Flowmeter sensor with interchangeable flow path and related method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10794744-B2
Application number	US-201716628814-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2017
Priority date	Jul 18, 2017
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

A flowmeter ( 5 ) is provided. The flowmeter ( 5 ) has a wetted assembly ( 200 ) comprising one or more conduits ( 208, 208 ′), and at least one driver magnet ( 218, 218 ′) attached to the one or more conduits ( 208, 208 ′). A dry assembly ( 202 ) houses a driver coil ( 224 ), and meter electronics ( 20 ) are in electrical communication with the driver coil ( 224 ). A case ( 236 ) at least partially covers the wetted assembly ( 200 ) and the dry assembly ( 202 ). The dry assembly ( 202 ) is removably attachable to the wetted assembly ( 200 ). The driver coil ( 224 ) is in magnetic communication with the at least one driver magnet ( 218, 218 ′) when the dry assembly ( 202 ) is attached to the wetted assembly ( 200 ), and the driver coil ( 224 ) is configured to provide a vibratory signal to the at least one driver magnet ( 218, 218 ′) when the dry assembly ( 202 ) is attached to the wetted assembly ( 200 ).

First claim

I claim:

1. A flowmeter ( 5 ), comprising:
a wetted assembly ( 200 ) comprising:
one or more conduits ( 208 , 208 ′); and
at least one driver magnet ( 218 , 218 ′) attached to the one or more conduits ( 208 , 208 ′);
a dry assembly ( 202 ) that houses a driver coil ( 224 );
meter electronics ( 20 ) in electrical communication with the driver coil ( 224 );
a case ( 236 ) that at least partially covers the wetted assembly ( 200 ) and the dry assembly ( 202 ); and

wherein the dry assembly ( 202 ) is removably attachable to the wetted assembly ( 200 ), and wherein the driver coil ( 224 ) is in magnetic communication with the at least one driver magnet ( 218 , 218 ′) when the dry assembly ( 202 ) is attached to the wetted assembly ( 200 ), and wherein the driver coil ( 224 ) is configured to provide a vibratory signal to the at least one driver magnet ( 218 , 218 ′) when the dry assembly ( 202 ) is attached to the wetted assembly ( 200 ).

2. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 1 , wherein the wetted assembly ( 200 ) further comprises:
at least one pickoff magnet ( 220 , 220 ′) coupled to a conduit of the one or more conduits ( 208 , 208 ′).

3. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 2 , wherein the dry assembly ( 202 ) houses a pickoff coil ( 222 ) configured to receive a vibratory signal from the at least one pickoff magnet ( 220 , 220 ′) when the dry assembly ( 202 ) is attached to the wetted assembly ( 200 ).

4. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 2 , wherein the dry assembly ( 202 ) houses a temperature sensor ( 228 ).

5. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 2 , wherein:
the at least one driver magnet ( 218 , 218 ′) comprises:
a first driver magnet ( 218 ) coupled to a first conduit of the one or more conduits ( 208 , 208 ′); and
a second driver magnet ( 218 ′) coupled to a second conduit of the one or more conduits ( 208 , 208 ′);

wherein the at least one pickoff magnet ( 220 , 220 ′) comprises:
a first pickoff magnet ( 220 ) coupled to the first conduit of the one or more conduits ( 208 , 208 ′); and
a second pickoff magnet ( 220 ′) coupled to the second conduit of the one or more conduits ( 208 , 208 ′); and
wherein the first driver magnet and first pickoff magnet ( 218 , 220 ) are oriented in magnetic opposition to the second driver magnet and second pickoff magnet ( 218 ′, 220 ′), respectively.

6. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 1 , wherein the wetted assembly ( 200 ) comprises an identifier ( 250 ) and the dry assembly comprises a sensor ( 252 ) configured to detect the identifier ( 250 ).

7. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 6 , wherein the identifier ( 250 ) is a visible identifier, and the sensor ( 252 ) is an optical sensor.

8. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 6 , wherein the identifier ( 250 ) is an emitter, and the sensor ( 252 ) is a receiver.

9. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 6 , wherein the identifier ( 250 ) comprises identifying information related to the wetted assembly ( 200 ).

10. The flowmeter ( 5 ) of claim 2 , wherein the dry assembly ( 202 ) comprises at least one relief ( 230 ) having a size and dimension to at least partially envelope at least one of the driver magnets ( 218 , 218 ′) and pickoff magnets ( 220 , 220 ′).

11. A method of configuring a flowmeter, comprising the steps of:
providing a dry assembly that houses a driver coil;
providing a wetted assembly configured to receive a process material, wherein the wetted assembly comprises one or more conduits;
attaching at least one driver magnet to the one or more conduits;
connecting meter electronics to the driver coil;
at least partially covering the wetted assembly and the dry assembly with a case; and
removably attaching the wetted assembly to the dry assembly, wherein the driver coil is in magnetic communication with the at least one driver magnet when the dry assembly is attached to the wetted assembly, and wherein the driver coil is configured to provide a vibratory signal to the at least one driver magnet when the dry assembly is attached to the wetted assembly.

12. The method claim of 11 , comprising attaching at least one pickoff magnet to a conduit of the at least one conduit.

13. The method claim of 12 , wherein the dry assembly houses a pickoff coil configured to receive a vibratory signal from the at least one pickoff magnet when the dry assembly is attached to the wetted assembly.

14. The method claim of 11 , wherein the dry assembly comprises a temperature sensor.

15. The method claim of 12 , wherein:
the step of attaching at least one driver magnet to the one or more conduits comprises:
attaching a first driver magnet to a first conduit of the one or more conduits; and
attaching a second driver magnet to a second conduit of the one or more conduits;

wherein the step of attaching at least one pickoff magnet to a conduit of the at least one conduit comprises:
attaching a first pickoff magnet to the first conduit of the one or more conduits; and
attaching a second pickoff magnet to the second conduit of the one or more conduits; and
orienting the first driver and first pickoff magnets in magnetic opposition to the second driver and second pickoff magnets, respectively.

16. The method claim of 11 , comprising transmitting identifying information from the wetted assembly to meter electronics.

Assignees

• Micro Motion Inc

Inventors

• Skinkle David

Classifications

• G01F1/8409 Primary

  constructional details · CPC title

• G01F1/8468

  vibrating measuring conduits · 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

• G01F1/8427

  detectors · CPC title