Drive And Sensor Element Located On Straight Conduit Portion Patents (Class 73/861.357)
  • Publication number: 20090084195
    Abstract: A straight tube type Coriolis flowmeter (21) is equipped with a straight-tube-type flow tube (3), a drive device (7) for driving by a tertiary mode vibration, a pair of detection unit (8) for detecting a phase difference proportional to a Coriolis force, a pedestal (22) having rigidity, and elastic connection members (23) having elasticity. Assuming that an axial direction of the flow tube (3) is a Z-axis, that a driving direction of the drive device (7) is an X-axis, and that a direction orthogonal to the Z-axis and the X-axis is a Y-axis, the elastic connection members (23) are of a structure exhibiting lower rigidity in the Z-axis direction than in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and exhibiting lower rigidity in a direction of rotation around the Y-axis than in a direction of rotation around the Z-axis and a direction of rotation around the X-axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2006
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Inventor: Yuichi Nakao
  • Patent number: 7509879
    Abstract: A measurement pickup, or transducer, includes at least one measuring tube for the conveying of a fluid. The measuring tube has an inlet end and an outlet end and vibrates at least at times. For enabling the fluid to be measured to flow through the measuring tube, the measuring tube communicates, via a first tube segment opening into the inlet end and via a second tube segment opening into the outlet end, with a pipeline connected therewith. For the oscillatable holding of the measuring tube, the measurement pickup further includes a support element having a first end piece containing a passageway for the securement of the first tube segment and having a second end piece containing a passageway for the securement of the second tube segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Patent number: 7497130
    Abstract: A flow meter assembly includes a flow meter including a tube through which a fluid flows. The flow meter is operable to measure the amount of fluid flowing through the tube. A liner is positioned within the tube and is removably coupled with the tube such that fluid flowing through the tube flows through the liner without contacting an inner surface of the tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2009
    Assignee: PDC Facilities, Inc.
    Inventors: Elmer B. Woods, Bruce A. Bliefnick, James P. Maslowski
  • Patent number: 7490521
    Abstract: The measurement transducer includes: A measuring tube vibrating at least at times during operation and serving for the conveying of a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece at an inlet end and an outlet tube piece at an outlet end; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet end to form a first coupling zone and affixed to the measuring tube on the outlet end to form a second coupling zone; and a first cantilever for producing bending moments in the inlet tube piece and coupled with the inlet tube piece and the measuring tube essentially rigidly in the area of the first coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the inlet tube piece, as well as a second cantilever for producing bending moments in the outlet tube piece and coupled essentially rigidly with the outlet tube piece and the measuring tube in the region of the second coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the outlet tube piece
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Rainer Lorenz, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schuetze, Michal Fuchs, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Wolfgang Drahm, Leonhard Probst
  • Publication number: 20090038412
    Abstract: A tertiary mode vibration type Coriolis flowmeter (1), comprising a flow tube (3), a drive device (4) driving the flow tube (3), and a pair of vibration detection sensors (5) detecting a phase difference in proportion to a Coriolis force acting on the flow tube (3). The drive device (4) drives the flow tube (3) by bending vibration in a tertiary mode. The flow tube (3) further comprises an approximately loop-shaped body part (12). A pair of parallel leg parts (14) and (14) deflected in a direction approximately orthogonal to the vibrating direction of both end parts (13) and (13) of the body part (12), namely, to the outside of the both end parts (13) and (13) are formed continuously with the both end parts (13) and (13) of the body part (12). Fixed end parts (16) and (16) supporting the flow tube (3) are formed at the leg parts (14) and (14).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2005
    Publication date: February 12, 2009
    Inventor: Yuichi Nakao
  • Patent number: 7475603
    Abstract: The measurement transducer includes: A measuring tube vibrating at least at times during operation and serving for the conveying of a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece at an inlet end and an outlet tube piece at an outlet end; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet end to form a first coupling zone and affixed to the measuring tube on the outlet end to form a second coupling zone; and a first cantilever for producing bending moments in the inlet tube piece and coupled with the inlet tube piece and the measuring tube essentially rigidly in the area of the first coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the inlet tube piece, as well as a second cantilever for producing bending moments in the outlet tube piece and coupled essentially rigidly with the outlet tube piece and the measuring tube in the region of the second coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the outlet tube piece
