Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F1/00—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow
  • G01F1/66—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
  • G01F1/662—Constructional details
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F1/00—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow
  • G01F1/66—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters
  • G01F1/667—Arrangements of transducers for ultrasonic flowmeters; Circuits for operating ultrasonic flowmeters
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F1/00—Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid material wherein the fluid passes through a meter in a continuous flow
  • G01F1/74—Devices for measuring flow of a fluid or flow of a fluent solid material in suspension in another fluid
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F15/00—Details of, or accessories for, apparatus of groups G01F1/00 - G01F13/00 insofar as such details or appliances are not adapted to particular types of such apparatus
  • G01F15/02—Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature
  • G01F15/022—Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature using electrical means
  • G01F15/024—Compensating or correcting for variations in pressure, density or temperature using electrical means involving digital counting
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
  • G01F15/00—Details of, or accessories for, apparatus of groups G01F1/00 - G01F13/00 insofar as such details or appliances are not adapted to particular types of such apparatus
  • G01F15/07—Integration to give total flow, e.g. using mechanically-operated integrating mechanism
  • G01F15/075—Integration to give total flow, e.g. using mechanically-operated integrating mechanism using electrically-operated integrating means
  • G01F15/0755—Integration to give total flow, e.g. using mechanically-operated integrating mechanism using electrically-operated integrating means involving digital counting

