Method and apparatus for determining elastic constants in tubes

Apparatus for use in evaluating a tubular specimen fabricated of a given material for use as a corresponding flow tube within a Coriolis mass flow rate meter having at least two flow tubes and a reduced zero level offset, said apparatus comprising:

• a first fixture having a plate disposed to make substantially intimate contact with a first end of a tubular specimen;
• a hammer for striking the plate in order to excite stress waves in the first end of said tubular specimen;
• a first accelerometer, mounted onto said hammer and operative in response thereto, for detecting when the striking means strikes the plate and for generating a first output signal thereupon;
• a second fixture for maintaining a second accelerometer in substantially intimate contact with a second end of the tubular specimen;
• said second accelerometer disposed for detecting the arrival of the stress waves at the second end of the tubular specimen and, in response thereto, producing a second output signal,
• means, operative in response to said first and second output signals, for measuring a value of transit time for the stress waves to propagate from said first end through said tubular specimen and to the second end thereof;
• means, responsive to said measured transit time value and predetermined numerical data, for determining a value of Young's modulus of said tubular specimen for use in determining whether said specimen possesses a Young's modulus value existing within a pre-determined range and is therefore suitable for use as a flow tube within the Coriolis mass flow rate meter, wherein said determining means further comprises means for determining a value of a dispersive time delay factor (T.sub.4) for said tubular specimen in accordance with the following equation:
• T.sub.4 =.alpha..sub.1 L+.alpha..sub.0
• where:
• .alpha..sub.1 and .alpha..sub.0 are predetermined coefficients, and L is a value of measured length of the specimen and, in response to said determined dispersive time delay factor value, for determining said value of Young's modulus (E) of said tubular specimen in accordance with the following equation:
• E=[(1+.nu.)(1-2.nu.)/(1-.nu.)] .rho. (L/T).sup.2
• where:
• .nu. is Poisson's ratio of said material from which said tubular specimen is fabricated, L is the measured length value of said tubular specimen, .rho. is a measured density value of said tubular specimen, and T is a corrected transit time value for said tubular specimen, wherein said corrected transit time is given by the measured transit time value less both the dispersive time delay factor value and a predetermined calibration factor value;
• and
• wherein either said first fixture or said second fixture comprises:
• clamping means having spring-loaded opposing jaws that substantially conform to and grip an exterior surface of the tubular specimen, each of said jaws having a pre-defined number of through holes therethrough and a layer of resilient material existing on a surface thereon for abuttingly contacting said exterior surface of said specimen;
• a number of tie rods equal in number to the number of said through holes, each of said tie rods having a first and second end, the first end of each of said tie rods passing through a corresponding one of said through holes and slidably positioned within the jaws such that all of the tie rods extend outward from said jaws in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular specimen;
• a compression spring encircling the first end of each of said tie rods and positioned between said first end of each tie rod and the jaw;
• means for retaining the compression springs on the first ends of said tie rods;
• a plate, having a contact surface and a number of through holes corresponding to the through holes existing in the clamping means, for receiving the second ends of each of the tie rods, the plate being positioned adjacent the second ends of all the tie rods such that the plate is positioned approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular specimen, the diameters of the through holes in the plate and those of the tie rods being dimensioned so as to permit angular motion of the tie rods with respect to the plate thereby lowering an amount of force required to open the jaws;
• and
• means for maintaining the plate in substantially intimate contact with either said first or second end of the tubular specimen.