Fluid flow measuring system
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorJohn L. Schneiter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for measuring fluid flow through a plurality of holes in a part, such as an engine combustor part, comprises a hood, including a leak-resistant seal, the seal being capable of receiving or engaging an inner or outer side of the wall of the part; a pump or variable pressure blower coupled to the hood by a fluid flow line; a pressure sensor to measure pressure inside the hood; a controller coupled to the pump or blower to establish a predetermined pressure inside the hood in response to the pressure sensor, and a flow sensor in the fluid flow line to measure the fluid flow rate through the fluid flow line.
Claims20
A system for measuring fluid flow through a plurality of holes in a part formed by a two-sided wall having an inner side and an outer side, said part having a primary axis and a first and second end with respect to said axis, said part further having a cross-section constituting a substantially smooth, closed figure taken along a plane oriented substantially perpendicular to said primary axis, the holes each extending from the inner side to the outer side of said wall, said system comprising:
- a hood having a primary axis substantially parallel to the primary axis of said part and a hood cavity for receiving one of the ends of said part, said hood including a leak-resistant seal adapted to engage the outer side of the wall of the part;
- a pump being coupled to said hood cavity by a fluid flow line and operable to affect pressure within said hood cavity;
- a pressure sensor adapted to measure the pressure within said hood cavity;
- a controller responsive to said pressure sensor, being coupled to said pump and adapted to establish a predetermined pressure inside said hood cavity by controlling said pump;
- and
- a fluid flow sensor incorporated in said flow line adapted to measure the fluid flow rate through said flow line.
A system for measuring fluid flow through a plurality of holes in a part formed by a two-sided wall having an inner side and an outer side, said part having a primary axis and a first and second end with respect to said axis, said part further having a cross-section constituting a substantially smooth, closed figure taken along a plane oriented substantially perpendicular to said primary axis, the holes each extending from the inner side to the outer side of said wall, said system comprising:
- a hood having a primary axis substantially parallel to the primary axis of said part and a hood cavity for receiving one of the ends of said part, said hood including a leak-resistant seal adapted to engage the outer side of the wall of the part;
- a variable pressure blower being coupled to said hood cavity by a fluid flow line and operable to affect the pressure inside said hood cavity;
- a pressure sensor adapted to measure differential pressure between the pressure inside said hood cavity and the pressure outside said hood cavity;
- a controller responsive to said pressure sensor, being coupled to said blower and adapted to establish a predetermined differential pressure between the pressure inside said hood cavity and outside said hood cavity by controlling said blower;
- and
- a fluid flow sensor incorporated in said flow line adapted to measure the fluid flow rate through said flow line.
A system for measuring fluid flow through a plurality of holes in a part formed by a two-sided wall having an inner side and an outer side, said part having a primary axis and a first and second end with respect to said axis, said part further having a cross-section constituting a substantially smooth, closed figure taken along a plane oriented substantially perpendicular to said primary axis, the holes each extending from the inner side to the outer side of said wall, said system comprising:
- a hood having a primary axis substantially parallel to the primary axis of said part and a hood cavity, said hood including a leak-resistant seal adapted to engage the inner side of the wall of the part;
- a pump being coupled to said hood by a fluid flow line and operable to affect the pressure within said hood cavity;
- a pressure sensor adapted to measure the pressure within said hood cavity;
- a controller responsive to said pressure sensor, being coupled to said pump and adapted to establish a predetermined pressure in said hood cavity by controlling said pump;
- and
- a fluid flow sensor incorporated in said flow line adapted to measure the fluid flow rate through said flow line.
A method for measuring the fluid flow through a plurality of holes forming at least one row in a two-sided wall having an inner and outer side, said wall forming a part, said method comprising the steps of:
- sealing the part in a hood cavity in a leak-resistant hood so that said at least one row of holes constitutes a passage for fluid between the hood cavity and the environment external to the hood cavity;
- adjusting pressure inside the hood cavity so as to substantially create a predetermined differential pressure between the pressure inside the hood cavity and the pressure external to the hood cavity;
- and
- measuring the fluid flow through said at least one row of holes after the pressure is substantially adjusted inside the hood cavity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.