Balance bar for a coriolis flowmeter

Abstract

A balance bar for a straight tube Coriolis flowmeter. The balance bar is preferably manufactured by process that provides an increased number of flowmeter elements integral to the balance bar. These integral elements comprise: brace bars at each end of the balance bar, rib elements on each side of the balance bar to raise the horizontal vibration frequency, a surface to facilitate the mounting of a driver to the balance bar and to a flow tube surrounded by the balance bar, surfaces to facilitate the mounting of sensors to the balance bar and flow tube, voids that lower the resonant frequency of the balance bar in a drive plane, and a cavity that makes the vibration amplitude of the balance bar less than that of the flow tube. These elements lower the resonant frequency of the balance bar to make the flowmeter calibration factor independent of density. The balance bar is ideally made by a casting process. The balance bar may also be fabricated by other processes including machining.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.