Pressure based flow rate measurement device integrated with blades of a damper

A damper for both controlling fluid flow through a duct and measuring a flow rate of the fluid past the damper, comprising in combination:

• at least one damper vane having a leading surface facing at least partially upstream at least some of the time and a trailing surface facing at least partially downstream at least some of the time;
• said damper vane configured to be pivotably mounted within the duct such that said damper vane can rotate between different positions;
• said different positions of said damper vane having a unique amount that said different positions of said damper vane control flow of the fluid through the duct;
• a damper vane rotational position sensor;
• a first pressure sensor positioned to sense fluid pressure at a location on an upstream side of said damper vane and coupled to said damper vane;
• a second pressure sensor positioned to sense fluid pressure at a location on a downstream side of said damper vane and coupled to said damper vane;
• a fluid flow rate calculator coupled to said first pressure sensor, said second pressure sensor and said damper rotational position sensor, said calculator configured to determine fluid flow rate past said damper vane from inputs provided by said first pressure sensor, said second pressure sensor and a position of said damper vane provided by said damper vane position sensor;
• wherein said first pressure sensor includes a first pressure sensing pick-up located on an upstream side of said damper vane, and wherein said second pressure sensor includes a second pressure sensing pick-up located on a downstream side of said damper vane;
• and
• wherein said first pressure sensing pick-up faces non-perpendicularly relative to said leading surface.

A damper for both controlling fluid flow through a duct and measuring a flow rate of the fluid past the damper, comprising in combination:

• at least one damper vane having a leading surface facing at least partially upstream at least some of the time and a trailing surface facing at least partially downstream at least some of the time;
• said damper vane configured to be pivotably mounted within the duct such that said damper vane can rotate between different positions;
• said different positions of said damper vane having a unique amount that said different positions of said damper vane control flow of the fluid through the duct;
• a damper vane rotational position sensor;
• a first pressure sensor positioned to sense fluid pressure at a location on an upstream side of said damper vane and coupled to said damper vane;
• a second pressure sensor positioned to sense fluid pressure at a location on a downstream side of said damper vane and coupled to said damper vane;
• a fluid flow rate calculator coupled to said first pressure sensor, said second pressure sensor and said damper rotational position sensor, said calculator configured to determine fluid flow rate past said damper vane from inputs provided by said first pressure sensor, said second pressure sensor and a position of said damper vane provided by said damper vane position sensor;
• and
• wherein said first pressure sensor is spaced away from said leading surface of said damper vane on said upstream side of said damper vane.

A damper for both controlling gas flow through a duct and measuring a flow rate of the gas past the damper, comprising in combination:

• at least one damper vane having a leading surface facing at least partially upstream and a trailing surface facing at least partially downstream;
• said damper vane configured to be pivotably mounted within a conduit such as the duct such that said damper vane can rotate between different positions;
• said different positions of said damper vane having a unique amount that said different positions of said damper vane control a rate of gas flow through the duct;
• a damper vane rotational position sensor;
• a first pressure sensing pick-up located on an upstream side of said damper vane and coupled to said damper vane;
• said first pressure sensing pick-up facing non-perpendicularly relative to said leading surface;
• a second pressure sensing pick-up located on a downstream side of said damper vane and coupled to said damper vane;
• said first pressure sensing pick-up and said second pressure sensing pick-up both coupled to at least one pressure sensor, said at least one pressure sensor configured to generate at least one signal related to gas pressure at said first pressure sensing pick-up and said second pressure sensing pick-up;
• and
• a gas flow rate calculator coupled to said at least one pressure sensor in a manner receiving said at least one signal, and said gas flow rate calculator coupled to said damper vane rotational position sensor, said calculator configured to determine flow rate past said damper vane from said at least one pressure signal and said damper vane rotational position from said damper vane rotational position sensor.

A method for measuring fluid flow rate through a fluid flow rate control device, the method including the steps of:

• configuring the control device to include at least one damper vane rotatably mounted in a position to selectively block fluid flow past the damper vane by different amounts;
• using at least one first pressure sensor in a position to measure fluid pressure upstream of a leading surface of the damper vane, the sensor facing at least partially upstream such that the at least one first pressure sensor senses a pressure caused both by a pressure of the fluid and a velocity of the fluid;
• coupling the at least one first pressure sensor to the damper vane such that the at least one first pressure sensor rotates at least partially with the damper vane;
• monitoring a position of the damper vane;
• and
• calculating a flow rate past the damper vane from pressure sensed by the at least one first pressure sensor and the position of the damper vane.

A method for measuring fluid flow rate through a fluid flow rate control device, the method including the steps of:

• configuring the control device to include at least one damper vane rotatably mounted in a position to selectively block fluid flow past the damper vane by different amounts;
• using at least one first pressure sensor in a position to measure fluid pressure upstream of a leading surface of the damper vane, the sensor facing at least partially upstream such that the at least one first pressure sensor facing at least partially a pressure of the fluid and a velocity of the fluid;
• coupling the at least one first pressure sensor to the damper vane such that the at least one first pressure sensor rotates at least partially with the damper vane;
• monitoring a position of the damper vane;
• calculating a flow rate past the damper vane from pressure sensed by the at least one first pressure and the position of the damper vane;
• locating a second pressure sensor within the fluid adjacent the damper vane;
• orienting said second pressure in a different direction than said at leas tone first pressure sensor for a majority of damper vane rotational positions;
• said calculating step having the step of including a pressure provided by said second pressure sensor in calculating the flow rate past the damper vane;
• wherein the second pressure sensor is located downstream, the second pressure sensor coupled to the damper vane such that the second pressure sensor rotates with the damper vane;
• and
• wherein said placing step includes the further step of orienting said at least one first pressure sensor non-perpendicular to the leading surface of the damper vane.

A method for measuring fluid flow rate through a fluid flow rate control device, the method including the steps of:

• configuring the control device to include at least one damper vane rotatably mounted in a position to selectively block fluid flow past the damper vane by different amounts;
• using at least one first pressure sensor in a position to measure fluid pressure upstream of a leading surface of the damper vane, the sensor facing at least partially upstream such that the at least one first pressure sensor senses a pressure caused both by a pressure of the fluid and a velocity of the fluid;
• coupling the at least one first pressure sensor to the damper vane such that the at least one first pressure sensor rotates at least partially with the damper vane;
• monitoring a position of the damper vane;
• calculating a flow rate past the damper vane from pressure sensed by the at least one first pressure sensor and the position of the damper vane;
• and
• configuring the at least one first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor to each include a sensor pick-up with an orientation of the at least one first pressure sensor of said placing step and the second pressure sensor being a direction aligned with a center line passing into the sensor pick-ups, the sensor pick-ups leading to at least one pressure sensor calculating a pressure of fluid passing through the sensor pick-ups.

A method for measuring fluid flow rate through a fluid flow rate control device, the method including the steps of:

• configuring the control device to include at least one damper vane rotatably mounted in a position to selectively block fluid flow past the damper vane by different amounts;
• using at least one first pressure sensor in a position to measure fluid pressure upstream of a leading surface of the damper vane, the sensor facing at least partially upstream such that the at least one first pressure sensor senses a pressure caused both by a pressure of the fluid and a velocity of the fluid;
• coupling the at least one first pressure sensor to the damper vane such that the at least one first pressure sensor rotates at least partially with the damper vane;
• monitoring a position of the damper vane;
• calculating a flow rate past the damper vane from pressure sensed by the at least one first pressure sensor and the position of the damper vane;
• and
• wherein said placing step includes the further step of orienting said at least one first pressure sensor non-perpendicular to the leading surface of the damper vane.