Vibrated Conduit Patents (Class 73/861.355)
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Publication number: 20080141788Abstract: A start tube section (27) of a first bent tube (31) has a first parallel subsection (27a) substantially parallel to a start tube section (28) of a second bent tube (32) or to a continuous section (35) between a return tube section (29) of the first bent tube (31) and the start tube section (28) of the second bent tube (32), a first bent subsection (27b) continuous with the first parallel subsection (27a), and a first start tube section body subsection (27c) extending gradually away from the start tube section (28) of the second bent tube (32) due to presence of the first bent subsection (27b).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2005Publication date: June 19, 2008Inventor: Yuichi Nakao
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Publication number: 20080115588Abstract: Coriolis mass flowmeter including a flow tube, at least one tube position sensor provided with a light source and with a light detector for receiving light from the light source, and drive elements for causing the tube to move about an axis, the above being arranged such that the tube or a projection fastened to the tube, for example a vane, moves through a light path between the light source and the light detector, wherein a first screen with a first light-transmitting opening is placed at the side of the light source and a second screen with a second light-transmitting opening is placed at the side of the light detector, wherein the first and the second opening are identical and are correspondingly oriented, and wherein the openings are mutually parallel and aligned so as to form a prismatic light beam on the detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 15, 2007Publication date: May 22, 2008Applicant: BERKIN B.V.Inventors: Jan Marinus Zwikker, Aditya Mehendale, Wybren Jouwsma
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Patent number: 7373841Abstract: The invention concerns a Coriolis mass flowmeter comprising at least one conduit (9) traversed by the mass, which produces mechanical vibrations under the effect of an excitation unit (8) and acts as an oscillating element, whereof the oscillating behaviour which varies based on the mass flow rate is sensed by at least one sensor (15, 16) to determine the mass flow. The invention aims at determining the degree of wear of the conduit (9). Therefor, the excitation unit (8) applies a single excitation pulse to the conduit (9), whereof the oscillatory response is sensed by the sensor (15; 16). The invention is characterized in that an evaluating unit (10) arranged downstream calculates the initial dampening constant recorded when the conduit (9) was new.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2004Date of Patent: May 20, 2008Assignee: ABB Patent GmbHInventor: Lothar Deppe
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Patent number: 7363689Abstract: This sensor, for a fluid and suitable for use in a pipeline at least temporarily containing the fluid flowing therethrough, has at least one curved measuring tube, which vibrates during operation and guides the fluid, and a housing enclosing the measuring tube. The housing is composed of a metal cap of two cap halves and a supporting tube, in which the measuring tube is held at its inlet and outlet ends in a manner such that the tube can oscillate, and out of which a measuring tube segment protrudes sideways. Each cap half has an edge with, in each case, four edge portions. The edge portions are straight, the edge portions are curved, and the edge portions have the shape of circular arcs. The edge portions are welded continuously to the supporting tube and the edge portions are welded continuously to one another. The cap halves are cut out of a dish-shaped intermediate having a formed, surrounding edge bead, provided with the shape of a quarter-torus by metal spinning.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2006Date of Patent: April 29, 2008Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Christian Schutze
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Publication number: 20080092667Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed that measures the flow through a conduit (702) by measuring the Coriolis coupling between two vibration modes in the conduit. The conduit is first excited at two different vibration modes at two different frequencies (704). The coupling between the two modes is determined by forcing the phases of the two modes at the off mode frequency to be zero (708). The flow through the conduit can then be determined using the magnitude of the forces required to drive the phases of the two modes at the off mode frequency to zero (710).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2004Publication date: April 24, 2008Applicant: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventors: Stuart J. Shelly, Thomas Dean Sharp
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Patent number: 7360451Abstract: A measuring transducer includes a transducer housing, as well as an internal part arranged in the transducer housing. The internal part includes at least one curved measuring tube vibrating, at least at times, during operation and serving for conveying the medium, as well as a counteroscillator affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet-side, accompanied by formation of a coupling zone, and to the measuring tube on the outlet-side, accompanied by the formation of a coupling zone. The internal part is held oscillatably in the transducer housing, at least by means of two connecting tube pieces, via which the measuring tube communicates during operation with the pipeline and which are so oriented with respect to one another, as well as with respect to an imaginary longitudinal axis of the measuring transducer, that the internal part can move during operation in the manner of a pendulum about the longitudinal axis.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2006Date of Patent: April 22, 2008Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Christian Schütze, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Christof Huber, Dieter Mundschin, Michael Lambrigger
