GB2224850A - Fluid flow volume measurement and billing system - Google Patents

Description

4 2224850 ANALOGIC DIGITAL OPTOELECTROMAGNETIC COUNTING SYSTEM FOR FLUIDS

The present inventlon relates to fluid flow measurement.

This present invention is aimed to improve and simplify the fluid counters working conditions through an analogic digital optoelectromagnetic system which allows measuring with extraordinary precision the fluid volume circulating through a conduit, at all time determining the volume used in individualized applications or for general consumption, then relaying the readings onto a remote receiving device, thus making it possible its processing and even its billing, or any other kind of electronic or electromechanical manoeuvre as may be required.

This present system furnishes relevant advantages in regard with anything else known in this field, among which we may underline the elimination of damages since it lacks of any mechanical transmitting elements such as crown wheels or toothed pinions, etc., which may be subject to wear or breakages which, in the end, give rise to measuring mistakes as time elapses.

The counting system has the same precision whichever the way the fluid circulates; this means that it counts up when the fluid is travelling in one direction and counts down when it circulates contrariwise.

A particular interesting characteristic in this present invention is the easiness with which the rotor or turbine assembly may be replaced or substituted without requiring to disassemble any part of the counter itself, since the said 1 1 mechanical element is wholly independent from the data relaying assembly, thus avoiding any possibility of leaks and even of handling; to this end, the rotor or turbine, being specially designed, which is actuated by the fluid vein, has been fitted with some Idagnetic poles which input some electromagnetic changes onto a fully independent electronic circuit, with no frequency limitation, which are then analyzed in the said circuit and transmitted with a special coding through the line linking the emitter and the receiver, since they both are separate.

The system being proposed comprises the following elements:

a) Emitting assembly, cirulating flow meter, which even analyzes the fluid vein travel diretion. The emitter body is fully staunch since the pipe through with the fluid circulates is made in one piece.

b) Receiver and rack, assembly, previewed to receive the adequate coding from the emitter to state the processed volume unit, by adding to or deducting from, according with information received from the emitter, while the receiving bodies of the counting assembly are gruped onto the rack, consisting in a viewing panel where remote reading from the emitting bodies is checked.

c) Dipole electric supplying cable, which requires no shielding nor taking acount of the polarity.

d) Remote billig equipment.

In order to allow a better understanding of this Specification, it has been attached to it a series of drawings illustrating an execution example in the reality of the object the protection of which is sought for, which is being described and represented as mere enunciation and, consequntly, wit hou-'%-. any limitative character.

Figure 1 shows a view of the emitting set parts.

1 Figure 2 shows a section of the assembled emitting set. Figure 3 shows several views of the receiving set. Figure 4 shows a view of the rack parts. Figure 5 schematicaly illustrates the.telemetering and processing system.

In line with this invention, the counter is formed of two separate bodies, neatly differentiated among them: emitter and receiver. They are the apparatus vital parts, a set completing a grouping rack, a dipolar electical cable and a microprocessed remote billing system.

T6t is, the counter system is composed of the following elements: a) Emitting set.

b) Receiving set. c) Rack.

d) Electric supply c4ble. e) Remote billing system. a) Emitting set It comprises a pipe -1, fig. 1, hexagonal on its outer part and cylindrical inside, in which coaxial inside there is a cartridge -2- which has incorporated the directioning tuyeres -3; the shafts suppporting the turbine dollies -4- and the turbine -5-. The said cartridge -2- seats onto a housing provided tothis purpose in the pipe -1- thus becoming perfectly fixed inside It. It has also incorporated on its front part a filter -0acting as well as gasket an its plain part.

The pipe -1- shows on it outside some grooves -7- perpendicular to its axis for setting in the brackets -8- which are in turn fixed onto the outer shell -gand the box -10- containing the eletronic housing. The assembly is then closed with the cover -11-, which shows some grooves -12through which the shell -g- 9 =eal t 6ongues -13- pass, thus perfectly setting in position and allowing to - h- assembly.

The fluid vein flow to be measured freely runs along the cartridge -2- and makes the turbine -5- turn, special characteristics it incorporates. It has son:e magnetic poles inducing on the electronic circuit housed in 10- some electromagnetic magnitudes with no frequency limitation.

These changes are analyzed at said circuit and are transmitted with a special coding through the line linking the emitter with the receiver. It also analyzes the turbine turning sense to discriminate the circulation direction of the fluid vein. This design system allows an easy interchanging or replacing of the mechanical complex without being required to disassemble any of the counter parts.

