Abstract: A vertical flow thermal mass flow sensor for a vertical flow thermal mass flow meter of a vertical flow thermal mass flow controller has a sensor tube having a gas inlet for receiving a gas to be metered. The sensor tube includes a first curved convection trap and a second curved convection trap for preventing convective flow of the gas through the sensor tube. A thermally responsive winding is wound about the sensor tube and is energized from a source of electrical energy. The resistance of the thermally responsive winding is responsive to the rate of flow of the gas through the sensor tube and provides an indication thereof.

Abstract: A hydrometric vane has a housing, an upstream casing and a downstream casing provided in the housing, an impeller rotatably supported in the housing and axially movable between the casings. The impeller has a hub which forms an annular chamber and extends into the downstream casing to form a gap therebetween so that when a fluid flows through the gap an underpressure loading the hub is caused and compensates a hydrodynamic pressure acting on the impeller. The hub has a central part and a cylindrical casing between which the annular chamber is formed. The downstream casing has at least one opening communicating with the annular chamber so that the liquid which leaves the annular chamber can flow through the at least one opening. A closure member is arranged on the central part and movable to a closing position in which it interrupts a communication between the annular chamber and the downstream casing.

Abstract: Coriolis mass flowmeter apparatus comprising a flow-sensing structure including a support, a conduit having an input segment affixed to the support, an output segment affixed to the support, an elongated active inlet segment having a first end and a second end, the first end adjoining the input segment, an elongated outlet segment having a third end and a fourth end, the fourth end adjoining the output segment, and a connecting segment connecting the second and third ends of the inlet and outlet segments, the inlet and outlet segments being disposed to lie within a common plane, a driver connected between mid-portions of the inlet and outlet segments and operative to drive the inlet and outlet segments such that they oscillate in antiphase relationship within the common plane, sensors affixed to the support and at least one of the inlet and outlet segments and operative to detect Coriolis force-induced motion of the conduit and to generate output signals corresponding thereto; and a signal processor responsiv

Abstract: A positive displacement flowmeter is provided having a body structure defining a flowmeter measurement chamber within which is rotatably supported a large primary gear rotor and a small secondary gear rotor that have rotor teeth intermeshing with one another and also establishing a limited dynamic flow path with respect to internal wall surface segments of the flowmeter measurement chamber. The flowmeter body defines inlet and outlet passages defining a common center-line that is off-center with respect to the flowmeter chamber and which is located between the axis of rotation of the primary rotor and the limited dynamic flow path that is defined within the housing. The essence of this flowmeter construction rests with the rugged, machined gear pair rotating against a limited dynamic seal path coupled with introducing the fluid stream at an off-center position in relation to the flowmeter body and rotor system.

Abstract: To measure flow rates, the cross-sectional shape of the flow path is changed by inserting a multiple position gate into the flow path and altering the position of the gate to maintain the head of liquid constant with a reduced flow cross section. To maintain the head at a desirable range, the depth is measured and controls the position of the gate as a feedback signal. The position of the multiple position gate is correlated with the depth to provide an indication of flow rate. For this purpose, a flow path housing is clamped to a pipe and a multiple position gate is moved by pneumatic pressure into the flow stream to change the flow cross section. The depth of the head upstream of the gate is measured and the position of the gate is measured. Flow rate is determined from these two measurements. Sampling may be performed at an increased depth caused by the gate.

Abstract: This invention disclosure describes the application of a polarization insensitive acoustically-tuned optical filter used in a multichannel WDM system to equalize variations in the power level of the WDM channels. The invention also describes a simple means for providing a low frequency control system which enables the equalizer to determine the signal levels of N optical carriers prior to equalizing the signals.

