Transmitted Along Single Path Patents (Class 73/861.28)
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Patent number: 10408649Abstract: The flow speed of a fluid (12) flowing in a conduit (14) is measured using at least one ultrasonic transducer (18a-b) that is attached to the conduit wall (22) from the outside The transducer (18a-b) has an oscillating body (34) that couples to a part region (32) of the conduit wall (22) that acts as a membrane of the ultrasonic transducer (18a-b) that can vibrate. A coupling piece (36) whose cross-section is smaller than the cross-section of the oscillating body (34) is arranged between the membrane (32) and the oscillating body (34).Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2017Date of Patent: September 10, 2019Assignee: SICK ENGINEERING GMBHInventors: Volker Herrmann, Eric Starke, Christian Schulz
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Patent number: 10378938Abstract: A transducer system with a transducer and circuitry for applying a pulse train to excite the transducer. The circuitry for applying a pulse train selects a first set having a first number of pulses at a first frequency and a second set of pulses having a second number of pulses at a second frequency differing from the first frequency. At least one pulse from the first set is located in the pulse train between one or more of the pulses at the second frequency.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2015Date of Patent: August 13, 2019Assignee: TEXAS INSTRUMENTS INCORPORATEDInventors: Anand Dabak, Amardeep Sathyanarayana, Luis Fernando Reynoso, Venkataramanan Ramamurthy
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Patent number: 10365138Abstract: An end treatment for use with an ultrasonic gas flow meter includes an attenuation section having a pipe extending in a longitudinal direction and containing a set of alternating, spaced, and vertically oriented first and second plates located between an inlet end and an outlet end of the pipe. Each plate includes a first end connected to an inside wall of the pipe and a second end extending past a longitudinal centerline of the pipe to define a gap between the end of the plate and a respective opposing inside wall of the pipe. As the gas traverses the plates by flowing through the gaps, the ultrasonic waves are prevented from reflecting back to the flow meter.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2017Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: Big Elk Energy Systems, LLCInventor: Dennis McClintock
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Patent number: 10359304Abstract: An ultrasonic meter for recording a through-flow rate of a fluid has a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a flow channel connecting the inlet to the outlet. The flow channel has a measurement region which extends in a straight line in a flow direction. Between the measurement region and the fluid outlet, there is arranged a reflection element which is flowed around by the fluid and by which an ultrasonic signal is reflected into the measurement region. Between the measurement region and the reflection element, there is arranged a changeover region of the flow channel. In the changeover region a spacing between a central straight line of the measurement region and the side wall enlarges. The changeover region has, in the circumferential direction of the flow channel, several circumferential sections in which the enlargement of the spacing between the central straight line and the side wall takes place.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2017Date of Patent: July 23, 2019Assignee: Diehl Metering GmbHInventor: Hans-Michael Sonnenberg
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Patent number: 10352744Abstract: A flowmeter for detecting gas flow rates in a pipe includes a container configured to be attached to the pipe having a channel through which the gas flows, and a plurality of recesses that extend through the container and a plurality of housings, each recess having a housing. The flowmeter includes a plurality of transducers, with one transducer of the plurality of transducers disposed in each housing in each recess, the transducers transmitting ultrasonic signals into and receiving ultrasonic signals from the channel. The flowmeter includes acoustic isolators which acoustically isolate the housings from the container. The flowmeter includes a controller in electrical communication with the plurality of transducers which determines the gas flow rate through the channel by measuring transit times of signals transmitted by and received by the transducers. A method.Type: GrantFiled: April 21, 2016Date of Patent: July 16, 2019Assignee: Cameron International CorporationInventors: Emanuel J. Gottlieb, Donald R. Augenstein, William R. Freund, Jr., Richard A. Zuckerman, Herbert Estrada, Calvin R. Hastings
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Patent number: 10337897Abstract: A method of manufacturing an ultrasound flow rate measurement apparatus is provided, wherein at least one pocket for an ultrasonic transducer is manufactured from the outside in a line wall of a line section in which a fluid flows in operation and an ultrasonic transducer is arranged in the pocket, wherein the ultrasonic transducer has an oscillating body that couples to a part region of the line wall and that acts as a membrane of the ultrasonic transducer capable of vibration. In this respect, a manufacturing step of the pocket has a drilling procedure and a coupling piece is manufactured with the pocket and is arranged between the membrane and the oscillating body after the insertion of the ultrasonic transducer and its cross-section is smaller than the cross-section of the oscillating body.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2017Date of Patent: July 2, 2019Assignee: SICK ENGINEERING GMBHInventors: Christian Schulz, Jörg Schneider, Torsten Schmidt