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Rainer Lorenz, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schuetze, Michal Fuchs, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Wolfgang Drahm, Leonhard Probst
  • Patent number: 7472607
    Abstract: The measurement transducer includes: A measuring tube vibrating at least at times during operation and serving for the conveying of a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece at an inlet end and an outlet tube piece at an outlet end; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet end to form a first coupling zone and affixed to the measuring tube on the outlet end to form a second coupling zone; and a first cantilever for producing bending moments in the inlet tube piece and coupled with the inlet tube piece and the measuring tube essentially rigidly in the area of the first coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the inlet tube piece, as well as a second cantilever for producing bending moments in the outlet tube piece and coupled essentially rigidly with the outlet tube piece and the measuring tube in the region of the second coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the outlet tube piece
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Rainer Lorenz, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schuetze, Michal Fuchs, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Wolfgang Drahm, Leonhard Probst
  • Patent number: 7474971
    Abstract: An example method for determining at least one characteristic of a multiphase fluid includes applying alternating energy of predetermined amplitude to a portion of a multiphase fluid and measuring the electrical impedance spectrum across the portion of the multiphase fluid, whereby a characteristic of the multiphase fluid can be determined from the measured electrical impedance spectra.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2009
    Assignee: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization
    Inventors: Shenggen Hu, Bruce Firth
  • Patent number: 7451662
    Abstract: The measurement transducer includes: At least one interconnected system (1, 2) formed by means of at least two components (1, 2), especially components (1, 2) of metal. At least the first component (1) of the interconnected system is, in such case, embodied as a composite, formed part composed of at least two materials, which differ from one another with respect to at least one physical and/or chemical property, especially a material density, melting temperature, coefficient of thermal expansion and/or modulus of elasticity, etc. As a result of using at least one composite component (1), the at least two components of the interconnected system (1, 2) can be bonded together lastingly and reliably, especially by means of welding, such being true especially also for the case in which the interconnected system is a bi-, or poly-, metal, interconnected system (1, 2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Drahm, Ennio Bitto, Rainer Lorenz
  • Patent number: 7441469
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.
    Inventors: Stuart J. Shelley, Thomas Dean Sharp
  • Publication number: 20080250871
    Abstract: A measuring transducer includes: A measuring tube vibrating, at least at times, during operation and serving for conveying a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece at an inlet end and an outlet tube piece at an outlet end; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet end to form a first coupling zone and affixed to the measuring tube on the outlet end to form a second coupling zone; and a transducer housing affixed to the inlet tube piece and the outlet tube piece. An exciter mechanism, for driving at least the measuring tube, and a sensor arrangement, for registering oscillations at least of the measuring tube, are, in each case, secured, at least in part, to the counteroscillator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Michael Fuchs, Leonhard Probst, Michael Wiesmann
  • Publication number: 20080223150
    Abstract: A measuring transducer includes: a measuring tube vibrating, at least at times, during operation and serving for conveying a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece on an inlet side and an outlet tube piece on an outlet side; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet and outlet sides to form coupling zones; an cantilever coupled with the measuring tube on the inlet side; an cantilever coupled with the measuring tube on the outlet side; a sensor arrangement secured, at least in part, to the counteroscillator for registering oscillations at least of the measuring tube; an exciter mechanism secured, at least in part, to the counteroscillator for driving at least the measuring tube; a transducer housing affixed to the inlet tube piece and to the outlet tube piece; as well as connection lines, of which at least one is secured at least pointwise to the transducer housing and at least pointwise to an inner part of the measuring transducer
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Michael Fuchs, Leonhard Probst, Michael Wiesmann
  • Publication number: 20080223149