Abstract: A device to measure the flowrate of electrically charged fluids consisting of a pipe section through which the fluid flows which contains at least two current sources connected to electromagnets, which generate a magnetic field which extends through the pipe section, and which contains for the measurement of the electrical potential due to the charge differential at least two electrodes, whose axes are connected by an imaginary line which extends through the fluid flow, and which electrodes are connected to a correction circuit which produces an output signal proportional to the flowrate which is only minimally influenced by the flow profile and/or the level of the fluid in the pipe section characterized by electromagnets which are excited from the current sources by different frequencies and that between the electrodes and the correction circuit are connected parallel to each other band pass filters corresponding to the different frequencies, and connected after these band pass filters are dc rectifiers cont

Abstract: A rigid central manifold block defines a coaxial inlet and outlet of the flowmeter and supports at least one continuous conduit loop substantially encircling the block and having its inlet and outlet ends closely spaced and rigidly connected to the block. Preferably, the loop includes a straight section perpendicular to the inlet and outlet ends. Dual drive means are preferably provided for oscillating the straight section back and forth about its perpendicular bisector and complementary position detectors employed at or near the opposite ends of the straight section, preferably at the same location as the drive units, provide readouts which are combined algebraically and synchronously demodulated to yield a Coriolis-related output indicative of mass flow. Preferably, a second loop, identical and parallel to the first, is supported by the same block. The block is channeled to serve as a manifold and interchangeable manifolds are disclosed for series and parallel flow through the two loops, respectively.

Abstract: A device for measuring the sap flow in herbaceous plants and trees directly without the necessity of an empirical calibration, using the heat balance method. A strap-on, removable, and reusable collar device powered by a 0.2 to 5.0 watt heater is abuttably affixed to the periphery of a stem or trunk. A plurality of temperature sensors are embedded in a weatherproof collar and shield assembly and are automatically processed by a small battery-operated recorder which also periodically stores in its memory the sap flow rate and the accumulated total thereof. These sap flow rate records may be obtained periodically for further analysis. A method is also provided for mass production thereof.

Abstract: A flow meter and temperature measuring device comprising a tube with a body centered therein for restricting flow and a sleeve at the upper end of the tube to carry several channels formed longitudinally in the sleeve to the appropriate axial location where they penetrate the tube to allow pressure measurements and temperature measurements with thermocouples. The high pressure measurement is made using a channel penetrating the tube away from the body and the low pressure measurement is made at a location at the widest part of the body. An end plug seals the end of the device and holes at its upper end allow fluid to pass from the interior of the tube into a plenum. The channels are made by cutting grooves in the sleeve, the grooves widened at the surface of the sleeve and then a strip of sleeve material is welded to the grooves closing the channels. Preferably the sleeve is packed with powdered graphite before cutting the grooves and welding the strips.

Abstract: A wind detecting and alerting apparatus includes a wind-sensing member, a support member, and an annular member, all of which are electrically-conductive. The apparatus also includes a support platform, and an electrical alarm circuit. The wind-sensing member has an elongated arm, a wind vane mounted on the arm and capable of sensing wind direction, and a wind deflector mounted on the arm and capable of sensing wind velocity. The support member mounts the elongated arm of the wind-sensing member to undergo rotational movement in response to the sensing of wind direction by the wind vane and pivotal movement in response to the sensing of wind velocity by the wind deflector. The support platform mounts the support member in an upright orientation and mounts the annular member concentrically about and spaced outwardly from the upright support member and below the rotational path of the wind-sensing member.

Abstract: A liquidometer composed of a siphon for emitting a sample liquid stored in a reservoir and a liquid level sensor for sensing the level of the sample remained in the reservoir. The siphon further includes a pair of sensors for counting the number of emission thereof, while the liquid level sensor includes two rows of resistive film with a plurality of sensing elements embedded therein. Outside the liquidometer, there are provided a counter connected to the emission sensor, a level calculator connected to the liquid level sensor, and a calculator coupled to both. A gross amount of the sample liquid having been measured for a period of hours is obtained by adding together a count signal from the counter which represents the quantity of the sample liquid fully stored in the reservoir and a signal from the level counter which represents the liquid level of the remaining sample liquid.

Abstract: A gas flow sensor system, using hot wire flow and temperature sensors, compensates and corrects for various factors, such as water vapor content and gas composition in the measured gas, gas temperature, physical differences in the sensors, ambient atmospheric pressure, and nonlinearities in the system. Physical differences in the sensors are corrected by adjusting the magnitude of the constant current flowing to the temperature sensor. Water vapor content and gas temperature corrections are made by modifying a flow temperature signal based on the resistance of the temperature sensor to form a flow reference signal indicative of a desired resistance difference between the resistances of the temperature and flow sensors, which resistance difference varies with the flow temperature signal. The flow reference signal is compared to a flow resistance signal (indicative of the resistance of the flow sensor) and the resulting flow correction signal is used to control the current flow to the flow sensor.

