Drive And Sensor Element Located On Straight Conduit Portion Patents (Class 73/861.357)
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Publication number: 20020014125Abstract: A flowmeter having a case enclosing a single straight tube surrounded by a balance bar. The balance bar ends are coupled by means of a brace bar to the flow tube as well as by case connect links to the inner wall of the case. The flow tube ends are coupled to end flanges by means of a raised element having a center opening for sealably receiving the flow tube terminus. The flow tube projects beyond the case end and is sealably coupled to a cone connect element in the case end. A void is defined by the space between the flow tube outer surface and the inner surface of the cone connect element and the end flanges to minimize the surface area of the flow tube that is affected by the weld between the case end and raised element of the end flanges. The case connect links contain out of plane bends to accommodate a change in the effective diameter of the case and the balance bar with respect to each other due to changing thermal conditions.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2001Publication date: February 7, 2002Inventors: Craig Brainerd Van Cleve, Gregory Treat Lanham, Curtis John Ollila, Ernest Dale Lister
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Patent number: 6343517Abstract: A flowmeter having a case enclosing a single straight tube surrounded by a balance bar. The balance bar ends are coupled by means of a brace bar to the flow tube as well as by case connect links to the inner wall of the case. The flow tube ends are coupled to end flanges by means of a raised element having a center opening for sealably receiving the flow tube terminus. The flow tube projects beyond the case end and is sealably coupled to a cone connect element in the case end. A void is defined by the space between the flow tube outer surface and the inner surface of the cone connect element and the end flanges to minimize the surface area of the flow tube that is affected by the weld between the case end and raised element of the end flanges. The case connect links contain out of plane bends to accommodate a change in the effective diameter of the case and the balance bar with respect to each other due to changing thermal conditions.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1999Date of Patent: February 5, 2002Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventors: Craig Brainerd Van Cleve, Gregory Treat Lanham, Curtis John Ollila, Ernest Dale Lister
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Patent number: 6336370Abstract: A mass flow meter for flowing media, which operates according to the Coriolis principle, has a straight Coriolis measuring tube, an oscillation generator acting on the Coriolis measuring tube, and at least one sensor detecting Coriolis forces and/or Coriolis oscillations based on Coriolis forces. The problem which results from the fact the mass flow meter has only one straight Coriolis measuring tube is largely eliminated by designing the Coriolis measuring tube as a flow channel of a thick-walled body, namely a thick-walled tube, the thick-walled tube having recesses accessible from the outside and reaching very close to the Coriolis measuring tube. A vibration transducer as the oscillation generator acts upon the residual material of the thick-walled tube remaining in the area of the recesses, and the Coriolis forces or Coriolis oscillations appearing in the area of the residual material of the thick-walled tube are detected by each sensor.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 1999Date of Patent: January 8, 2002Assignee: Krohne Messtechnik GmbH & Co, KGInventor: Ronald van der Pol
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Patent number: 6336369Abstract: A double-tube type Coriolis flow meter is provided for measuring mass flow. The flow meter includes a straight flow tube (4) through which the fluid being measured flows, a hollow outer tube (5) secured at both ends thereof to act as a counterbalance, a drive unit (7), and a pair of sensors. The flow tube (4) is caused to vibrate by the drive unit (7) so that the mass flow of the fluid is measured by detecting a phase difference proportional to Coriolis force acting on the flow tube (4) by the sensors. Sheet members (coupling plates 6) secure the flow tube (4) to both ends of the outer tube (5) and integrally form the coupling plate (6) with tube-assembly supporting leaf springs (14) in the double-tube type Coriolis flow meter. By connecting the flow tube to the outer tube via the sheet members in this manner, stresses produced between the tubes are absorbed and a uniform temperature distribution is maintained in the outer tube and manufacturing costs are reduced.Type: GrantFiled: September 22, 1999Date of Patent: January 8, 2002Assignee: Oval CorporationInventors: Shingo Gomi, Kimihiro Ichinose, Osamu Futagawa, Kazuhide Kobayashi