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Patent number: 10330509Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an arrangement for an ultrasound clamp-on flow measurement according to the transit-time method. The problem addressed by the invention is to provide a measurement arrangement for clamp-on flow measurement, which enables measurement using only two pairs of acoustic transducers in both reflection configuration and in X configuration, without requiring the acoustic transducer position to be changed when switching between configurations. For the method according to the invention, at least four acoustic transducers are arranged on a measurement pipe, which are controlled in such a way that the flow measurement is performed consecutively in an alternating manner in the X configuration and in the reflection configuration. For this purpose, two acoustic transducers are connected for each transmission-receiving pair for a flow measurement in X configuration, and/or two acoustic transducers are connected for each transmission-receiving pair for two reflection configurations.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2015Date of Patent: June 25, 2019Assignee: Flexim Flexible Industriemesstechnik GmbHInventor: Bernhard Funck
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Patent number: 10302474Abstract: An insertion ultrasonic sensor assembly is provided having an elongated sensor body. The body includes two projections projecting from the distal end having a pair of ultrasonic transceivers. Each transceiver of the pair mounted to a corresponding projection. The assembly is mounted so that the sensor body projects into the container, having the distal end exposed to the flowing fluid, in manner that the measurement axis of the sensor body is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the flow of the fluid within the container.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2017Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Georg Fischer Signet LLCInventor: Gert Burkhardt
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Patent number: 10295387Abstract: A fluid-flow measuring ball valve includes a housing and a ball having an orifice. The ball is moved between an open position allowing fluid flow through the orifice and a closed position preventing fluid flow. A first ultrasonic transducer is positioned in the housing upstream of the ball. A second ultrasonic transducer is positioned in the housing downstream of the ball and both are aligned to send and receive pulses. First and second acoustic reflectors are aligned with the transducers to transmit and reflect ultrasonic signals in at least one direction through the ball orifice when the ball is in an open position. The controller determines the fluid velocity based on measured speed of sound and calculates the volume of fluid through the orifice based on the measured fluid velocity and cross-sectional area.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2017Date of Patent: May 21, 2019Inventor: Vittorio Bonomi
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Patent number: 10281437Abstract: A sensor assembly is configured to mount transducers on a conduit, such as a pipe, for measuring properties of a fluid flowing in the conduit. The sensor assembly can include a sensor cradle capable of seating and maintaining a pair of transducers. The sensor assembly can include a mounting device arranged to couple the sensor cradle to the conduit such that the transducers maintained at the sensor cradle are oriented to allow transmission of ultrasonic waves traversing the conduit. The sensor assembly allows for mechanically stable coupling of the transducers to the conduit. The transducers can be fixed to the sensor cradle though an adhesive. In some implementations, the transducers can be oriented substantially orthogonal to each other.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2015Date of Patent: May 7, 2019Assignee: Reliance Worldwide CorporationInventors: Jeffrey L. Leaders, Francis M. Mess, Clayton C. Pumphrey, Jorge C. Almirall
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Patent number: 10260537Abstract: A pipe assembly for flow measurement characterized by a fluid flow pipe and two or more flow conditioners each having a stepped configuration and disposed in series within the fluid flow pipe in an orientation substantially perpendicular to an axis of the fluid flow pipe.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2015Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: Canada Pipeline Accessories, Co., Ltd.Inventor: Daniel A. Sawchuk
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Patent number: 10209110Abstract: This application discloses a new ultrasonic measurement technique to measure the velocity and displacement of the objects. Minimizing the effect of amplitude modulation from ultrasonic phase and amplitude extraction system, is a novel approach to significantly improve the accuracy and precision of the measurements. The possibility of the measurements using a single ultrasonic transducer functioning as a transmitter and receiver in continuous measurement, may be a significant advantage of this measurement technique over conventional methods. The ability of doing measurement on the objects much smaller than the wave wavelength may be an advantage of this innovative measurement technique comparing with contemporary ultrasonic measurement systems that are limited by the wavelength of the sound. Applications for this novel measurement system are also disclosed in this application.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2016Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Inventor: Javad Rezanezhad Gatabi
