Back to results
US 8,297,131 B2Granted
Apparatus for the measurement of liquid flow rates
AssigneeInnoquest, Inc.
InventorWilliam C. Hughes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A flow rate meter that includes a container of known and fixed volume. Electrodes, or sensors, are placed inside the container at several different heights. An electronic circuit uses the electrodes, or sensors, to measure the time it takes this container of known and fixed volume to fill a certain distance with water or water-based solution. The electronic circuit calculates the flow rate in engineering units from this elapsed time by knowing the volume of the container between the fixed electrodes.
Claims23
A flow rate meter comprising:
- a container with a closed end and an open end;
- a measuring apparatus attached to the container, the measuring apparatus comprising:
- a first electrode inserted through a wall of the container such that the first electrode is suspended inside the container at a first distance from the closed end;
- and
- a second electrode inserted through the wall of the container such that the second electrode is suspended inside the container at a second distance from the closed end, the second distance being greater than the first distance;
- wherein the measuring apparatus is determines a flow rate based on the amount of time needed for a liquid level to rise from the first electrode to the second electrode.
3 more elements
A method of manufacturing a flow rate measurement system comprising the steps of:
- providing a container having an open end and a closed end;
- affixing a measuring device to the container, wherein the measuring device includes a plurality of electrodes inserted into the container through a wall thereof;
- calibrating the measuring device, based on a volume of the container, to calculate a flow rate, wherein the flow rate is determined by the time it takes for liquid flowing into the open end of the container to rise from a first electrode of the plurality of electrodes to a second electrode of the plurality of electrodes.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.