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Patent number: 7360452Abstract: The measuring device comprises, for measuring multi phase mixture, a vibratory-type transducer and a measuring device electronics electrically coupled with the vibratory-type transducer. The transducer includes at least one measuring tube inserted into the course of the pipeline. An exciter arrangement acts on the measuring tube for causing the at least one measuring tube to vibrate. A sensor arrangement senses vibrations of the at least one measuring tube and delivers at least one oscillation measurement signal representing oscillations of the measuring tube. Further, the measuring device electronics delivers an excitation current driving the exciter arrangement. The measuring device is adapted to compensating measurement errors, induced due to the presence of multi phase mixture, based on a movin resonator model (MRM).Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2006Date of Patent: April 22, 2008Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm
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Patent number: 7353718Abstract: A mass flowmeter of the Coriolis type with a tube through which a medium flows during operation and with excitation elements for causing the entire tube or part thereof to perform a rotational vibration about a primary axis of rotation during operation. The excitation elements are electromagnetic and do not make contact with the tube during operation and have no components that are fastened to the tube. More The tube is made of an electrically conducting material, and the excitation elements include first members for causing an electric current to flow through the tube during operation and second elements for generating a magnetic field at the area of a portion of the tube. The magnetic field is perpendicular to the direction of the current and in operation either the current or the magnetic field changes its sign periodically.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2006Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Assignee: Berkin B.V.Inventors: Aditya Mehendale, Joost Conrad Lötters, Jan Marinus Zwikker
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Patent number: 7350421Abstract: The measurement transducer includes a transducer housing, which exhibits a plurality of natural oscillation modes, as well as at least one first flow tube held oscillatably in the transducer housing, vibrating at least at times, and conveying at least a portion of the medium to be measured. Additionally, the measurement transducer includes an electromechanical, especially electrodynamic, exciter arrangement acting on the at least one flow tube for producing and/or maintaining mechanical oscillations of the at least one flow tube, and a sensor arrangement reacting to movements of the flow tube, especially bending oscillations, for producing at least one oscillation measurement signal representing oscillations of the flow tube.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2005Date of Patent: April 1, 2008Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Martin Anklin-Imhof, Christian Schuetze
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Patent number: 7350422Abstract: A measurement pickup includes at least four measuring tubes for conveying media to be measured. Each measuring tube has a first in-/outlet end and a second in-/outlet end. During operation, the measuring tubes vibrate, at least at times, especially simultaneously. The measurement pickup further includes an electromechanical exciter mechanism causing the measuring tube to vibrate, as well as a sensor arrangement reacting at least to local vibrations of the measuring tubes for producing at least one measurement signal influenced by vibrations of the measuring tubes.Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2006Date of Patent: April 1, 2008Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Holger Bernhard
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Patent number: 7340965Abstract: A mass flowmeter of the Coriolis type with a tube that forms a mechanically closed loop through which a medium flows during operation, and with preferably electromagnetic, contactless excitation elements for causing the loop to rotate in an oscillatory mode about an axis of rotation during operation. The loop has a starting point and an end point. The starting and end points are situated close together and are connected to a flexible inlet tube and a flexible outlet tube, respectively, which extend preferably in parallel and close together. The loop is resiliently suspended from the frame of the flowmeter via the flexible inlet and outlet tubes, which preferably form one integral piece with the tube of the loop.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2006Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: Berkin B.V.Inventors: Aditya Mehendale, Joost Conrad Lötters, Jan Marinus Zwikker
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Patent number: 7340964Abstract: A Coriolis mass meter with two tube sections connected by a coupling extending between connection points of the tube sections wherein the coupling extends a distance between the connection points which exceeds the shortest perpendicular distance between the first and the second tube sections. The coupling facilitates less stiffness of the tubes against Coriolis oscillation and thus provides a mass meter with a stronger and potentially more reliable measuring signal.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2006Date of Patent: March 11, 2008Assignee: Siemens Flow Instruments A/SInventor: Jan Zangenberg
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Patent number: 7337676Abstract: A mass flow rate measurement device which works according to the coriolis principle, and has two measurement tubes (1) and a vibration converter. It is provided that a carrier (2) is mounted on each of the measurement tubes (1) as a pair of carriers, and the vibration converter is made and arranged such that it acts between the pair carriers (2). In this way, a coriolis mass flow rate measurement device which is simple to produce is attained, with measurement tubes (1) which can be located extremely close to one another.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2006Date of Patent: March 4, 2008Assignee: Krohne AGInventors: Youssif Hussain, Vince Cook, Chris Rolph, Tao Wang