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Patent number: 10197423Abstract: An ultrasonic flow meter comprising two piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers each comprising a first and a second electrode; an ultrasonic flow meter housing, at least a part of which forms a support substrate for supporting the two piezoelectric ultrasonic transducers on an electrically conductive layer of the support substrate; an adhesive applied between the electrically conductive layer and the first electrode; wherein at least the first electrode of each piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer has a roughened surface, and wherein electrical connection between the electrically conductive layer and the first electrode is formed by said roughening.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2016Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignee: Apator Miitors ApSInventor: Thue Bjerring Lindballe
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Patent number: 10145714Abstract: A field device, especially an ultrasonic, flow measuring device, comprising: a transmitter for producing an alternating exciter signal; and at least one transducer, especially first and second ultrasonic transducers. The transmitter additionally has a generator for producing the alternating exciter signal and a transmitting stage, wherein the generator is connected via the transmitting stage with at least the first ultrasonic transducer. An output of the transmitting stage is connected with the transducer, especially the first ultrasonic transducer, via a first signal path, wherein the first signal path has a first resistance element, wherein a second signal path branches from the first signal path, wherein the second signal path has a second resistance element connected on one side to ground for lessening impedance related fluctuations of the exciter signal, wherein the second signal path branches from the first signal path between the output of the transmitting stage and the first resistance element.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2013Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER FLOWTEC AGInventors: Achim Wiest, Oliver Brumberg
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Patent number: 10099185Abstract: Mass-transfer rate control arrangement and method in which a process precursor mixture is produced containing carrier gas and a process precursor gas. A quantity of the process precursor present in the process precursor mixture is acoustically sensed to produce a sensor output. A dilution gas is provided and the process precursor mixture and the dilution gas are separately conveyed to a dilution point, at which a diluted mixture of the dilution gas and the process precursor mixture is achieved. A relative flow rate of the carrier gas and the dilution gas is automatically controlled in response to the sensor output such that the diluted mixture at the dilution point has a prescribed mass transfer rate of the precursor gas.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2015Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: Veeco Instruments Inc.Inventors: Ray Logue, Don Sirota, Karthik Karkala, Eric Armour, Christopher A. Morath, Arindam Sinharoy
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Patent number: 10082486Abstract: A method for recognizing the presence of liquid (30) in a gas flow flowing in a pipeline uses an ultrasound flowmeter (10). Measurement paths are provided in pairs which are displaced vertically by an equal predefined distance with respect to the center axis such that one lies in an upper region above the center axis and one lies beneath the center axis. A check is made in three stages to define various measurement values, turbulence values and speed of sound values. A liquid warning signal is output when an invalid measurement value is delivered in the first stage, or when the ratio of the turbulence values in the second stage differs from 1 by more than a predefined tolerance value, or when the ratio of the speeds of sound in the third stage differs from 1 by more than a predefined tolerance ratio.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2016Date of Patent: September 25, 2018Assignee: SICK Engineering GmbHInventor: Andreas Ehrlich
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Patent number: 10051787Abstract: A harvesting head yield monitor comprises two sensing elements (328, 330) respectively disposed in two adjacent row unit covers (114). A driver circuit (400) drives one of these sensing elements (328) to produce a high radio frequency signal. The other sensing element (330) receives the signal. A signal conditioning circuit (402) receives the signal from the other sensing element. A controller (404) coupled to the signal conditioning circuit converts the received signal into a signal that indicates the crop yield of the row unit that is disposed underneath the two adjacent row unit covers.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2016Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: Deere & CompanyInventors: William D. Todd, Bhanu Kiran Palla
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Patent number: 10031010Abstract: A method for operating an ultrasonic device comprising a first and second ultrasonic transducers, includes driving the first and second transducers at a driving frequency such that the first and second transducers generate a first and a second signals, respectively. The method also includes sensing the second signal at the first transducer to produce a first measurement signal and sensing the first signal at the second transducer to produce a second measurement signal. The method further includes identifying a first set of data-points in the first measurement signal and a second set of data-points in the second measurement signal. The method also includes generating a frequency data-series using the first set of data-points and a corresponding data-point in the second set of data-points. The method also includes performing statistical operations based on the frequency data-series and configuring an operating frequency for driving the first and second transducers using the operations.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2011Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Siemens AktiengesellschaftInventors: Torben Amby Christensen, Robert Schaefer