    Abstract: The measuring transducer includes: a measuring tube vibrating, at least at times, during operation and serving for conveying a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece at an inlet end and an outlet tube piece at an outlet end; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet end to form a first coupling zone and affixed to the measuring tube on the outlet end to form a second coupling zone; a sensor arrangement secured, at least in part, to the counteroscillator for registering oscillations at least of the measuring tube; an exciter mechanism secured, at least in part, to the counteroscillator for driving at least the measuring tube; a transducer housing affixed to the inlet tube piece and the outlet tube piece; and connection lines, especially connection lines for the exciter mechanism and/or for the sensor arrangement, of which connection lines at least one is secured at least sectionally along the counteroscillator and secured at least
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Michael Fuchs, Leonhard Probst, Michael Wiesmann
  • Publication number: 20080202257
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a Coriolis mass flowmeter with an oscillatable straight measuring tube consisting of a corrosion-resistant metal, in particular of titanium or a titanium alloy, to which are attached mounted parts connected directly to the measuring tube for the implementation of the Coriolis measurement principle. Furthermore, stabilizing elements running parallel to the measuring tube are coupled to the measuring tube via mounted parts connected directly to the measuring tube, the mounted parts and the stabilizing elements consisting of a metal other than that of the measuring tube. The stabilizing elements are manufactured from a second material which possesses a coefficient of thermal expansion adapted to the metal of the measuring tube. The mounted parts connected directly to the measuring tube are manufactured from a third material which possesses a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the metal of the measuring tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2007
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Satish Gunturi, Frank Kassubek, Jorg Gebhardt, Lothar Deppe, Matthias Dettmer, Rene Friedrichs, Robert Huber, Steffen Keller
  • Patent number: 7412903
    Abstract: An inline measuring device comprises a vibratory-type transducer and a measuring device electronics electrically coupled with the vibratory-type transducer. The vibratory-type transducer includes at least one measuring tube being inserted into the course of a pipeline and serving for conducting a mixture to be measured. An exciter arrangement acting on the measuring tube for causing the at least one measuring tube to vibrate and a sensor arrangement sensing vibrations of the at least one measuring tube and delivering at least one oscillation measurement signal representing oscillations of the measuring tube. The measuring device electronics delivers an excitation current driving the exciter arrangement. Further, the inline measuring device electronics is adapted to produce a measured value representing the physical, measured quantity of the mixture to be measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm, Hao Zhu
  • Publication number: 20080184816
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Martin Anklin-Imhof, Christian Schuetze
  • Publication number: 20080184817
    Abstract: To conduct a fluid, the transducer has a flow tube which in operation is vibrated by an excitation assembly and whose inlet-side and outlet-side vibrations are sensed by means of a sensor arrangement. To produce shear forces in the fluid, the flow tube is at least intermittently excited into torsional vibrations about a longitudinal flow-tube axis. The transducer further comprises a torsional vibration absorber which is fixed to the flow tube and which in operation covibrates with the torsionally vibrating flow tube, thus producing reactive torques which at least partially balance torques developed in the vibrating flow tube. One of the advantages of the transducer disclosed is that it is dynamically balanced to a large extent even in the face of variations in fluid density or viscosity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Patent number: 7404336
    Abstract: A flowmeter is disclosed. The flowmeter includes a vibratable conduit, and a driver connected to the conduit that is operable to impart motion to the conduit. A sensor is connected to the conduit and is operable to sense the motion of the conduit and generate a sensor signal. A controller is connected to receive the sensor signal. The controller is operable to detect a single-phase flow condition and process the sensor signal using a first process during the single-phase flow condition to generate a validated mass-flow measurement. The controller is also operable to detect a two-phase flow condition and process the sensor signal using a second process during the two-phase flow condition to generate the validated mass-flow measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Invensys Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Manus P. Henry, Maria Jesus De La Fuente
  • Publication number: 20080156110
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method for fixing an attachment part on the measurement tube of a Coriolis mass flowmeter at at least two connection points. According to the disclosure, the measurement tube and the attachment part are soldered to one another in a single hard-soldering process at the same time at the at least two connection points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2007
