Automated measuring system for meter test bench
AssigneeThe Ford Meter Box Company, Inc.
InventorPeter Roberts
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An automated meter testing system that includes a fluid inlet valve fluidly coupled both to a fluid source and an inlet on the at least one meter. The fluid source provides fluid pressure to move fluid through the at least one meter. A flow control valve is fluidly coupled to the at least one meter opposite the fluid inlet valve. A valve controller that operates the flow control valve. A controller is electrically connected to the valve controller. The controller sends at least one signal to the valve controller to incrementally open or restrict the flow control valve to increase or decrease a flow rate of the fluid through the at least one meter.
Claims11
An automated meter testing system comprising:
- a bench sized to support at least one meter;
- a fluid inlet valve fluidly coupled both to a fluid source and an inlet on the at least one meter;
- wherein the fluid source provides fluid pressure to move fluid through the at least one meter;
- a flow control valve fluidly coupled to the at least one meter opposite the fluid inlet valve;
- a valve controller that operates the flow control valve;
- wherein the flow control valve is at an outflow side of the at least one meter;
- a discharge pipe fluidly coupled to an outflow side of the flow control valve to receive the fluid that passes through the at least one meter;
- a tank that receives and collects the fluid from the discharge pipe;
- a scale that weighs the fluid collected in the tank;
- a thermocouple in contact with the fluid in the tank to determine temperature of the fluid in the tank;
- and
- a controller electrically connected to the valve controller, the fluid inlet, the scale, and the thermocouple;
- wherein the controller sends at least one signal to the fluid inlet valve to open or close same to supply or stop a flow of the fluid into the at least one meter;
- wherein the controller sends at least one signal to the valve controller to incrementally open or restrict the flow control valve to increase or decrease a flow rate of the fluid through the at least one meter;
- wherein the controller determines the temperature from the thermocouple of a volume of fluid at test end when the volume of fluid has all been collected in the tank;
- and
- wherein the controller determines an adjusted volume of fluid at the test end based on the temperature and a weight of the volume of fluid that has all been collected in the tank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.