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Patent number: 9983033Abstract: Appurtenances added to a pipe mitigate the effects of upstream valves, sluice gates or pipe elbows to condition the pipe flow for accurate flow rate detection by a reverse propeller meter. Further appurtenances allow the reverse propeller meter to be used in extreme debris situations such as weeds, vines and moss present in many canal systems. The system provides an electronic signal that indicates flow rate and accumulated flow volume, or the signal can be transmit to a central headquarters for remote gate control or canal automation.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2016Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: RSA PROTECTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, LLCInventors: Richard Steven Adler, John Replogle
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Patent number: 9983036Abstract: A measurement control section of a flow meter device causes a measurement block dividing section to divide a sampling cycle Tc into three or more, for example, four measurement blocks Tb of an equal length and causes the flow measuring section to measure the flow of a fluid in each of the measurement blocks Tb. A flow calculating section of the flow measuring section calculates an average value of flow values obtained in all of the measurement blocks in each sampling cycle Tc, as a flow value in each sampling cycle Tc. This configuration allows a flow meter device which employs an inverse transit time difference method, such as an estimation gas meter, to more effectively lessen the influence of a pulsation and to perform flow measurement with higher accuracy.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2013Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Aoi Watanabe, Kouichi Takemura, Yasuo Koba, Masato Satou
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Patent number: 9970808Abstract: A method for ascertaining a compensated flow and/or a compensated flow velocity, wherein the compensation of a flow related measurement error occurs in the context of a flow measurement with a two path measuring of an ultrasonic, flow measuring device, comprising: an arrangement of at least two ultrasonic transducers pairs on a tube, or pipe, wherein the ultrasonic transducers are in a 180°, two path, one traverse, or a 90°, two path, two traverse arrangement, by means of an evaluation unit of a flow measuring device and/or a computer, characterized by steps as follows: a) feeding information relative to the type of a flow influencing, tube, or pipe, element into the evaluation unit and/or into the computer; b) feeding information relative to distance (xa-xd) of the arrangement of the ultrasonic transducer pairs from the flow influencing, tube, or pipe, element into the evaluation unit and/or into the computer; c) compensating a measurement error by means of a correction factor kD as a function of informationType: GrantFiled: May 19, 2014Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Thomas Frohlich, Oliver Berberig, Beat Kissling, Quirin Muller, Klaus Bussinger
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Patent number: 9926952Abstract: 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 having a first portion adapted to be disposed in the pipe and extending inward toward the center of the pipe in a downstream direction with respect to the fluid flow relative to the pipe's inner surface. The conditioner has a second portion adapted to be disposed in the pipe and in juxtaposition with the first portion. The second portion extending inward toward the center of the pipe in an upstream direction with respect to the fluid flow 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. A method for affecting fluid flow in a pipe.Type: GrantFiled: June 10, 2016Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Inventors: Christopher B. Laird, Gregor Brown
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Patent number: 9903882Abstract: A method for determining a flow speed of a liquid in a fluid conduit is provided. During a signal-generating phase, an impulse signal is applied to a first ultrasonic transducer. A response signal is then received at a second ultrasonic transducer. A measuring signal is later derived from the response signal, wherein the derivation comprises reversing a signal portion with respect to time. During a measurement phase, a liquid moves with respect to the fluid conduit. The measuring signal is then applied to one of the two transducers and a response signal of the measuring signal is measured at the other transducer. A flow speed is derived from the response signal of the measuring signal.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2017Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: GWF MessSysteme AGInventors: Thomas Werner Hies, Trung Dung Luong, Claus-Dieter Ohl, Juergen Heinz-Friedrich Skripalle
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Patent number: 9903745Abstract: An ultrasonic flow meter is disclosed, the ultrasonic flow meter including a flow tube with a flow channel for a fluid to be measured, and two ultrasound reflectors fixated inside the flow tube, a first ultrasound transducer, a second ultrasound transducer, and an electronic control arrangement for operating the ultrasonic flow meter. The ultrasound transducers and reflectors have relative positions and orientations forming an ultrasound path from the first ultrasound transducer to the at least two ultrasound reflectors, to the second ultrasound transducer, and vice versa. The ultrasonic flow meter measures absolute transit times of the ultrasound signal from the first ultrasound transducer to the second ultrasound transducer, and/or vice versa, and the ultrasound reflectors include at least 50% by weight of copper, and the ultrasound signal includes at least 8 pulses.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2013Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: APATOR MIITORS APSInventors: Jens Drachmann, Pol Martinez Caldwell