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Patent number: 6332366Abstract: In a coriolis flow meter, two drivers are provided and a measure of mass flow rate derived from the adjustment of the input signals to each driver required to achieve a desired phase shift in the output. This may give higher accuracy compared to conventional meters in which the phase shift is simply measured, and may also enable determination of other characteristics of the fluid.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 1998Date of Patent: December 25, 2001Assignee: ABB Kent-Taylor LimitedInventor: Troy Wray
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Patent number: 6332367Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a fluid flowing through a minimal flow pipeline with a Coriolis effect mass flowmeter. The flowmeter has a single flow tube with two loops. The loops are connected by a cross-over section. A driver oscillates the loops and the phase difference between the ends of the loops is measured. The measured phase difference is then used to find the flow rate of the fluid. The flow tube is fixedly attached to an anchor which is, in turn, attached to a housing. The anchor separate the vibrating, dynamic portion of the flowmeter from the non-vibrating portion of the flowmeter.Type: GrantFiled: March 11, 1997Date of Patent: December 25, 2001Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventors: Curtis John Ollila, David Frederick Normen, Ernest Dale Lister
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Patent number: 6330832Abstract: An apparatus for enclosing a flow tube of a device for measuring properties of a material flowing through the flow tube having a casing and a veneer. The casing substantially encloses flow tube from inlet end to outlet end and withstands the structural load of the flow tube. The veneer encloses the casing and provides a sanitary surface for said casing.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1999Date of Patent: December 18, 2001Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventors: David F. Normen, Michael Leon Overfeldt
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Publication number: 20010049971Abstract: A sensitivity of a Coriolis flowmeter, which is also utilizable as a density meter, composed of a straight conduit through which a fluid to be measured flows, and two counter straight rods that are aligned on both sides of the conduit in parallel, in which one end of the conduit and each one end of the counter rods are fixed to a common support block and another end of the conduit and each another end of the counter rods are fixed to anther common support block, is improved by adjusting each support block to have a length of {fraction (3/10)} or more of the length of the conduit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2001Publication date: December 13, 2001Inventor: Yoshiro Tomikawa
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Patent number: 6327914Abstract: 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: September 30, 1998Date of Patent: December 11, 2001Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventor: Robert E. Dutton
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Patent number: 6327915Abstract: Method and apparatus for providing compensation of mass flow rate and density for the flow tube of a single straight flow tube Coriolis flowmeter. Thermal stress compensation is provided by the use of a plurality of sensors on various portions of the flowmeter. A first sensor is coupled to the flow tube and provides information regarding the flow tube temperature. A plurality of additional sensors are connected to form a network having a two wire output. The additional sensors apply a composite signal over the two wire output of the network to meter electronics. The network signal represents the composite temperature of the flowmeter elements that can cause thermal stress on the flow tube when a temperature differential exists between the flow tube and the temperature of these plurality of elements. The additional elements include the balance bar and the flowmeter case. Sensitivity compensation is provided by the use of a novel algorithm.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 1999Date of Patent: December 11, 2001Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventors: Craig Brainerd Van Cleve, Charles Paul Stack, Gregory Treat Lanham
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Publication number: 20010039841Abstract: A balance bar for a straight tube Coriolis flowmeter. The balance bar is preferably manufactured by process that provides an increased number of flowmeter elements integral to the balance bar. These integral elements comprise: brace bars at each end of the balance bar, rib elements on each side of the balance bar to raise the horizontal vibration frequency, a surface to facilitate the mounting of a driver to the balance bar and to a flow tube surrounded by the balance bar, surfaces to facilitate the mounting of sensors to the balance bar and flow tube, voids that lower the resonant frequency of the balance bar in a drive plane, and a cavity that makes the vibration amplitude of the balance bar less than that of the flow tube. Said element that lowers the resonant frequency of the balance bar also makes the flowmeter calibration factor independent of density.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2001Publication date: November 15, 2001Inventors: Craig Brainerd Van Cleve, Gregory Treat Lanham, Robert Barclay Garnett, Curtis John Ollila, Rachael Esther Cohen
