Abstract: An apparatus for metering the delivery of an aerosol. The apparatus has a variable acoustic source and a microphone, both acoustically coupled to a volume having a fluid region and an air region. The apparatus may also include a processor to determine a volume of the air region based on signals received from the microphone and the variable acoustic source. A fluid valve is coupled to the processor, and is configured to allow an amount of fluid to exit the fluid region associated with the volume of the air region. An atomizer, coupled to the fluid region, is configured to aerosolize at least a portion of the fluid.

Abstract: A system comprises an illumination system to illuminate a sensor device with a reference beam of electromagnetic radiation and with electromagnetic radiation from a subject. A Doppler shift of the radiation from the subject occurs, if the subject is moving, vibrating, or is a flowing fluid. The sensor device provides an array of electromagnetic radiation sensors and has processing circuitry integrated into the sensor device to process the output of the sensors to provide the output of the sensor device. The processing circuitry is operable to provide, for each operative sensor, a value calculated from the Doppler shift of the radiation from the subject at the corresponding position at the subject, and to provide the calculated values as the processed output. This reduces the data rate required at the output of the sensor device, and allows the output to be used to form an image on a display representing the movement, vibration or flow of the subject.

Abstract: A fluid flow control system using flow rates to extract additional information from an in-line flow sensor. The system provides the ability to determine a position of a movable flow sensor element of a flow sensor by illuminating a photosensitive pixel array with a light source to create a first set of pixel intensity values introducing an abrupt change to the fluid driving pressure, illuminating the photosensitive pixel array with a light source to create a second set of pixel intensity values, and calculating the difference between the first and second sets of pixel intensity values as a function of pixel position.

Abstract: A method for measuring a flow rate through a cooling hole of a film cooled part includes the steps of 1) measuring a transient thermal response of an internal surface temperature corresponding solely to an inside portion of a cooling hole for a film cooled part resulting from a flow of fluid through the part, the fluid having an initial temperature that is different from an initial temperature of the film cooled part, 2) mathematically characterizing the transient thermal response, and 3) determining the cooling hole flow rate from the mathematical characterization.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical gas flow meter for measuring very low gas flow in a pipe. The meter comprises an optical system which transilluminates the pipe with plurality of parallel, collimated optical beams. The beams are deflected due to changes refractive index which is caused by a heater located in the pipe parallel to the beams. Deflected beams then pass through spatial filters and are detected by photodetectors. Stochastic signals from the photodetectors are further processed and gas velocity is calculated from cross-correlation function and known beam spacing. Multiple heaters allow the measurement of gas velocity at multiple points throughout the pipe.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods of monitoring velocity or flow in channels, especially in microfluidic channels. In some embodiments, the present invention relates to systems and methods of monitoring velocity or flow rate in systems and methods for performing a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in a continuous-flow microfluidic system.

Abstract: This invention relates to a measuring instrument for measurement of a flow (1) comprising—a dielectric resonator sensor (3) arranged in a pipeline (2), said resonator (3) having a surface (4) facing a flow volume,—a sensor drive unit (12) being coupled to said sensor (3) and which is adapted to provide a driving or excitation signal to said sensor (3) resulting in the excitation of an electromagnetic resonance in said sensor causing a fringing electromagnetic field (5) adjacent to said surface (4) facing said wet gas flow (1),—a recording unit (10) coupled to said sensor (3) and which is adapted to measure a resonance property of said sensor (3) while said wet gas flow (1) moves past said sensor surface (4), and—a processing unit (11) which is adapted to estimate a property of at least a part of said wet gas flow (1).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus determine phase fractions for phases within a fluid mixture flow under a wide range of flow conditions including wet-gas flow. Appropriate flow algorithms can utilize this phase fraction information with a total flow rate of the mixture to find individual flow rates for phases, such as oil, water, and gas or gas and liquid, which can represent a combination of oil and water phases. For some embodiments, a multiphase flowmeter includes an array of spatially distributed pressure sensors configured to determine a velocity of the mixture flow and hence the total flow rate, which is applied with information from a differential pressure meter to calculate the bulk density of the fluid mixture. Further, additional speed of sound information or a water-in-liquid ratio as may be determined by spectral analysis can enable differentiation between the oil and water phases.

