WO2020216423A1 - Débitmètre à ultrasons - Google Patents

Débitmètre à ultrasons Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2020216423A1
WO2020216423A1 PCT/DK2020/050108 DK2020050108W WO2020216423A1 WO 2020216423 A1 WO2020216423 A1 WO 2020216423A1 DK 2020050108 W DK2020050108 W DK 2020050108W WO 2020216423 A1 WO2020216423 A1 WO 2020216423A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
pipe
flow meter
measuring
transducer
flow
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/DK2020/050108
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Thomas Alexander SØRENSEN
Peter Nordlund Borring
Original Assignee
Kamstrup A/S
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kamstrup A/S filed Critical Kamstrup A/S
Publication of WO2020216423A1 publication Critical patent/WO2020216423A1/fr

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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
    • 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
    • G01F15/14—Casings, e.g. of special material

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an ultrasound flow meter comprising a main housing, at least one reflector and a set of transducers.
  • the flow meter may comprise a measuring pipe, forming a measuring channel, having a measuring channel inlet and a measuring channel outlet.
  • the flow meter may comprise a flow pipe with a set of flow pipe holes through the pipe wall.
  • the measuring pipe may be adapted to be arranged inside the flow pipe.
  • the measuring pipe may comprise a set of measuring pipe holes to be aligned with the flow pipe holes.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may comprise a set of transducer insert housings. Each of the transducer insert housings may comprise a transducer.
  • Each of the transducer insert housings may be adapted to be arranged through a corresponding measuring pipe hole and a flow pipe hole.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may further com prise one or more connection tubes, comprising one or more transducer interfaces and a housing interface.
  • the main housing, the connecting tubes and the transducer insert housings may form a hermetically sealed compartment.
  • Ultrasonic signals are widely used for flow measurements as the propagation speed of sound waves in a fluid medium depends on their relative speed.
  • An ultrasound flow meter contains a measuring section, through which the fluid medium flows, and a signal path, along which ultrasonic waves are sent. Based on the measured propagation speed of the ultrasonic waves, the velocity of the fluid medium, along the signal path and thus the flow through the measuring device, can be determined.
  • the length of the part of the measuring path that is parallel to the flow of the fluid medium section is an important criterion in terms of the accuracy to be achieved.
  • Com pact measuring devices and a high accuracy are generally contradictions in relation to ultrasound flow meters.
  • Well-known concepts for achieving improved accuracy of ul trasonic flow measurements utilize signal paths compensating for skewed or asymmet ric flow profiles. For example utilizing a so-called double triangle ultrasound path (re quires four transducers) may entail a more precise measurement of the flow despite skewed flow profiles, due to for example rotating flows.
  • Other aspects to be considered for improved flow measurements may be the elimination of alternative signal paths than the intended signal path in the measuring device, fabri cation and assembly of the measuring device.
  • An object of the invention may be achieved by an ultrasound flow meter comprising a main housing, at least one reflector and a set of transducers.
  • the flow meter may further comprise a measuring pipe comprising a wall with an outer surface and an inner surface.
  • the inner surface may form a measuring channel having a measuring channel inlet and a measuring channel outlet.
  • the measuring channel may be configured with a measuring channel centre axis ex tending from the measuring channel inlet to the measuring channel outlet.
  • the flow meter may further comprise a flow pipe with a pipe wall, a pipe outer surface, a pipe inner surface, a pipe inlet, a pipe outlet and a pipe centre axis.
  • the pipe centre axis may extend from the pipe inlet to the pipe outlet.
  • the flow pipe may comprise a set of flow pipe holes through the pipe wall.
  • the measuring pipe may be adapted to be arranged inside the flow pipe.
  • the measuring pipe may comprise a set of measuring pipe holes through the wall.
  • the measuring pipe holes may be aligned with the flow pipe holes.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may further comprise a set of transducer insert housings.
  • Each of the transducer insert housings may comprise a transducer.
  • Each of the trans ducer insert housings may be adapted to be arranged through a corresponding measuring pipe hole and a flow pipe hole.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may further comprise one or more connection tubes com prising one or more transducer interfaces and a housing interface.
  • the one or more transducer interfaces may be adapted to connect to a corresponding transducer insert housing via corresponding transducer sealing(s).
  • the housing interface may be adapted to connect to the main housing via corresponding housing sealing(s).
  • the main housing, the connecting tubes and the transducer insert housings may form a hermetically sealed compartment.
