Abstract: A process for operating a Coriolis mass flow rate measurement device, with at least one measurement tube (10) through which a medium flows and which is subjected to vibration excitation that leads to resulting vibrations of the measurement tube (10), a first indicator quantity being used for detection of a multiphase flow. For detection of the multiphase flow, an additional, second indicator quantity that is independent of the first indicator quantity is used. Thus, a process for operating a Coriolis mass flow rate measurement device (1) is attained with which the detection of multiphase flows, especially of two-phase flows, is reliably possible without the need to make assumptions regarding the properties of the individual phases of the flowing medium.

Abstract: A measuring instrument, in particular a flow or level meter, includes a base module for the acquisition and processing of measured data and an add-on module. Both the base module and the add-on module feature an optical interface interconnecting the base module and the add-on module. The result is a measuring instrument which, by interchanging the add-on module, can be equipped with various external interfaces without requiring any recalibration of the measuring instrument.

Abstract: A non-intrinsically safely supplied measurement device (1) with a connecting device (3) having an “increased safety” type of protection for connecting the measurement device (1) to a feed connection (2) in order to supply the measurement device (1) with electricity, an electronic device (4) which contains electronic components of the measurement device (1), a display device (8), a sensor (7) made with “increased safety” or “intrinsic safety” type of protection, and an output circuit (9) that is without at least the “intrinsic safety” type of protection. The electronic device (4) has an “encapsulation” type of protection, the display device (8) has an “intrinsic safety” type of protection and the display device (8), the sensor (7) and the output circuit (9) are connected to the electronic device (4) via connections having an “increased safety” type of protection.

Abstract: A magnetoinductive flowmeter and a method for operating same utilizing a measuring tube through which flows an electrically conductive medium, as well as two measuring electrodes and a magnet with two field coils positioned parallel to each other on mutually opposite sides of the measuring tube. The measuring electrodes are so positioned that their connecting line extends along an essentially perpendicular vector relative to the direction of flow and to the magnetic field as well as through the cross-sectional center of the measuring tube. For normal flow-measuring operation, the two field coils are so energized that an essentially homogeneous magnetic field is generated, permeating the medium flowing through the measuring tube, while for determining the flow rate the voltage present between the two measuring electrodes is collected at one or both measuring electrodes and measured against a reference potential.

Abstract: An electric device features a two-wire interface which two-wire interface serves to feed electric power to the electric device and also to transmit a signal, with the maximum power drawn via the two-wire interface in normal operation being restricted to a predefined upper limit. The permissible maximum power consumption of the electric device is automatically and temporarily increased beyond the predefined upper limit when the electric device is switched into a special operational function mode. The length of time in which the electric device is in the special operational function mode can thus be reduced.

Abstract: A method for operating a magnetoinductive flowmeter of the type including a measuring tube through which flows an electrically conductive medium, at least two electrodes that are in direct conductive contact with the medium, and at least one magnetic field coil that serves to generate a magnetic field which permeates at least part of the medium and in which a predefined current is impressed between two electrodes that are in wet contact with the flowing medium, the voltage present between the two electrodes or between one of the two electrodes and another electrode that is in wet contact with the flowing medium is measured, and a resistance value is derived from the ratio of the impressed current to the measured voltage. This permits the determination and read-out of the conductivity of the medium flowing through the measuring tube, which constitutes an added benefit for the user of the magnetoinductive flowmeter.

Abstract: A magnetoinductive flowmeter incorporates a magnet for generating a magnetic field that permeates the flowmeter's measuring tube with a magnetic field component perpendicular to the direction of flow, a first electrode and a second electrode which collect a voltage induced in the medium, and an amplifier to which the voltage collected by the electrodes is fed. A test voltage source and a comparator are provided, the test voltage source generating a test voltage, which is applied to the amplifier in a manner whereby the test voltage is superimposed over the voltage collected by the electrodes. The comparator is connected to the amplifier so that the output voltage of the amplifier can be fed to the comparator, and the comparator is designed in a manner whereby the output voltage of the amplifier can be compared with a reference value. This configuration permits easy calibration of the magnetoinductive flowmeter while during operation, any deviation from a calibrated condition can be detected reliably.