Abstract: A system for obtaining emission flux of a gas plume, emanating from a source, includes an airborne differential absorption lidar (DIAL) system for determining multiple concentration path length (CPL) values along a flight path; and an airborne wind measuring system (WMS) for determining a wind vector at the aircraft altitude. Also included is a processor for receiving the multiple CPL values determined by the DIAL system and the wind vector determined by the WMS. The processor uses the CPL values to compute either (a) an area-integrated concentration (AIC) value or (b) an average concentration value over a cross-plume extent, defined along the length dimension of the flight path. The processor also scales the wind vector to the near ground altitude level of the gas plume to obtain a scaled wind vector. The emission flux is obtained by multiplying either the AIC value or the average concentration value with a component of the scaled wind vector.

Abstract: A Trident Probe Groundwater Exchange System (NC#096456). The apparatus includes a groundwater conductivity sensor, designed to determine a groundwater conductivity surface; a water conductivity sensor, designed to determine a surface water conductivity groundwater; a temperature sensor, designed to determine a groundwater temperature; a surface water temperature sensor, designed to determine a surface water temperature; and a processor operatively coupled to a plurality of sensors and designed to receive information from the plurality of sensors.

Abstract: An integrated pressure and flow ratio control system includes N mass flow controllers MFCi (i=1, . . . , N) that each control the flow rate of a fluid Fi (i=1, . . . , N) flowing into a processing chamber. These N mass flow controllers are linked together by a digital communication network. One of the mass flow controllers is a master MFC, and the remaining N?1 MFCs are slave MFCs. The master MFC receives a pressure set point and a plurality N of flow ratio set points from a host controller, and communicates these set points to all the slave MFCs. In this way, the pressure in the chamber is maintained at the pressure set point and the flow ratios Qi/QT are maintained at the flow ratio set points, where Qi is flow rate of the i-th fluid Fi, and QT=Q1+Q2+ . . . QN is the sum of all N flow rates.

Abstract: A method includes creating Coriolis-based deflection in at least one oscillating flow tube of a flow meter, which is caused by material flowing through the at least one flow tube. The method also includes determining a deflection amplitude and deflection period using interferometric measurements. The method further includes determining a characteristic of the material using the amplitude and period and transmitting the characteristic. A laser interferometer could include a photo-detector. The deflection period could be based on variations in a period of fringes in the photo-detector's output. The deflection amplitude could be based on a number of fringes during the deflection period. A resonant frequency of the at least one flow tube can be determined using the deflection period, and a density of the material can be determined using the resonant frequency. The characteristic of the material could include a mass flow rate or a volumetric flow rate of the material.

Abstract: A system (300) for measuring a metabolic parameter. The system includes an integrated airway adapter (20, 100, 200) capable of monitoring any combination of respiratory flow, O2 concentration, and concentrations of one or more of CO2, N2O, and an anesthetic agent in real time, breath by breath. Respiratory flow may be monitored with differential pressure flow meters under diverse inlet conditions through improved sensor configurations which minimize phase lag and dead space within the airway. Molecular oxygen concentration may be monitored by way of luminescence quenching techniques. Infrared absorption techniques may be used to monitor one or more of CO2, N2O, and anesthetic agents.

Abstract: Fluid flows through a conduit. To measure flow speed the fluid is heated at a heating location in the conduit with a time-dependent heating strength. A speed of sound in fluid flowing in the conduit is measured at a plurality of sensing locations downstream from said heating location. The flow speed of the fluid is determined from a delay with which the time dependence is detected in the sound speeds measured at said sensing locations. In an embodiment a frequency of the variation of heating strength that is used to determine the flow speed is selected automatically dependent on the flow speed and/or other circumstances.

Abstract: A method and system for simulating defects in conduits, where the defects are detected using long-range guided-wave inspection techniques. The guided wave interaction with a defect is treated as a one-dimensional problem of plane wave reflection from a boundary of different acoustic impedances. The defect waveform is simulated using an electrical transmission line model and inverse fast Fourier transformation.