  • hermetically sealed compartment is to be understood a closed space under normal atmospheric pressure, i.e. a chamber or a volume, which is sealed against the entry of water directly from splashes from outside or from the flowing water in the pipe, or from water entry caused by condensation on or inside the meter.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may be suitable for larger pipe diameters and large flow volumes.
  • the flow meter may be connected to connecting external pipes via the respec tive pipe inlet and pipe outlet of the flow pipe.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may be used with an intended flow direction through the measuring pipe from the measuring channel inlet to the measuring channel outlet.
  • One effect of the embodiment of the flow meter is that a plurality of transducers can be connected to the main housing within a hermetically sealed compartment and that the hermetically sealed compartment may allow for the transducers to be introduced to the measuring channel without further precautions in regard to leak-proofing the interface between the measuring pipe and the transducer insert housings.
  • the hermetically sealed compartment can provide for a flow meter having spaces with different moisture conditions with the hermetically sealed compartment being separated from the other spaces. This may be advantageous in regard to moisture protection of any integrated electronics, which may further reduce the requirements to leakage proof ing a number of interfaces between the hermetically sealed compartment and the re maining elements.
  • the components of the hermetically sealed compart- ment may be designed with easy sealable interfaces. These interfaces include the trans ducer interface and housing interface of the one or more connection tubes and the cor responding interfaces of the transducer insert housings and the main housing.
  • connection tube can be viewed as a manifold guiding electrical signal wires from a multiple of transducers to a main printed circuit board.
  • a connec tion tube has two radially extending parts or“fingers” extending through a hole in the wall of the flow pipe and one axial part extending in the longitudinal direction of the pipe into and connecting mechanically and electrically with a housing and a printed circuit board.
  • the ultrasound transducers are placed in-line.
  • a manifold could have four fingers and thus four transducers. It has however been found that a balanced approach with a 2-finger connection tube on one side of the housing and a 2- finger connection tube on the opposite side of the housing - both tubes electrically and mechanically connecting to a main circuit board placed in the housing - results in the best signal/noise ratio, because the length of the wires are shorter than in e.g. a 4-finger connection tube.
  • the signal wires could be guided through the tube and be directly connected to the printed circuit board with the signal processing electronics.
  • the tube at its end facing the housing, comprises a connecting printed circuit board (PCB) and that the ends of the signal wires are electrically connected to the connecting PCB, preferred by soldering.
  • the connecting PCB of the tube is then mated with a cor responding connector on the (central) metering PCB placed in the housing.
  • This design makes assembly during manufacturing of the flow meter easy. Inserting the radial and axial parts of the connection tubes into the pipe and the housing respectively requires as already discussed sealable interfaces in order to obtain a her metically sealed compartment. Easy sealable interfaces may be interfaces where stand ard gaskets and standard sealing technology may be used. Especially circular or annular shaped interfaces spanned in one plane may be considered as easy sealable interfaces.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may further comprise a drying agent inside the hermetically sealed compartment.
  • a drying agent may be to absorb any moisture inside the hermetically sealed compartment and thus, ensure moisture protection of any components comprised therein.
  • the moisture may be present at the time of assembly of the hermetically sealed compartment.
  • Another source of moisture may be if the main housing, the connection tubes or the transducer insert housings are made of a material which over time becomes moisture permeable, e.g. by absorbing moisture, and allows for this absorbed moisture to mitigate through the material into the hermetically sealed compartment.
  • the transducer sealing may be a gasket.
  • the housing sealing may be a gasket.
  • the gaskets may be O-rings.
  • One effect of this embodiment may be to use well-known and well-proven standard sealing technology for the hermetically sealed compartment. This may be advantageous in regard to using off-the-shelf components.
  • the platform which can also be called a saddle or a console and acts as an intermediate mounting layer in-between the ultrasonic transduc- ers and the meter electronics, is preferably made in a composite material and has open ings for receiving the housing with the meter electronics, and the one or more connec tion tubes.
  • the platform extends in longitudinal direction from one end of the pipe to the other end and has a flat and even surface that allows a better fixation of the housing and the connection tubes than if mounted directly on the curved outer surface of the flow pipe.
  • the flow pipe may be provided with flanges at the pipe inlet, at the pipe outlet or a combination hereof.
  • Flanges are typically used in piping installations for connecting pipes. There are differ ent international and national standards for how piping and meters may be intercon nected and means therefore.
  • the flow meter may be mounted to existing piping by additional mounting means at the pipe inlet and the pipe outlet.
  • the choice of mounting means may be optional.
