In-flow coriolis effect mass flowmeter

Apparatus for deriving mass flow information for material flowing in a conduit, said apparatus comprising:

• a non-movable conduit for enabling material flow therein in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said conduit;
• a substantially straight flow tube positioned inside said conduit and having a non-movable longitudinal axis substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said conduit;
• said flow tube being effective to enable the flow therethrough of a portion of said material flow through said conduit;
• drive means affixed to a longitudinal center of said flow tube for imparting a transverse oscillatory motion to a portion of said flow tube;
• said flow tube being devoid of attachment to any structure other than said drive means;
• sensor means associated with said flow tube for detecting the transverse flexing motion of said flow tube caused by the Coriolis forces resulting from the flow of said material through said flow tube as said flow tube is oscillated transversely by said drive means;
• signal processing means;
• and
• means for applying output signals from said sensor means to said signal processing means for the generation of mass flow information pertaining to said material flowing through said conduit.

Apparatus for deriving mass flow information for material flowing through a conduit, said apparatus comprising:

• a substantially straight flow tube positioned inside said conduit and having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of said conduit;
• said flow tube being effective to enable the flow therethrough of a portion of material flow through said conduit;
• drive means associated with said flow tube for imparting a transverse oscillatory motion to a portion of said flow tube;
• sensor means associated with said flow tube for detecting a transverse motion of said flow tube caused by the Coriolis forces resulting from the flow of said material through said flow tube as said flow tube is oscillated transversely by said drive means;
• a cover surrounding said flow tube to isolate said flow tube from material in said conduit whereby the transverse movement of said flow tube is unaffected by the viscosity of said material external to said flow tube is said conduit;
• signal processing means;
• and
• means for applying an output signal from said sensor means to said signal processing means for the generation of mass flow information pertaining to said flow through said conduit.

A method for driving mass flow information form material flowing in a conduit in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said conduit, said method comprising the steps of:

• positioning a flow tube inside a non-movable conduit with the longitudinal axis of said flow tube being non-movable and substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said conduit to enable the flow therethrough of a portion of a material flow through said conduit and with the effective cross sectional area of said flow tube being relatively small compared to the effective cross sectional area of said conduit;
• operating drive means associated with said flow tube for imparting a transverse oscillatory motion to a portion of said flow tube;
• operating flow tube sensor means for detecting the flexing motion of said flow tube caused by the Coriolis forces on said flow tube resulting from the flow of said material through said flow tube as said flow tube is oscillated by said drive means;
• and
• applying output signals from said flow tube sensor means to signal processing means for the generation of mass flow information pertaining to said material flow through said conduit.

A method for deriving mass flow information for material flowing in a conduit in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of said conduit, said method comprising:

• positioning a substantially straight flow tube inside a nonmovable conduit;
• said flow tube having a longitudinal axis that is nonmovable and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said conduit;
• said flow tube being effective to enable the flow therethrough of a portion of a material flow through said conduit;
• operating drive means affixed to a longitudinal center of said flow tube for imparting a transverse oscillatory motion to portions of said flow tube;
• said flow tube being devoid of attachment to any structure other than said drive means;
• associated sensor means with said flow tube for detecting the transverse flexing motion of flow tube caused by the Coriolis forces resulting from the flow of said material through said flow tube as said flow tube is oscillated transversely by said drive means;
• and
• applying output signals from said sensor means to signal processing means for the generation of mass flow information pertaining to said material flowing through said conduit.

A method for deriving mass flow information for material flowing through a conduit, said apparatus comprising:

• inserting a substantially straight flow tube inside a conduit so that a longitudinal axis of said flow tube is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said conduit;
• said flow tube enabling the flow therethrough of a portion of a material flow through said conduit;
• imparting a transverse oscillatory motion to a portion of said flow tube with a drive means;
• associating sensor means with said flow tube for detecting the transverse motion of said flow tube caused by the Coriolis forces resulting from the flow of said material through said flow tube as said flow tube is oscillated transversely by said drive means;
• surrounding said flow tube with a cover to isolate said flow tube from material in said conduit whereby a transverse movement of said flow tube is unaffected by the viscosity of said material external to said flow tube in said conduit;
• and
• applying an output signal from said sensor means to signal processing means for the generation of mass flow information pertaining to said material flow through said conduit.