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Publication number: 20080047361Abstract: A device for measuring the mass rate of flow according to the Coriolis principle, with two measurement tubes at least in one section of which runs in a common plane, and a connector by which the two measurement tubes are connected to one another where they run in a common plane. The connector has a stiffening plate which is parallel to the common plane of the measurement tubes and which is attached to the two measurement tubes. At least one stiffening fin is provided on the stiffening plate so that the bending stiffness of the connector for bending in the common plane of the measurement tubes in which, generally, excitation vibrations of the measurement tubes also take place, is made greater than the torsional stiffness of the connector for torsional vibrations. As a result, the measurement accuracy of the Coriolis mass flow rate measurement device is improved.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2007Publication date: February 28, 2008Applicant: KROHNE AGInventors: Chris ROLPH, Vincent COOK, Yousif HUSSAIN
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Publication number: 20080047360Abstract: A first inlet portion (4), a second inlet portion (6), a first outlet portion (5), and a second outlet portion (7) are fixed to a fixing member (8), and a connecting tube portion (9) is provided between the first outlet portion (5) and the second inlet portion (6). Further, the first inlet portion (4) and the second inlet portion (6) are fixed so as to be in a non-parallel state such that the distance between the two increases as they depart from the fixing member (8), and the first outlet portion (5) and the second outlet portion (7) are similarly arranged in a non-parallel state, the first and second inlet portions (4) and (6) and the first and second outlet portions (5) and (7) being fixed so as to be arranged symmetrically. Further, the first outlet portion (5), the second inlet portion (6), and the connecting tube portion (9) are arranged such that their tube axes are in a straight line. Further, the distance between driven portions (10) is made small.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2004Publication date: February 28, 2008Inventors: Hirokazu Kitami, Yuichi Nakao, Norio Sukemura
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Publication number: 20080041168Abstract: A process for operating a Coriolis mass flow rate measurement device which has at least one measurement tube, the measurement tube being excited into vibrations with a predetermined excitation frequency and a predetermined excitation phase. The response phase which is achieved thereby and the rate of change of the response phase are detected and the excitation frequency is changed by the frequency amount which arises by means of a predetermined function from the detected rate of change of the response phase. This makes it possible to maintain continuous measurement of the mass rate of flow even if two-phase flows occur.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2007Publication date: February 21, 2008Applicant: Krohne AGInventors: Kourosh Kolahi, Ralf Storm
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Publication number: 20080034891Abstract: A Coriolis flow meter includes at least one flow conduit (103), including a first conduit node (603a) and a second conduit node (603b) and a bending axis W that intersects the flow conduit (103) at the first conduit node (603a) and at the second conduit node (603b). The flow conduit (103) vibrates around the bending axis W. The meter further includes a drive system (104) and a balance system (600) coupled to the flow conduit (103). The balance system (600) includes two or more Y-balance weights (601a, 601b) and two or more attachment members (602a, 602b) that couple the two or more Y-balance weights (601a, 601b) to the flow conduit (103). At least a first Y-balance weight (601a) is coupled to the flow conduit (103) at a first location between the first conduit node (603a) and the drive system (104) and at least a second Y-balance weight (601b) is coupled to the flow conduit (103) at a second location between the drive system (104) and the second conduit node (603b).Type: ApplicationFiled: July 1, 2004Publication date: February 14, 2008Inventor: Craig Van Cleve
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Patent number: 7325461Abstract: The measurement transducer includes at least two oscillatably held transducer tubes vibrating, at least at times, during operation, of which at least one transducer tube serving to convey at least a volume portion of a medium to be measured, communicates with a pipeline; as well as at least one transducer element for converting electrical energy into mechanical and/or vice versa. The two transducer tubes are mechanically coupled together by means of at least one, inlet-side, coupling element and by means of at least one, outlet-side, coupling element in such a manner that both the inlet-side coupling element, as well as also the outlet-side coupling element, are subjected during operation repeatedly to deformations which correspond to vibrations of at least one of the two transducer tubes for converting electrical energy into mechanical, oscillatory energy and/or vice versa.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2006Date of Patent: February 5, 2008Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Sergej Lopatin, Christian Matt, Helmut Pfeiffer, Alfred Rieder, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Martin Stucki
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Patent number: 7325462Abstract: The measuring transducer includes a transducer housing, as well as an internal part arranged in the transducer housing. The internal part includes at least one curved measuring tube vibrating, at least at times, during operation and serving for conveying the medium, as well as a counteroscillator affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet-side, accompanied by formation of a coupling zone, and to the measuring tube on the outlet-side, accompanied by the formation of a coupling zone. The internal part is held oscillatably in the transducer housing, at least by means of two connecting tube pieces, via which the measuring tube communicates during operation with the pipeline and which are so oriented with respect to one another, as well as with respect to an imaginary longitudinal axis of the measuring transducer, that the internal part can move during operation in the manner of a pendulum about the longitudinal axis.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2006Date of Patent: February 5, 2008Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Christian Schütze, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Christof Huber, Dieter Mundschin, Michael Lambrigger
