# US 2018/0023985 A1 · Vortex flowmeter with reduced process intrusion > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0023985 A1 - Document ID: US20180023985A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/358,718 - Filed: 2016-11-22 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-21 - Assignees: Micro Motion, Inc. - Applicants: Rosemount Inc. - Inventors: Vladimir Bogdanov; Alexander Konyukov; Alexey Krivonogov; Vladmir Repyevsky; Jeffry Foster - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180023985A1 ## CPC - G01F 1/3287: {circuits therefor} - G01F 1/3209: {using Karman vortices} - G01F 1/3266: {by sensing mechanical vibrations} - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME ## Abstract A vortex flowmeter includes a flow tube having a first end and a second end. A shedder bar is disposed within the flow tube between the first end and the second end. The shedder bar is configured to generate vortices in fluid flowing through the flow tube. At least one sensor is operably coupled to an external surface of the flow tube and is configured to detect individual deformations of the flow tube resulting from vortices inside the flow tube. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vortex flowmeter comprising: a flow tube having a first end and a second end; a shedder bar disposed within the flow tube between the first end and the second end, the shedder bar being configured to generate vortices in fluid flowing through the flow tube; and at least one sensor operably coupled to an external surface of the flow tube and configured to detect individual deformations of the flow tube resulting from vortices inside the flow tube. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The vortex flowmeter of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is a piezoelectric film sensor. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The vortex flowmeter of claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor is mounted to the external surface of the flow tube. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The vortex flowmeter of claim 3, wherein the at least one sensor includes a plurality of piezoelectric film sensors. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The vortex flowmeter of claim 4, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a first sensor disposed on a first side of the flow tube and a second sensor disposed on a second side of the flow tube that is opposite the first side. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The vortex flowmeter of claim 5, wherein the first and second sensors are mounted proximate the shedder bar. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The vortex flowmeter of claim 5, wherein the first and second sensors are mounted downstream from the shedder bar. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The vortex flowmeter of claim 4, wherein the plurality of sensors includes a first sensor disposed on a first side of the flow tube on a first side of the shedder bar and a second sensor disposed on the first side of the flow tube on a second side of the shedder bar. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The vortex flowmeter of claim 5, wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one additional sensor mounted to the external surface of the flow tube upstream from the shedder bar. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The vortex flowmeter of claim 1, and further comprising flowmeter electronics coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to generate a process fluid flow output based on vortex frequency detection. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The vortex flowmeter of claim 10, wherein the flowmeter electronics are configured to perform a frequency analysis of a signal from the at least one sensor to detect vortex frequency. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The vortex flowmeter of claim 11, wherein the frequency analysis is a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT). ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The vortex flowmeter of claim 10, wherein the flowmeter electronics are configured to perform an analysis of a signal from at least one sensor mounted to the external surface of the flow tube upstream from the shedder bar to detect flow noise and at least one sensor mounted to the external surface of the flow tube downstream from the shedder bar to detect vortex frequency. ### Claim 14 A method of detecting a flow rate of a fluid, the method comprising: providing a flow tube to receive the flow of fluid; providing a fixed structure that generates vortices as the fluid flows by the fixed structure; detecting deformations of an external surface of the flow tube based on physical interactions between the vortices and the flow tube; using the detected deformations to determine vortex frequency; and providing a flow rate output based on the vortex frequency. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein providing the fixed structure includes mounting a shedder bar within the flow tube. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein detecting deformations of an external surface includes monitoring a signal from at least one sensor coupled to the external surface of the flow tube. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one sensor is a piezoelectric film sensor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein detecting deformations of an external surface of the flow tube is performed at two different locations on the flow tube. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the two different locations are on opposite sides of the flow tube. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the two different locations are downstream from the fixed structure. ### Claim 21 A vortex flowmeter comprising: flowmeter electronics configured to determine a vortex frequency and provide a fluid flow rate output; a flow tube having a first end and a second end; a shedder bar disposed within the flow tube to generate vortices in fluid flowing through the flow tube; and a plurality of piezoelectric film sensors, each being coupled to the flowmeter electronics and mounted to an external surface of the flow tube, the plurality of piezoelectric film sensors being configured to detect deformation of the flow tube resulting from vortices impinging the flow tube.