Abstract: A thermal inspection method is provided. The method includes measuring a transient thermal response of a cooled part installed in a turbine engine, wherein the transient thermal response results from operation of the turbine engine. The method also includes using the transient thermal response to determine one or more of a flow rate of a fluid flowing through one or more film cooling holes in the cooled part during operation of the turbine engine, at least one heat transfer coefficient for one or more internal passages in the cooled part, and a combined thermal response for the cooled part. The method further includes comparing at least one of the flow rate, the at least one heat transfer coefficient, and the combined thermal response of at least a portion of the cooled part to at least one baseline value to determine whether a thermal performance of the cooled part is satisfactory.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for using flow rate changes to extract additional information from an in-line flow sensor.

Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, systems, devices and methods for fluid flow analysis for example, in an education environment. The light source, for example, a laser, is housed to illuminate particles in a fluid while minimizing exposure to the user. A control unit is provided that is remote from the fluid flow device. The fluid flow device further includes a removable fluid obstacle such that different fluid flow effects can be obtained. A computational unit is provided to perform computational fluid flow dynamics analysis on fluid flow models. The computed data can then be compared to the test data from the fluid flow analysis device.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a device for observing a flow state comprising a translucent duct. It further comprises an irradiation unit irradiating projection light, a condensing unit condensing the projection light along a length direction with respect to an axial core area of the translucent duct in which a fluid flows; and an image pickup unit for picking up images of scattered reflected light from the axial core area of the translucent duct at a plurality of times.

Abstract: A method of determining the inter-electrode or electrode-to-ground impedance or the filling state of an electromagnetic flow meter having flow sensing electrodes connected to an electrode signal amplifier, the method comprising applying a test input signal to the flow sensing electrodes via a connection through which an output flow measurement signal of the flow meter is transmitted from the amplifier, in a manner such that the output of the amplifier is indicative of the said impedance or the filling state.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for determining the flow rates and/or composition of a fluid comprising a multi-component mixture of a gas and at least one liquid in a pipe. Electromagnetic loss and phase measurements are performed in at least two directions of the pipe; the degree of annular flow is determined based on these measurements; the permittivity of the flow mixture is calculated, including corrections for the degree of annular flow; the mixture density is measured and compensated for the degree of annular flow; the temperature and pressure are obtained; the velocity of liquid and gas are determined, and based on the knowledge of densities and permittivities of the components of the fluid mixture, and the result from the above steps, the volume and mass flow rates of the gas and liquid(s) of the fluid mixture are calculated.

Abstract: A coordinate difference calculation apparatus of the present invention is a coordinate difference calculation apparatus for calculating a coordinate difference between an i-particle and a j-particle included in one of a plurality of minute cells obtained by dividing a basic cell, includes a first storage section that stores in advance a coordinate value of the i-particle, a second storage section that stores in advance a value obtained by adding the length of one side of the basic cell to the coordinate of the i-particle, a third storage section that stores a value obtained by subtracting the length of one side of the basic cell from the coordinate of the i-particle, a control section that outputs a selection signal to select a value in order to minimize the distance between a minute cell including the i-particle and a minute cell including the j-particle among the values stored in the first to third storage sections and that outputs a coordinate value of the j-particle, a selection section that selects any o

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for measuring the speed of a particle such as a red blood cell moving inside a flow such as a flow of the blood, using a light scanning microscope. The inventive method comprises the following steps: acquisition of an image by x and y light scanning on a plane containing the object; detection on the plane (x, y) of a mark on the plane (x, y); estimation of the speed vg of the object from the gradient thus determined.

Abstract: A thermo-anemometer-type fluid flow rate sensor design and a method for its operation that overcome the response time limitations of prior known fluid flow rate sensors is disclosed. The fluid flow rate sensor includes a probe having a detection module adapted to change condition in response to the presence of the flow of the fluid, a control module that is electrically connected to the probe that monitors the condition of the detection module over time (e.g., a temperature), determines a rate of change of that condition over time, and generates an output that is indicative of the rate of flow of the fluid, and a I/O module connected to the control module to provide a means for communicating the output of the control module to another device or a user.

Abstract: Methods and systems are described for a system for obtaining information regarding a flow. These methods and systems comprise a signal generator configured to generate an alternating current signal at a carrier frequency and a transformer arranged to receive the generated signal, wherein the transformer and carrier frequency are selected so that the generated signal resonates at the carrier frequency. The alternating signal is then used to cause plasma to form across a gap between two electrodes, wherein the voltage drop across the gap is directly proportional to the flow's velocity. This voltage may then be measured to determine the flow velocity.