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Patent number: 9885593Abstract: A method for verifying the reliability of ascertained measurement data of an ultrasonic, flow measurement made according to the travel-time difference method, wherein an ultrasonic flow measuring device having at least two ultrasonic transducers is used to transmit and receive ultrasonic signals inclined in or counter to a flow direction of a measured medium. A first ultrasound disturbance signal is registered within a first time window before receiving a first ultrasound wanted signal, and a second ultrasound disturbance signal is registered within a second time window before receiving a second ultrasound wanted signal. A quality criterion is ascertained for evaluating the measurement uncertainty of a measured value proportional to the travel-time difference ascertained from the first and second ultrasound wanted signals, wherein the ascertaining of the quality criterion includes a difference forming between the first and second disturbance signals.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2013Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Frank Wandeler, Aurele Fleury
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Patent number: 9863798Abstract: A system for metering flow of a fluid has a vibratable flowtube for receiving a multiphase fluid flow. A driver is configured to vibrate the flowtube. A pair of sensors is positioned to detect movement of the flowtube at different locations on the flowtube. Pressure and temperature sensors are positioned to measure a pressure of the fluid. One or more processors are configured to use a phase difference between the sensor signals to determine a fluid flow rate through the flowtube. The one or more processors are further configured to determine an amount of dissolved gas in the multiphase fluid using the pressure, the temperature, and the relative amounts the multiple liquids in the multiphase fluid.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2015Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: Schneider Electric Systems USA, Inc.Inventors: Manus P. Henry, Richard P. Casimiro, Michael S. Tombs, Alice Anne Probst
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Patent number: 9851232Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic flow meter comprising a flow tube for the fluid whose flow rate is to be determined. The flow meter comprises a transmitting element for emitting ultrasonic waves, which is provided on the outer jacket of the flow tube. A receiving element, which is provided on the outer jacket of the flow tube, is axially spaced from the transmitting element. An influencing element is provided between the transmitting element and the receiving element for influencing the velocity and/or the direction of a portion of the ultrasonic waves.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2014Date of Patent: December 26, 2017Assignee: BERKIN B.V.Inventors: Joost Conrad Lötters, Gert Jan Snijders, Arno Willem Frederik Volker
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Patent number: 9804008Abstract: The present invention provides an acoustic flow meter assembly (2) for pipes or open channels, said assembly including a frame (24) with a predetermined geometry. The frame has at least one user accessible port (36-42) with the at least one user accessible port (36-42) adapted to receive an interchangeable cartridge (44) which contains at least one acoustic transducer (46) to measure fluid velocity through said frame (24).Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2017Date of Patent: October 31, 2017Assignee: RUBICON RESEARCH PTY LTD.Inventors: David John Aughton, Damien Vernon Pearson
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Patent number: 9752959Abstract: An acoustic transceiver is implemented for measuring acoustic properties of a gas in a turbine engine combustor. The transceiver housing defines a measurement chamber and has an opening adapted for attachment to a turbine engine combustor wall. The opening permits propagation of acoustic signals between the gas in the turbine engine combustor and gas in the measurement chamber. An acoustic sensor mounted to the housing receives acoustic signals propagating in the measurement chamber, and an acoustic transmitter mounted to the housing creates acoustic signals within the measurement chamber. An acoustic measurement system includes at least two such transceivers attached to a turbine engine combustor wall and connected to a controller.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2014Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.Inventors: Upul P. DeSilva, Heiko Claussen
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Patent number: 9746360Abstract: Performance of a gas turbine engine is monitored by computing a mass flow rate through the engine. Acoustic time-of-flight measurements are taken between acoustic transmitters and receivers in the flow path of the engine. The measurements are processed to determine average speeds of sound and gas flow velocities along those lines-of-sound. A volumetric flow rate in the flow path is computed using the gas flow velocities together with a representation of the flow path geometry. A gas density in the flow path is computed using the speeds of sound and a measured static pressure. The mass flow rate is calculated from the gas density and the volumetric flow rate.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2014Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.Inventors: Upul P. DeSilva, Heiko Claussen