  • the use of standard pipes may be advantageous in regard to optimizing production and reducing manufac turing costs by avoiding the use of special casted flow pipes.
  • the flow pipe holes through the pipe wall may be drilled holes, cut holes or a combination of drilled and cut holes.
  • One effect of this embodiment may be that standard pipes and standard technology may be used for the flow pipes and for adapting the flow pipes.
  • the pipes to be used may have flanges adapted to single national markets.
  • the use of standard pipes and standard mechanical working of the holes may be advan tageous in regard to optimizing production and reducing manufacturing costs.
  • the drilled or cut holes drilled or cut in the flow pipe may be standard holes and worked by use of standard equipment. This may be opposed to holes in a casted flow pipe.
  • transducer insert housings forming part of a hermetically sealed compart ment makes it possible to use standard pipes as flow pipes and thereby eliminate the need for special casted flow pipes.
  • the transducer insert hous ings may be mounted directly on the curved surface of the measuring pipe. This may be opposed to flow meters, wherein the pipe(s) may need to be fitted to accommodate transducers e.g. by being provided with plane surfaces, etc.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may comprise a metering PCB and each transducer may be connected to the metering PCB via wiring or a combination of a connecting PCB and wiring. The wiring may be adapted to extend into a corresponding transducer insert housing comprising the transducer.
  • the flow meter may comprise subassemblies i.e. the connection tubes for connecting the transducers to the measuring PCB.
  • the final assembly of the flow meter may thus be relatively easy and hence, achieve to minimiz ing the risk of errors at the final assembly stage.
  • the manufacturing risk may instead be moved to an earlier stage in the production from final assembly to the manufacturing of subassemblies. This may reduce the production costs and lost production time.
  • Another advantage is that the electrical connection between the transducers and the me tering PCB is integrated in the subassemblies, i.e. the transducer insert housings, the connection tubes and the main housing, thereby eliminating any external wiring, which has to be protected and/or sealed by outer casings.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may comprise a communication module and a power module, or a combination of a communication module and a power module inside the hermetically sealed compartment.
  • One effect of this embodiment may be that the electronic modules may be hard-wired to the metering PCB and the transducers within the hermetically sealed compartment. By hard-wiring the modules, low power consumption and/or predicted power consump- tion may be achieved for long life time and/or prolonged service intervals.
  • Any external wiring, which has to be connected to the hermetically sealed compartment or any wireless communication, may be eliminated which otherwise may pose chal lenges such as humidity ingress into the sealed compartment or higher power consump- tion due to the wireless communication.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may comprise a spring biased transducer backing adapted to be arranged in the transducer insert housing in connection with a corresponding transducer.
  • the spring biased transducer backing may be arranged behind the transducer to create a good acoustic connection between the transducer and the transducer insert housing.
  • a gluing wafer, grease or similar connection means may also be used to create good acoustic connection between the transducer and the transducer insert housing.
  • a further effect of the transducer being biased with a spring tension may be to ensure that the transducer is held in place for maintaining the length of the measuring path for the life time of the flow meter. This may be advantageous in regard to obtaining a repeatable measuring path for the life time of the flow meter.
  • the outer surface of the measuring pipe and the pipe inner surface of the flow pipe form an outer channel adapted to com prise water entering the ultrasound flow meter.
  • Other aspects to be considered for improved flow measurements may be the elimination of alternative signal paths than the intended signal path in the measuring device.
  • any signal, travelling along a path outside the measuring pipe, may be dampened due to the water contained in the outer channel.
  • external signals from outside the flow meter may be dampened due to the water containing outer channel thereby reducing the risk of external noise in the measured signal.
  • the use of transducer insert housings and the forming of a hermetically sealed compart ment permits design-wise the use of a water filled outer channel. This may have the further effect that no or reduced sealing requirements are set for the interfaces in the flow meter outside of the hermetically sealed compartment. This may be advantageous in regard to easier fabrication and assembly of the flow meter, especially at the final assembly stage, where the subassemblies are assembled.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may comprise two centring gaskets adapted to be separately arranged between the flow pipe and the measuring pipe, such that the measuring channel centre axis and the flow pipe centre axis are substantially coinciding.
  • a first centring gasket may be arranged at the end comprising the measuring channel inlet and a second gasket may be arranged at the end comprising the measuring channel outlet.
  • One effect of the measuring channel centre axis and the flow pipe centre axis being substantially coinciding may be to reduce any mechanical influence of the transition from an external pipe to the flow meter on the flow, in respect of creating turbulence or disturbance of the flow in the measuring pipe, and, likewise, at the transition from the flow meter to the external pipe to the subsequent flow in connecting piping. This may be advantageous in regard to achieving a uniform flow profile along the measuring channel and hence, along the measuring path for improved accuracy of the measure ments.