Abstract: An equipment status monitoring system and method of operating thereof is described. The equipment status monitoring system includes at least one microwave mirror in a plasma processing chamber forming a multi-modal resonator. A power source is coupled to a mirror and configured to produce an excitation signal extending along an axis generally perpendicular to a substrate. A detector is coupled to a mirror and configured to measure an excitation signal. A control system is connected to the detector that compares a measured excitation signal to a normal excitation signal in order to determine a status of the material processing equipment.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a pressure transmitter is provided which diagnoses the condition of a primary element and/or an impulse line which connects to a pressure sensor. A difference circuit coupled to the pressure sensor has a difference output which represents the sensed pressure minus a moving average. A calculate circuit receives the difference output and calculates a trained output of historical data obtained during an initial training time. The calculate circuit also calculates a monitor output of current data obtained during monitoring or normal operation of the transmitter. A diagnostic circuit receives the trained output and the monitor output and generates a diagnostic output indicating a current condition.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a rest room control system including one or more sensors configured to monitor or control a function associated with the rest room. The system also includes a controller operably coupled to the one or more sensors, and configured to receive data therefrom associated with the function, and communicate a status condition associated with the function in response thereto.

Abstract: The invention concerns the field of devices and appliances for measuring the intensity and the direction of the magnetic field emitted by a plate or a structure, such as for example a ship's hull and it particularly concerns a method for determining the magnetisation and the magnetic field radiated by a ferromagnetic plate using magnetic field sensors distributed along said plate and at known positions relative thereto.

Abstract: A method for controlling an industrial process. The method includes outputting a plurality of parameters from a process for manufacture of a substance. The method also uses each of the plurality of parameters in a computer aided process, which compares at least two of the plurality of parameters against a training set of parameters. The training set of parameters is generally predetermined. A step of determining if the at least two of the plurality of parameters are within a predetermined range of the training set of parameters also is included. Additionally, the method includes outputting a result based upon the determining step.

Abstract: A flow monitoring system includes a first temperature-sensitive resistive device, thermally coupled to a first portion of a fluid transfer apparatus, for producing a first temperature-dependant voltage signal representative of the temperature of the fluid within the first portion of the fluid transfer apparatus. A first current control device, coupled to the first temperature-sensitive resistive device, controls a first current signal flowing through the first temperature-sensitive resistive device. A second temperature-sensitive resistive device, thermally coupled to a second portion of the fluid transfer apparatus, produces a second temperature-dependant voltage signal representative of the temperature of the fluid within the second portion of the fluid transfer apparatus. A second current control device, coupled to the second temperature-sensitive resistive device, controls a second current signal flowing through the second temperature-sensitive resistive device.

Abstract: Various methods are described which increase the efficiency and accuracy of a signal processor in determining parameters of a fluid using signals output by a spatial array of sensors disposed along a pipe. In one aspect, parameters used for calculating the temporal Fourier transform of the pressure signals, specifically the amount or duration of the data that the windowing function is applied to and the temporal frequency range, are adjusted in response to the determined parameter. In another aspect, an initialization routine estimates flow velocity so the window length and temporal frequency range can be initially set prior to the full array processing. In another aspect, the quality of one or more of the parameters is determined and used to gate the output of the apparatus in the event of low confidence in the measurement and/or no flow conditions. In another aspect, a method for determining a convective ridge of the pressure signals in the k-? plane is provided.

Abstract: A device used to measure the mass flow of a particulate transported with the aid of a gas. The device includes an arrangement which is used to create an electromagnetic field, with a measuring area being defined therein. An evaluation device for electromagnetic radiation which is reflected at least off of the solid(s) is connected to a detector. The evaluation device is provided with a differentiator which is connected to the detector for detecting reflected electromagnetic radiation. A rectifier is connected to the differentiator in order to determine an amount, whereby mass flow is obtained from the reflection amount. The reflection is measured, at least from the solid(s) within the measuring area of the magnetic field, whereupon the differential quotient is determined as a function of time from the chronological progression of the measuring signal and the absolute value is obtained therefrom.

