Air velocity averaging rotor
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsAlfonso C. Guativa, David M. Schwenk, James P. Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device for measuring air flow in a conduit is characterized by a flow directing shroud mounted within the conduit and having inlet and outlet portions defining a circular opening through which the air flow is directed. A turbine-type anemometer is positioned within the circular opening such that substantially all air flow within the conduit is directed through the turbine blades, thereby enabling the average flow velocity in the conduit to be determined with a single measurement.
Claims13
A device for measuring air flow velocity in a duct, comprising:
- (a) flow directing means mounted within the duct, said flow directing means containing a circular opening;
- (b) turbine means centrally positioned within said circular opening for responding to the air flow, said turbine means including
- (1) a rotor shaft aligned substantially parallel to the direction of air flow;
- (2) a rotor hub rigidly connected with said shaft;
- and
- (3) a plurality of rotor blades extending radially outward from said rotor hub;
- (c) mounting means connected within the duct for rotatably supporting said turbine means;
- (d) means connected with said turbine means for sensing the rotation thereof;
- and
- (e) means connected with said sensing means for indicating air flow velocity as a function of the rate of rotation of said turbine means and
- wherein said flow directing means includes an outer peripheral surface contiguous with inner surface of the duct and an inner peripheral surface adjacent the outer edge of said rotor blades, whereby substantially all of the air flow through the duct is directed past said rotor blades.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.