JPS63168512A - Flow rate measuring apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To accurately measure a flow rate, by receiving a spherical flowing body formed of a substance having specific gravity the same or analogous to that a liquid in a doughnut-shaped flow passage and arranging a light emitting member and a light receiving member to a casing. CONSTITUTION:A flow rate measuring apparatus has a casing 11 and an induction projection 12 having an almost conical shape is provided to the interior of the casing 11 in a protruding state to form an almost doughnut-shaped flow passage 13 in the casing. A light emitting member 17 is provided at such a position where the light emitted from said member 17 traverses the flow passage 13, for example, at the position contacting with the upper wall of the casing 11. In this case, the liquid flowing in the flow passage 13 from an inflow port 14 goes around in the flow passage 13 to flow out to the outside from an outflow port 15 but the light emitted from the light emitting member 17 is blocked by a flowing body 16 at each time when the flowing body 16 passes between the light emitting member 17 and a light receiving member 18 and a signal is intermittently outputted from the light receiving member 18. Therefore, when the cycle of said signal and a pulse per unit time are measured by an operation circuit 19, the flow rate of the passing liquid can be accurately measured.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a flow rate measuring device for measuring the flow rate of liquid or the like.

(Prior Art) Fig. 2 shows the configuration of a conventional flow rate measuring device, in which 1 has a generally conical guide protrusion 2 protruding from the center and a roughly donut-shaped flow path 3 formed inside. 4 is an inlet provided in the tangential direction of the donut-shaped circle with respect to the flow path 3, 5 is an outlet provided in the perpendicular direction of the donut-shaped circle with respect to the flow path 3, and 6 is a ferromagnetic material. A spherical fluid whose outer periphery is coated with silicone rubber or the like, and this fluid 6 is shaped so that its outer diameter is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the flow path 3 so that it can be accommodated in the flow path 3 in a movable manner. ing. 7 is a detection unit that applies a magnetic field to the flow path 3 and detects changes in the magnetic flux density of this magnetic field using a Hall element, etc., and 8 is a detection unit that applies a magnetic field to the flow path 3 and detects changes in the magnetic flux density of this magnetic field, and 8 is a detection unit that applies a magnetic field to the flow path 3. This is a calculation circuit that calculates the flow rate of liquid.

In the conventional example configured in this way, the flow path 3 is connected from the inlet 4 to the flow path 3.
The liquid flowing into the flow path 3 circulates around the flow path 3 and flows out from the outflow L column 5. During this time, the fluid 6 contained in the flow path 3 flows through the flow path 3 together with the liquid. Flow, channel 3
Repeat the rotation inside. Therefore, every time the fluid 6 passes through a place where a magnetic field is applied by the detection unit 7,
Since the magnetic flux density of the magnetic field changes and a signal is intermittently output from the detection unit 7, if the period of the signal, the number of pulses per unit time, etc. are measured in the arithmetic circuit 8, the flow path 3
The flow rate of liquid passing through can be calculated.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, the magnetic flux density of the magnetic field of the detection unit 7 changes due to the influence of surrounding electromagnetism, and noise tends to enter the detection of the fluid 6. There was a problem in that the flow rate of the liquid passing through the flow path 3 could not necessarily be accurately measured.

Furthermore, since the specific gravity of the fluid 6 made of a ferromagnetic material is higher than that of the liquid, there is a problem in that it has a poor ability to follow the flow of the liquid in the flow path 3 and is likely to cause errors in measuring the flow rate. Ta.

Furthermore, the fluid 6 is made of a ferromagnetic material to prevent it from being eroded by liquid or the like.

Since the outer periphery must be covered with silicone rubber or the like, manufacturing the fluid 6 is time-consuming.

There was a problem that manufacturing costs were high.

The present invention has been made in view of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a flow rate measuring device that can accurately measure the flow rate and can freely select the material of the fluid.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides a substantially donut-shaped flow path in a casing that is completely or partially transparent, and is made of a material whose specific gravity is the same as or similar to that of the liquid. A light-emitting member and a light-receiving member are installed in a casing that houses a spherical fluid and face each other so as to sandwich a flow path, or a light-receiving member is placed on the optical path of the light from the light-emitting member reflected by the fluid. The light-emitting member and the light-receiving member are installed in the casing so that

