Abstract: An ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving unit includes: a piezoelectric member supporting plate; an acoustic matching member fixed to one surface of the piezoelectric member supporting plate; a piezoelectric member fixed to the other surface. Moreover, the ultrasonic wave transmitting and receiving unit includes: an insulating vibration suppressing member integrally formed in such a manner as to cover the piezoelectric member and the piezoelectric member supporting plate, wherein the insulating vibration suppressing member has a hole reaching the piezoelectric member supporting plate.

Abstract: A measuring device (1) is provided for measuring the flow rate of a medium (5) flowing through measuring tube (3). The measuring device (1) contains means for generating a constant magnetic field (B) perpendicular to the flow direction (v) of the medium (5) and at least two decoupling regions (7, 7?) which are disposed in a plane (E) perpendicular to the flow direction (v) of the medium (5) on the wall (9) of the measuring tube (3). Each decoupling region (7, 7?) comprises an electrode (13, 13?) which has a non-metal porous layer (11) on the side facing the medium (5) and a measuring unit (19) for detecting a measuring signal. In the measuring device (1), the porous layer (11, 11?) comprises an oxidic and/or non-oxidic ceramic material.

Abstract: A fluid flow monitoring system is provided that has a processor utility which is connectable to an acoustic generator associated with acoustic ports and is operable for generating signals S0 to activate the acoustic ports for irradiating a region of interest with acoustic radiation of a certain frequency range centered at a frequency F0 and is connectable to at least one light output port associated with one or more light detectors for receiving light of at least one wavelength ? from the region of interest including light tagged by said acoustic radiation. The processor utility may be configured for analyzing the generated signals S0 and data indicative of the received light including light tagged by the corresponding acoustic radiation and determining correlation between the signals S0 and the data indicative of the received light, the correlation being informative of a measure of fluid flow in a turbid medium.

Abstract: A flowmeter is disclosed. The flowmeter includes a vibratable conduit, and a driver connected to the conduit that is operable to impart motion to the conduit. A sensor is connected to the conduit and is operable to sense the motion of the conduit and generate a sensor signal. A controller is connected to receive the sensor signal. The controller is operable to detect a single-phase flow condition and process the sensor signal using a first process during the single-phase flow condition to generate a validated mass-flow measurement. The controller is also operable to detect a two-phase flow condition and process the sensor signal using a second process during the two-phase flow condition to generate the validated mass-flow measurement.

Abstract: The present invention is flow rate meters which are able to accurately measure the volumetric rate of flow of a liquid through a conduit without requiring foreknowledge of the physicochemical characteristics of the liquid, e.g., for the purpose of calibration of the thermal mass flow rate. One application of the flow meters of the invention is to incorporate them in a system for measuring the flow rate of urine excreted by a catheterized patient. The invention also provides methods for using the flow rate meters.

Abstract: A flanged vortex flowmeter is connected to a flanged piping system that has a diameter larger than the diameter of the measurement section of the vortex flowmeter border. The vortex flowmeter has an inlet flange that reduces diameter from the inlet to the measurement section. A bluff body positioned in the measurement section produces vortices that alternate at a frequency proportional to the flow rate of fluid through the flowmeter. A length from inception of vortex shedding at the bluff body to a first expansion of the flow passage downstream of the bluff body is greater than a vortex wavelength of the vortices produced by the bluff body.

Abstract: A system for detecting velocity airflow in a duct includes a plurality of vortex shedders arranged within the duct for inducing the shedding of vortices at a corresponding plurality of selected locations at a frequencies related to the airflow in the duct and a sound-sensing location on each vortex shedder. A plurality of microphones, each microphone being coupled acoustically with each sound-sensing location senses sounds generated by said shedding of vortices in a corresponding passage and provides an information signal indicative of said vortex shedding sounds. A processing unit performs a Fast Fourier Transform on the information signals to determine frequency of maximum amplitude within the information signals.

Abstract: A flow sensor assembly that may include features that help prevent moisture from reaching a sensor die of the flow sensor assembly. In some cases, such features may include a bypass channel that is configured to reverse the direction of the flow of fluid at least once upstream of the sensor die. In some cases, an encapsulant may cover one or more bond pads of the sensor die. In some cases, an output of the flow sensor assembly may be a raw sensor output signal produced by the one or more sensor elements of the sensor die, without significant processing of the raw sensor signal.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a flow conditioner for displacing and mixing fluid flow to minimize the effects of thermal gradients on the accuracy of a transit time ultrasonic flowmeter and defines an envelope in a cross sectional direction in a pipe having a first ramp adapted to be disposed in the pipe and extending from the outside of the envelope inward toward the center of the pipe in a downstream direction with respect to the fluid flow and forming an angle between 0° and 90° relative to the pipe's inner surface. The conditioner has a second ramp adapted to be disposed in the pipe and in juxtaposition with the first ramp, the second ramp extending from the outside of the envelope inward toward the center of the pipe in an upstream direction with respect to the fluid flow and forming an angle between 0° and 90° relative to the pipe's inner surface. An apparatus for determining fluid flow in a pipe having ultrasonic transducer sites. A method for determining fluid flow in a pipe.

Abstract: A multi-channel flow sensing system typically includes first and second flow-sensing transducers arranged in each channel. A data acquisition system is coupled to the first and second transducers of each of the channels. The data acquisition system is arranged to transmit and/or receive a sensing signal from at least one of the first and second transducers of each of the channels. The received sensing signals are sequentially converted and accumulated as data for billing in accordance with the measured flow within each channel. Using common components within the data acquisition system for measuring the various channels reduces costs and increases affordability in cost-sensitive areas.

