Ultrasonic flow metering system

A method of controlling a fluid flow system comprising:

• providing a substantially linear conduit section having boundaries and a flowing fluid therein;
• transmitting a first pulse perpendicular to said substantially linear conduit section between said boundaries across a first distance;
• transmitting a second pulse at an oblique angle to said substantially linear conduit section between said boundaries across a second distance;
• determining respective velocities for said first and second pulses through said fluid;
• calculating the difference between said respective velocities;
• using said difference to obtain a flow velocity;
• comparing said flow velocity to a set-point flow velocity;
• and
• optionally adjusting said flow velocity.

A system for measuring flow velocity of a fluid comprising:

• a plurality of sing-around circuits, each said sing-around circuit including an acoustic transmitter, a receiver and a means for determining a settled sing-around frequency for each sing-around circuit, wherein said means for determining a settled sing-around frequency for each sing-around circuit comprises:
• an amplifier in communication with said receiver;
• a rectifier in communication with said amplifier;
• and
• a gate circuit in communication with said rectifier;
• and
• a means for calculating transit-time shift between at least two of said plurality of sing-around circuits, said means for calculating transit-time shift employing each said settled sing-around frequency.

A method of determining the percent solids of a slurry comprising:

• providing a slurry in a conduit;
• generating a pulse through said conduit across a known distance;
• calculating the velocity of said pulse across said known distance;
• and
• correlating said velocity to the percent solids in said slurry.

A system for measuring the flow of a fluid comprising:

• a first transmitter and a first receiver, said first transmitter and said first receiver being separated by a first distance;
• a second transmitter and a second receiver, said second transmitter and said second receiver being separated by a second distance;
• each of said first transmitter and receiver and said second transmitter and receiver comprising:
• a trigger circuit including a signal rectifier;
• means for determining the signal delay between said transmitter and said receiver, wherein said means for determining the signal delay between said transmitter and said receiver has an alternative digital signal filter connected to said trigger circuit;
• and
• means for calculating the transit-time shift caused by the flow of said fluid.

A method of controlling a dynamic fluid-supply system comprising:

• providing a first transmitter and a first receiver separated by first fixed distance and with a fluid therebetween;
• transmitting a first pulse from said first transmitter;
• receiving said first pulse across said first fixed distance to create a first receiver signal;
• creating a first trigger signal;
• using said first trigger signal to transmit a repeat pulse from said first transmitter;
• determining the signal delay between said first transmitting and first receiving;
• providing a second transmitter and a second receiver, separated by a second fixed distance and with said fluid therebetween, wherein said second transmitter and said second receiver are configured at a non-perpendicular angle to flow of said fluid;
• transmitting a second pulse from said second transmitter;
• receiving said second pulse across said second fixed distance to create a second receiver signal;
• creating a second trigger signal;
• using said second trigger signal to transmit a repeat pulse from said second transmitter;
• determining the signal delay between said transmitting and said receiving;
• and
• determining the transit-time shift between said second transmitter and said second receiver.

A method suitable for determining at least one flow parameter of a fluid having a direction of flow, the method comprising:

• transmitting a first pulse through at least a portion of the fluid and across a first known distance, said first pulse traveling in a first orientation with respect to the direction of flow;
• receiving said first pulse;
• transmitting a second pulse through at least a portion of the fluid and across a second known distance, said second pulse traveling in second orientation with respect to the direction of flow;
• receiving said second pulse;
• measuring a Doppler shift between said first pulse and said second pulse;
• and
• determining a velocity of the flow based at least in part upon said Doppler shift.

In a fluid system including a conduit through which a fluid flows, a method suitable for managing flow in the fluid system, the method comprising:

• transmitting a first pulse through at least a portion of the fluid and across a first known distance, said first pulse traveling in a first orientation with respect to the direction of flow;
• receiving said first pulse;
• transmitting a second pulse through at least a portion of the fluid and across a second known distance, said second pulse traveling in second orientation with respect to the direction of flow;
• receiving said second pulse;
• measuring a Doppler shift between said first pulse and said second pulse;
• and determining a velocity of the flow based at least in part upon said Doppler shift;
• comparing said velocity of the flow to a set-point velocity;
• and
• optionally adjusting at least said velocity of the flow.

A method suitable for determining the percent solids in a slurry containing a solid portion and a fluid portion, the method comprising:

• generating a pulse;
• transmitting said pulse through at least a portion of the slurry and across a first known distance;
• calculating a velocity of said pulse;
• and
• correlating said velocity to a percentage of solids present in said slurry.