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Patent number: 6314820Abstract: Signal processing of Coriolis flowmeter output signals is improved by increasing the frequency separation between the flow tube drive frequency and unwanted lateral mode vibration frequencies. A cylindrical lateral mode stabilizer surrounds the flow tube near each flow tube end and is positioned between the flow tube and a surrounding balance bar. Axially lateral extensions on opposing circumferential sides of each lateral mode stabilizer element stiffen the flow tube ends for only lateral vibrations. This raises the lateral mode vibration frequency of the flow tube while leaving the drive mode frequency relatively unaffected.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 1999Date of Patent: November 13, 2001Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventor: Curtis John Ollila
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Patent number: 6301973Abstract: Method and apparatus are provided for determining pressure using a non-intrusive sensor that is easily attachable to the plumbing of a pressurized system. A bent mode implementation and a hoop mode implementation of the invention are disclosed. Each of these implementations is able to non-intrusively measure pressure while fluid is flowing. As well, each implementation may be used to measure mass flow rate simultaneously with pressure. An ultra low noise control system is provided for making pressure measurements during gas flow. The control system includes two tunable digital bandpass filters with center frequencies that are responsive to a clock frequency. The clock frequency is divided by a factor of N to produce a driving vibrational signal for resonating a metal sensor section.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 1999Date of Patent: October 16, 2001Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationInventor: William C. Smith
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Patent number: 6301974Abstract: A mass flowmeter is described and depicted that operates according to the Coriolis principle, with a straight Coriolis tube that conducts the flowing medium, with an oscillation driver, assigned to the Coriolis tube and which excites the Coriolis tube, with two detectors assigned to the Coriolis tube and which register Coriolis forces, or Coriolis oscillations caused by Coriolis forces, and with shell that encloses the Coriolis tube. The mass flowmeter has a notably smaller total length relative to the nominal length of the Coriolis tube than mass flowmeters made according to the prior art because the Coriolis tube is flexibly mounted to an inlet and outlet in the shell.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2000Date of Patent: October 16, 2001Assignee: Krohne A.G.Inventors: Roland van der Pol, Yousif A. Hussain
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Publication number: 20010006007Abstract: A mass flowmeter operating by the Coriolis principle incorporates a straight Coriolis measuring tube through which flows a fluid or medium, at least one oscillator associated with and exciting the Coriolis measuring tube, and at least one detector associated with the Coriolis measuring tube for capturing the Coriolis forces and/or the Coriolis-force-induced oscillations. To provide a Coriolis flowmeter incorporating a Coriolis measuring tube which is subject to only minimal thermal expansion and, accordingly, to only minimal thermal stress, and which is resistant to chemicals, the Coriolis measuring tube is made of a ceramic material.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2000Publication date: July 5, 2001Inventors: Lawrence Davies, Yousif Hussain, Chris N. Rolph
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Patent number: 6233526Abstract: A process parameter sensor for a material processing system includes a conduit configured to contain material from the material processing system. A plurality of motion transducers is operative to produce a plurality of motion signals representing motion at a number of locations on the conduit. An overdetermined process parameter estimator is responsive to the plurality of motion transducers and configured to receive the plurality of motion signals. The overdetermined process parameter estimator is operative to resolve conduit motion into motion attributable to each of a predetermined number of forces and to estimate a process parameter associated with a material in the conduit according to the resolved motion, wherein the number of locations exceeds the number of forces such that the plurality of motion signals provides an overdetermined information set for resolution of conduit motion into motion attributable to the predetermined number of forces.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 1998Date of Patent: May 15, 2001Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventor: Timothy J. Cunningham
