Flow Measurement Systems And Methods For Gas And Liquid Applications
AssigneeThe Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia
InventorKenneth Charles McGill, SR.
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for measuring the superposition of a plurality of sound waves propagating within a conduit containing a fluid having a plurality of transducers positioned substantially parallel to the flow direction along the wall of the conduit. The system includes means for modeling the superposition of a plurality of sound waves as they propagate within the conduit.
Claims20
A system for measuring the superposition of a plurality of sound waves propagating within a conduit containing a fluid, the conduit having a longitudinal length, wherein the fluid flows through the conduit in a flow direction, and wherein at least one sound wave of the plurality of sound waves is generated by the fluid flowing through the conduit, the system comprising:
- a plurality of transducers positioned substantially parallel to the flow direction along at least a portion of the longitudinal length of the conduit, wherein each transducer of the plurality of transducers comprises means for sensing the velocity of fluid flow through the conduit in the flow direction, wherein each transducer of the plurality of transducers further comprises means for sensing the speed at which the plurality of sound waves are propagating through the fluid, and wherein each transducer of the plurality of transducers is positioned in a spaced position relative to a predetermined reference point on the conduit, the spaced position corresponding to the longitudinal distance between the transducer and reference point;
- means for modeling the superposition of the plurality of sound waves as they propagate within the conduit, wherein the means for modeling the superposition is in communication with each transducer of the plurality of transducers, and wherein the means for modeling the superposition is configured to:
- receive a time domain signal from each transducer;
- assign a position value to the time domain signal indicative of the spaced position of the transducer which generated the time domain signal;
- and
- store an array of time domain signals and their corresponding position values,
- wherein, upon storage of a selected number of time domain signals, the means for modeling the superposition is configured to process the array of time domain signals to produce a model of the phases of the plurality of sound waves as they propagate therein the conduit, and
- wherein the superposition of the plurality of sound waves is modeled using the wave equations
- Ψ
- RL
-
- (
- r
- ,
- z
- ,
- t
- )
- =
- NJ
- 0
- (
- M
- cal
-
- 2
-
- π
-
-
- r
- w
- (
- f
- c
- -
- k
- )
- )
-
-
- 2
-
- π
-
-
- i
-
- (
- ft
- +
- kz
- )
- ,
-
- and
- Ψ
- LR
-
- (
- r
- ,
- z
- ,
- t
- )
- =
- NJ
- 0
- (
- M
- cal
-
- 2
-
- π
-
-
- r
- w
- (
- f
- c
- -
- k
- )
- )
-
-
- 2
-
- π
-
-
- i
-
- (
- ft
- -
- kz
- )
- ,
- where:
- Ψ=the phase of the wave moving right-to-left (RL) or left-to-right (LR) through the conduit,
- rw=the radius of the conduit,
- z=the horizontal position of the wave measured relative to the direction of fluid flow within the conduit,
- t=elapsed time since generation of the wave,
- N=amplitude of the sound wave,
- J0=cylindrical Bessel function of the first kind,
- Mcal=calibration coefficient,
- f=frequency of the sound waves,
- c=speed of the sound waves within the conduit, and
- k=the wavenumber associated with the sound waves.
A method for measuring the superposition of a plurality of sound waves propagating within a conduit containing a fluid, wherein the fluid flows through the conduit in a flow direction, and wherein at least one sound wave of the plurality of sound waves is generated by the fluid flowing through the conduit, the method comprising:
- providing a plurality of transducers positioned substantially parallel to the flow direction along at least a portion of a longitudinal length of the conduit, wherein each transducer of the plurality of transducers comprises means for sensing the velocity of fluid flow through the conduit in the flow direction, wherein each transducer of the plurality of transducers further comprises means for sensing the speed at which the plurality of sound waves are propagating through the fluid, and wherein each transducer of the plurality of transducers is positioned in a spaced position relative to a predetermined reference point on the conduit, the spaced position corresponding to the longitudinal distance between the transducer and reference point;
- receiving a time domain signal each respective transducer;
- assigning a position value to the time domain signal indicative of the spaced position of the transducer which generated the time domain signal;
- storing an array of time domain signals and their corresponding position values;
- and
- processing the array of data sets to produce a model of the superposition of the plurality of sound waves as they propagate therein the conduit,
- wherein the superposition of the plurality of sound waves is modeled using the wave equations
- Ψ
- RL
-
- (
- r
- ,
- z
- ,
- t
- )
- =
- NJ
- 0
- (
- M
- cal
-
- 2
-
- π
-
-
- r
- w
- (
- f
- c
- -
- k
- )
- )
-
-
- 2
-
- π
-
-
- i
-
- (
- ft
- +
- kz
- )
- ,
-
- and
- Ψ
- LR
-
- (
- r
- ,
- z
- ,
- t
- )
- =
- NJ
- 0
- (
- M
- cal
-
- 2
-
- π
-
-
- r
- w
- (
- f
- c
- -
- k
- )
- )
-
-
- 2
-
- π
-
-
- i
-
- (
- ft
- -
- kz
- )
- ,
- where:
- Ψ=the phase of the wave moving right-to-left (RL) or left-to-right (LR) through the conduit,
- rw=the radius of the conduit,
- z=the horizontal position of the wave measured relative to the direction of fluid flow within the conduit,
- t=elapsed time since generation of the wave,
- N=amplitude of the sound wave,
- J0=cylindrical Bessel function of the first kind,
- Mcal=calibration coefficient,
- f=frequency of the sound waves,
- c=speed of the sound waves within the conduit, and
- k=the wavenumber associated with the sound waves.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.