(Function) The light emitted from the light-emitting member is blocked, attenuated, or reflected by the fluid circulating in the channel along with the flow of the liquid, and the passage of the fluid is blocked by the light-receiving member. Since the sensor detects the passage of the fluid without being affected by external influences such as electric fields or magnetic fields, the fluid is made of a material whose specific gravity is the same or similar to that of the liquid. This improves the ability of the fluid to follow the flow of liquid in the channel, making it possible to accurately measure the flow rate of the liquid. Further, since the fluid only needs to be made of a material whose specific gravity is the same as or similar to that of the liquid, the material of the fluid can be freely selected.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, in which 11 is a casing having a generally conical guide protrusion 12 protruding from the center and a generally donut-shaped flow path 13 formed inside; The entire casing 11 is made of transparent synthetic resin or the like. 14 is an inlet provided tangentially to the flow path 13;
5 is an outlet provided perpendicularly to the flow path 13; 16 is a synthetic resin that has a light shielding property and has a specific gravity that is the same as or similar to that of the liquid; for example, if the liquid is water, a synthetic resin such as polypropylene; A spherical fluid made of synthetic resin.
The fluid 16 is formed to have an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the flow path 13 so that it can be accommodated in the flow path 13 in a movable manner. Reference numeral 17 denotes a light emitting member such as a light emitting diode, and the light emitting member 17 is provided at a position 1, for example, in contact with the upper wall of the casing 11, such that the light emitted from the light emitting member 17 crosses the flow path 13. 18 is a phototransistor, a light receiving member made of cadmium sulfide (CdS), etc.;
The light receiving member 18 is provided at a position opposite to the light emitting member 17 with the flow path 13 in between, for example, in contact with the bottom wall of the casing 11. Reference numeral 19 denotes an arithmetic circuit that calculates the flow rate of the liquid flowing into the flow path 13 based on the pulse-like signal output from the light receiving member 18.

In the conventional example configured in this way, the liquid that has flowed into the flow path 13 from the inlet 14 circulates around the flow path 13 and reaches the outlet 1.
During this period, the fluid 16 contained in the channel 13 flows through the channel 13 together with the liquid and repeats the circulation in the channel 13. Therefore, each time the fluid 16 passes between the light emitting member 17 and the light receiving member 18, the light emitted from one light emitting member 17 is blocked by the fluid 16, and a signal is intermittently output from the light receiving member 18. Therefore, in the arithmetic circuit 19, the period of the signal,
By measuring the number of pulses per unit time, etc., the flow rate of the liquid passing through the flow path 13 can be calculated.

1. In this embodiment, passage of the fluid is detected by blocking the light emitted from the light emitting member with the fluid. However, it is also possible to attenuate the light emitted from the light emitting member with the fluid. Passage of the fluid may also be detected by reflecting or reflecting the fluid.

Further, in this embodiment, an example has been described in which the entire casing 11 is made transparent, but only the portion where light crosses between the light emitting member and the light receiving member may be made transparent.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fluid 16 is made of synthetic resin, but if the specific gravity of the liquid and the fluid 16 are the same or similar, the material of the fluid 16 may be synthetic. (It is not limited to resin).

Furthermore, in this embodiment, the fluid 16 is formed into a spherical shape, but the shape of the fluid 16 is limited to a sphere as long as it can move along with the flow of the liquid in the channel 13. It's not something you can do.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, according to the present invention, the light emitted from the light emitting member can be blocked or attenuated by the fluid circulating in the flow path along with the flow of the liquid. 5. Since the passage of the fluid is detected by the light receiving member by reflecting the fluid, it is possible to detect the passage of the fluid without being affected by external influences such as electric fields and magnetic fields, and the fluid has its specific gravity. The fluid can be freely formed of a material with the same or similar specific gravity to the liquid, which improves the ability of the fluid to follow the flow of the liquid in the channel, making it possible to accurately control the flow rate of the liquid. Be able to measure. In addition, since the passage of the fluid is detected using light, the material of the fluid to be detected can be freely selected, and the fluid can be formed from a single material that will not be corroded or rusted by the fluid. This has the effect of not only requiring less time and effort to produce the fluid, but also reducing production costs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the structure of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the structure of a conventional flow rate measuring device. 11...Casing, 12...Guiding protrusion, 13...
・Flow path, 14... Inlet, 15... Outlet, 16.
... Fluid, 17... Light emitting member, 18... Light receiving member, 19... Arithmetic circuit. Patent applicant: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Figure 1 17...From #Yamura old...4L nine spears 1? U Music 2 B

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A guide protrusion is provided protruding from the center to form a substantially donut-shaped flow path inside, and an inlet is provided in a tangential direction to the flow path, and perpendicular to the flow path. A casing that is entirely or partially transparent and has an outlet in the direction, and a casing that has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the flow path so that the liquid circulates in the flow path along with the flow of the liquid in the flow path. A fluid made slightly smaller in size, a light emitting member installed in the casing so that the optical path of the emitted light crosses the flow path, and a light emitting member and the light emitting member installed across the flow path, or the light is directed to the fluid. Each time the fluid passes through the optical path of the light emitted from the light-emitting member and the light-receiving member installed in the casing so as to be located on the optical path of the light when reflected by the light-receiving member, the light incident on the light-receiving member and an arithmetic circuit that calculates the flow rate of the liquid flowing into the flow path by measuring a signal output from the light receiving member when the light is blocked or the light enters the light receiving member. Characteristic flow measuring device. (2) The flow rate measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the fluid has a specific gravity that is equal to or similar to the specific gravity of the liquid.