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Patent number: 9743429Abstract: A source node in a multihop network determines whether to transmit in a channel based on whether the channel is occupied by a packet transmission with a large number of relays; whether the source node is in the data tones back-off zone; and the source node is in the busy tone back-off zone.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2013Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: KING ABDULLAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYInventor: Ahmed Bader
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Patent number: 9709448Abstract: Active acoustic pyrometry-based gas flow temperature measurement, such as for monitoring of gas turbine combustors, including industrial gas turbine (IGT) combustors is incorporated into the combustion monitoring and control system by addition of an acoustic transmitter or acoustic transceiver that transmits a sound wave in a line-of-sight with a plurality of acoustic sensors, such as dynamic pressure sensors. For temperature measurement, in some embodiments sound transmission time-of-flight that is directed generally transverse the gas flow path is measured by the controller and correlated with gas flow temperature along the line-of-sight. In other embodiments line-of-sight correlated gas flow temperatures in up and down stream planar paths are interpolated. In an integrated thermoacoustic pressure-based sensor and monitoring/control system embodiment, the controller determines absolute active path temperatures with acoustic transmission and time-of-flight analysis techniques.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2014Date of Patent: July 18, 2017Assignee: Siemens Energy, Inc.Inventors: Upul P. DeSilva, Heiko Claussen
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Patent number: 9689727Abstract: An ultrasonic flow meter comprising: a measurement pipe, which has a measurement pipe wall, at least in some parts a basic shape having a rotationally symmetric or polygonal cross-section, and a straight measurement pipe axis; a transmitter for transmitting an acoustic signal on a first signal path; and a receiver for receiving the acoustic signal on the first signal path. The measurement pipe has a plurality of reflection surfaces, by which the acoustic signal on the first signal path is reflected multiple times, and wherein the reflection surfaces are integrally formed from the measurement pipe wall, the reflection surfaces for reflecting the acoustic signal being designed in such a way that one or more of the reflection surfaces at least partially protrude into the basic shape of the measurement pipe and one or more of the reflection surfaces project outward at least from the basic shape of the measurement pipe.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2014Date of Patent: June 27, 2017Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Beat Kissling, Quirin Muller, Sascha Grunwald, Fabian Steiner, Wolfgang Brobeil
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Patent number: 9593972Abstract: The present invention provides an acoustic flow meter assembly (2) for pipes or open channels, said assembly including a frame (24) with a predetermined geometry. The frame has at least one user accessible port (36-42) with the at least one user accessible port (36-42) adapted to receive an interchangeable cartridge (44) which contains at least one acoustic transducer (46) to measure fluid velocity through said frame (24).Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2014Date of Patent: March 14, 2017Assignee: Rubicon Research Pty Ltd.Inventors: David John Aughton, Damien Vernon Pearson
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Patent number: 9574963Abstract: The invention relates to a device for monitoring a probe for measuring the pressure of a flow; the probe comprising an internal volume; the device comprising: an acoustic transmitter and receiver, a connection intended to connect the device to the probe, for the transmitter to transmit an acoustic signal in the internal volume and for the receiver to pick up an acoustic signal in the internal volume. The device also comprises an electronic module comprising: an audio transmission and reception circuit, linked to the transmitter and to the receiver by analog link, a non-erasable memory comprising a digital encryption key, an erasable read-only memory, a digital communication interface, configured to transmit or receive digital signals between the outside of the device and the audio circuit, the non-erasable memory and the erasable read-only memory.Type: GrantFiled: March 4, 2015Date of Patent: February 21, 2017Assignee: THALESInventor: François Robert
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Patent number: 9557200Abstract: A transit time differential acoustic flowmeter having acoustic transducers which are acoustically coupled to the fluid flowing in a flow tube through the wall of the flow tube itself, in which the flow tube is demountable from the flowmeter and can be disconnected from the external circuit delivering and carrying away the fluid the flow of which is to be detected.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2013Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: Titan Enterprises LTDInventor: Trevor Forster
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Patent number: 9556791Abstract: Active acoustic velocity and pyrometry-based gas flow velocity and temperature measurement, such as for monitoring of gas turbine combustors, including industrial gas turbine (IGT) combustors is incorporated into the combustion monitoring and control system by addition of an acoustic transmitter or acoustic transceiver that transmits a sound wave in a line-of-sight with a plurality of acoustic sensors, such as dynamic pressure sensors. For velocity measurement, sound transmission time-of-flight that is directed generally along the gas flow path is measured by the controller and correlated with gas flow velocity along the line-of-sight. Similarly, sound transmission time-of-flight is correlated with temperature along the line-of-sight. Path(s) of acoustic transmission serve as velocity or velocity/absolute temperature measurement.Type: GrantFiled: March 13, 2014Date of Patent: January 31, 2017Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventors: Upul P. DeSilva, Heiko Claussen