  • the entering of water into the outer channel may happen through designed leakage openings in or around a gasket used in the measuring pipe.
  • the word“designed” indi cates that the leakage is controlled and intended and not just a leakage which appears because of unintended mechanical imprecision.
  • the designed leakage openings are big- ger than any leakage openings in or around the separately arranged gasket at the other end of the outer channel.
  • As the other gasket is intended to block the flow any leakage here is not intended and only caused by imprecisions in manufacturing. Giving the gasket a non-circular contour gives the gasket an additional function. As described above both gaskets are used for mechanical centring of the measuring pipe.
  • the outer channel is problematic.
  • the flow should be fully blocked, e.g. by sealing off both ends of the volume between the measuring pipe and the flow pipe and have an empty space filled with air.
  • This has however a negative effect on the measurement precision because there will be stray ultrasonic waves leaving the measuring pipe and - due to reflections in the undesired volume - reentering the measuring pipe and cause a wrong measurement.
  • the optimum situation is that the material in the undesired volume and in the measuring pipe is of the same type and thus has the same signal impedance.
  • the undesired volume the outer channel
  • water must not be allowed to flow.
  • the small leakage openings are made by deforming the O-ring, more specifically by extending its diameter on a plurality of selected places along its contour.
  • the advantage of this solution is that the outer channel is quickly filled with water. This is important because the ultrasound flow meter is used for comsumption measuring, i.e. legal measuring, and it must be correctly calibrated. The openings creating the leakage are made so big that the outer channel will be quickly filled so that test and calibration in the factory during manufacture can be made fast; there is no need for waiting hours for the outer channel to be filled.
  • the protrusions are made in the circumferential channel of the measuring pipe where the gasket - the O-ring - is intended to be placed. Once placed the gasket will in some parts of its contour have a nearly circular shape, in other parts a more linear trajectory.
  • the non- circular contour is caused by the protrusions which also could be placed on the inside of the flow pipe.
  • the one or more reflectors may be arranged in the wall of the measuring pipe and may be arranged to face the measuring channel.
  • Arranging the reflectors to face the measuring channel means that the reflecting surfaces of the reflectors face a part of the inner surface of the measuring pipe.
  • the reflectors and the transducers may form an ultrasound path within the measuring pipe.
  • the reflectors arranged in the wall of the measuring pipe may be referred to as the reflectors being side-mounted in the measuring channel.
  • One effect of this embodiment may be that the influence of the reflectors, in respect of creating turbulence or disturb ance of the flow through the measuring channel, is sought reduced. This may be advan tageous in regard to achieving a uniform flow profile along the measuring channel and, hence, along the measuring path for improved accuracy of the measurements.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may comprise seven reflectors and two connecting tubes. Each connecting tube may comprise two transducer interfaces and four corresponding transducers. The transducers and the reflectors of the ultrasound flow meter may be arranged to provide for an intended double triangle ultrasound path.
  • the length of the part of the measuring path that is parallel to the flow of the fluid medium section is an important criterion in terms of the accuracy to be achieved.
  • the measuring path should preferably be distrib uted over different parts of the flow profile to achieve a correct mean value of the flow.
  • Well-known concepts for achieving improved accuracy of ultrasonic flow measure ments utilizes signal paths compensating for skewed or asymmetric flow profiles. For example, utilizing the so-called double triangle ultrasound path may provide for more precise measurement of the flow despite skewed flow profiles, due to for example ro tating flows.
  • the positioning of the reflectors may give rise to consideration as to how to ob tain a symmetric and linear flow profile along the measuring path, how to obtain a re peatable measuring path, and/or how to obtain as long a measuring path as possible in consideration of the overall dimensions of the measuring channel.
  • the ultrasound flow meter may further comprise an outer casing connecting to the pipe outer surface.
  • the outer casing may enclose the main housing, the one or more connecting tubes or a combination hereof.
  • One effect of this embodiment may be to mechanically protect the main housing and the connection tubes. This protection may be advantageous in regard to reducing the risk of mechanical impact on the individual parts and any influence on the interfaces and thus, the sealing between the parts. Furthermore, the outer casing may reduce un- authorized access to any integrated electronics, which may be an important element of a flow meter used as consumption meters where the measurements typically are directly used for yearly or quarterly settlements of a continuous consumption.