It may be seen, fig.' t 2, the emitter longitudinal section.

b) Receiving set It is formed of a shell -14- showing some conical lateral guides -25- to center it on the grooves shown by the rack for this purpose. On its display, LCD, there is a bevel -16- which is the one abutting onto the rack thus enabling both its easy placement and extraction (figure 4).

The shell -14- has a rear cover -17- which shows a hollow for its perfect mechanical fixing onto the rack and it has incorporated the required number of pines for its connection onto the rack and the outside lines.

The receiver is fed with a coding adequate to that of the emitter in regard with the division it must effect according with the turbine revolutions to state the required volume unit, cubic meters, liters, gallons, etc., by adding to or deducting from according with the information transmitted by the emitter.

4 - T ' " + 1here is, as well, a supervision system fo., the tranSMI-ing line aimed to -herein or handling thereof. It is lEo analizz th -letect ari7 abnormality ed e L,urning sense, dextrogyrous or levogyrous, to analyze the relevans addition or substraion and it also checks out the point on which the counter starts off at a given level.

All this information is visualized at the indicating device: the liquid quartz display, LCD. It has two blocks of digits of different size in order to perfectly differentiate the measuring units. It shows, on its lower right side, an 11. F" to show any failure or abnormality, as well as some circular sectors being sequentially shown indicating that the counter works correctly. - The receivers have serial BCD outputs to transmit all its information through the rack, telephone line, fiber optics or radio, as it may be required, onto a data processing cente;. Vith this system it may be performed, easy and economically, each counter reading and automatically billing of it.

c) R&GIL This is the element on which all the counter assembly receiving bodies are grouped (figure 4). It consists of an exhibition panel where remote reading of emitting bodies is performed.

It comprises a rectangular box -18-, having its sides -19- longer to stand the inner box and allow its turning. The said inner box, in turn, is formed of a U-shaped plate -20- with inside lips aimed to attach 'the plain part -21supporting all connectors and showing a housing an its lower part for the batteries.

All lines coming from each emitting unit are connected onto these connectors.

The box -18- has some holes for inputting the cables and for its further fixing.

Salidary with part -21- there is the printed circuit plate with the whole circuit system to state its correct working, as well as the Mode=. unit to output all data of each counter, its status and the status of the rack itself and its batteries. - The batteries fixing cover -22- has a system through which the batteries are disconnected from the rack circuit during the storage periods and it suffices with press.ng the fixing screws to have them work. That it, the cover itself is the switch.

In the plate -20- front part, there are openings which are covered by a grooved synoptical so that through a slight pressure the housings for. placing the required number of receivers in each installation may be made available.

The rack has available a signalling system which states.whether it is in normal working status, whether there has been a network voltage failure or whether it is discharged or the batteries do not accept any loading.

This set is fully protected by cover -23- with a clear window allowing to visualize the whole complex, which is fixed by means of sealable screws.

d) Riectric supply cable The electric cable linking the emitter with the receiver is a dipolar cable and it does not require either shielding or bearing in mind its polarity.

e) Remnte bIlling system On figure 5 there is illustrated a scheme of the transmitting and processing system for information contained in the receivers.

The analogic digital optoelectromagnetic counting system is a Orenote reading' system for two reasons:

0 a) The emitter and the receiver are two independent bodies 11-inked through a cable. Thie allows placing the receiver on the most adequate pla-:e, cent-ralizing the reading of all bills on the corresponding racks.

b) The receivers, on their side, have serial BCD outputs prepared for its connection onto a modem unit, fron where its information may be sent to a data processing center. The following operations are performed in the said center:

- Readinq order of all counters connected to the center and their storage on a magnetic disc.

-Processing of all information collected. - Billing and printing of relevant bills.

- Listing of counters showing any irregularity for their further checking. - Checking of the rack working and detecting eventual handlings.

Terminals -24- of te emitter bodies E have no polarity in regard with the transmission lines and no special cable is required for these lines.

There are four options for connection between the emitter(s) and the receiver(s) according with the following requirements:

1)Information transmission from each emitter to its relevant receiver R placed on a rack -25-. That is, the receiver offers direct reading from its emitter E. - It is the standard connecting system.

2) Set several emitters in parallel, El-E2-M-EA, obtaining the addition of consumption of fluid circulating through all four, totalized at receiver "Rl". This way it is possible, for instance, to obtain the total volume of the consumption in which there are fluid intakes from more than one assembly directly from only one receiver.

3) 'Intercalate a receiver "R2" in series with the line required, which shows the indication of the emitter or emitters.

Figure 5 shows 2 emitters, E5 and E6.

