Systems and methods for detecting flow of a fluid
AssigneeAlicat Scientific, Inc.
InventorsNeil W. Hartman, Colin A. Roberts, Marcus A. Mitchell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments described herein include systems and methods for detecting flow of a fluid. One embodiment of a system includes a flow body, a thermal tube sensor housing, and a computing device. In some embodiments, the flow body includes an inlet for receiving the fluid and an outlet for expelling the fluid, the thermal tube sensor housing includes a sensor tube that includes a first connection portion and a second connection portion, and the sensor tube is configured with a cross position where a first portion of the sensor tube crosses paths with a second portion of the sensor tube, reducing a thermo-siphoning effect.
Claims19
A system for detecting flow of a fluid comprising a flow body, a thermal tube sensor housing, and a computing device, wherein:
- the flow body comprises an inlet for receiving the fluid and an outlet for expelling the fluid;
- the thermal tube sensor housing comprises a sensor tube that comprises a first connection portion and a second connection portion;
- the sensor tube is configured with a cross position where a first portion of the sensor tube crosses paths with a second portion of the sensor tube, reducing a thermo-siphoning effect;
- the thermal tube sensor housing comprises a first inboard temperature sensor, a first outboard sensor, a second inboard temperature sensor, a second outboard sensor, and a heater that are coupled to the sensor tube;
- the fluid flows from the first outboard sensor to the first inboard sensor, to the heater, to the second inboard sensor, and to the second outboard sensor;
- the thermal tube sensor housing is coupled to the flow body by the first connection portion and the second connection portion, such that the fluid received by the inlet is communicated to the sensor tube at the first connection portion and is returned to the flow body by the second connection portion for expelling by the outlet of the flow body;
- a flow rate is determined based on a change in temperature of the fluid detected by the first outboard sensor, first inboard temperature sensor, the second inboard temperature sensor, and the second outboard sensor;
- and
- data related to the flow rate is output for display.
A flow meter for detecting flow of a fluid, comprising a flow body, a thermal tube sensor housing, and a computing device, wherein:
- the flow body comprises an inlet for receiving the fluid and an outlet for expelling the fluid;
- the thermal tube sensor housing comprises a sensor tube that comprises a first connection portion, and a second connection portion;
- the sensor tube is configured with a cross position, where the cross position includes a first portion of the sensor tube crossing paths with a second portion of the sensor tube, thereby reducing a thermo-siphoning effect;
- the thermal tube sensor housing comprises a first inboard temperature sensor, a second inboard temperature sensor, a first outboard temperature sensor, a second outboard temperature sensor, and a heater that are coupled to the sensor tube,
- the fluid flows from the first outboard sensor to the first inboard sensor, to the heater, to the second inboard sensor, and to the second outboard sensor;
- a flow rate is determined based on a change in temperature of the fluid detected by the first inboard temperature sensor, the second inboard temperature sensor, the first outboard temperature sensor, and the second outboard temperature sensor;
- and
- data related to the flow rate is output for display.
A thermal tube sensor housing for detecting flow of a fluid, comprising a sensor tube, a first sensor bridge, a second sensor bridge, and a heater, wherein:
- the first sensor bridge comprises a first inboard temperature sensor and a second inboard temperature sensor,
- the second sensor bridge comprises a first outboard temperature sensor and a second outboard temperature sensor;
- the first sensor bridge, the second sensor bridge, and the heater are coupled to the sensor tube such that the fluid flows from the first outboard sensor to the first inboard sensor, to the heater, to the second inboard sensor, and to the second outboard sensor;
- the sensor tube is configured with a cross position, where the cross position includes a first portion of the sensor tube crossing paths with a second portion of the sensor tube, thereby reducing a thermo-siphoning effect when the heater imparts thermal energy into the sensor tube;
- a flow rate is determined based on a change in temperature of the fluid detected by the first inboard temperature sensor, the second inboard temperature sensor, the first outboard temperature sensor, and the second outboard temperature sensor;
- and
- data related to the flow rate is output for display.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.