Flowmeter
AssigneeRockwell International Corporation
InventorJohn A. Brinkman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The flowmeter is basically a curved rotameter, having a tapered conduit which is curved in the vertical plane. Inlet and outlet plenum chambers are provided for passing the fluid through the curved rotameter. A ball is positioned within the curved rotameter so that it can move up the conduit under the influence of the stream of fluid. A differential pressure sensor (which may be mounted on a partition separating the plenum chambers) determines the pressure differential between both sides of the ball. This pressure differential is an indication of the rate of flow of fluid through the meter. In a preferred embodiment, two conduits with opposed curves are used to compensate for variations in vertical alignment of the flowmeter.
Claims12
A meter for measuring the flow of a fluid comprising:
- a conduit having an inlet end and an outlet end and being curved so that said outlet end is higher than said inlet end, said conduit having a cross section which increases in area toward said outlet end;
- a mass positioned within said conduit and moveable along said conduit;
- means for passing a fluid through said conduit from said inlet end to said outlet end;
- and
- means for measuring pressure differential between the fluid on both sides of said mass, whereby flow of fluid through said conduit is measured.
A meter for measuring the flow of gas comprising:
- a housing having an inlet plenum chamber and an outlet plenum chamber separated by a partition;
- a pair of conduits, each of said conduits having an inlet end open to said inlet plenum chamber and an outlet end open to said outlet plenum chamber and being curved so that said outlet end is higher than said inlet end, each of said conduits having a substantially circular cross section which increases in area toward said outlet end, said conduits being positioned in said housing so that the direction of their upward curves are counter to each other, said housing having openings for passing gas being measured into said inlet plenum chamber through said conduit to said outlet plenum chamber and out of said outlet plenum chamber;
- a ball positioned within each of said conduits and moveable along said conduit in which it is positioned;
- and
- means coupled to said meter for measuring differential pressure between said inlet and outlet plenum chambers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.