Measuring System for Measuring at Least One Parameter of a Fluid

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This invention concerns a measurement system, especially a clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, designed to accurately measure at least one parameter (typically flow velocity, volume flow rate, or other fluid dynamic aspects) of a fluid flowing through a pipe or tube. The system uses two external ultrasonic transducers attached to the outside wall of a pipe. One transducer acts as a sender, emitting ultrasonic signals through the pipe wall and fluid, while the other, spaced apart, acts as a receiver. The key to improved measurement precision is the electronics' ability to continuously adjust the frequency of the emitted ultrasonic signal so that it aligns closely with the dominant resonance mode of the pipe ('Lamb wave' mode), reducing angular and measurement errors even under typical installation variances. This approach enables high-precision, non-intrusive flow measurement in industrial pipes without the need for invasive installation or major alterations to the pipe system.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Measuring flow velocity and volumetric flow of liquids, gases, or dispersions in industrial pipelines.
• Non-intrusive flow monitoring in water supply or wastewater systems.
• Measuring oil, fuel, or petrochemical flow rates in pipelines without system shutdowns.
• Real-time flow measurement in chemical processing or energy generation plants for automation and control systems.
• Pipeline monitoring for safety, maintenance, and efficiency optimization.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Non-invasive setup: no pipe cutting or process interruption required, enabling easy retrofitting.
• Improved measurement accuracy (angle error <0.4°, <2% relative measurement error), even with mechanical tolerances or material uncertainties.
• Self-adaptive: automatically optimizes the excitation frequency for each pipe, minimizing setup errors and ensuring long-term measurement stability.
• Suitable for a wide range of fluids (liquids, gases, dispersions) and pipe materials, including thick-walled metal pipes.
• Allows for remote diagnostics and condition monitoring (e.g., detecting transducer degradation or pipe changes), increasing reliability and reducing maintenance costs.

Technical Classifications (CPCs)

Inventors & Applicants

Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a measurement system, particularly a measurement system designed as a clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, comprising a tube (10) with a lumen (10') enclosed by a tube wall (10a), said tube being configured to conduct, in its lumen, a partial volume of the fluid or to have fluid flowing through it; an ultrasonic transducer (A) which is mounted on the tube on an outer side of the tube wall that faces away from said tube lumen, and is acoustically coupled via the tube wall to fluid being conducted in the tube lumen, said transducer (A) being configured to convert a electrical voltage that changes over time into ultrasonic waves (WAB,I) that are propagated through the tube wall and further through fluid being conducted in the tube lumen; an ultrasonic transducer (B) which is mounted on the tube at a distance from the ultrasonic transducer (A), on the outer side of the tube wall, and is acoustically coupled via said tube wall to fluid being conducted in the tube lumen, said transducer (B) being configured to receive ultrasonic waves (WAB,II) propagated through fluid conducted in the tube lumen and further through the tube wall, and to convert this into an electrical voltage that changes over time; as well as an electronic operating-and-measuring system (2) that is electrically connected to both the ultrasonic transducer (A) and to the ultrasonic transducer (B). Said electronic operating-and-measuring system is configured, so as to achieve an ultrasonic transducer (B) receiving signal yB(t) having an electrical voltage uB,II that changes over time, to at least intermittently generate a driver signal xA(t), having an electrical voltage uA,i that changes over time, for said ultrasonic transducer (A), such that both said driver signal xA(t) and said receiving signal yB(t) contain a plurality of spectral signal components (xAi, yBi) as well as a dominant spectral signal component (xA, yB) specifically having a maximum power spectral density (SXXA,MAX; SyyB,MAX), and that a frequency fxa of the dominant signal component (xA) of the driver signal xA(t) deviates by an amount of no more than |+100 kHz| from a frequency fyB of the dominant signal component (yB ) of the receiving signal yB(t) and/or by no more than 10% of the frequency fyB of the dominant signal component (yB) of the receiving signal yB(t) of said frequency fyB. Moreover, the electronic operating-and-measuring system is configured to produce at least one measurement value (XM) for the at least one parameter, using said receiving signal yB(t).