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US 12,613,119 B2Granted
Ultrasonic mass fuel flow meter
AssigneeWoodward, Inc.
InventorsJordan Loren Loos, Gregory Warren Pulley, Brian Lynn Swope
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method of sensing that includes measuring an acoustic impedance of a fluid, measuring a first time of flight in a first direction through the fluid, measuring a second time of flight in a second direction through the fluid, determining a mass fluid flow rate based on the measured acoustic impedance, the measured first time of flight, and the measured second time of flight, and providing the determined mass fluid flow rate.
Claims14
A mass flow sensor system comprising:
- a fluid housing defining a fluid flow conduit and comprising:
- a first fluid housing portion defining a first axial fluid housing cavity and comprising a first fluid port in fluidic communication with the first axial fluid housing cavity;
- a second fluid housing portion defining a second axial fluid housing cavity and comprising a second fluid port in fluidic communication with the second axial fluid housing cavity;
- and
- a tubular fluid conduit in fluidic communication with the first fluid port at a first end and in fluidic communication with the second fluid port at a second end opposite the first end, and defining a conduit axis;
- a first transceiver element arranged within the first axial fluid housing cavity, axially aligned with the conduit axis;
- a second transceiver element arranged within the second axial fluid housing cavity, axially aligned with the conduit axis;
- and
- a fluid acoustic impedance sensor arranged in fluidic communication with the fluid flow conduit;
- wherein the fluid acoustic impedance sensor comprises:
- a sensor housing having an interior surface defining a sensor axis and an axial interior sensor housing cavity comprising:
- a first axial sensor housing portion having a first cross-sectional area perpendicular to the sensor axis;
- a second axial sensor housing portion arranged adjacent to the first axial sensor housing portion along the sensor axis and having a second cross-sectional area larger than the first cross-sectional area perpendicular to the sensor axis;
- and
- a sensor housing face extending from the interior surface of the first axial sensor housing portion to the interior surface of the second axial sensor housing portion;
- a first axial buffer rod arranged within the first axial sensor housing portion and comprising a first axial end and a second axial end;
- a second axial buffer rod arranged within the second axial sensor housing portion and
- abutting the sensor housing face, and comprising a third axial end and a fourth axial end;
- and
- an acoustic transceiver element acoustically mated to the second axial end and the third axial end.
17 more elements
A method of sensing, comprising:
- measuring an acoustic impedance of a fluid;
- measuring a first time of flight in a first direction through the fluid;
- measuring a second time of flight in a second direction through the fluid;
- determining a mass fluid flow rate based on the measured acoustic impedance, the measured first time of flight, and the measured second time of flight;
- providing the determined mass fluid flow rate;
- activating an emitter to emit at least a first incident wave in a first direction and emit a second incident wave in a second direction opposite the first direction;
- transmitting the first incident wave along a first buffer rod having a first axial end abutted to the emitter and a second axial end opposite the first axial end;
- transmitting the second incident wave along a second buffer rod having a third axial end abutted to the emitter and a fourth axial end opposite the third axial end and abutted to the fluid;
- reflecting a first echo of the first incident wave by an acoustic reflector defined along a portion of the second axial end;
- detecting, by a sensor, the first echo;
- determining a first amplitude of the first echo;
- reflecting a second echo of the second incident wave by the fourth axial end;
- detecting, by the sensor, the second echo;
- determining a second amplitude of the second echo;
- and
- determining a reflection coefficient based on the first amplitude and the second amplitude.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.