Coriolis mass flowmeter with improved accuracy and simplified instrumentation

A Coriolis mass flowmeter which comprises:

• at least one flowtube through which a fluid to be measured is allowed to flow;
• means for vibrating the flowtube in at least one mode of vibration of the flowtube;
• the vibration of the flowtube causing a driven deflection of the flowtube, and the fluid flowing through the vibrating flowtube generating Coriolis forces which cause a Coriolis deflection of the flowtube;
• first strain-sensing means connected to the flowtube for generating a signal representative of the driven deflection of the flowtube;
• second strain-sensing means connected to the flowtube for generating a signal representative of the Coriolis deflection of the flowtube;
• and
• signal processing means connected to the first and second strain-sensing means for producing an indication of the mass flow rate of the fluid from the signals generated by the strain-sensing means;
• wherein the first strain-sensing means comprises at least one normal stain-sensing transducer and the second strain-sensing means comprises at least on shear strain-sensing transducer.