Flowmeter housing and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10077996-B2
Application number	US-201415508375-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2014
Priority date	Sep 25, 2014
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

A flowmeter having one or more conduits ( 103, 103 ′) and a driver ( 104 ) coupled to one or more conduits ( 103, 103 ′) being configured to vibrate at least a portion of the conduit at one or more drive frequencies. One or more pickoffs ( 105, 105 ′) are coupled to the one or more conduits ( 103, 103 ′) and are configured to detect a motion of the conduit. A housing ( 200 ) has a first compartment ( 400 ) and a second compartment ( 402 ). The first compartment ( 400 ) is fluid-tight and encloses at least a portion of the one or more conduits ( 103, 103 ′), the driver ( 104 ), and the one or more pickoffs ( 105, 105 ′). A sealable fill port ( 418 ) is configured to allow the addition of a ballast material to the second compartment ( 402 ).

First claim

We claim:

1. A flowmeter ( 5 ), comprising:
one or more conduits ( 103 , 103 ′);
a driver ( 104 ) coupled to a conduit of the one or more conduits ( 103 , 103 ′) and configured to vibrate at least a portion of the conduit at one or more drive frequencies;
one or more pickoffs ( 105 , 105 ′) coupled to a conduit of the one or more conduits ( 103 , 103 ′) and configured to detect a motion of the conduit;
a housing ( 200 ) having a first compartment ( 400 ) and a second compartment ( 402 ), wherein the first compartment ( 400 ) is configurable to be fluid-tight and encloses at least a portion of the one or more conduits ( 103 , 103 ′), the driver ( 104 ), and the one or more pickoffs ( 105 , 105 ′); and
a sealable fill port ( 418 ) configured to allow the addition of a ballast material to the second compartment ( 402 ).

2. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 1 , comprising one or more walls ( 404 ) in the second compartment ( 402 ) defining at least two voids ( 406 ) in the second compartment ( 402 ).

3. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 2 , wherein the one or more walls ( 404 ) are coupled to the housing ( 200 ) and to a base ( 414 ) that defines at least a portion of the second compartment ( 402 ).

4. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 1 , wherein the second compartment ( 402 ) comprises a cover plate ( 416 ) configured to seal at least one void ( 406 ) in the housing.

5. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 4 , wherein the cover plate ( 416 ) defines the sealable fill port ( 418 ).

6. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 4 , wherein the cover plate ( 416 ) is welded to the housing ( 200 ).

7. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 1 , comprising one or more manifolds ( 102 , 102 ′) coupled to the one or more conduits ( 103 , 103 ′) and one or more manifold openings ( 410 , 410 ′) formed in the first compartment ( 400 ) and adapted to receive the one or more manifolds ( 102 , 102 ′), wherein the one or more manifolds ( 102 , 102 ′) are sealedly joined to the one or more manifold openings ( 410 , 410 ′).

8. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 1 , wherein a first wall of the one or more walls ( 404 ) is thicker than a second wall of the one or more walls ( 404 ).

9. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 1 , wherein at least one void ( 406 ) contains a ballast material.

10. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 1 , comprising:
an access opening ( 408 ) configured to permit assembly of the flowmeter ( 5 ); and
a cover ( 412 ) configured to seal the access opening ( 408 ).

11. A method of forming a flowmeter including one or more conduits, comprising the steps of:
enclosing at least a portion of the one or more conduits in a first compartment of a housing comprising a first compartment and a second compartment, wherein the first compartment is fluid-tight; and
providing a sealable fill port configured to allow the addition of a ballast material to the second compartment.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising the step of providing one or more walls within the second compartment to define at least two voids in the second compartment.

13. The method of claim 11 , comprising the step of sealing at least one void with a cover plate.

14. The method of claim 11 , comprising the step of providing a ballast material in at least one void.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first compartment comprises a pressure rating equal to or greater than a pressure rating of the one or more conduits.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first compartment comprises a pressure rating that is a predetermined percentage of the pressure rating of the one or more conduits.

