Mass flow meter including a flexible plate

Abstract

A mass flow meter and methods for using the same are provided. The mass flow meter can include a tubular housing, a flexible plate, an actuator, and at least two sensors. The flexible plate can be coupled to an interior wall of the tubular housing such that the flexible plate can vibrate in torsion. The actuator can be configured to apply an oscillating torque to the flexible plate sufficient to vibrate the flexible plate in torsion. The at least two sensors can each be configured to measure oscillations of the flexible plate as a function of time at different locations. The mass flow meter can also include a computing device in electrical communication with the at least two sensors and configured to determine a mass flow of fluid passing through the tubular housing from a phase shift between oscillations of the flexible plate measured by the at least two sensors.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.