Abstract: The process measuring device includes a flow sensor having a measuring tube, a sensor arrangement for producing a measurement signal, and an evaluation and operating circuit. The method serves to compensate for the effects of interfering potentials which are caused especially by foreign particles or air bubbles in the liquid to be measured. For this purpose, an anomaly in the waveform of the measurement signal caused at least in part by an electrical, especially pulse-shaped, interfering potential is detected by determining within a stored first data set a data group which digitally represents the anomaly. To generate an interference-free data set, the data belonging to the data group are removed from the stored first data set.

Abstract: A portable radioactive-material detection system capable of detecting radioactive sources moving at high speeds. The system has at least one radiation detector capable of detecting gamma-radiation and coupled to an MCA capable of collecting spectral data in very small time bins of less than about 150 msec. A computer processor is connected to the MCA for determining from the spectral data if a triggering event has occurred. Spectral data is stored on a data storage device, and a power source supplies power to the detection system. Various configurations of the detection system may be adaptably arranged for various radiation detection scenarios. In a preferred embodiment, the computer processor operates as a server which receives spectral data from other networked detection systems, and communicates the collected data to a central data reporting system.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining a home position by means of a home position mark on a special microfluidic device type used in a microfluidic system. The method for determining a home position by means of a home position mark on a microfluidic device used in a microfluidic system comprising at least one programmable controller having storage means, a position device being able to communicate with the controller, and a home position mark detector connected to said controller, wherein said method comprises the following steps: scanning a disc for mark edges; rejecting false home mark(s) and identifying a correct home position mark; and determining a home position by use of mark edges of the correct home position mark identified in the previous step. The present invention also relates to a microfluidic system and a computer program product and a computer program product on a computer usable medium.

Abstract: The Doppler bandwidth extracted from the standard deviation of the frequency shift in phase-resolved optical Doppler tomography (ODT) is used to image the velocity component transverse to the probing beam. The effective numerical aperture (NA) of the optical objective determines the slope of the dependence of the standard deviation on velocity. In the case where the angle between the probing beam and flow direction is within ±15 degrees to the perpendicular, the Doppler frequency shift is very sensitive to angle position while the Doppler bandwidth is insensitive to flow direction. Linear dependence of the flow velocity on the Doppler bandwidth allows accurate measurement of flow velocity without precise determination of flow direction. In addition, it also extends the dynamic range of the average frequency shift mapping method used in the phase-resolved ODT.

Abstract: An optical sensor for use in measuring constituents of an agricultural product. An optical sensing window passes a stream of the agricultural product, and a radiation source irradiates the stream as it passes through the optical sensing window. A receiver receives radiation transmitted through the stream and converts it into a corresponding electrical signal using a spectrometer. The electrical signal is digitized to produce a series of data points corresponding to particular wavelengths. A processor normalizes the data points using a reference value in order to generate processed data points that can be used to predict a constituent content of the agricultural product.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to achieve measurement of electrode impedance that is not easily affected by fluid noise, and to accurately detect adhesion and discriminate the type of fluid.

Abstract: A vacuum network control system includes a vacuum network controller hub communicating over a public high-speed network, where the hub has an address registered with respect to the non-local network and communicates over a first local high-speed network. Vacuum network controllers (VNCs) communicate with the hub over the first local network. Each VNC has a dynamically assigned local address and communicates with at least one component intrabus module over a second local high-speed network. Each module has a dynamically assigned local address and further communicates with one or more monitor and control end units over a local device network. Each monitor and control end unit has a dynamically assigned address. Monitor and control end units include taps, which provide at least one of analog, digital or serial I/O, and components, for example, vacuum pumps.

Abstract: The Doppler bandwidth extracted from the standard deviation of the frequency shift in phase-resolved optical Doppler tomography (ODT) is used to image the velocity component transverse to the probing beam. The effective numerical aperture (NA) of the optical objective determines the slope of the dependence of the standard deviation on velocity. In the case where the angle between the probing beam and flow direction is within ±15 degrees to the perpendicular, the Doppler frequency shift is very sensitive to angle position while the Doppler bandwidth is insensitive to flow direction. Linear dependence of the flow velocity on the Doppler bandwidth allows accurate measurement of flow velocity without precise determination of flow direction. In addition, it also extends the dynamic range of the average frequency shift mapping method used in the phase-resolved ODT.