Abstract: A device which monitors the through passage of incompressible fluids such as water that relies upon a nutating disk-type transducer associated with a spherical hollow core. The disk includes a spindle which precesses in the presence of a sensor. A display panel is driven by a microcontroller which converts the precession of the spindle to useful output as a function of time whereby the precession correlates with volume flow through the nutating disk transducer.

Abstract: A non-interacting enclosure design for Coriolis mass flow meters including at least one endcap that is rigidly affixed to the metering assembly or the inlet/outlet conduits, and an enclosing sleeve that is expansively and vibrationally isolated from the endcap(s) so that external environmental influences affecting the enclosure are not transmitted to the metering section.

Abstract: A flowmeter has two moving parts, a rotor with a cylindrical core and the radially extending sinusoidal curving vane. A slider has a gate opening which fits on the vane for reciprocating axially as the rotor turns. The slider and rotor are held within a cavity and slider recess within a case. Fluid is admitted through an inlet opening on one side of the slider and is exhausted through an outlet opening on the other side of the slider. A magnetic pickup on the slider indicates the movements of the slider, and hence the rotation of the rotor and the volume of fluid flowing through the meter.

Abstract: A flow meter has an elongate housing with a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet and an axial passage therebetween. The fluid passage contains a flow sensor assembly operationally connected in parallel to a flow splitter section. The flow sensor assembly has a flow tube forming an axial passage therethrough and the flow tube has a thermally diffusive sensor region. An upstream resistance thermometer and a downstream resistance thermometer are in thermal contact with the sensor region. The sensor region can additionally contain an electrically insulating coating on its outside surface and resistance thermometers formed by winding a single layer of a fine, uninsulated wire around its outside surface. The sensor assembly can be surrounded by inner and outer housings made of electrically and thermally conductive material connected to the flow tube near the ends of the sensor region and grounded to a printed circuit board.

Abstract: Multiphase (gas and two liquid phases) fluid flowstreams are measured to determine the total flow rate, fluid density, the fraction of gas, and one liquid in the total liquid mixture by passing the flowstream through a volumetric or mass flow meter (16, 40), a densimeter (12) and a meter (14) which measures the fraction of one liquid in the two liquid mixture. The total fluid flow rate may be measured by a single tube flow meter (40) having adjacent loops which provide tube legs (49, 51) positioned adjacent each other and vibrated laterally at a predetermined frequency and amplitude while measuring pressures in the contraflowing streams in the adjacent tube legs. The density and gas fraction of the flowstream may be determined by vibrating a tube containing the flowstream over a range of frequencies and measuring the phase angle and amplitude of the fluctuating fluid pressures compared with acceleration of the tube to determine the sloshing natural frequency of the fluid mixture.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus which utilizes the direct relationship between the density and dielectric constant of hydrocarbon mixtures to significantly improve upon the measurement capabilities of some existing devices used in the petroleum industry. Included among the applications of the apparatus are 1) a multiphase hydrocarbon mass flow meter for usage with multiphase mixtures of oil, water, and gas and 2) a continuously self-calibrating water cut meter for determining the water content of liquid crude oil streams.

Abstract: The particle volume and particle mass production rate of particulate solids entrained in fluid flowstreams such as formation sand or fracture proppant entrained in oil and gas production flowstreams is determined by a system having a metal probe interposed in a flow conduit for transmitting acoustic emissions created by particles impacting the probe to a sensor and signal processing circuit which produces discrete signals related to the impact of each of the particles striking the probe. The volume or mass flow rate of particulates is determined from making an initial particle size distribution and particle energy distribution and comparing the initial energy distribution and/or the initial size distribution with values related to the impact energies of a predetermined number of recorded impacts. The comparison is also used to recalibrate the system to compensate for changes in flow velocity.