Abstract: A mass flow measuring or controlling device having a base body, a flow channel and a sensor module which comprises a sensor element and which can be coupled to an electronic unit, the flow channel having a measuring channel section which is in fluidic contact with the sensor element is characterized in that the sensor module comprises a sensor support part and a stabilizing element for stabilizing the sensor support part in the region of the measuring channel section.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for determining at least one flow characteristic of an essentially laminarly flowing, gaseous or liquid medium in a pipeline. Distinguishing features include: that at least one modulation element introduced into, or placed in, the pipeline produces, at least for the case, in which the medium is flowing with a velocity different from zero, a change in density of the medium, at least at times, in the vicinity of the modulation element; that at least one mechanically oscillatable unit introduced into, or placed in, the pipeline and spaced from the modulation element is excited to resonant oscillations; that mechanical oscillations are received by the mechanically oscillatable unit and converted into an electrical, received signal, wherein the received signal is sensitive to the density change; and that the at least one flow characteristic of the medium is determined from the reaction of the received signal of the mechanically oscillatable unit to the density change.

Abstract: There are disclosed methods and apparatus for monitoring fluid flow along a conduit such as a well bore or a pipeline. A sensor optical fiber is disposed along the conduit, and an optical interrogator is used to launch probe light pulses into the fiber and to determine optical properties of probe light backscattered within the fiber, the properties being indicative of vibration as a function along the fiber. An analyzer is used to detect one or more vibration features moving along the conduit and to determine a measure of fluid flow based on the detected movement.

Abstract: A magnetic flowmeter for measuring flow rate of a process fluid, includes a magnetic coil arranged to apply a magnetic field to the process fluid. A pair of electrodes are electronically coupled to the process fluid and arranged to sense a voltage induced in the process fluid related to the applied magnetic field and the flow rate of the process fluid. A molded flow tube of a non-conductive material is arranged to receive a flow of the process fluid. The flow tube is molded around the magnetic coil and the pair of electrodes and is configured to support the magnetic coil and the pair of electrodes. Flow meter circuitry is configured to apply a current to the magnetic coil and receive the resultant voltage sensed by the pair of electrodes.

Abstract: A pressure differential flow meter for determining the flow rate of a fluid comprises a constriction device, wherein the constriction device is capable of creating at least a first area of constriction and a second area of constriction having cross-sectional areas that are different, wherein the constriction device automatically moves from the first area of constriction to the second area of constriction when the pressure differential increases above or falls below a predetermined range, and wherein the pressure differential is based on the fluid velocity of the fluid flowing in the flow meter. A method of determining the flow rate of a fluid using the pressure differential flow meter comprises flowing the fluid through the flow meter.

Abstract: A steam quality and flow rate measurement system is described. Embodiments of the system include a steam quality measuring device having a converging/diverging nozzle and ceramic spacer. The steam quality measuring device can be adapted to measure an impedance of a two-phase steam to determine steam quality. The converging/diverging nozzle can be implemented to mix the two-phase flow and reduce pressure loss. The ceramic spacer can be positioned such that steam is in a cross flow when interfacing with the ceramic spacer inside the steam quality measuring device. By placing the spacer in such a position, an electrically conductive liquid phase can be prevented from coating a surface of the ceramic spacer.

Abstract: A flow sensor system including a flow sensor assembly is provided. The sensor assembly may be configured to allow fluid flow through a flow conduit. A flow disrupter may be disposed in the flow conduit to impart disturbances to the fluid flow. A by-pass channel may be in fluid connection with the flow conduit and may be arranged to have a geometrical relationship relative to the flow conduit and the flow disrupter to affect flow characteristics in the bypass channel. One or more sensors may be disposed in the by-pass channel to generate a signal responsive to the flow characteristics in the bypass channel. In a first flow regime, the flow characteristics in the bypass channel may effect an amplitude response of the sensor, and in a second flow regime, the flow characteristics may effect a temporal response of the sensor.

Abstract: Disclosed aspects relate to a flow meter comprising a flow target arranged to be disposed in a fluid flow path in a conduit; a beam coupled to the flow target and arranged to extend outside of the conduit; a sensor having a moveable sensor part coupled to the beam at a position which in use is outside of the conduit, and a static sensor part, wherein displacement of the moveable sensor part with respect to the static sensor part generates a signal. In use, fluid flow acting on the flow target causes displacement of the moveable sensor part, thereby generating a signal which is representative of the fluid flow rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring volume flow rate of a liquid flowing into a container and/or volume of the liquid flowed into the container, with which method, respectively with which apparatus a high measure of automation is achievable in microfluidic systems, especially in the field of analysis. Before liquid flows in, gas is enclosed under a starting pressure in a predetermined starting volume in the container, then liquid is allowed to flow into the container to compress the enclosed gas to a gas volume dependent on the volume of the flowed-in liquid, and to effect a rise of gas pressure of the gas in the container relative to the starting pressure dependent on the volume of liquid which has flowed in and on the volume flow rate of the inflowing liquid, the gas pressure in the container is measured as a function of time, and the volume flowed in up to a given time and/or the volume flow rate of inflowing liquid at the given time are/is determined based on the measured gas pressure.

Abstract: A fuel dispenser has internal fuel flow piping, a flow meter located along the internal fuel flow piping, and a displacement sensor operatively connected to the flow meter to generate information representative of an amount of fuel passing through the flow meter. The fuel dispenser also has a control system comprising a memory. In embodiments, however, the control system does not comprise a real-time clock. The fuel dispenser also comprises a synchronization module in electronic communication with the control system. The synchronization module comprises at least one antenna configured to receive a carrier wave modulated with synchronization information. Methods for obtaining accurate time information at the fuel dispenser are also disclosed.