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Patent number: 9528867Abstract: An ultrasonic flow meter comprises a flow channel for a fluid to be measured to flow through, an ultrasonic transducer having an acoustic matching body and a piezoelectric element fixed to a metal plate, an insulating damping member which covers the metal plate except for the acoustic matching body, a mounting portion provided in the flow channel, and a fixing member that fixes the ultrasonic transducer to the mounting portion, The fixing member has a pressing portion and an extended portion, and the ultrasonic transducer is fixed to the mounting portion by engaging a hole disposed in the extended portion with a hook disposed on the mounting portion. This structure reduces through-the-case conduction, and achieves the ultrasonic flow meter of high accuracy.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2013Date of Patent: December 27, 2016Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Masato Satou, Hidetomo Nagahara, Aoi Watanabe
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Patent number: 9500508Abstract: A gas meter device of the present invention comprises plural measurement fluid passages provided in parallel between an inlet into which a fluid flows, and an outlet from which the fluid flows out; flow value measuring sections provided in the measurement fluid passages, respectively, and configured to obtain flow values of fluids flowing through the measurement fluid passages, respectively; memories configured to store coefficient data which are values corresponding to the measurement fluid passages, respectively and indicating a relation between the flow values of the fluids flowing through the measurement fluid passages, respectively, and a total flow value of the fluid flowing from the inlet to the outlet; and total flow value estimation sections configured to estimate total flow values of the fluids based on the flow values obtained by the flow value measuring sections, respectively, and the coefficient data stored in the memories.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 2013Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Hirokazu Gotou, Akihisa Adachi, Yuji Fujii, Yuji Nakabayashi, Yukio Sakaguchi, Yasuharu Kawano, Aoi Watanabe
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Patent number: 9476745Abstract: There is provided a flow meter using at least one ultrasonic transducer. The flow meter includes an ultrasonic transducer, a wedge that has a sloped surface formed on a top portion of the wedge and oblique with respect to a downward direction, and a dented portion formed in a half-cylinder shape along a longitudinal direction of the sloped surface; and a rotation portion that has a plane section where the ultrasonic transducer is positioned, and a curved section extended from two opposite edges of the plane section and curved in a semicircular shape to be contacted with the dented portion.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2015Date of Patent: October 25, 2016Assignee: SOONGSIL UNIVERSITY RESEARCH CONSORTIUM TECHNO-PARKInventors: Jin Oh Kim, Dae Jong Kim
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Patent number: 9453853Abstract: One aspect provides a fluid flow measurement instrument, comprising: a sensor producing a signal representative of reflections of an emitted signal; and a meter being coupled to the sensor and configured to: produce two or more sub-measurements from said signal representative of reflections of an emitted signal; and compute a fluid flow velocity estimate using the two or more sub-measurement signals. Other aspects are described and claimed.Type: GrantFiled: August 9, 2012Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: Hach CompanyInventor: David Langley Rick
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Patent number: 9453767Abstract: Acoustic pyrometry-based active temperature monitoring of gas turbine combustors, including industrial gas turbine (IGT) combustors is incorporated into the combustion monitoring and control system by addition of an acoustic transmitter or acoustic transceiver that transmits a sound wave in a line-of-sight with a plurality of thermoacoustic sensors, such as dynamic pressure sensors. Sound transmission time-of-flight is measured by the controller and correlated with path temperature along the line-of-sight. Path(s) of acoustic transmission serve as absolute temperature measurement that optionally is used for calibrating dominant mode passive bulk temperature measurement.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2013Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: SIEMENS ENERGY, INC.Inventor: Upul P. DeSilva
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Patent number: 9435674Abstract: An acoustic flowmeter comprising a flow tube including an inner elongate member in the flow tube to define at least one flow passage for the flowmeter.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2013Date of Patent: September 6, 2016Assignee: Titan Enterprises Ltd.Inventors: Trevor Forster, Michael Sanderson
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Patent number: 9411759Abstract: A metering system configured to couple to multiple specialty systems, such as a control system. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are processing units comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a communication port configured to coupled to a backbone communication network of a control system. The memory stores a program that causes the processor to selectively participate (over the communication port) as a processing unit of a control system of a first manufacturer (the control system implements a first proprietary communication protocol between processing units), and to participate (over the communication port) as a processing unit of a control system of a second manufacturer different than the first manufacturer (the control system of the second manufacturer implements a second proprietary communication protocol between the processing units).Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2011Date of Patent: August 9, 2016Assignee: DANIEL MEASUREMENT AND CONTROL, INC.Inventor: Lawson H. Ramsay