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Patent number: 7305892Abstract: A method is disclosed for operating a mass flowmeter that employs the Coriolis principle and that incorporates a measuring tube through which flows a fluid medium, which measuring tube is stimulated to oscillate in a predefined pattern, allowing the resulting oscillatory response of the measuring tube to be detected and measured. The drive power level required for stimulating the measuring tube to oscillate at a predefined frequency is quantified and with the aid of the quantified drive power, the presence of a multiphase flow of the medium traveling through the measuring tube is detected. In this fashion, it is possible to significantly improve the measuring accuracy and dependability of the measuring procedure.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2006Date of Patent: December 11, 2007Assignee: Krohne AGInventor: Kolahi Kourosh
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Patent number: 7299699Abstract: A composite system includes a first component, for instance of metal, and a second component extending at least partly through the first component along an imaginary longitudinal axis of the composite system. The second component contacts, with an at least partially curved, especially cylindrical, outer surface, an inner surface of the first component flushly such that the first component at least sectionally, at least partly, grips around the second component. Joining surfaces of the composite system, which are formed by the mutually contacting surfaces of the two components, are formed in such a manner that the two components exhibit contour portions in the area of these joining surfaces embodied as self-closing, peripheral surfaces. The contour portions fit at least partly into one another, to form a mechanical interference locking effective, at least in part, likewise in the direction of the longitudinal axis.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2005Date of Patent: November 27, 2007Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventor: Rainer Lorenz
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Patent number: 7287438Abstract: A Coriolis flow meter comprising at least one flow conduit, a drive system coupled to the at least one flow conduit, a balance system coupled to the at least one flow conduit wherein the balance system is sized and located such that the momentum of the balance system is equal and opposite to the momentum of the drive system.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2003Date of Patent: October 30, 2007Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventor: Craig Brainerd Van Cleve
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Publication number: 20070234824Abstract: The measuring transducer includes at least one measuring tube communicating with a line connected during operation for conveying a medium to be measured, and a support element oscillatably holding the at least one measuring tube. Additionally, it is provided that the support element contains at least two passageways, via which the at least one measuring tube communicates with the line, and that the at least one measuring tube is affixed, especially releasably, at at least one end to the support element by means of a screwed-fitting at one of the passageways. Alternatively or in supplementation thereof, it is further provided that the at least one measuring tube is, at least in part, made of cold-strengthened, for instance cold-stretched or autofrettaged, material.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2007Publication date: October 11, 2007Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Rainer Lorenz, Holger Bernhard
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Publication number: 20070234823Abstract: The measuring transducer includes at least one measuring tube communicating with a line connected during operation for conveying a medium to be measured, and a support element oscillatably holding the at least one measuring tube. Additionally, it is provided that the support element contains at least two passageways, via which the at least one measuring tube communicates with the line, and that the at least one measuring tube is affixed, especially releasably, at at least one end to the support element by means of a screwed-fitting at one of the passageways. Alternatively or in supplementation thereof, it is further provided that the at least one measuring tube is, at least in part, made of cold-strengthened, for instance cold-stretched or autofrettaged, material.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2007Publication date: October 11, 2007Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Rainer Lorenz, Holger Bernhard
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Publication number: 20070234822Abstract: The measuring transducer includes at least one measuring tube communicating with a line connected during operation for conveying a medium to be measured, and a support element oscillatably holding the at least one measuring tube. Additionally, it is provided that the support element contains at least two passageways, via which the at least one measuring tube communicates with the line, and that the at least one measuring tube is affixed, especially releasably, at at least one end to the support element by means of a screwed-fitting at one of the passageways. Alternatively or in supplementation thereof, it is further provided that the at least one measuring tube is, at least in part, made of cold-strengthened, for instance cold-stretched or autofrettaged, material.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2007Publication date: October 11, 2007Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Rainer Lorenz, Holger Bernhard
