Inertia force flowmeter with transverse pressure gradient sensors

An apparatus for measuring flow rate of fluid moving through at least one curved conduit with two opposite extremities restrained from experiencing lateral movements, comprising in combination:

• a) at least one curved conduit with two opposite extremities restrained from experiencing lateral movements;
• b) means for generating a lateral reciprocating motion of said at least one conduit in directions substantially perpendicular to a reference plane defined by the center line of the conduit in a mode wherein amplitude of the lateral reciprocating motion of said at least one conduit has one of the following two distributions along the center line of the conduit;
• a symmetric distribution about a center section of the conduit and an antisymmetric distribution about the center section of the conduit;
• c) a first pressure sensor for detecting an alternating transverse pressure gradient existing in the fluid in directions parallel to the directions of the lateral reciprocating motion of the conduit at a first section of the conduit belonging to a first half of the conduit, and converting the alternating transverse pressure gradient into a first alternating electrical signals;
• d) a second pressure sensor for detecting an alternating transverse pressure gradient existing in the fluid in directions parallel to the directions of the lateral reciprocating motion of the conduit at a second section of the conduit belonging to a second half of the conduit opposite to said first half of the conduit, and converting the alternating transverse pressure gradient into a second alternating electrical signal;
• and
• e) means for determining a difference between the first and second alternating electrical signals as a measure of mass flow rate of the fluid moving through said at least one conduit.