Definitions

• the invention relates to a device for measuring the volume and for quality contrail of the supply of liquid fuels, mainly oil, that incorporates the use of flow sensor, temperature sensor, water sensor and air bubble sensor for ensuring great accuracy in the delivery of fuel.
• the specified temperature for delivering oil is internationally set to 15 Celsius degrees (15° C).
• the volume must be reduced to that the fuel should have being at 15° C, given the current legislation that defines the fuel transaction to be measured in volume and the volume differs according to the temperature significantly.
• Also frequently observed phenomenon is the fraudulent or non, reverse flow or suction of fuel from the tank of the customer to the distribution tank, thus misleading the customer as to the quantity of fuel eventually received.
• the hitherto known types of flowmeters are using ultrasound as the most common method and the method of measuring the time difference in the propagation of ultrasonic pulses through the fluid by two ultrasonic converters (transducers) (34, 35) placed at distance L and an angle ⁇ to the pipe supplying the liquid fuel, as shown schematically in Figure 1.
• the most commonly applied method is to transmit an ultrasonic pulse from the sensor A to B (let A and B be the two ultrasonic converters) and to measure the time of propagation (td).
• td time of propagation
• the invented device consists of an original combination of devices, such that the results of measurements and quality of information that is provided for the delivered fuel, to be demonstrably superior, more accurate and complete than that of known similar devices on the market.
• the device can be portable or fixed, can operate with internal battery or external power, has no moving parts to obstruct the flow of fuel and reduce the performance over time and incorporates a quick connection capability to the standardized equipment of delivery vehicles and storage facilities.
• thermometer (14) Measuring the exact temperature of the fuel using a thermometer (14) and reduction in volume should the fuel be at delivery temperature of 15° C in combination with the rest of simultaneously measured data.
• transducers (5), (6) and (7) do not interact with the pipe walls (1) as in most types of flowmeters which place them outside of the tube, adds the advantage that there are no errors from the propagation of ultrasound waves in the material of the tube, which creates differences in the propagation times unrelated to the phenomenon of flow and also allows operation with lower power signals, thus reduced power consumption and reduced manufacturing costs of electronic subsystems.
• Figure 1 is illustrated the previous state of the art by using two ultrasonic sensors.
• Figure 2 illustrates schematically the main elements of the invented device.
• Figures 3a and 3b an implemented prospective application of the invented device is illustrated, this includes the device enclosure and the quick connection adaptors.
• Figure 4a the flow sensors and the triangular order of their arrangement is illustrated.
• Figure 4b the hydrodynamic component for smoothing the flow is schematically illustrated.
• Figure 4c the hydrodynamics related support of the flow sensors is prospectively illustrated.
• Figure 5 the functional connectivity of individual devices and components is schematically illustrated.
• Figures 6 and 7 the printed circuit boards of the electronic components are illustrated.
• Figure 8 the basic algorithm for the calculation of the flow rate and the reduction in volume of fuel is illustrated.
• Liquid (2) flows through the pipe of the device (1).
• the sensors - ultrasonic converters (transducers) (5), (6) and (7) located on the comers of a triangle, and are constructed of Lead Zirconium Titanium with radiation lobe of 90 degrees.
• Each ultrasound transducer (5,6,7) works as a transmitter when at the same time interval of broadcasting, the other two transducers function as differential receivers of the disseminated ultrasonic wave, and the propagation times t12, t13 are calculated.
• a cyclical succession of the operation of the next transducer operating as transmitter and the other two as receivers is being done clockwise, the times t23, t21 are calculated.
• the difference of the times of wave propagation between those points where the flow is directed towards one and the other direction is proportional to the speed of the fluid (fuel). With the integration of the speed over time, the total passing volume of the fuel through the device is obtained.
• the transducers (5), (6) and (7) are attached to flat plates (8), (9) and (10) respectively.
• the flat plates (8), (9) & (10) are supported by bonding or soldering method to vertical support plates (3) and (4), which may be printed circuit boards to carry electrical signals from the transducers.
• the vertical support plates (3) and (4) are bonded onto the principal printed circuit board bearing most electronics (11) using soldering method. In this way low cost and similarity in all production systems is insured.
• Part of the surface of the main printed circuit (11) is bonded water tightly in a flat section of the tube (1) as it is illustrated in Figures 3a, 3b.
• the plastic hydrodynamic component (12) is placed (see Figures 4a, b, c).
• Areas 12a and 12b are hydrodynamics surfaces made of plastic and are used for smoothing the flow.
• the implementation of the switching of sensors that receive and emit the signal to the appropriate reception - transmission circuits is being done using the switch (17).
• This component (17) connects each sensor to the point of emission or reception, depending on the time-sequence and the switch of transmitter - receiver pulse each time, while with the component (18) the composition of the waveforms of the emitted pulses is being done.
• the level of signals is regulated by the element (19), while the item (20) is the receiving system of the pulses that are then amplified by element (21), to a level proportional to the indication from the measurement level component (22) of the received signals.
• the measurement of the timing differences is being done with time-resolution less than one nano-second, from the transmission event to the reception event of each pulse.
• the sampling point (24) of the analogue signals converts the waveforms of the received signals into a digital signal.
• the element (25) is being used, which operates with quartz crystal and provides the time basis in the system.
• the device includes temperature-measuring device (14), for the reduction of the volume of fuel to the 15° C volume as defined in the regulations of fuel delivery. What is being done is reduction of the measured volume in the volume that the fuel would have if Hs temperature was at 15° C during the delivery.
• the device of the invention includes a provision (15) in which the existence of water into a quantity of fuel is being detected. This quantity is measured and subtracted from the total amount of fuel delivered. The device is doing the procedure of water detection and its correction and removal from the quantity to be delivered, automatically and without being able to be disabled the user.
• the device of the invention incorporates a provision (16) in which the function of detecting the presence of air bubbles, indicating the fuel customer, in a liquid crystal display, all the time if there is air and at the end of measuring the quantity of fuel, which contained dissolved air. The recipient can then decide depending on the amount received if he / she accepts the delivered fuel or not. Depending on the amount of dissolved air, the strength of the received signals and all disturbances during the measurement of the flow, novel algorithms for calculating the estimated maximum error of the device are continuously executed. This estimation of total error is displayed on the screen at the end of the measurement so that the recipient knows the maximum possible deviation of the device.
• Element (26) is the main microprocessor of the apparatus used for processing all this data and for implementing the calculations, while the digital circuits (27), are digital inputs / outputs for controlling the screen and reading of the keys (33).
• the element (28) this is the display screen, which shows the quantity of fuel, temperature, the presence of water and air and any other information.
• Figures (29) are power supplies that include voltage regulators and control system power, while the item (30) measures the level of the battery's electrical energy and warns to be replaced when it has almost exhausted.
• the device includes built mechanical quick connectors (31,32) (screw-type and camlock type usually) for easy installation and connection to the equipment of the delivering vehicle and the recipients tank.

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

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ID=42629309

Family Applications (1)

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• 2009
  • 2009-06-19 WO PCT/GR2009/000041 patent/WO2010146403A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2009-06-19 EP EP09785734A patent/EP2443422A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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