device having a strain sensor array configured to be secured to an outer surface of the conduit, the strain sensor array having a plurality of strain sensors disposed at different axial positions of the conduit; wherein the strain sensor array is secured to the outer surface of the conduit at a position so that the strain sensor array is oriented substantially symmetric with respect to the predominant elastic axis. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising an asymmetric clamp device configured to secure the strain sensor array the outer surface of the conduit; wherein the asymmetric clamp device is positioned relative to the conduit at a position so that the asymmetry of the clamp device is substantially symmetric with respect to the determined predominant elastic axis. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the vibrational characteristics of the conduit and the predominant elastic axis are stored in the memory device; and wherein the instructions when executed cause the processor to: control the one or more vibrational sensors to sense the conduit to determine second vibrational characteristics of the conduit and store the second vibrational characteristics in the memory device; determine a second predominant elastic axis based on the determined second vibrational characteristics; compare the determined predominant elastic axis to the second predominant elastic axis, or compare the determined vibrational characteristics to the second vibrational characteristics, or both, and report a first result of the comparison between the determined predominant elastic axis and the second predominant elastic axis, or a second result of the comparison between the determined vibrational characteristics and the second vibrational characteristics, or both.