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Patent number: 9380993Abstract: A transmit/receive isolation for an ultrasound system to block a high voltage transmit signal from being propagated to a receiving unit during a transmission period of an ultrasound signal is disclosed. An ultrasound system includes a switching unit coupled to a transmitting unit, a ultrasound probe and a receiving unit. The switching unit includes diode bridges and a switching module having pairs of switches connected to the respective diode bridges, wherein each pair of switches is configured to perform switching between a plus voltage and a minus voltage to forward-bias a corresponding diode bridge to allow a respective receive signal to be propagated to the receiving unit in a first state and to reverse-bias the corresponding diode bridge to block a respective transmit signal to be propagated to the receiving unit in a second state.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2010Date of Patent: July 5, 2016Assignee: SAMSUNG MEDISON CO., LTD.Inventor: Hong Gyo Lee
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Patent number: 9366274Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: April 10, 2015Date of Patent: June 14, 2016Assignee: Cameron International CorporationInventors: Christopher B. Laird, Gregor Brown
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Patent number: 9354093Abstract: In a method for determining the flow rate of fluids using the ultrasonic transit time method, the flow speed and therefrom the flow rate of the fluid is determined from the transit time of ultrasound signals through the measurement section. In order to take into account the change in the transmission function of the ultrasonic converters, which change acts as a drift of the measurement variable, the transmission function of the measurement section is determined at least approximately, and at least one ultrasonic transit time is corrected by means of a correction value that is determined from the group transit time of the transmission function.Type: GrantFiled: June 19, 2012Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: AVL List GmbHInventors: Katarzyna Kudlaty, Michael Wiesinger, Stefan Nohammer, Klaus Witrisal, Gernot Kubin
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Patent number: 9347809Abstract: An ultrasonic flowmeter uses an ultrasonic sensor comprising a ring-shaped ultrasonic vibrator that is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of a conduit tube in which a minute quantity of a substance flows and that is vibrated by application of high frequency signals and generates high frequency signals by receiving the vibration; and a pair of damping members that is arranged so as to grasp and fix the ultrasonic vibrator, wherein an annular soft uniform matching member having a width along the conduit tube that is larger than a width of the ultrasonic vibrator is provided between an inner circumferential surface of the ultrasonic vibrator and the outer circumferential surface of the conduit tube, and the matching member is made of a material having a sound propagation velocity substantially equal to a sound propagation velocity of the substance flowing in the conduit tube.Type: GrantFiled: October 1, 2012Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Inventor: Masamichi Iwasa
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Patent number: 9335193Abstract: An ultrasonic flow measurement device for ascertaining flow velocity, respectively volume flow, of a fluid, especially a gas or a liquid, using a travel-time difference method, comprising: a measuring tube having a straight measuring tube axis; at least one transmitter for transmitting an acoustic signal; at least one receiver for receiving the acoustic signal; and at least one reflection surface for reflecting the acoustic signal. The transmitter and the receiver are arranged on the tube wall of the measuring tube in such a manner that they can transmit the acoustic signal inclined or perpendicularly to the flow direction of the fluid, wherein at least one reflection surface is embodied concavely in a preferential direction; and a method for ascertaining flow velocity, respectively volume flow, of a fluid.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2013Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: ENDRESS + HAUSER FLOWTEC AGInventors: Achim Wiest, Sascha Grunwald, Andrea Berger, Oliver Brumberg
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Patent number: 9322688Abstract: The method for passing signals through a medium under monitoring consists in generating a reference signal, transmitting this reference signal in a forward direction through the medium under monitoring by means of at least one transmitting electrical circuit, receiving the signal passing in the forward direction through the medium under monitoring by means of at least one receiving electrical circuit, transmitting the generated reference signal in the reverse direction through the medium under monitoring by means of the at least one receiving electrical circuit, receiving the signal passing in the reverse direction through the medium under monitoring by means of the at least one transmitting electrical circuit and thus ensuring the passage of signals through the medium under monitoring. The method for passing signals through a medium under monitoring ensures the production of signals passing through the medium under monitoring which have a high degree of identity.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2012Date of Patent: April 26, 2016Inventor: Yuriy I. Romanov