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Applicant: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Lothar Deppe, Reinhard Steinberg, Frank Kassubek, Wolfgang Waldi, Jorg Gebhardt, Rene Friedrichs, Steffen Keller
  • Publication number: 20080156109
    Abstract: In order that a flow tube (3) of a Coriolis flowmeter (1) may be vibrated in the tertiary mode using one drive device (4), the drive device (4) is arranged at the antinode (H2) in the center of tertiary mode vibration, and vibration detecting sensors (5, 5) are arranged at two antinodes (H1, H3) other than the antinode (H2) in the center of tertiary mode vibration. Furthermore, the displacement polarity of the drive device (4) is opposite to those of the vibration detecting sensors (5, 5) so that the vibration phases of the flow tube (3) are in a relation of mutually opposite phases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Publication date: July 3, 2008
    Inventors: Yuichi Nakao, Seiji Kobayashi, Norio Sukemura
  • Patent number: 7360453
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Patent number: 7357039
    Abstract: A Coriolis mass flow measuring device includes a vibratory measuring transducer having at least one measuring tube, which has medium flowing through it during operation. In operation, the measuring tube is caused by an exciter arrangement to undergo mechanical oscillations, especially bending oscillations. Additionally, the Coriolis mass flow measuring device includes a sensor arrangement for producing oscillation measurement signals (s1, s2) representing the inlet-end and outlet-end oscillations of the measuring tube. Measuring device electronics controlling the exciter arrangement produces an exciter current (iexc) and an intermediate value (X?m) derived from the oscillation measurement signals (s1, s2). This intermediate value represents an uncorrected mass flow. Derived from the exciter current and/or from a component of the exciter current (iexc), an intermediate value (X2) is produced, which corresponds to a damping of the oscillations of the measuring tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2008
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm, Michael Fuchs, Hans-Jörg Sprich, Ibho Itin, Samuel Wyss
  • Patent number: 7343822
    Abstract: A method for operating a mass flowmeter that employs the Coriolis principle and through which flows a medium, wherein the mass flowmeter incorporates a measuring tube that can be stimulated to oscillate, the measuring tube is stimulated to oscillate at a minimum of two mutually different frequencies and/or in at least two mutually different natural oscillating modes, and the resulting oscillations of the measuring tube are recorded. The density of the medium flowing through the measuring tube is determined by evaluating the acquired oscillations of the measuring tube on the basis of a physical-mathematical model for the dynamics of the mass flowmeter. In this fashion, highly accurate measurements are obtained for determining the density of the medium flowing through the measuring tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Krohne AG
    Inventors: Kourosh Kolahi, Thorsten Schröder, Ralf Storm
  • Patent number: 7337676
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2008
    Assignee: Krohne AG
    Inventors: Youssif Hussain, Vince Cook, Chris Rolph, Tao Wang
  • Patent number: 7318356
    Abstract: A method for operating a mass flowmeter that employs the Coriolis principle and through which flows a medium, the flowmeter including a measuring tube through which passes a medium, which measuring tube is stimulated into oscillating and the resulting oscillatory response of the measuring tube is measured includes the step of gauging the pressure of the medium flowing through the measuring tube by evaluating the collected oscillatory response on the basis of a physical-mathematical model for the dynamics of the mass flowmeter. Thus, without requiring any additional devices, it is possible for a Coriolis mass flowmeter, apart from measuring the mass flow, to also measure the pressure in the measuring tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2008
    Assignee: Krohne AG
    Inventors: Kourosh Kolahi, Ralf Storm
  • Patent number: 7305892
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Krohne AG
    Inventor: Kolahi Kourosh
  • Publication number: 20070277624
    Abstract: A measurement pickup, or transducer, includes at least one measuring tube for the conveying of a fluid. The measuring tube has an inlet end and an outlet end and vibrates at least at times. For enabling the fluid to be measured to flow through the measuring tube, the measuring tube communicates, via a first tube segment opening into the inlet end and via a second tube segment opening into the outlet end, with a pipeline connected therewith. For the oscillatable holding of the measuring tube, the measurement pickup further includes a support element having a first end piece containing a passageway for the securement of the first tube segment and having a second end piece containing a passageway for the securement of the second tube segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm
  • Publication number: 20070272034
    Abstract: A method for calculating a property of a fluid includes inducing motion in a conduit such that the conduit oscillates in a first mode of vibration and a second mode of vibration. The first mode of vibration has a corresponding first frequency of vibration and the second mode of vibration has a corresponding second frequency of vibration. The conduit contains a fluid. The first frequency of vibration is determined, and the second frequency of vibration is determined. A property of the fluid based on the first frequency of vibration and the second frequency of vibration is calculated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: November 29, 2007