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Patent number: 7275448Abstract: A mount for electrical leads to a vibration-type sensor and/or for coils on a vibration-type sensor. The mount includes at least one resilient first arm attached to a first sensing tube of the sensor and at least one resilient arm attached to a second sensing tube of the sensor. The two sensing tubes, which are caused to vibrate during operation of the sensor, form a double-tube arrangement having a longitudinal gravity line, which lies in an imaginary central plane extending between the two, preferably parallel, sensing tubes. The mount exhibits a first eigenmode of predeterminable mechanical resonance frequency, at which the first arm and the second arm oscillate pendularly essentially perpendicular to the central plane of the double-tube arrangement.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2006Date of Patent: October 2, 2007Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert
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Patent number: 7263899Abstract: What is described is a device for conveying bulk goods, particularly in the form of a continuous conveyor and here in particular in the form of a chain conveyor. According to the invention, the conveying device has a measuring apparatus (7) for determining the delivery rate of transported goods. Furthermore, according to the invention, a dosing apparatus (5) and/or a mixing apparatus is provided, which is equipped with at least one conveying device of this type. It is thereby possible to mix precisely dosed quantities of additives into the bulk goods, for example dry feed, or to mix together a plurality of different bulk goods, for example, different types of dry feed in precise mixing ratios (FIG. 1).Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2004Date of Patent: September 4, 2007Inventor: Friedrich Luehrs
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Patent number: 7258025Abstract: When outputs from two vibration detection sensors are measured by a Coriolis flowmeter in a form of phase difference time, a tube must be thinned to increase a sensitivity of the flowmeter to enable measurement and accordingly flow velocity and pressure loss increase, and a thickness of the flowmeter must be reduced and therefore a pressure resistance cannot be readily enhanced. In particular, the sensitivity of signals to flow rate is difficult to increase and, accordingly, a flow rate of a low-density gas cannot be accurately measured. In the present invention, a Coriolis vibration frame 16 carrying a U-shaped tube is swingably fixed to a forced vibration frame 19 fixed to a support base 22 to form a highly rigid frame structure limiting a vibrating direction to one degree of freedom in a Coriolis vibration direction. The forced vibration frame 19 is vibrated by a vibration exciter 20 so that a ratio of a forced vibration frequency to the Coriolis frequency of a pipeline is at least 1 to 10.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2004Date of Patent: August 21, 2007Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and TechnologyInventors: Ryoji Doihara, Masaki Takamoto, Yoshiya Terao
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Patent number: 7257495Abstract: A flow meter filter system (200) according to an embodiment of the invention includes a noise pass filter (203) configured to receive a first version of a flow meter signal and filter out the flow meter data from the flow meter signal to leave a noise signal, a noise quantifier (204) configured to receive the noise signal from the noise pass filter (203) and measure noise characteristics of the noise signal, a damping adjuster (205) configured to receive the noise characteristics from the noise quantifier (204) and generate a damping value based on the noise characteristics, and a filter element (206) configured to receive a second version of the flow meter signal and receive the damping value from the damping adjuster (205), with the filter element (206) being further configured to damp the second version of the flow meter signal based on the damping value in order to produce a filtered flow meter signal.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2003Date of Patent: August 14, 2007Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Timothy Patten, Denis M. Henrot, Craig B. McAnally, Paul J. Hays, Wayne R. Brinkman
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Patent number: 7240567Abstract: A flowmeter includes a vibratable flowtube that has internal damping characteristics that substantially result in a desired dynamic response of the vibratable tube to a change in a flow of fluid through the vibratable flowtube. The dynamic response may be to a change in a property of the flow of fluid, a step change in the flow, and/or a change in the mass flow rate. The vibratable flowtube may have frequency-dependent internal damping characteristics such that damping of a driven mode of vibration is not substantially increased and damping at one or more modes other than the driven mode are substantially increased.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2004Date of Patent: July 10, 2007Assignee: Invensys Systems, Inc.Inventors: Robert Cheesewright, Colin Clark
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Patent number: 7228614Abstract: A gas flowmeter capable of reducing a secular change comprises a silicon semiconductor substrate formed with a cavity and a heat element formed above the cavity of the semiconductor substrate by way of an insulating film. The heat element is a silicon (Si) semiconductor thin film impurity-doped at high concentration. Stoichiometrically stable silicon nitride (Si3N4) thin films as barrier layers which less permeate and less absorb hydrogen in the heat generating temperature range of the heat element are formed above and below the silicon (Si) semiconductor thin film.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2005Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masamichi Yamada, Junichi Horie, Izumi Watanabe, Keiichi Nakada
