Flowmeter test system and flowmeter test method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10429231-B2
Application number	US-201715636397-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 28, 2017
Priority date	Aug 31, 2016
Publication date	Oct 1, 2019
Grant date	Oct 1, 2019

Abstract

A flowmeter test system that tests a test target flowmeter by flowing fluid through the test target flowmeter and measuring the fluid having flowed through the test target flowmeter by a measurement part different from the test target flowmeter is disclosed. The flowmeter test system includes, a storage part to store the fluid, a distribution flow path to distribute the fluid between the storage part and the test target flowmeter, a measurement part introduction path to be connected to the distribution flow path and introduce the fluid into the measurement part, and a flow path switching part to switch between the distribution flow path and the measurement part introduction path. A pressure loss in a flow path from the flow path switching part to the storage part and a pressure loss in a flow path from the flow path switching part to the measurement part are same.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A flowmeter test system that tests a test target flowmeter by flowing fluid through the test target flowmeter and measuring the fluid having flowed through the test target flowmeter by a measurement part different from the test target flowmeter, the flowmeter test system comprising:
a storage part, including a main storage part and a sub-storage part, configured to store fluid;
a distribution flow path, including a circulation path configured to circulate the fluid between the main storage part and the test target flowmeter and a sub-storage part introduction path configured to be connected to the circulation path and introduce the fluid into the sub-storage part, configured to distribute the fluid between the storage part and the test target flowmeter;
a measurement part introduction path configured to be connected to the distribution flow path and introduce the fluid into the measurement part; and
a flow switching part configured to switch between the circulation path, the distribution flow path, the measurement part introduction path, and the sub-storage part introduction path, wherein
a pressure loss in a flow path from the flow path switching part to the storage part and a pressure loss in a flow path from the flow path switching part to the measurement part are the same.

2. The flowmeter test system according to claim 1 , wherein a How path length and a flow path diameter of the flow path from the flow path switching part to the storage part and a flow path length and a flow path diameter of the flow path from the flow path switching part to the measurement part are the same, respectively.

3. The flowmeter test system according to claim 1 , wherein the flow path from the flow path switching part to the storage part or the flow path from the flow path switching part to the measurement part is provided with a pressure loss mechanism configured to make the pressure losses in the flow paths the same.

4. The flowmeter test system according to claim 1 , wherein a flow path length and a flow path diameter of the flow path from the flow path switching part to the sub-storage part and a flow path length and a flow path diameter of the flow path from the flow path switching part to the measurement part are the same, respectively.

5. The flowmeter test system according to claim 1 , wherein
the flow path from the flow path switching part to the sub-storage part or the flow path from the flow path switching part to the measurement part is provided with a pressure loss mechanism configured to make the pressure losses in the flow paths the same.

6. The flowmeter test system according to claim 1 , further comprising
a control device configured to control the flow path switching part, wherein
the control device is configured to sequentially perform operations of circulating the fluid through the circulation path, flowing the fluid through the sub-storage part introduction path, and flowing the fluid through the measurement part introduction path.

7. The flowmeter test system according to claim 1 , further comprising
a return flow path configured to return the fluid stored in the sub-storage part to the main storage part, wherein
the sub-storage part is provided in a position higher than the main storage part.

8. The flowmeter test system according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a main exhaust line configured to exhaust gas from an inside of the main storage part;
a main pressure regulation line configured to supply air to the inside of the main storage part for pressure regulation; and
a sub-exhaust line configured to exhaust a measurement part containing space containing the measurement part, wherein
an inside of the sub-storage part is communicatively connected to the measurement part containing space.

9. The flowmeter test system according to claim 1 , having a connection port connected with the test target flowmeter and being of a transportable type.

10. A flowmeter test method using a flowmeter test system that tests a test target flowmeter by flowing fluid through the test target flowmeter and measuring the fluid having flowed through the test target flowmeter by a measurement part different from the test target flowmeter, the flowmeter test system comprising a main storage part and a sub-storage part, both configured to store the fluid, a circulation path configured to distribute the fluid between the main storage part and the test target flowmeter a measurement part introduction path configured to be connected to the circulation path and introduce the fluid into the measurement part, a sub-storage part introduction path configured to be connected to the circulation path and introduce the fluid into the sub-storage part, and a flow path switching part configured to switch among the circulation path, the sub-storage part introduction path, and the measurement part introduction path, wherein a pressure loss in a flow path from the flow path switching part to the sub-storage part and a pressure loss in a flow path from the flow path switching part to the measurement part are same, the flowmeter test method comprising:
sequentially performing operations of
circulating the fluid through the circulation path;
flowing the fluid through the sub-storage art introduction path; and
flowing the fluid through the measurement part introduction path this order.

Assignees

• Horiba Ltd

Inventors

• ITOGA Yuki
• Tomita Jun

Classifications

• G01F25/003 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01F25/0046

  Physics · mapped topic

• G01F25/14 Primary

  using a weighing apparatus · CPC title

• G01F25/10 Primary

  of flowmeters · CPC title

• G01F25/13 Primary

  using a reference counter · CPC title