IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,997,581
Granted Patent B2
US 8,997,581 · App. 13/511,622 · Granted Apr 7, 2015

Flow rate measuring device

Inventors: Harumichi Sato (Tsukuba, JP); Jun Akedo (Tsukuba, JP); Eiichi Murakami (Tokyo, JP)
Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology Atsuden Co., Ltd.
G01F1/667
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,997,581
App. No.
13/511,622
Granted
Apr 7, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

[Problem] A flow rate measuring device in which guided waves are used, wherein the frequency of ultrasound is optimized; and energy injected from ultrasound transmission/reception elements is increased and the flow velocity sensitivity is raised; whereby the measurement accuracy is improved. [Solution] A frequency of an isolated peak of group velocities of guided waves, from among a plurality of peaks of group velocities of guided waves, and a resonance frequency of the ultrasound transmission element/reception element are set to agree; and the semi-amplitude of a power spectrum of ultrasound excited/received by the ultrasound transmission element/reception element is set to a value that does not overlap with another peak of group velocities.

Claims (18)

1. A flow rate measuring device comprising:

a flow rate measurement part having two sides, wherein the flow rate measurement part comprises a first ultrasound transmission element/reception element on one side and a second ultrasound transmission element/reception element on the other side, with a distance L therebetween, wherein the resonance frequency of each ultrasound transmission element/reception element is a frequency of an isolated peak of group velocities of guided waves, from among a plurality of peaks of group velocities of guided waves, and wherein the semi-amplitude of a power spectrum of ultrasound excited/received by the ultrasound transmission element/reception elements is a value that does not overlap with another peak of group velocities;

a flow rate computation circuit for calculating a propagation time T 1 and a propagation time T 2 , wherein the flow rate computation circuit further obtains a flow velocity of a fluid from a propagation time difference between propagation time T 1 and propagation time T 2 , the propagation time T 1 being a time in which a first guided wave, excited by being driven by the first ultrasound transmission element/reception element, propagates from upstream to downstream to the second ultrasound transmission element/reception element set apart by gap L, and the propagation time T 2 being a time in which a second guided wave, excited by being driven by the second ultrasound transmission element/reception element, propagates from downstream to upstream to the first ultrasound transmission element/reception element set apart by gap L.

2. The flow rate measuring device of claim 1 , further comprising an amplification circuit comprising a first resonance circuit, a first amplifier, a second resonance circuit, and a second amplifier sequentially arranged.

3. The flow rate measuring device of claim 1 , wherein the amplification circuit is located between a pulse generation circuit on one side and each of the first and second ultrasound transmission element/reception elements on a second side.

4. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 3 , wherein a diameter of each an entrance side and an exit side of a flow path of the flow rate measurement part is larger than a diameter of a center section, and the entrance side as well as the exit side are connected to the center section in a tapered manner.

5. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 4 , wherein φ 1 is the diameter of the entrance side and the exit side of the flow path of the flow rate measurement part and φ 2 is the diameter of the center section, and φ 2 /φ 1 is set to a range of 1/10 to ⅔.

6. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 5 , wherein L 0 is the total length of the flow path of the flow rate measurement part and L 1 is the length of the flow path at the center section, and L 1 /L 0 is set to a range of 0.6 to 0.98.

7. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 4 , wherein L 0 is the total length of the flow path of the flow rate measurement part and L 1 is the length of the flow path at the center section, and L 1 /L 0 is set to a range of 0.6 to 0.98.

8. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 3 , wherein φ 1 is the diameter of the entrance side and the exit side of the flow path of the flow rate measurement part and φ 2 is the diameter of the center section, and φ 2 /φ 1 is set to a range of 1/10 to ⅔.

9. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 8 , wherein L 0 is the total length of the flow path of the flow rate measurement part and L 1 is the length of the flow path at the center section, and L 1 /L 0 is set to a range of 0.6 to 0.98.

10. The flow rate measuring device of claim 1 , wherein the amplification circuit is arranged between a controller on one side and each of the first and second ultrasound transmission element/reception elements on a second side.

11. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 10 , wherein a diameter of each an entrance side and an exit side of a flow path of the flow rate measurement part is larger than a diameter of a center section, and the entrance side as well as the exit side are connected to the center section in a tapered manner.

12. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 11 , wherein L 0 is the total length of the flow path of the flow rate measurement part and L 1 is the length of the flow path at the center section, and L 1 /L 0 is set to a range of 0.6 to 0.98.

13. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein a diameter of each an entrance side and an exit side of a flow path of the flow rate measurement part is larger than a diameter of a center section, and the entrance side as well as the exit side are connected to the center section in a tapered manner.

14. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 13 , wherein φ 1 is the diameter of the entrance side and the exit side of the flow path of the flow rate measurement part and φ 2 is the diameter of the center section, and φ 2 /φ 1 is set to a range of 1/10 to ⅔.

15. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 14 , wherein L 0 is the total length of the flow path of the flow rate measurement part and L 1 is the length of the flow path at the center section, and L 1 /L 0 is set to a range of 0.6 to 0.98.

16. The flow rate measuring device according to claim 13 , wherein L 0 is the total length of the flow path of the flow rate measurement part and L 1 is the length of the flow path at the center section, and L 1 /L 0 is set to a range of 0.6 to 0.98.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2012
From: SATO, HARUMICHI; AKEDO, JUN; MURAKAMI, EIICHI
To: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY; ATSUDEN CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 028447/0390 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2009-272705 · Nov 30, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20120272747A1 · Nov 1, 2012