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Publication number: 20070119262Abstract: With a Coriolis mass flow meter a mass flow through a pipe is determined by exerting a force and/or moment on at least one location on the pipe, such that vibrations of several vibration modes are excited. The magnitude is determined of the force and/or the moment with which the pipe is excited. The response of the pipe is measured at multiple locations between two clamping points of the pipes, at excitations with several different frequencies. The sensitivity of the response to the mass flow is calculated on the basis of a model which comprises as free parameters the mass flow and model parameters which determine the sensitivity, wherein the mass flow and the model parameters are estimated that correspond with the combination of the force and/or the moment and the response measured for the different frequencies.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 11, 2004Publication date: May 31, 2007Applicant: Nederlands Organisatie voor toegepast- natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek TNOInventor: Rolf Bartstra
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Patent number: 7216549Abstract: A measurement transducer includes a transducer housing, which exhibits a multiplicity of natural oscillation modes and at least a first measuring tube for conveying at least a volume fraction of the medium to be measured. The measuring tube is held to oscillation in the transducer housing and vibrator, at least at times. Also included is an electromechanical, exciter mechanism acting on the at least one measuring tube and a sensor arrangement reacting to movements, i.e. bending oscillations, of the measuring tube. Also included is a first support element fixed, i.e. directly, to the transducer housing and serving for the formation of essentially locationally fixed oscillation nodes in the transducer housing for suppressing or erasing at least one natural oscillation mode of the transducer housing.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2005Date of Patent: May 15, 2007Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Alfred Rieder, Christian Schuetze, Martin Anklin-Imhof
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Patent number: 7213469Abstract: A transducer has at least one at least temporarily vibrating flow tube of predeterminable lumen for conducting a fluid. The flow tube communicates with a connected pipe via an inlet tube section (103), ending in an inlet end, and an outlet tube section, ending in an outlet end, and in operation performs flexural vibrations about an axis of vibration joining the inlet and outlet ends. The flow tube has at least one arcuate tube section of predeterminable three-dimensional shape which adjoins a straight tube segment on the inlet side and a straight tube segment on the outlet side. At least one stiffening element is fixed directly on or in close proximity to the arcuate tube segment to stabilize the three-dimensional shape. By means of the at least one stiffening element, the cross sensitivity of the transducer is greatly reduced, so that cross talks from pressure to mass flow signals are minimized and the accuracy of the transducer is improved.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2006Date of Patent: May 8, 2007Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Alfred Wenger, Martin Anklin
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Publication number: 20070095151Abstract: A flow tube (3) composed of a bent tube having a shape symmetrical with respect to a first axis is supported at its both ends by support portions (8, 8) having an outlet and inlet respectively. A drive device (4) for alternately driving the flow tube (3) rotationally about a second axis connecting the positions where the flow tube (3) is supported is disposed on the vertical axis of a Coriolis flowmeter (1). A pair of second drive devices (5, 5) for alternately driving the flow tube (3) rotationally are disposed at positions laterally symmetrical with respect to the drive device (4). The paired second drive devices (5, 5) are driven in phase; the drive device (4) is driven with the opposite phase to those of the second drive devices (5, 5). A pair of vibration detecting sensors (6, 6) are disposed between the drive device (4) and one of the second drive device (5) and between the drive device (4) and the other (5) respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2004Publication date: May 3, 2007Inventor: Hirokazu Kitami
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Publication number: 20070095152Abstract: A measurement pickup includes at least four measuring tubes for conveying media to be measured. Each measuring tube has a first in-/outlet end and a second in-/outlet end. During operation, the measuring tubes vibrate, at least at times, especially simultaneously. The measurement pickup further includes an electromechanical exciter mechanism causing the measuring tube to vibrate, as well as a sensor arrangement reacting at least to local vibrations of the measuring tubes for producing at least one measurement signal influenced by vibrations of the measuring tubes.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 31, 2006Publication date: May 3, 2007Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Holger Bernhard
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Publication number: 20070074585Abstract: This sensor, for a fluid and suitable for use in a pipeline at least temporarily containing the fluid flowing therethrough, has at least one curved measuring tube, which vibrates during operation and guides the fluid, and a housing enclosing the measuring tube. The housing is composed of a metal cap of two cap halves and a supporting tube, in which the measuring tube is held at its inlet and outlet ends in a manner such that the tube can oscillate, and out of which a measuring tube segment protrudes sideways. Each cap half has an edge with, in each case, four edge portions. The edge portions are straight, the edge portions are curved, and the edge portions have the shape of circular arcs. The edge portions are welded continuously to the supporting tube and the edge portions are welded continuously to one another. The cap halves are cut out of a dish-shaped intermediate having a formed, surrounding edge bead, provided with the shape of a quarter-torus by metal spinning.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2006Publication date: April 5, 2007Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Christian Schutze