This system, for instance, allows that a user may have its own receiver to know and control its total consumption or the part consunptiom from any point he so wishes. That is, the repeater may be intercalated in the total or partial of all counters. Figure 5 shows the repeater "R2" offering the consumption for counters E5 and 6, and on rack -25- we have the total consumption of E5, E6 and E7. ' 4) Totalling on only one receiver the reading of a fluid distributio3i through a ring system. This is obtained by making that one of the emitters count and the other discount, showing the differential an a receiver.

We have up to here described the information transmission from the emitter body to the receiver body placed on the rack or wherever the user requires it. We will hereinafter analyze the receiver transmission to the information process center.

Each receiver has an emptying intake and a series BCD output through which it discharges all information therein contained. The counter system presents three reading options:

1) Visual reading of the receiver centralized on the relevant rack -25-. 2) Sequential reading and printing in situ by means of a special equipment.

3) Remote sequential reading through a system through which information is transmitted by means of a telephone line, or through fiber optics or through hertzian waves, onto a process center. The said center is basically formed of a specially designed computer -26- which controls and stores all information and the printer-billing systems -27- as required.

4 k 1 SLn-=e take place in the "IRL" (impresi6n de reciboe - bill printinz) billinz itself w'--Aile others, "IF", take care of printing counters on which there =--y be any abn,ormallity (failure or handling), that is, the billing and checking of all counters is automatically performed; the computer -26- sequentially reads, through an instruction, all rack counters and through the invoicing program assigns each reading to the relevant user. This information is processed and may be printed on the required format.

1 1

Claims (1)

1. A fluid flow measurement system characterized by the disposition of an emitter in a fluid conduit and provided with electronic equipment capable of analyzing electromagnetic magnitude changes with no frequency limitation; and adapted to transmit. signals from said equipment with appropriate coding through a linking line to a receiver fully independent from the emitter and adapted to calculate the net volume of fluid passing through the conduit in a given period, by adding to or deducting from a previous value according to information transmitted by the emitter, the said information being visualized in an indicating device; the said receiver having BCD series outputs to transmit information onto a recorder either through a telephone line, fibre optic or radio, at a data processing centre, which in use permits reading of net volume passed through each conduit and provides automatic billing.

   1 2. ANALOGIC DIGITAL OPTOELECTROMAGNETIC COUNTING SYSTEM FOR FLUIDS characterized by the disposition of a fully staunch emitter set previewed to be interposed in the conduit of a circulating fluid, provided with an electronic equipment being susceptible to analyze electromagnetic magnitude changes with no frequency limitation, to transmit it, through an adequate coding through a linking line onto a receiver, fully independent from the emitter, to state the volume unit required, by adding to it or deducting from it according with information transmitted by the emitter, the said information being visualized in an indicating device; the said receiver having BCD series outputs to transmit all its information onto a rack either through a telephone line, fibre optics or radio, onto a data processing centre which undertakes reading of each counter and provides its billing in an automatic way.

   "I 1 1 k 3- ANKLOGIC DIGITAL OPTOELECTROKAGNE-TIC COUNTING SYSTEM FOR FTT-'Ir'S, according with previous claim, characterized by the fact that the emitter set ='prises a -erposetJ in fluid coaduit and tubular cylindrical body, previewed to be int susceptible of being statically assembled an an outside shield, wlai.e in its insi de it is housed a cartidge on which some directional tuyeres have been set, the supporting shafts of a turbine dolly being fixed inside the tubular body, havin bee n previewed a filter on the cartridge end; in the tubular body sh-ell upper part is assembled a box provided with the adequate electronic equipment, whicli is covered with a sealable cover in such a way that the fluid flow vein freely circulates through the turbine supporter cartridge laking it turn; the said turbine has some magnetic poles which induce onto the electronic circuit some electromagnetic magnitude changes with no frequency limitation, which are analyzed in said circuit and are then transmitted, with a special coding through a supply line or cable with two wires having no polarity which links the emitter and the receiver; the said circuit analyzes, as well, the turning direction of the turbine to discriminate the fluid vein circulation sense.

   4-- AXALOGIC DIGITAL OPTOELECTIROMAGNETIC COUNTING SYSTEM FOR FLUIDS, according with previous claim, characterized by the fact that the emitter body disposition allows easily interchanging or replacing the mechanical set contained within the cartridge, without it being required to disassemble any of the counter parts.