17. The method of claim 11 , comprising the steps of:
coupling one or more manifolds to the one or more conduits;
forming one or more manifold openings in the first compartment, wherein the one or more manifold openings are adapted to receive the one or more manifolds; and
sealedly joining the one or more manifolds to the one or more manifold openings.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein a first wall of the one or more walls is thicker than a second wall of the one or more walls.

19. The method of claim 11 , comprising the step of orienting at least one of the one or more walls in the housing so that modal frequencies of the housing differ from a driven modal frequency by a predetermined threshold.

20. The method of claim 11 , comprising the step of providing an access opening in the first compartment to permit assembly of the flowmeter.

21. A housing ( 200 ), comprising:
a first compartment ( 400 );
a second compartment ( 402 ), wherein the first compartment ( 400 ) is configured to be fluid-tight and configured to enclose at least a portion of a sensor assembly ( 10 ); and
a sealable fill port ( 418 ) configured to allow the addition of a ballast material to the second compartment ( 402 ).

22. The housing ( 200 ) of claim 21 , comprising one or more walls ( 404 ) in the second compartment ( 402 ) defining at least two voids ( 406 ) in the second compartment ( 402 ).

23. The housing ( 200 ) of claim 22 , wherein the one or more walls ( 404 ) are coupled to the housing ( 200 ) and to a base ( 414 ) that defines at least a portion of the second compartment ( 402 ).

24. The housing ( 200 ) of claim 21 , wherein the second compartment ( 402 ) comprises a cover plate ( 416 ) configured to seal at least one void ( 406 ) in the housing ( 200 ).

25. The housing ( 200 ) of claim 24 , wherein the cover plate ( 416 ) defines the sealable fill port ( 418 ).

26. The housing ( 200 ) of claim 24 , wherein the cover plate ( 416 ) is welded to the housing ( 200 ).

27. The housing ( 200 ) of claim 21 , configured to sealedly couple one or more manifolds ( 102 , 102 ′) to one or more manifold openings ( 410 , 410 ′) formed in the first compartment ( 400 ).

28. The housing ( 200 ) of claim 21 , wherein a first wall of the one or more walls ( 404 ) is thicker than a second wall of the one or more walls ( 404 ).

29. The housing ( 200 ) of claim 21 , wherein at least one void ( 406 ) contains a ballast material.

30. The housing ( 200 ) of claim 21 , comprising:
an access opening ( 408 ); and
a cover ( 412 ) configured to seal the access opening ( 408 ).

31. A method of forming a housing, comprising the steps of:
providing a first compartment and a second compartment in the housing, wherein the first compartment is configured to encase at least a portion of a sensor assembly and is fluid-tight; and
providing a sealable fill port configured to allow the addition of a ballast material to the second compartment.

32. The method of claim 31 , comprising the step of providing one or more walls within the second compartment to define at least two voids in the second compartment.

33. The method of claim 31 , comprising the step of sealing at least one void with a cover plate.

34. The method of claim 31 , comprising the step of providing a ballast material in at least one void.

35. The method of claim 31 , wherein the first compartment comprises a pressure rating equal to or greater than a pressure rating of a conduit of the sensor assembly.

36. The method of claim 31 , wherein the first compartment comprises a pressure rating that is a predetermined percentage of a pressure rating of a conduit of the sensor a

Assignees

• Micro Motion Inc

Inventors

• Skinkle David
• Pankratz Anthony William

Classifications

• G01F1/8418 Primary

  motion or vibration balancing means · CPC title

• G01F15/14

  Casings, e.g. of special material · CPC title

• G01F1/8472

  having curved measuring conduits, i.e. whereby the measuring conduits' curved center line lies within a plane (G01F1/8481 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01F1/8413 Primary

  means for influencing the flowmeter's motional or vibrational behaviour, e.g., conduit support or fixing means, or conduit attachments · CPC title