Flow meter assembly, gate assemblies and methods of flow measurement
AssigneeRubicon Research Pty Ltd.
InventorsDavid John Aughton, Damien Vernon Pearson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides an acoustic flow meter assembly (2) for pipes or open channels, said assembly including a frame (24) with a predetermined geometry. The frame has at least one user accessible port (36-42) with the at least one user accessible port (36-42) adapted to receive an interchangeable cartridge (44) which contains at least one acoustic transducer (46) to measure fluid velocity through said frame (24).
Claims20
A method of measuring fluid velocity in a pipe or open channel, said method including the steps of:
- providing a timing circuit which includes a first circuit having at least one upstream acoustic transducer and a second circuit having at least one downstream acoustic transducer;
- measuring a time delay in detecting an acoustic signal from said at least one upstream acoustic transducer to said at least one downstream acoustic transducer from said first circuit;
- measuring a time delay in detecting an acoustic signal from said at least one downstream acoustic transducer to said at least one upstream acoustic transducer from said second circuit;
- measuring a time delay in said first circuit when said at least one upstream acoustic transducer is bypassed in said first circuit;
- measuring a time delay in said second circuit when said at least one downstream acoustic transducer is bypassed in said second circuit and
- calculating said fluid velocity using said measurements.
A method of measuring acoustic transit times in an open channel or river, said method including the steps of:
- providing a first circuit having at least one upstream acoustic transducer on one side of said open channel or river and a second circuit having at least one downstream acoustic transducer on an opposite side of said open channel or river, said first and second circuits including respective timing circuitry which are not synchronised with one another, each of said timing circuitry measuring their respective signal transmit and receive events, at least one of said first or second circuits including an RF or laser to provide synchronising signals between said first and second circuits, wherein an RF or laser synchronising signal is transmitted between said first and second circuits prior to an acoustic signal being transmitted from one of said acoustic transducers between said first and second circuits whereby said RF or laser synchronising signal allows synchronisation between said respective timing circuitry of said first and second circuits of said acoustic signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.