# US 2018/0023986 A1 · Device and method for measuring the parameters of fluid flow > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0023986 A1 - Document ID: US20180023986A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/648,020 - Filed: 2017-07-12 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19 - Assignees: Tallinn University of Technology - Applicants: Tallinn University of Technology - Inventors: Maarja Kruusmaa; Asko Ristolainen; Alar Kuusik - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180023986A1 ## CPC - G01F 1/3266: {by sensing mechanical vibrations} - G01F 1/28: by drag-force, e.g. vane type or impact flowmeter - G01F: MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME ## Abstract Sensor device and method for determining the parameters of fluid flow with a sensor, including an oblong element, extending into fluid flow, fixed mechanically to the body of the sensor device with a flexible link in one end, and a mechanically connected vibration sensor and a data acquisition module connected electrically to the vibration sensor and positioned in the body, which is set to determine the frequency response curve of oscillation caused by liquid flow in the cylindrical element, and to derive the speed and type of fluid flow from the measured frequency response curve. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A sensor device for determining fluid flow parameters, the sensor comprising: a base unit; an oblong element, having a flexible link in one end, said oblong element fixed mechanically to said base unit with said flexible link and extending into fluid, said oblong element mechanically connected to a vibration sensor; and a data acquisition module inside said base unit, said data acquisition module electrically connected to said vibration sensor, wherein said data acquisition module is adapted to determine a frequency response curve of oscillation in said oblong element due to liquid flow, and to determine flow parameters from the measured frequency response curve, wherein such flow parameters include flow speed, direction of flow, type of flow, and Reynolds number. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The sensor device as in claim 1, wherein said oblong element is a rigid rod. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The sensor device as in claim 2, wherein said rigid rod has ball shape tip. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The sensor device as in claim 1, wherein said vibration sensor is an accelerometer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The sensor device as in claim 2, wherein said flexible link comprises a membrane, made of elastic material, said base unit having an aperture on one of its side and said membrane attached to said base unit at edges of said aperture. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The sensor device as in claim 2, wherein said flexible link is a spring or a ball joint. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The sensor device as in claim 1, wherein the sensor device comprises a second accelerometer attached to said base unit, said second accelerometer adapted for determining a tilt of said base unit, or an oscillation of said base unit. ### Claim 8 A method for determining fluid flow parameters in a reservoir, fluid body or in a pipe, wherein said method comprises: introducing into said fluid flow a sensor device, said sensor comprising a base unit, an oblong element extending into said fluid flow for obstructing said fluid flow, said oblong element mechanically connected to base unit with a flexible link, and a first accelerometer mechanically connected to said an oblong element and a data acquisition module; determining by said data acquisition module a frequency spectrum of said oblong element; and calculating by said data acquisition module said fluid flow parameters from said frequency spectrum. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method as in claim 8, wherein said flexible link comprises a membrane, made of elastic material, said base unit having an aperture on one of its side and said membrane attached to said base unit at edges of said aperture. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method as in claim 8, wherein flexible link is a spring or a ball joint. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method as in claim 8, wherein said fluid flow parameters include speed of the fluid flow, and the type of the fluid flow. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method as in claim 11, wherein said speed of the fluid flow and said type of the fluid flow is determined based on the average value of the amplitude of said frequency spectrum in the region of resonance frequency of the system of the cylindrical object. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method as in claim 11, comprising determining said speed of fluid flow and direction of said fluid flow from an angle between a gravitation vector and said cylindrical element, and determining said type of fluid flow on the average value of the amplitude of said frequency spectrum in the region of resonance frequency of the system of the cylindrical object. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method as in claim 12, wherein said direction of fluid flow is determined through the difference of output signals of multidimensional accelerometers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The method as in claim 8, wherein said sensor device is attached to a technical construction in said liquid body, with said oblong object directed into said fluid flow. ### Claim 16 (depends on 8) The method as in claim 8, wherein an initial inclination of said oblong object compared to gravitation vector is determined additional reference micromechanical sensor attached to said base unit with static positions not depending on the fluid flow. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The method as in claim 8, wherein vibration in an installation site of the oblong object is compensated with the information of other micromechanical sensors installed in the sensor device which are not influenced by the flow of fluid. ### Claim 18 (depends on 8) The method as in claim 8, comprising arranging several sensor devices into groups to measure the parameters of fluid flow in several space points and constructing a vector of the parameters of liquid flow, or a two or three-dimensional map. ### Claim 19 (depends on 8) The method as in claim 8, wherein data collected by said sensor device are processed on site by a microprocessor or by a computer. ### Claim 20 (depends on 8) The method as in claim 8, wherein data collected by said sensor device are transmitted for processing into a central computer or cloud service.