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Publication number: 20070034019Abstract: When outputs from two vibration detection sensors are measured by a Coriolis flowmeter in a form of phase difference time, a tube must be thinned to increase a sensitivity of the flowmeter to enable measurement and accordingly flow velocity and pressure loss increase, and a thickness of the flowmeter must be reduced and therefore a pressure resistance cannot be readily enhanced. In particular, the sensitivity of signals to flow rate is difficult to increase and, accordingly, a flow rate of a low-density gas cannot be accurately measured. In the present invention, a Coriolis vibration frame 16 carrying a U-shaped tube is swingably fixed to a forced vibration frame 19 fixed to a support base 22 to form a highly rigid frame structure limiting a vibrating direction to one degree of freedom in a Coriolis vibration direction. The forced vibration frame 19 is vibrated by a vibration exciter 20 so that a ratio of a forced vibration frequency to the Coriolis frequency of a pipeline is at least 1 to 10.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 12, 2004Publication date: February 15, 2007Inventors: Ryoji Doihara, Masaki Takamoto, Yoshiya Terao
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Patent number: 7168329Abstract: A Coriolis mass flowmeter (300) having a low mass drive system comprising a driver coil (D) for vibrating flow tube means (102). The Coriolis mass flowmeter does not use a magnet affixed to the flow tube means. Instead, the flow tube means is coated with or is integral to magnetic material (103) that responds to the magnetic fields generated by the driver coil to vibrate the flow tube means. The flow tube means may comprise one (102) or more (1402C1, 1402C2) flow tubes. The magnetic material may be ferrous material devoid of an internal magnetic field. Alternatively the magnetic material may be steel or stainless steel having internal magnetic fields.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 2003Date of Patent: January 30, 2007Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventors: Mark James Bell, Roger Scott Loving, Joseph C. Dille
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Patent number: 7162931Abstract: The apparatus includes at least one heat exchanger secured on an inline measuring device. Temperature-control fluid flows through a heat exchanger, at least at times during operation, for the purpose of transporting heat. The apparatus additionally includes securement structure for the, especially releasable, fixing of the heat exchanger externally on the inline measuring device. The heat exchanger has an inner wall especially a trough- or dish-shaped inner wall, contacting the inline measuring device externally at least partially flushly, as well as an outer wall fixed to the inner wall. The outer wall is connected with the inner wall via a connecting seam running along an edge region and sealing against escape of the temperature-control fluid, and via a plurality of, especially point, or ring, shaped, inner connection locations, which are arranged spaced from one another in an inner region at least partially enclosed by the edge connection seam.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 2005Date of Patent: January 16, 2007Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Thiérry Moser, Roland Unterseh, Michael Fuchs, Patrick Oudoire
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Publication number: 20060283264Abstract: A Coriolis mass meter with two tube sections connected by a coupling extending between connection points of the tube sections wherein the coupling extends a distance between the connection points which exceeds the shortest perpendicular distance between the first and the second tube sections. The coupling facilitates less stiffness of the tubes against Coriolis oscillation and thus provides a mass meter with a stronger and potentially more reliable measuring signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2006Publication date: December 21, 2006Inventor: Jan Zangenberg
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Patent number: 7143655Abstract: The magnetic circuit arrangement, which is preferably used in a fluid-measuring transducer, comprises at least one coil which is traversed in operation by a current. It further comprises two armatures that are fixed to two flow tubes vibrating in phase opposition. The coil is float-mounted by means of a holder to a double flow tube configuration formed by the flow tubes. The armatures are shaped and aligned relative to each other in such a manner that magnetic fields produced by means of the magnetic circuit arrangement are essentially concentrated within the magnetic circuit arrangement, whereby the latter is also largely insensitive to extraneous magnetic fields. The magnetic circuit arrangement is marked by a long service life and, particularly if the transducer is used for fluids with high and/or varying temperatures, by constantly high accuracy in operation.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2005Date of Patent: December 5, 2006Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Christian Schutze
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Publication number: 20060266129Abstract: An inline measuring device serves for measuring a medium, especially a gaseous and/or liquid medium, in a pipeline. It includes, a vibration-type measurement pickup and a measuring device electronics electrically coupled with the measurement pickup. The measurement pickup has at least one measuring tube vibrating during operation and communicating with the pipeline, an electromechanical, especially electrodynamic, exciter mechanism acting on the at least one measuring tube for producing and maintaining mechanical oscillations of the measuring tube, a sensor arrangement for producing at least one oscillation measurement signal representing oscillations of the measuring tube and having at least one oscillation sensor arranged on the measuring tube or in its vicinity, and a measurement pickup housing.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2006Publication date: November 30, 2006Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventor: Gerhard Eckert