Abstract: Methods and devices for calibrating a radiotherapy system are disclosed. The method includes providing a detection medium that responds to exposure to ionizing radiation, and preparing a calibration dose response pattern by exposing predefined regions of the detection medium to different ionizing radiation dose levels. The method also includes measuring responses of the detection medium in the predefined regions to generate a calibration that relates subsequent responses to ionizing radiation dose. Different dose levels are obtained by differentially shielding portions of the detection medium from the ionizing radiation using, for example, a multi-leaf collimator, a secondary collimator, or an attenuation block. Different dose levels can also be obtained by moving the detection medium between exposures. The disclosed device includes a software routine fixed on a computer-readable medium that is configured to generate a calibration that relates a response of a detection medium to ionizing radiation dose.

Abstract: A magnetic flowmeter with an improved liquid conduction indication has a flowtube assembly with a passage for liquid flow and has an electromagnet mounted outside the passage that provides ramped magnetic excitation. An electrode circuit couples through the passage and generates ramp spikes and a flow signal. A processor receiving the flow signal and generating a flow rate output. The processor also receives the ramp spikes and generates a filtered integral of the ramp spikes as a liquid conduction or empty pipe indication.

Abstract: A method and corresponding apparatus for measuring the flow velocity of a fluid in an elongated body by sensing at more than one location along the elongated body, vortical disturbances convecting with the fluid, and correlating the outputs of the variously positioned sensors.

Abstract: A multi-analyte diagnostic system for use with a computer. The diagnostic system includes a flow analyzer including a co-planar light source-optical detector array, the flow analyzer being communicatable with the computer. The diagnostic system also includes a memory medium readable by the computer and storing computer instructions. The instructions include the following steps. A biological sample is run through the flow analyzer. The identity and quantity of at least one analyte of interest in the biological fluid is determined substantially simultaneously to the sample-running step.

Abstract: An ultrasonic flowmeter, wherein upstream and downstream receive signals are A/D-converted and thereby the discrete values thereof are determined; a cross-correlation between the upstream and downstream receive signals is determined; the result of calculation by correlation processing means is Hilbert-transformed; a phase relationship is determined by phase calculating means from the results of calculation by the correlation processing means and calculation by Hilbert transform; and a time difference in calculated from the phase calculation result provided by the phase calculating means through maximum value decision means.

Abstract: An LED-based spectrophotometer uses a reconstruction algorithm, based on the spectral characteristics of the illumination source and the color sensing system, to convert integrated multiple illuminant measurements from a non-fully illuminant populated color sensor into a fully populated spectral curve using a reference database. The reference database contains training samples that indicate reflectance spectra and their corresponding LED sensor output. A dynamic, Karhunen-Loeve-based (DKL) spectral reconstruction algorithm, used to reconstruct spectra, gives greater importance to the data from the training samples in the neighborhood of the color sample under measurement. This is done using linear operators and basis vectors.

Abstract: In an electromagnetic flowmeter, the conventional derivation of flow velocity is corrected or replaced by an alternative calculation to take into account estimated non-linear dependence of field strength produced by the coil with applied coil current. This can be used to enable more accurate measurement, over a wider range of coil current. The improved accuracy allows the coil current to be adjusted to optimise power consumption; the adjustment of coil current in this manner is another aspect of the invention.

Abstract: Optical Doppler tomography permits imaging of fluid flow velocity in highly scattering media. The tomography system combines Doppler velocimetry with high spatial resolution of partially coherent optical interferometry to measure fluid flow velocity at discrete spatial locations. Noninvasive in vivo imaging of blood flow dynamics and tissue structures with high spatial resolutions of the order of 2 to 10 microns is achieved in biological systems. The backscattered interference signals derived from the interferometer may be analyzed either through power spectrum determination to obtain the position and velocity of each particle in the fluid flow sample at each pixel, or the interference spectral density may be analyzed at each frequency in the spectrum to obtain the positions and velocities of the particles in a cross-section to which the interference spectral density corresponds.