  • a further object of the invention may be achieved by a method for assembly of the ultrasound flow meter comprising acts of:
  • connection tubes connect the transducer insert housings with a corresponding transducer inter face of a connection tube via a corresponding transducer sealing, and connecting one or more connection tubes to a main housing with a correspond ing housing interface of a connection tube via a corresponding housing sealing, such that the main housing, the connection tubes and the transducer insert housings forms a hermetically sealed compartment.
  • Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the ultrasound flow meter.
  • Figure 2 illustrates an enlarged view of a subassembly of the flow pipe, the measuring pipe, the centring gaskets and the transducer insert housings.
  • Figures 3 A, 3B and 3C show different versions of the contour of a sealing gasket placed in between the flow pipe and the metering pipe
  • Figure 4 illustrates one embodiment of the transducer inset housings and the subassem bly of figure 2
  • Figure 5 illustrates one embodiment of the elements forming the hermetically sealed compartment.
  • Figure 6 illustrates one embodiment of the subassemblies of figure 2 and figure 5 and the resulting assembled embodiment of the ultrasound flow meter.
  • Figure 7 illustrates an enlarged view of one embodiment of the main housing and a section-cut through the centre of an assembled embodiment of the ultrasound flow me ter according to the invention.
  • Figure 8A and 8B are views of the connection tube in two different states of its assem- bly.
  • Figure 9A is a cut-away top view of the main housing and the connection tubes.
  • Figure 9B is a perspective view of a connection tube used in the invention.
  • Figure 1 illustrates one embodiment of the ultrasound flow meter 1.
  • Figure 1A illus trates the ultrasound flow meter 1 with the outer casing 120 separated from the remain ing parts
  • figure IB illustrates the assembled ultrasound flow meter 1.
  • the flow meter 1 comprises a main housing 10, two connection tubes 20, each connecting to the main housing 10 at the housing interface via a housing sealing.
  • the ultra sound flow meter 1 further comprises a measuring pipe 40 with an inner surface 44.
  • the inner sur face 44 forms a measuring channel 50 having a measuring channel inlet 52 and a meas uring channel outlet 54.
  • the ultrasound flow meter 1 further comprises a flow pipe 70 with a pipe outer surface 72.
  • the flow pipe is configured with a pipe inlet 75 and a pipe outlet 76.
  • the measuring pipe 40 is arranged inside the flow pipe 70 such that the measuring channel inlet 52 is arranged at the pipe inlet 75 end and the measuring chan nel outlet 54 is arranged at the pipe outlet 76 end.
  • the flow meter 1 is assembled with the outer casing 120 connecting to the pipe outer surface 72 and enclosing the main housing 10 and the two connection tubes 20
  • the illustrated assembly means in figure 1 A for the outer casing is simply illustrated as an example and should be seen as such. Alternative assembly means may be used.
  • the flow meter 1 is illustrated with additional mounting means at the pipe inlet 75 and the pipe outlet 76. These mounting means - flanges - are optional and alternative means to the ones illustrated may be used. This is simply for illustrative purposes of how the ultra sound flow meter 1 may be connected to external piping.
  • Figure 2 illustrates an enlarged view of the flow pipe 70, the measuring pipe 40, the centring gaskets 96a, 96b and the transducer insert housings 80 and how these may be assembled.
  • the embodiment comprises four transducer insert housings 80.
  • the flow pipe 70 is configured with a pipe wall 71, a pipe outer surface 72 and a set of flow pipe holes 78 extending through the pipe wall 71.
  • the flow pipe 70 comprises four flow pipe holes 78.
  • the flow pipe 70 is configured with a pipe centre axis 77.
  • the measuring pipe 40 comprises a wall 41 with an outer surface 42 and a set of meas uring pipe holes 48 extending through the wall 41.
  • the measuring pipe forms a meas uring channel, configured with a measuring channel centre axis 56.
  • the measuring pipe 40 further comprises a set of reflectors 60 arranged in the wall 41.
  • the reflectors face the measuring channel, meaning that the reflecting surface of the reflectors 60 faces the inner surface of the measuring pipe 40, such that the reflectors and the transducers may form an ultrasound path within the measuring pipe 40.
  • the flow pipe 70, the measuring pipe 40, the centring gaskets 96a, 96b and the trans ducer insert housings 80 may be assembled such that the centring gaskets are arranged onto the measuring pipe 40, where after the measuring pipe is arranged inside the flow pipe 70 with the measuring pipe holes 48 aligned with the flow pipe holes 78.
