Remote signal conditioner for a Coriolis flowmeter

A method capable of being intrinsically safe for processing signals for a Coriolis flowmeter comprising the steps of:

• receiving power in a signal conditioner from a power supply in a host system remote from said signal conditioner via a first wire and a second wire;
• preventing power in excess of said intrinsically safe threshold from being applied to said first wire and said second wire by circuitry in said signal conditioner;
• generating a drive signal from said power received from said power supply using drive circuitry in said signal conditioner;
• applying said drive signal from said drive circuitry to a driver affixed to at least one conduit;
• preventing power in excess of said intrinsically safe threshold from being applied by said drive circuitry to wires connected to said driver;
• receiving input signals in pick-off signal conditioning circuitry in said signal conditioner from a first pick-off sensor and a second pick-off sensor affixed to said at least one conduit;
• preventing power in excess of said intrinsically safe threshold from being applied by said pick-off signal conditioning circuitry to wires connecting said first pick-off sensor and said second pick-off sensor to said pick-off signal conditioning circuitry;
• generating information indicating properties of a material flowing through said conduit from said input signals;
• transmitting output signals containing said information to said host system;
• and
• preventing power in excess of said intrinsically safe threshold from being applied to wires connecting said pick-off signal conditioning circuitry to said host system.

A Coriolis flowmeter signal processor comprising:

• an intrinsically safe signal conditioner for mounting proximate to and coupling with a flowmeter assembly, wherein said intrinsically safe signal conditioner is capable of producing output signals indicating properties of a material flowing through said flowmeter assembly from input signals generated by said flowmeter assembly when said material flows therein;
• and
• a host system remote from and coupled to said intrinsically safe signal conditioner for providing power to said intrinsically safe signal conditioner,
• the intrinsically safe signal conditioner comprising:
• drive circuitry for generating a drive signal from said power received from a power supply in said host system and for applying said drive signal to a driver affixed to at least one conduit in said flowmeter assembly,
• pick-off signal conditioning circuitry for receiving said input signals from a first pick-off sensor and a second pick-off sensor affixed to said at least one conduit, for generating information indicating said properties of said material flowing through said at least one conduit from said input signals, and for transmitting said output signals containing said information to said host system;
• host-side protection circuitry for preventing power in excess of an intrinsically safe threshold from being applied by said intrinsically safe signal conditioner to wires connecting said intrinsically safe signal conditioner to said host system, and
• flowmeter assembly protection circuitry for preventing power in excess of said intrinsically safe threshold from being applied by said intrinsically safe signal conditioner to wires connecting said signal conditioner to said driver, said first pick-off sensor, and said second pick-off sensor.

A Coriolis flowmeter comprising:

• a flowmeter assembly for generating sensor signals containing information associated with a material flowing through said flowmeter assembly;
• an intrinsically safe signal conditioner mounted proximate to and coupled with said flowmeter assembly for receiving said sensor signals and for producing output signals indicating properties of said flowing material from said sensor signals;
• and
• a host system remote from and coupled to said intrinsically safe signal conditioner for providing power to said intrinsically safe signal conditioner,
• said intrinsically safe signal conditioner comprising:
• drive circuitry that generates a drive signal from said power received from said host system and applies said drive signal to said flowmeter assembly,
• pick-off signal conditioning circuitry that receives said sensor signals from said flowmeter assembly, generates information indicating properties of a material flowing through said flowmeter assembly, and transmits said output signals containing said information to said host system,
• host-side protection circuitry that prevents power in excess of an intrinsically safe threshold from being applied by said intrinsically safe signal conditioner to wires connecting said signal conditioner to said host system, and
• flowmeter assembly protection circuitry that prevents power in excess of said intrinsically safe threshold from being applied by said intrinsically safe signal conditioner to wires connecting said signal conditioner to said flowmeter assembly.

A flowmeter signal processing system, comprising:

• a signal conditioner;
• a host system remotely coupled to said signal conditioner;
• wherein said signal conditioner and said host system operate withing an intrinsically safe threshold, and
• wherein said signal conditioner comprises flowmeter assembly protection circuitry coupled to a flowmeter assembly and host-side protection circuitry coupled to said host system.