    Applicant: INVENSYS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Michael Tombs
  • Patent number: 7289917
    Abstract: A Coriolis flow meter, which includes: at least one measuring tube, which is excited to oscillate during measurement operation, and through which a medium flows, first and second sensors for registering a flow-dependent oscillation of the measuring tube and for producing first and second sensor signals; and two separated, signal-processing branches. According to a method of flow measurement a reference signal is superimposed on the first or second of the sensor signals, by the passing through both signal processing branches of an auxiliary signal formed by the superimposing, and by the filtering of a first, conditioned, reference signal from a first signal occurring on the output of the first signal processing branch and the filtering of a second, conditioned, reference signal from a second signal occurring on the output of the second signal processing branch, and by determining a ratio of the amplification gains of the signal processing branches on the basis of the conditioned, reference signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Endress +Hasuer Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Daniel Kuttler, Christian Matt
  • Patent number: 7275449
    Abstract: A mass flowmeter employing the Coriolis principle incorporates in at least one section two measuring tubes that extend along a common plane, as well as a connecting device that connects the two measuring tubes in the section in which they extend along the common plane. The connecting device is designed and positioned in a manner whereby its flexural strength for flections in the common plane of the measuring tubes is greater than its torsional rigidity for torsional oscillations around the connecting line between the two measuring tubes. This achieves good frequency separation between the excitation oscillations generated in the common plane of the measuring tubes and the oscillations of the measuring tubes perpendicular to the former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Krohne AG
    Inventors: Yousif Hussain, Chris N. Rolph, Vincent Cook
  • Publication number: 20070199389
    Abstract: Motion is induced in a conduit that contains a fluid. The motion is induced such that the conduit oscillates in a first mode of vibration and a second mode of vibration. The first mode of vibration has a corresponding first frequency of vibration and the second mode of vibration has a corresponding second frequency of vibration. The first and the second frequencies vary with temperature. A first temperature that influences the first mode of vibration is determined and a second temperature that influences the second mode of vibration is determined. A property of the fluid is determined based on the first temperature and the second temperature such that the property is compensated for the first or second frequencies variation with temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: INVENSYS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventor: Michael Tombs
  • Publication number: 20070186685
    Abstract: The measurement transducer includes: A measuring tube vibrating at least at times during operation and serving for the conveying of a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece at an inlet end and an outlet tube piece at an outlet end; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet end to form a first coupling zone and affixed to the measuring tube on the outlet end to form a second coupling zone; and a first cantilever for producing bending moments in the inlet tube piece and coupled with the inlet tube piece and the measuring tube essentially rigidly in the area of the first coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the inlet tube piece, as well as a second cantilever for producing bending moments in the outlet tube piece and coupled essentially rigidly with the outlet tube piece and the measuring tube in the region of the second coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the outlet tube piece
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Rainer Lorenz, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schuetze, Michael Fuchs, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Wolfgang Drahm, Leonhard Probst
  • Publication number: 20070186684
    Abstract: A vibrating tube meter measures the density, mass flow rate or viscosity of a fluid material including a vibration section. An exciter induces vibrations in the tube vibration section at a resonance frequency. A motion sensor detects motion of the tube from the induced vibrations. A helical coil spring has opposing ends coupled to the tube with the tube positioned within the interior of the coil spring. An external housing is rigidly coupled to the tube inlet end and outlet end and has a mass selected to provide a suitable nodal mass for the tube vibration section and spring element. Temperature sensors are coupled to the tube, the spring element and the external housing. A pressure sensor is coupled to the tube. A processor includes a drive amplifier and a novel adaptive filter and processes signals form the sensors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2004
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Inventor: Nghieu Pham