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Patent number: 7134348Abstract: A method for operating a Coriolis mass flowmeter incorporates a measuring tube through which flows a medium and which is stimulated into oscillating at a minimum of one frequency, the resulting oscillations of the measuring tube being detected and measured. The viscosity of the medium flowing through the measuring tube is determined as a function of the pressure drop along the measuring tube, thus permitting a precise determination of the viscosity in simple and reliable fashion.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2005Date of Patent: November 14, 2006Assignee: Krohne AGInventor: Kourosh Kolahi
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Patent number: 7136777Abstract: A Coriolis mass flowmeter incorporates at least one measuring tube, at least one oscillator for the excitation of the measuring tube and at least one oscillation detector for registering the oscillations of the measuring tube, with an activator serving to energize the oscillator, at least one evaluation unit serving to analyze the oscillations registered by the oscillation detector, an excitation signal path including excitation signal-path devices provided between the activator and the oscillator for transmitting an excitation signal, and a measuring signal path with measuring signal-path devices provided between the oscillation detector and the evaluation unit for transmitting the measuring signal.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2004Date of Patent: November 14, 2006Assignee: Krohne A.G.Inventor: Ralf Storm
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Patent number: 7134347Abstract: This sensor (1), for a fluid and suitable for use in a pipeline at least temporarily containing the fluid flowing therethrough, has at least one curved measuring tube (4, 5), which vibrates during operation and guides the fluid, and a housing enclosing the measuring tube. The housing is composed of a metal cap (7) of two cap halves (71, 72) and a supporting tube (6), in which the measuring tube is held at its inlet and outlet ends in a manner such that the tube can oscillate, and out of which a measuring tube segment protrudes sideways. Each cap half has an edge (73; 74) with, in each case, four edge portions (731, 732, 733, 734; 741, 742, 743, 744). The edge portions (731; 741) are straight, the edge portions (732, 733; 742, 743) are curved, and the edge portions (734; 744) have the shape of circular arcs. The edge portions (731, 732, 733; 741, 742, 743) are welded continuously to the supporting tube (6) and the edge portions (734; 744) are welded continuously to one another.Type: GrantFiled: August 17, 2002Date of Patent: November 14, 2006Assignee: Endress+Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ennio Bitto, Christian Schütze
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Patent number: 7136761Abstract: A controller for a flowmeter includes an input module operable to receive a sensor signal from a sensor connected to a vibratable flowtube. The sensor signal is related to a fluid flow through the flowtube. The controller also includes a signal processing system operable to receive the sensor signal, determine sensor signal characteristics, and output drive signal characteristics for a drive signal applied to the flowtube. An output module is operable to output the drive signal to the flowtube and a control system is operable to modify the drive signal and thereby maintain oscillation of the flowtube during a transition of the flowtube from a substantially empty state to a substantially full state.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2005Date of Patent: November 14, 2006Assignee: Invensys Systems, Inc.Inventors: Manus P. Henry, David W. Clarke, James H. Vignos
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Publication number: 20060243067Abstract: A mass flowmeter of the Coriolis type with a tube that forms a mechanically closed loop through which a medium flows during operation, and with preferably electromagnetic, contactless excitation elements for causing the loop to rotate in an oscillatory mode about an axis of rotation during operation. The loop has a starting point and an end point. The starting and end points are situated close together and are connected to a flexible inlet tube and a flexible outlet tube, respectively, which extend preferably in parallel and close together. The loop is resiliently suspended from the frame of the flowmeter via the flexible inlet and outlet tubes, which preferably form one integral piece with the tube of the loop.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2006Publication date: November 2, 2006Applicant: BERKIN B.V.Inventors: Aditya Mehendale, Joost Lotters, Jan Zwikker
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Patent number: 7127815Abstract: A method of manufacturing a Coriolis flowmeter for the measurement of a process material requiring an ultra high level of purity. This is achieved by forming the entire flow path of the Coriolis flow meter from a PFA plastic material that does not transfer ions from the Coriolis flowmeter to the process material flowing through the flowmeter.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2001Date of Patent: October 31, 2006Assignee: Emerson Electric Co.Inventors: Martin Andrew Schlosser, Mark James Bell, Matthew Glen Wheeler, Daniel Patrick McNulty, Leland Charles Leber
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Patent number: RE40095Abstract: A Coriolis flowmeter is operable as a vibrating tube densitometer where a flowtube is driven to vibrate at a fundamental frequency from which density of the material flowing through the flowtube may be calculated. The drive gain is monitored as an indicator of multiphase flow including gas and liquid components where a substantial increase in drive gain indicates gas damping of the flowtube vibrations due to a transient bubble entering the flowtube. The gas damping effects of the transient bubble and the correspondingly reduced density readings are remediated by the use of historical density measurements corresponding to periods of flow when no transient bubble has entered the flowtube.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2003Date of Patent: February 26, 2008Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventor: Robert E. Dutton