IP Library Granted Patent US 9,395,223
Granted Patent B2
US 9,395,223 · App. 14/179,150 · Granted Jul 19, 2016

Compensating for frequency change in flowmeters

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,395,223
App. No.
14/179,150
Granted
Jul 19, 2016
Kind
B2
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. At least one of the first frequency of vibration or the second frequency of vibration is determined. A phase difference between the motion of the conduit at a first point of the conduit and the motion of the conduit at a second point of the conduit is determined. A quantity based on the phase difference and the determined frequency is determined. The quantity includes a ratio between the first frequency during a zero-flow condition and the second frequency during the zero-flow condition. A property of the fluid is determined based on the quantity.

Claims (67)

1. A method comprising:

inducing motion in a flowtube containing a fluid such that the flowtube oscillates in a first bending mode of vibration and a second bending mode of vibration, the first bending mode of vibration having a corresponding frequency of vibration and the second bending mode of vibration having a corresponding frequency of vibration;

determining the first frequency of vibration;

determining the second frequency of vibration; and

determining a property of said fluid in the flowtube using the determined first and second frequencies and a ratio between the first and second frequencies.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the first bending mode of vibration is a Coriolis mode and the second bending mode of vibration is a driven mode.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein determining the property of the fluid comprises compensating for mass flow rate-induced variation in the frequency of the Coriolis mode using the ratio between the first and second frequencies.

4. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein determining the property of the fluid comprises compensating for mass flow rate-induced variation in the frequency of the driven mode using the ratio between the first and second frequencies.

5. A method as set forth in claim 2 wherein determining the property of the fluid comprises compensating a measurement of said property for mass flow rate-induced variation in the frequency of the Coriolis mode and compensating for mass flow rate-induced variation in the frequency of the driven mode.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the property is a mass flow rate of said fluid through the flowtube.

7. A method as set forth in claim 6 further comprising compensating for mass flow rate-induced variation of at least one of the first frequency and second frequency comprises multiplying a non-fully compensated mass flow measurement by the following:

(

1

+

k

m

tan

(

φ

2

)

)

wherein k m is a coefficient obtained from an offline massflow calibration procedure and φ is a phase difference between motion of two different locations on the flowtube.

8. A method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the non-fully compensated mass flow rate is compensated to account for the influence temperature on the mass flow measurement.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1 wherein determining the property further comprises compensating for a pressure of said fluid in the flowtube using at least one of the first and second frequencies.

10. A Coriolis flowmeter comprising:

a vibratable flowtube for containing a fluid;

a driver configured to impart motion to the conduit such that the conduit oscillates in a first bending mode of vibration having a first frequency of vibration and a second bending mode of vibration having a second frequency of vibration;

a sensor configured to detect motion of the conduit and generate a sensor signal;

a controller configured to:

receive the sensor signal;

determine the first and second frequencies of vibration; and

determine a property of said fluid in the flowtube using the determined first and second frequencies and a ratio between the first and second frequencies.

11. A flowmeter as set forth in claim 10 wherein the first bending mode of vibration is a Coriolis mode and the second bending mode of vibration is a driven mode.

12. A flowmeter as set forth in claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to compensate for mass flow rate-induced variation in the frequency of the Coriolis mode when determining said property using the ratio between the first and second frequencies.

13. A flowmeter as set forth in claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to compensate for mass flow rate-induced variation in the frequency of the driven mode when determining said property using the ratio between the first and second frequencies.

14. A flowmeter as set forth in claim 11 wherein the controller is configured to compensate for mass flow rate-induced variation in the frequency of the Coriolis mode and compensate for mass flow rate-induced variation in the frequency of the driven mode when determining said property.

15. A flowmeter as set forth in claim 10 wherein the property is a mass flow rate of said fluid through the flowtube.

16. A flowmeter as set forth in claim 15 wherein the controller is further configured to compensate for mass flow rate-induced variation of at least one of the first frequency and second frequency by multiplying a non-fully compensated mass flow measurement by the following:

(

1

+

k

m

tan

(

φ

2

)

)

wherein k m is a coefficient obtained from an offline massflow calibration procedure and φ is a phase difference between motion of two different locations on the flowtube.

17. A flowmeter as set forth in claim 16 wherein the controller is further configured to account for influence temperature on the mass flow measurement.

18. A flowmeter as set forth in claim 16 wherein the controller is further configured to compensate a raw mass flow measurement to account for the influence of temperature on the mass flow measurement to produce a non-fully compensated mass flow measurement.

19. A flowmeter as set forth in claim 10 wherein the controller is further configured to compensate for a pressure of said fluid in the flowtube using at least one of the first and second frequencies.

20. A Coriolis flowmeter comprising:

a vibratable flowtube for containing a fluid;

a driver configured to impart motion to the conduit such that the conduit oscillates in a first mode of vibration having a first frequency of vibration and a second mode of vibration having a second frequency of vibration;

a sensor configured to detect motion of the conduit and generate a sensor signal;

a controller configured to:

receive the sensor signal;

determine the first and second frequencies of vibration; and

determine a property of said fluid in the flowtube using the determined first and second frequencies and a ratio between the first and second frequencies,

wherein the controller is further configured to compensate for a pressure of said fluid in the flowtube using at least one of the first and second frequencies.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 31, 2017
From: INVENSYS SYSTEMS, INC.
To: SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC SYSTEMS USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 043379/0925 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2014
From: TOMBS, MICHAEL S.
To: INVENSYS SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 032694/0406 →