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Patent number: 6230104Abstract: An oscillatory vibration driver is operably connected to a Coriolis flowmeter for use in vibrating the meter flow tubes. The meter electronics contain a mimetic circuit that permits use of the driver as a signal pickoff which provides a measurement of back electromotive force for use in calculating mass flow rate and density from the Coriolis flowmeter. The mimetic circuit contains an analog coil and magnet that facilitate the measurement of back electromotive force, or the mimetic circuit may comprise digital means.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 1997Date of Patent: May 8, 2001Assignee: Micro Motion, Inc.Inventors: Stuart J. Shelley, Timothy J. Cunningham
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Patent number: 6223605Abstract: A Coriolis-type mass flow sensor (1) is disclosed which is as insusceptible to external disturbances as possible and which can be installed in a conduit and, during operation, is traversed by a fluid to be measured. The conduit is connected via a fluid inlet (113) and a fluid outlet (114) with a casing (11) in which a rigid support base (12) is disposed. The support base (12) is connected with the casing via at least one mechanical damping element (13, 14, 20). A measuring tube (15) traversed by the fluid ends in the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet. A portion (151) of the measuring tube which is to be set into vibration is attached to the support base by an inlet-side fixing means (121) and an outlet-side fixing means (122). An inlet-side connecting portion (152) of the measuring tube extends from the inlet-side fixing means (121) to the fluid inlet (113), and an outlet-side connecting portion (153) extends from the outlet-side fixing means (122) to the fluid outlet (114).Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 1998Date of Patent: May 1, 2001Assignee: Endress + Hauser Flowtec AGInventors: Ole Koudal, Alfred Wenger
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Patent number: 6205865Abstract: A mass flowmeter for flowing media, which operates according to the Coriolis principle, with one at least basically straight Coriolis line guiding the flowing medium, with at least one oscillation generator acting on the Coriolis line, with at least one sensor detecting Coriolis oscillations based on a Coriolis force and/or Coriolis forces, and with a compensation cylinder, the Coriolis line being located within the compensation cylinder and mechanically connected with the compensation cylinder. According to the invention, the mass flowmeter is designed and further developed so that the oscillation properties of the compensation cylinder essentially correspond to those of the Coriolis line, so that, during operation, the compensation cylinder and the Coriolis line oscillate opposite one another in the manner of a tuning fork.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2000Date of Patent: March 27, 2001Assignee: Hedstrom CorporationInventor: Yousif A. Hussain
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Patent number: 6178828Abstract: A driver is provided for a Coriolis flow meter having a flow tube adapted to vibrate at a predetermined resonance frequency to determine mass flow rate of a fluid passing therethrough. The driver includes a coil, a ferromagnetic core disposed coaxially within the coil, and a spring adapted to resiliently fasten the ferromagnetic core and the coil to one another. The coil is adapted for being rigidly disposed on the flow tube and the ferromagnetic core is adapted to oscillate within the coil in response to excitation of the coil. The spring serves to guide and dampen the oscillations of the ferromagnetic core relative to the coil so that the driver is free from attachment to a non-moving object. A pivotable and/or flexible restraint may be provided to maintain the core along a curved path to centripetally accelerate the core.Type: GrantFiled: February 11, 1998Date of Patent: January 30, 2001Inventor: Wade M. Mattar
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Patent number: 6170339Abstract: A mass flowmeter is described and depicted that operates according to the Coriolis principle, with a straight Coriolis tube that conducts the flowing medium, with an oscillation driver, assigned to the Coriolis tube and which excites the Coriolis tube, with two detectors assigned to the Coriolis tube and which register Coriolis forces, or Coriolis oscillations caused by Coriolis forces, and with shell that encloses the Coriolis tube. The mass flowmeter has a notably smaller total length relative to the nominal length of the Coriolis tube than mass flowmeters made according to the prior art because the Coriolis tube is flexibly mounted to an inlet and outlet in the shell.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 1998Date of Patent: January 9, 2001Assignee: Krohne A.G.Inventors: Roland van der Pol, Yousif A. Hussain