  • the set of transducer insert housings 80 may subsequently be arranged through a set of corre sponding measuring pipe holes 48 and flow pipe holes 78.
  • the transducer inset housings 80 may be inserted through the measuring channel and arranged in the corresponding set of a measuring pipe hole 48 and a flow pipe hole 78 from inside the measuring channel and out through the holes 48, 78.
  • the extended pipe centre axis 77 and meas uring channel centre axis 56 is used to illustrate the line of insertion of the single ele ments.
  • the first centring gasket 96a may form a hermetic sealing between the flow pipe 70 and the measuring pipe 40 to prevent fluid from bypassing the measuring pipe.
  • the second centring gasket 96b on the other hand may be arranged to only adjust the relative posi tion of the two pipes to each other while allowing for liquid to enter between the two pipes 40,70 when in use.
  • the second centring gasket 96b thus does not form a hermetic sealing between the flow pipe 70 and the measuring pipe 40. In one embodiment this is achieved by mounting the second centring gasket 96b on a non-circular part of the meas uring pipe.
  • the resulting sealing has a varying diameter and thereby does not provide a hermetic seal against the flow pipe.
  • the functionality of the first and second centring gaskets may also be reversed so that the first centring gasket allows liquid to enter between the two pipes and the second centring gasket provides a hermetic seal.
  • Figures 3A, 3B and 3C show this concept of “accepted leakage” in greater detail.
  • Figure 3 A shows a transverse cut through the flow pipe 70, the measuring pipe 40 and the gasket 96a.
  • the gasket is fully circular and intended to block any flow of liquid through the outer channel between flow pipe 70 and measuring pipe 40.
  • the gasket 96b at the other end of the flow pipe 40 is, when deployed and in function in the ultrasound meter, not a regular O-ring, not a harmonic circle. Instead it is displaced from its original circle-shape at several places, namely at protrusions 45. Between each two protrusions 45 and on the side of the gasket facing the inner wall of the flow pipe a leakage opening 180 is created. Openings 180 allow liquid to enter the outer channel 170 and to fill this volume with liquid.
  • These three protrusions form in this embodiment of the measuring pipe 40 an integrated part of the pipe because they are created in the injection moulding process of pipe 40.
  • the protrusions 45 can also be made in the gasket itself, i.e.
  • the pipe 40 is fully circular but the O-ring has a non-circular contour, e.g. polygon shaped.
  • Fig ure 3C shows another version with four protrusions 45 instead of three.
  • the non-circu larity as described allows at the same time a mechanical centering of the measurering pipe 40 and a quick fill with liquid of the outer channel.
  • the volume in the outer channel should be minimized to zero but in practice this is not possible due to manufacturing limitations.
  • the leakage openings 180 are designed to have an opening degree that al lows a quick filling so that test and calibration in the factory can be made fast.
  • Figure 4 illustrates close-ups of the transducer inset housings 80 from figure 2 and the assembled embodiment of the flow pipe 70, the measuring pipe 40, the centring gaskets 96a, 96b and the transducer insert housings 80 of figure 2.
  • Figure 4A illustrates a close-up of one embodiment of a transducer inset housing 80.
  • Figure 4B illustrates a close-up of one embodiment of a transducer inset housing 80 and a transducer 30 to be comprised in the transducer insert housing 80.
  • the transducer 30 may comprise a piezo ceramic material with applied electrodes.
  • a gluing wafer, grease or similar connection means may be used to create a good acoustic connection between the transducer 30 and the transducer insert housing 80, as illustrated here by a thin wa fer.
  • FIG. 4C illustrates the assembled embodiment of the flow pipe 70, the measuring pipe 40, the centring gaskets 96a, 96b and the transducer insert housings 80 of figure 2.
  • a platform 85 made in composite material.
  • the platform is a mounting saddle for the housing 10 and the connection tubes 20 and is fixated to the flow pipe by means of screws (not shown).
  • the platform creates an even mounting surface instead of the curved flow pipe surface, and has openings 88 for receiving housing and connection tubes.
  • a connection tube is fixated by means of a screw driven into composite cylinder 87.
  • the flow pipe 70 is illustrated with additional mounting means at the pipe inlet and the pipe outlet. These mounting means are optional and alternative means to the ones illustrated may be used. This is simply for illustrative purposes of how the ultrasound flow meter 1 may be connected to external piping.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of the elements forming the hermetically sealed compartment 100.
  • the hermetically sealed compartment 100 comprises besides the volume in the main housing 10 and the transducer insert housings the volume in the two connection tubes 20, each tube 20 comprising two transducer interfaces 22 and one housing interface 24.