  • Publication number: 20070186686
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2006
    Publication date: August 16, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Drahm, Alfred Rieder
  • Publication number: 20070163363
    Abstract: 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 arranged 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 inlet portion 4 and the second inlet portion 6 and the first outlet portion 5 and the second outlet portion 7 being arranged symmetrically. Further, the first outlet portion 5, the second inlet portion 6, and the connecting tube portion 9 are arranged such that their three tube axes are in a straight line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2004
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Inventors: Hirokazu Kitami, Yuichi Nakao, Norio Sukemura
  • Publication number: 20070151368
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Applicant: KROHNE AG
    Inventors: Youssif Hussain, Vince Cook, Chris Rolph, Tao Wang
  • Publication number: 20070151370
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Christian Schuetze, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Christof Huber, Dieter Mundschin, Michael Lambrigger
  • Publication number: 20070151369
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Sergej Lopatin, Christian Matt, Helmut Pfeiffer, Alfred Rieder, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Martin Stucki
  • Publication number: 20070151371
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2006
    Publication date: July 5, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Christian Schutze, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Christof Huber, Dieter Mundschin, Michael Lambrigger
  • Patent number: 7234363
    Abstract: The invention relates to a mass flow meter for flowing media, which operates according to the Coriolis principle. At least one oscillator and at lest one sensor that detects Coriolis forces and/or oscillations based on Coriolis forces are mounted on a Coriolis measuring tube. As evaluation unit determines a measured flow valve from the measurement signal of the sensor. Means are provided which make it possible to detect zero flow in the measuring tube regardless of the detection of Coriolis forces and/or oscillations based on Coriolis forces and generate a corresponding measurement signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2007
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Hans-Georg Kumpfmüller
  • Publication number: 20070137313
    Abstract: An inline measuring device includes a vibration-type measurement pickup having at least one measuring tube, which has a medium to be measured flowing through it during operation. The measuring tube is made by means of an exciter arrangement to execute, at least at times and/or at least in part, lateral oscillations and, at least at times and/or at least in part, torsional oscillations about an imaginary measuring tube longitudinal axis. The torsional oscillations alternate with the lateral oscillations or are, at times, superimposed thereon. Also included is a sensor arrangement for producing oscillation measurement signals correspondingly representing oscillations of the measuring tube. Measuring device electronics controlling the exciter arrangement generates, by means of at least one of the oscillation measurement signals and/or by means of the exciter current, at least at times, at least one measured value, which represents the at least one physical quantity to be measured.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Alfred Rieder, Wolfgang Drahm, Michael Fuchs, Hans-Jorg Sprich, Ibho Itin, Samuel Wyss
  • Patent number: 7228749
    Abstract: A coriolis mass flow pick-up is disclosed, which can be inserted into a pipeline and has a fluid to be measured flowing through it during operation. The pick-up includes a single measuring pipe, which has an inlet end and an outlet end, an exciter arrangement, which causes the measuring pipe to carry out at least first bending oscillations, and at least two sensors for sensing movement of the measuring pipe. At least two elongate connection parts, which extend freely essentially parallel to the measuring pipe and whose central axes are displaced from the axis of the measuring pipe, are connected on the input side and the output side to the measuring pipe. The connection parts carry out second bending oscillations in the event of an oscillating measuring pipe, with the result that, by the second bending oscillations of the connection parts being superimposed by the oscillations of the measuring pipe, bending forces and torsional moments at the inlet and outlet ends of the measuring pipe are compensated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Frank Kassubek, Jörg Gebhardt, René Friedrichs, Wolfgang Waldi, Steffen Keller, Kuno Hug
  • Patent number: 7228614
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignees: Hitachi, Ltd., Hitachi Car Engineering Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masamichi Yamada, Junichi Horie, Izumi Watanabe, Keiichi Nakada
  • Publication number: 20070119264
