GB2079455A - A beer metering system - Google Patents

Abstract

A Beer Metering System based on measuring the flow velocity by a sound wave method. Sound waves are transmitted along a section of pipe carrying the beer. The transmission time will vary depending on the flow velocity. An electronic detector coupled to an electronic measuring system computes the flow velocity from the time change for transmission. By alternately transmitting and receiving from each sound transducer involved, many errors may be eliminated. As the pipe diameter is accurately known, the flow rate can be computed from the flow velocity. Having computed flow rate, it is possible to control the dispensing of fixed volumes such as a 1/2 pint and to register a total flow volume.

Description

SPECIFICATION A beer metering system According to this invention, there is provided a means of measuring volumes of beer being dis pensed through a pipe.

The velocity of the beer in the pipe is measured by 'passing sound waves along or across a pipe of known diameter. As the velocity of the beer changes, so does the transmission time for the sound waves.

The transmission time depends on the velocity of the beer, but also on temperature, pressure etc. to a lesser degree. Thus if a more accurate measurement of velocity is required then a more complex measur ing system must be employed.

If the two transducers are used alternately as transmitters and receivers, then the difference in transmission times can be used to compute the beer velocity. This measurement method eliminates errors due to temperature etc. because the actual transmission time in a beer with zero velocity does not matter, the velocity being derived from the difference of the transmission time in each direction.

Having made the physical measurement of beer velocity, the flow rate is computed directly knowing the pipe diameter. From the flow rate reading it is a simple matter to produce a metering system com prising a start switch and a valve. When the start switch is impulsed, the solenoid valve is opened and flow starts, the flow rate is integrated until a total flow of say - pint has passed and then the solenoid valve is closed. Having metered volumes it is a simple matter to add a totalising counter to indicate total volume (pints) dispensed.

This metering system has many advantages over conventional methods in that is needs only one valve and has no moving pistons in cylinders etc. as are currently used.

The accuracy of the system described is capable of measuring 2 pints within the required limit to meet the requirements of the British Weights and Mea sures. In order to meet these accuracies it may be necessary to utilise flow straighteners, depending on the type of pipework utilised.

1. A Beer Metering System utilising sound waves transmitted, passed along the carrying pipe, and received, to measure the velocity of beer in a pipe, the total volume flowed, and the time when a certain volume has flowed (e.g. 2 pint) being computed by an electronic measuring system, which can stop the flow after a fixed volume or volumes have flowed, if required.

2. A claim as in Claim 1, where the transmitter and receiver are in positions opposite each other, i.e.

on either side of the pipe.

3. A claim as in Claim 1,where the transmitter and receiver are placed not opposite each other, i.e.

one is further along the pipe than the other.

4. A claim as in Claims 1, 2, 3, where the velocity of the beer is computed by using one transducer as a transmitter and another as a receiver, the transmission time being used for the calculation.

5. A claimed as in Claims 1, 2, 3, where the two transducers are used alternately as transmitter and receiver, the beer velocity being computed from the difference in transmission times.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A beer metering system According to this invention, there is provided a means of measuring volumes of beer being dis pensed through a pipe. The velocity of the beer in the pipe is measured by 'passing sound waves along or across a pipe of known diameter. As the velocity of the beer changes, so does the transmission time for the sound waves. The transmission time depends on the velocity of the beer, but also on temperature, pressure etc. to a lesser degree. Thus if a more accurate measurement of velocity is required then a more complex measur ing system must be employed. If the two transducers are used alternately as transmitters and receivers, then the difference in transmission times can be used to compute the beer velocity. This measurement method eliminates errors due to temperature etc. because the actual transmission time in a beer with zero velocity does not matter, the velocity being derived from the difference of the transmission time in each direction. Having made the physical measurement of beer velocity, the flow rate is computed directly knowing the pipe diameter. From the flow rate reading it is a simple matter to produce a metering system com prising a start switch and a valve. When the start switch is impulsed, the solenoid valve is opened and flow starts, the flow rate is integrated until a total flow of say - pint has passed and then the solenoid valve is closed. Having metered volumes it is a simple matter to add a totalising counter to indicate total volume (pints) dispensed. This metering system has many advantages over conventional methods in that is needs only one valve and has no moving pistons in cylinders etc. as are currently used. The accuracy of the system described is capable of measuring 2 pints within the required limit to meet the requirements of the British Weights and Mea sures. In order to meet these accuracies it may be necessary to utilise flow straighteners, depending on the type of pipework utilised. CLAIMS

1. A Beer Metering System utilising sound waves transmitted, passed along the carrying pipe, and received, to measure the velocity of beer in a pipe, the total volume flowed, and the time when a certain volume has flowed (e.g. 2 pint) being computed by an electronic measuring system, which can stop the flow after a fixed volume or volumes have flowed, if required.

2. A claim as in Claim 1, where the transmitter and receiver are in positions opposite each other, i.e.

on either side of the pipe.

3. A claim as in Claim 1,where the transmitter and receiver are placed not opposite each other, i.e.

one is further along the pipe than the other.

4. A claim as in Claims 1, 2, 3, where the velocity of the beer is computed by using one transducer as a transmitter and another as a receiver, the transmission time being used for the calculation.

5. A claimed as in Claims 1, 2, 3, where the two transducers are used alternately as transmitter and receiver, the beer velocity being computed from the difference in transmission times.