  • the tubes 20 connect to the trans ducer insert housings 80 via corresponding transducer sealings 90.
  • the tubes connect to the main housing 10 via corresponding housing seal ings 92.
  • the connection tube 20 has an axial part 26 which is placed outside of the wall of the flow tube and is extending longitudinally towards the main housing 10 where the axial part is mechanically and electrically connected to a metering PCB 140.
  • the con nection tube has also a radial part 28 extending from the axial part into holes in wall of the flow pipe.
  • the radial part comprises a spring biased transducer backing 160.
  • transducer may be arranged in each transducer insert housing 80.
  • the spring biased transducer backing 160 may be arranged behind the transducer to create good acoustic connection between the transducer and the transducer insert housing 80.
  • a gluing wafer, grease or similar connection means may be used to create a good acoustic connection between the transducer 30 and the transducer insert housing 80, as illustrated in figure 4B.
  • the metering PCB 140 may be arranged in the main housing 10 and be connected to the transducers via wiring and/or connecting PCBs. Hence, the metering PCB, wiring and/or connecting PCBs are arranged inside the hermetically sealed compartment 100.
  • Figure 8A shows a connecting tube 20 during its final stage of assembly.
  • Wires 144 which at their non-visible end are connected to the ultrasound transducers, have free wire ends 145. These ends are soldered to solder spots 146 placed on a connecting PCB 142. There is one soldering spot on each side of the connecting PCB.
  • Two snap tongues 147 at the end of the connecting PCB are intended for being pushed into the housing of connection tube 20. This is done once the wire ends 145 are soldered to spots 146. Then connecting PCB 142 is pushed and snaps in place inside the housing.
  • Figure 8B shows encircled an inside detail of the connecting PCB in a snapped-in position. Meanwhile a PCB edge connector 148 has been added to connecting PCB 142.
  • FIG. 9A is a top view of the main housing 10 without any lids.
  • Metering PCB 140 is placed at the bottom of the housing and a connection tube 20 from the left side and a connection tube 20 from the right side are inserted into the housing and via PCB edge connectors 148 connecting electrically and mechanically with the metering PCB 140.
  • Figure 6 illustrates the assembled embodiment of the flow pipe 70, the measuring pipe, the centring gaskets and the transducer insert housings of figure 2 (subassembly of fig ure 2) and a subassembly of the elements of figure 5 (subassembly of figure 5) without the transducer insert housing, these are already comprised in the subassembly of figure 2 and hence, mounted in the flow pipe and measuring pipe.
  • Figure 6A illustrates an enlarged view of the subassembly of figure 2 and figure 5 and how these may be as Sild into an ultrasound flow meter 1, comprising the hermetically sealed compart ment.
  • connection tubes 20 are connected at the transducer interfaces of the tubes 20 to the transducer insert housings via corresponding transducer sealings.
  • Figure 6B illustrates the assembled embodiment of the ultrasound flow meter 1.
  • Figure 7 A illustrates an enlarged view of one embodiment of the main housing 10 (only partly illustrated) comprising a metering PCB 140, a communication module 150 and a power module 152.
  • the main housing 10 may comprise a top 10a, a gasket 10b and a cup-shaped body part, which can be assembled with a hermetic seal, such that the her- mitically sealed compartment may be achieved.
  • Figure 7B illustrates a section-cut through the centre of an assembled embodiment of the ultrasound flow meter 1 with an outer casing 120.
  • the embodiment comprises a main housing 10 with a metering PCB 140.
  • the connection tubes and transducer insert housings 80 comprise connecting PCBs 142 and wiring 144 connecting the metering PCB 140 to the transducers comprised in the transducer insert housings 80.
  • the illustrated embodiment further comprises a measuring pipe 40 with an outer surface 42 and an inner surface 44, which inner surface 44 forms a measuring channel 50 and a flow pipe 70 with a pipe wall 71, a pipe outer surface 72, a pipe inner surface 74 and provided with flanges 79 at the pipe inlet and pipe outlet.
  • the transducer insert housings 80 are arranged in corresponding sets of a measuring pipe hole and a flow pipe hole, and thus, the transducer insert housings 80 are arranged to extend from the inner surface 44 of the measuring pipe 40 and through the pipe wall 71 of the flow pipe 70.
  • the illustrated embodiment further comprises two centring gaskets 96a, 96b arranged between the flow pipe 70 and the measuring pipe 40.