   S.- ANALOGIC. DIGITAL OPTOELECTROXAGNETIC COUNTING SYSTEM FOR FLUIDS, according with previous claims, characterized by the fact that the turbine has been designed with such hydrodinamical conditions that it makes the flow measurement practically lineal whichever its pressure and flow.

   h 6. - ANALOGIC DIGITAL OPTIOELECTROMIAGITETIC COUNTING SYSTEEX FOR FLUID13, according with claim twO, characterized by the fact that thhe receiver set, beinE independent and fully separated from the emitter, comprises a shell provided with assembly means onto a rack, having a rectangular sight hole where the LCD display is housed, and on the rear part it has a hollow to enable its assembly, as well as the necessary number of pines to connect it onto the rack and outer lines; it has in its inside some electronic circuits and the display in such a way that the receiver thus constituted receives the adequate coding from the emitter, according with the division that it should effect in regard with the turbine revolutions, to state the required volume unit, such as cubic meters, liters, gallons or any other volume order, by adding to or deducting from the information transmitted by the emitter.

   7-- ANALOGIC DIGITAL OPTOELECTROMAGNETIC COUNTING SYSTEM FOR FLUIDS, according with previous claim, characterized by the fact that the receiver has a supervision system of the transmitting line to detect any abnormality, analyzing, as well, the turbine turning senses to conveniently operate, and at the same time it checks the point on which the counter starts of f at a given level;. the full information mentioned is visualized in the indicating device; the liquid quartz display, LCD, having two digit blocks of different size to differentiate the measuring uncits, including a symbol to indicate any failure or abnormality, and some circular sectors which are sequentially shown to indicate that the counter works correctly; these receivers have BCD series outputs to transmit the full information through the rack, a telephone line, fiber optics or-radio onto a data processing center.

   8.- ANALOGIC DIGITAL OPTOELECTROMAGNETIC COUNTING SYSTEX FOR FLUIDS, according with previous claims, characterized by the fact that the rack is the eiement wherein the counter set receiving bodies are grouped, which are constituted of an exhibition panel an which the remote reading of the emitter bodies is made, thus allowing to centralize a variable number of counters, being susceptible of linking and totalizing several emitters on one only receiver, independent of the fact that every emitter evolutions may be additive or substractive; it comprises a receiver box of the connectors bearing panel, having available a housing in Its lower part for batteries, connecting on te said connectors to the lines from every emitting unit; the box has some orifices for inputting the cables and for their further fixing, salidarily with the connetors bearing panel is assembled a bearing plate of the circuit printed with all circuitry adequated to indicate the correct working thereof, as well as the output unit to the outside of all data from every counter. g- ANALOGIC DIGITAL 3TOELECTROMAGNETIC COUNTING SYSTEM FOR FLUIDS, according with prelous claim, -characterized by the fact that the batteries fixing. cover has available some means to have them disconnected from the rack circuit during the storage periods, and that by only turning in their fixing screws they become working, the cover itself acting as a switch; on the panel front part there are some openings which are covered by a grooved synoptical. so that through a s.light pressure the housings are available for placing the precise receivers number for each installation. 10ANALOGIC DIGITAL 3PTOELECTROMAGNETIC COUNTING SYSTEX FOR FLUIDS, according with previous clairs, characterized by the fact that the rack has available some signalling means which indicate whether they are in a normal working status and whether a voltage failure has taken place and whether it is being discharged or 1 whether the batteries would not accept any loading, the whole set being protected with a cover having a clear window to allow visualizing te complex.

   - 14 1 1.1 1I.- ANALOGIC DIGITAL OPTOELECTROKAGYETIC COUNTING SYS'TEM FOR FLUIDS, a.- -cording with previous claims, characterized by the fact that the elecltric cable linking the emitter with the receiver is bipolar, and it does not require any shield-ing not, taking account of its polarity.

   1Z - ANA LOGIC DIGITAL OPTOELECTROMAGNETIC COUNTING SYSTEM FOR FLUIDS, according with previous claims, characterized by the fact that the receivers have BCD series outputs, prepared for its connection onto a transmitting unit, wherefrom its information may be forwarded to a data procdssing center, which provides the - orage on a reading order of all counters connected to the center and its S46 magnetic disc; processing the whole information received; billing and.printing of relevant bills; listing of counters showing any irregularity and checking the rack function and detecting any eventual handling. 13.- AFALOGIC DIGITAL OPTOELECTROKAGNETIC COUNTING SYSTEK FOR FLUIDS, according with previous claims, characterized y the fact that the counter meteorological conditions have the same precision, the fluid vein circulates in a sense or contrarywise, which differentiates it from the already known counter systems. 14- A fluid flow measurement system substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings- - is - elburn.UMWCI%4Tp pw_maybeeed pm Tmpbtentoffic P Nigh Ptd by MWUZln twju ltd. Ilt MO-Y Cru. Zent Con 1087 a. K mwy emy. orpir. Zent BM =.