US 2026/0153422 A1 · VISCOMETER, INDUSTRIAL PROCESS CONTROL SYSTEM WITH IN-LINE VISCOMETER, AND METHOD OF VISCOSITY MEASUREMENT

Abstract

A viscometer for measuring viscosity of a fluid uses one or more ultrasound transducers to conduct an ultrasound-based time-of-flight measurement process in which an ultrasound pulse is transmitted into the fluid at a first time and received by a transducer at a second time. A viscometer has at least one transducer receptacle configured for being immersed in the fluid. The at least one transducer receptacle receives one or more ultrasound transducers and fluidly isolates the transducer(s) from the fluid. The viscometer enclosure is shaped and arranged so that, when the ultrasound-based time-of-flight measurement process is conducted, the ultrasound pulse travels a predefined distance through the fluid from where the ultrasound pulse is transmitted to where the ultrasound pulse is received, whereby a time of flight of the ultrasound pulse from when the ultrasound pulse is transmitted to when the ultrasound pulse is received indicates the viscosity of the fluid.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An in-line viscometer for measuring viscosity of a process fluid contained in a process vessel, the in-line viscometer comprising:

a viscometer enclosure comprising a base configured to be mounted on the process vessel, the viscometer enclosure further comprising first and second transducer receptacles extending from the base such that the first and second transducer receptacles are configured to be received in the process fluid when the base is mounted on the process vessel, the first transducer receptacle comprising a first channel wall and the second transducer receptacle comprising a second channel wall spaced apart from the first channel wall in opposing relation therewith, the first and second channel walls defining a measurement channel therebetween, the viscometer enclosure being shaped and arranged to receive the process fluid in the measurement channel when the base is mounted on the process vessel;
a first ultrasound transducer received in the first transducer receptacle and configured to transmit ultrasound through the measurement channel to the second transducer receptacle;
and
a second ultrasound transducer received in the second transducer receptacle and configured to receive the ultrasound transmitted by the first ultrasound transducer through the measurement channel and output a measurement signal indicating the viscosity of the process fluid.

1 more element

An industrial process control system comprising:

a process vessel for containing a process fluid flowing within the process vessel, the process vessel comprising a vessel wall defining a process opening;
a process control device, the process control device being selectively actuatable to adjust a characteristic of the process fluid;
an in-line viscometer mounted on vessel wall at the process opening, the in-line viscometer comprising a viscometer enclosure and first and second ultrasound transducers in the viscometer enclosure, the first ultrasound transducer configured to transmit ultrasound through the process fluid to the second ultrasound transducer, the second ultrasound transducer configured to detect the ultrasound transmitted from the first ultrasound transducer through the process fluid and output a measurement signal indicating the viscosity of the process fluid, the viscometer enclosure configured to fluidly isolate the first and second ultrasonic transducers from the process fluid;
and
a controller configured to receive the measurement signal from the in-line viscometer and actuate the process control device based on the measurement signal.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Viscometer, industrial process control system with in-line viscometer, and method of viscosity measurement

Life of this patent

Viscometer, industrial process control system with in-line viscometer, and method of viscosity measurement

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20