Abstract: An electronic measuring instrument encompasses a sensor for the acquisition of process variables, a main memory for the operating parameters of the measuring instrument as well as several additional memory blocks for at least part of the operating parameters of the measuring instrument: The additional memory blocks includes a first memory block which serves to store active operating parameters, a second memory block for storing delivered preset operating parameters and a third memory block for storing application-specific operating parameters. An electronic measuring instrument of this design allows the user to access different versions of the operating parameters, enabling him for instance in the event of a failure or upon exchanging a component of the measuring instrument to activate the respectively appropriate version of operating parameters. A method for operating the instrument is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for dispensing a specific minimum amount of a liquid or pourable substance into a container to fill the container, in the course of which the amount of the dispensed substance is measured and a valve is close to terminate the filling process as soon as the amount of the dispensed substance has reached a defined final value in which the substance is dispensed into a first container in several dispensing steps. During an initial dispensing step, the filling process is interrupted by the closing of the valve so as to permit determination of the tailing of the substance that occurs during the closing of the valve, while for a subsequent dispensing step the valve is opened to resume the filling process, with the final value for terminating the subsequent dispensing step being established by factoring-in a tailing value of the substance that was determined in a preceding dispensing step during the closing of the valve.

Abstract: An optoelectronic coupler includes two photodiodes and an optic light guide, where one of the two photodiodes serves as the transmitting diode and the other as the receiving diode and the light guide serves to guide the light emitted by the transmitting diode to the receiving diode. The transmitting diode and the receiving diode are mounted on a circuit board at a distance from each other and the light guide is constituted of a plastic or glass element mounted on the same circuit board. This arrangement provides for a simple optoelectronic coupler design that permits safe operation even from the perspective of explosion protection.

Abstract: An optoelectronic keypad and a method for controlling an optoelectronic keypad for a measuring instrument, require a transparent touch screen, at least two touch-sensitive control buttons, at least two light emitters and at least two photodetectors, where said control buttons are located next to each other on one side of the surface of the touch-screen, the light emitters and the photodetectors are situated next to each other on the other side of the touch screen and each one control button, light emitter and photodetector are functionally associated with one another in a way as to constitute one action key, whereby pressing the control button of an action key causes the light emanating from the light emitter of that action key to be reflected at the actuated key and to impinge on the photodetector of that key.

Abstract: A magnetoinductive flow measuring method for measuring the flow rate of a medium flowing through a measuring tube is described that incorporates two measuring electrodes positioned along a connecting line extending in an essentially perpendicular direction relative to the measuring-tube axis, whereby a magnetic field is generated that extends at least in an essentially perpendicular direction relative to the measuring-tube axis and to the connecting line of the measuring electrodes and whereby the flow rate of the medium moving through the measuring tube is determined by measuring the voltage, respectively collected at one or both measuring electrodes, in comparison with a reference voltage potential. According to the method, the flow measuring operation is initiated as soon as an increase in the flow rate is detected, thus permitting the precise measurement even of very rapid draw-off processes.

Abstract: A floating-probe flowmeter for measuring the flow rate of a moving medium includes a measuring tube through which flows a medium against the force of gravity and a float capable of moving at least in the direction of the medium flow. The surface of the float that is exposed to the flow of the medium and/or the inner surface of the measuring tube at least in the area of movement of the float is/are provided with a microstructure designed to virtually eliminate the effect of the viscosity of the flowing medium on the lift of the float.

Abstract: A method is described for determining the uncertainty factor of a measuring process employing a measuring frequency, especially a magnetoinductive flow measuring procedure, whereby for each half-cycle of the measuring frequency at least one measured value is quantified by sampling a measuring signal. According to the method, the deviation of the measured values is determined at the measuring frequency but phase-shifted relative to the measuring frequency, and/or the deviation of the measured values is determined at a minimum of two frequencies differing from the measuring frequency and on the basis of the two deviations at the frequencies differing from the measuring frequency the deviation of the measured values at the measuring frequency is arrived at by interpolation or extrapolation. This permits easy access to the deviation at the measuring frequency, which is of significance as a diagnostic value.

Abstract: A magnetoinductive flowmeter incorporates a measuring tube, a magnet serving to generate a periodically alternating magnetic field that extends in a direction at least essentially perpendicular to the axis of the measuring tube, and two measuring electrodes positioned along a connecting line that extends in a direction at least essentially perpendicular to the axis of the measuring tube and to the vector of the magnetic field. An output device is provided by means of which a value for the constant-voltage component of the voltage collected at one or both of the measuring electrodes and differentiated from a reference potential is displayed to the user and/or is made available to the user for further processing. An equivalent flow-measuring process is also described.

Abstract: A magnetoinductive flowmeter for moving fluids, incorporating a sensor unit and a processing and power supply unit, the sensor unit encompassing a measuring tube, field coils which serve to generate a periodically alternating magnetic field in a direction at least essentially perpendicular to the axis of the measuring tube, and two measuring electrodes positioned along a line that extends at least essentially in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the measuring tube and perpendicular to the vector of the magnetic field, with field-coil feed lines connecting the field coils of the sensor unit to the processing and power supply unit. The sensor unit encompasses a sensor-data memory module in which specific parameters of the sensor unit are stored and from which the stored specific parameters can be transferred to the processing and power supply unit. This permits the simple adaptation of an existing sensor unit to a new processing power supply unit or vice versa.