    Abstract: The measurement transducer includes: A measuring tube vibrating at least at times during operation and serving for the conveying of a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece at an inlet end and an outlet tube piece at an outlet end; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet end to form a first coupling zone and affixed to the measuring tube on the outlet end to form a second coupling zone; and a first cantilever for producing bending moments in the inlet tube piece and coupled with the inlet tube piece and the measuring tube essentially rigidly in the area of the first coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the inlet tube piece, as well as a second cantilever for producing bending moments in the outlet tube piece and coupled essentially rigidly with the outlet tube piece and the measuring tube in the region of the second coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the outlet tube piece
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Rainer Lorenz, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schuetze, Michael Fuchs, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Wolfgang Drahm, Leonhard Probst
  • Publication number: 20070119265
    Abstract: The measurement transducer includes: A measuring tube vibrating at least at times during operation and serving for the conveying of a medium, wherein the measuring tube communicates with a pipeline via an inlet tube piece at an inlet end and an outlet tube piece at an outlet end; a counteroscillator, which is affixed to the measuring tube on the inlet end to form a first coupling zone and affixed to the measuring tube on the outlet end to form a second coupling zone; and a first cantilever for producing bending moments in the inlet tube piece and coupled with the inlet tube piece and the measuring tube essentially rigidly in the area of the first coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the inlet tube piece, as well as a second cantilever for producing bending moments in the outlet tube piece and coupled essentially rigidly with the outlet tube piece and the measuring tube in the region of the second coupling zone and having a center of mass lying in the region of the outlet tube piece
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2006
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Applicant: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AG
    Inventors: Ennio Bitto, Gerhard Eckert, Rainer Lorenz, Alfred Rieder, Christian Schuetze, Michal Fuchs, Martin Anklin-Imhof, Wolfgang Drahm, Leonhard Probst
  • Publication number: 20070113678
    Abstract: A method of testing a mass flow rate meter functioning on the Coriolis principle, in which an apparatus of the mass flow rate meter is subjected to a predetermined oscillation excitation and the associated oscillation response is recorded. Then the recorded oscillation response is compared with a previously recorded oscillation response. Testing of the Coriolis mass flow rate meter with regard, for example, to error tolerances in the manufacturing or with regard to a calibration condition is thereby enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2006
    Publication date: May 24, 2007
    Applicant: KROHNE AG
    Inventors: Roger Baker, Tao Wang, Yousif Hussain, Jim Woodhouse
  • Patent number: 7216550
    Abstract: A device and a method for operating a Coriolis mass flowmeter with at least one measuring pipe, wherein at least two operative assemblies, which can respectively be operated as an exciter (actuator) and/or as a measuring signal pickup (sensor), are attached to the measuring pipe. The operative assemblies are formed as plunger-type armature sensors with a magnetic core. Each operative assembly is operated either as a sensor or as an actuator or simultaneously as an actuator and as a sensor. Each operative assembly is switched over between the operating mode as a sensor and as an actuator by a switch assigned to it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Ralf Lesjak, Rene Friedrichs, Jorg Gebhardt, Steffen Keller, Frank Kassubek
  • Patent number: 7213470
    Abstract: Coriolis mass flowmeter with a measuring pipe (2) vibrating in coupled flexural and torsional modes, characterized in that an attachment (20) which is formed rotationally symmetrically with respect to an axis of rotational symmetry and can be made to undergo torsional oscillations of the same frequency, but opposite phase, in relation to the torsional oscillating modes of the measuring pipe (2) is mechanically connected to the measuring pipe (2) and the axis of rotational symmetry of the attachment runs parallel to the straight line (8) (central axis) defined by the center points (4a, 6a) of the cross-sectional areas (4, 6) of the inlet and outlet of the measured section or coincides with this line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: ABB Patent GmbH
    Inventors: Jorg Gebhardt, Frank Kassubek, Rene Friedrichs, Wolfgang Waldi, Steffen Keller, Jorg Herwig, Lothar Deppe, Kuno Hug, Armin Gasch
  • Publication number: 20070062309
    Abstract: A device for measuring the mass rate of flow which operates according to the Coriolis principle, with a measurement tube (1) and a magnet coil (7) of a bobbin (9) and a winding (10) attached to it for exciting and/or detecting vibrations of the measurement tube (1). The bobbin (9) of the magnet coil (7) has a specific thermal conductivity of at least 1 W/(K m). This enables the heat which forms in the magnet coil (7) to be efficiently dissipated to the surrounding vicinity without cooling elements, such as cooling fins, being necessary. In this way, the efficiency of the device for measuring the mass rate of flow using the Coriolis principle is altogether improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: Krohne AG
    Inventor: Lawrence DAVIES
  • Patent number: RE40095
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.
    Inventor: Robert E. Dutton