  • the outer surface 42 of the meas uring pipe 40 and the pipe inner surface 74 of the flow pipe 70 form an outer channel 170.
  • the centring gaskets may allow for liquid to enter the outer flow channel 170 dur- ing intended use of the ultrasound flow meter 1.
  • the ultrasound flow meter 1 comprises a set of reflectors 60 arranged in the wall 41 of the measuring pipe 40.
  • the reflectors are arranged to face the measuring channel 50.
  • Variants of the inventive flowmeter can be obtained by the man skilled in the art by combining the different embodiments in various ways.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Electromagnetism (AREA)
  • Measuring Volume Flow (AREA)

Abstract

La présente invention concerne un débitmètre à ultrasons comprenant un boîtier principal, au moins un réflecteur et un ensemble de transducteurs. Le débitmètre peut comprendre un tuyau de mesure formant un canal de mesure doté d'une entrée de canal de mesure et d'une sortie de canal de mesure. Le débitmètre peut comprendre un tuyau d'écoulement comportant un ensemble de trous dans sa paroi. Le tuyau de mesure peut être adapté de manière à être disposé à l'intérieur du tuyau d'écoulement. Le tuyau de mesure peut comprendre un ensemble de trous de tuyau de mesure destinés à être alignés avec les trous de tuyau d'écoulement. Le débitmètre à ultrasons peut comprendre un ensemble de boîtiers d'insertion de transducteur. Chacun des boîtiers d'insertion de transducteur peut comprendre un transducteur. Chacun des boîtiers d'insertion de transducteur peut être adapté de manière à être disposé à travers un trou de tuyau de mesure correspondant et un trou de tuyau d'écoulement. Le débitmètre à ultrasons peut en outre comprendre un ou plusieurs tubes de raccordement comprenant une ou plusieurs interfaces de transducteur et une interface de boîtier. Le boîtier principal, les tubes de raccordement et les boîtiers d'insertion de transducteur peuvent former un compartiment hermétiquement scellé.
PCT/DK2020/050108 2019-04-24 2020-04-22 Débitmètre à ultrasons WO2020216423A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DKPA201970251 2019-04-24
DKPA201970251 2019-04-24

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WO2020216423A1 true WO2020216423A1 (fr) 2020-10-29

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Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010024017A1 (fr) * 2008-08-28 2010-03-04 株式会社オーバル Dispositif de transmission/réception à ultrasons
EP2236994A1 (fr) * 2009-04-02 2010-10-06 Kamstrup A/S Débitmètre doté d'une membrane de protection commune
US20130031988A1 (en) * 2010-04-12 2013-02-07 Jens Drachmann Ultrasonic Consumption Meter With Locking Mechanism
WO2013041104A1 (fr) * 2011-09-23 2013-03-28 Kamstrup A/S Débitmètre à transducteurs protubérants
EP2594907A1 (fr) * 2011-11-21 2013-05-22 Kamstrup A/S Débitmètre avec boîtier en polymère renforcé
WO2014029404A1 (fr) * 2012-08-22 2014-02-27 Miitors Aps Débitmètre compact à ultrasons
CN204373710U (zh) * 2014-12-22 2015-06-03 安徽水联水务科技有限公司 一种超声波水表
EP3037790A1 (fr) * 2014-12-23 2016-06-29 Kamstrup A/S Boîtier de débitmètre à ultrasons avec connecteurs à ressort intégré

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010024017A1 (fr) * 2008-08-28 2010-03-04 株式会社オーバル Dispositif de transmission/réception à ultrasons
EP2236994A1 (fr) * 2009-04-02 2010-10-06 Kamstrup A/S Débitmètre doté d'une membrane de protection commune
US20130031988A1 (en) * 2010-04-12 2013-02-07 Jens Drachmann Ultrasonic Consumption Meter With Locking Mechanism
WO2013041104A1 (fr) * 2011-09-23 2013-03-28 Kamstrup A/S Débitmètre à transducteurs protubérants
EP2594907A1 (fr) * 2011-11-21 2013-05-22 Kamstrup A/S Débitmètre avec boîtier en polymère renforcé
WO2014029404A1 (fr) * 2012-08-22 2014-02-27 Miitors Aps Débitmètre compact à ultrasons
CN204373710U (zh) * 2014-12-22 2015-06-03 安徽水联水务科技有限公司 一种超声波水表
EP3037790A1 (fr) * 2014-12-23 2016-06-29 Kamstrup A/S Boîtier de débitmètre à ultrasons avec connecteurs à ressort intégré

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