Ultrasonic flowrate measurement device having an attachment portion with receivers for determining size of a pipe

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10801869-B2
Application number	US-201816333826-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 10, 2018
Priority date	May 27, 2017
Publication date	Oct 13, 2020
Grant date	Oct 13, 2020

Abstract

Provided are a flowrate measurement device and a flowrate measurement method. The flowrate measurement device includes an attachment portion configured to attach the flowrate measurement device to an object to be measured, and a measurement portion. The measurement portion includes a first ultrasonic transmitter, a second ultrasonic transmitter and a plurality of signal receivers between the first ultrasonic transmitter and the second ultrasonic transmitter. The plurality of signal receivers are spaced apart from each other. The first ultrasonic transmitter, the second ultrasonic transmitter and the plurality of the signal receivers are all disposed on the attachment portion, such that both the first ultrasonic transmitter and the second ultrasonic transmitter are capable of emitting an ultrasonic wave signal to the object to be measured. The signal receivers are capable of receiving an ultrasonic wave signal reflected from the object to be measured.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flowrate measurement device comprising an attachment portion configured to attach the flowrate measurement device to a pipe, and a measurement portion, wherein the measurement portion comprises a first ultrasonic transmitter, a second ultrasonic transmitter and a plurality of signal receivers; the plurality of signal receivers are equally spaced apart from each other; the first ultrasonic transmitter, the second ultrasonic transmitter and the plurality of the signal receivers are all disposed on the attachment portion, such that both the first ultrasonic transmitter and the second ultrasonic transmitter are capable of emitting an ultrasonic wave signal to the pipe, and the plurality of signal receivers are capable of receiving an ultrasonic wave signal reflected from the pipe; the plurality of signal receivers comprise a first signal receiver disposed at a same position as the first ultrasonic transmitter, a second signal receiver disposed at a same position as the second ultrasonic transmitter, and a plurality of third signal receivers between the first signal receiver and the second signal receiver;
the first ultrasonic transmitter is configured to emit an ultrasonic wave signal to the pipe; and
the second ultrasonic transmitter is configured to emit an ultrasonic wave signal when the second signal receiver receives the ultrasonic wave signal reflected from the pipe, and wherein
the flowrate measurement device further comprises a controller configured to determine a diameter of the pipe according to a position of a third signal receiver that receives the ultrasonic wave signal reflected from the pipe and determine a flowrate of a fluid in the pipe according to a time difference over which the first ultrasonic transmitter emits a first ultrasonic wave signal, the first ultrasonic wave signal is received by the second signal receiver at the second ultrasonic transmitter, the second ultrasonic wave transmitter emits a second ultrasonic wave signal and the second ultrasonic wave signal is received by the first signal receiver at the first ultrasonic transmitter, and the diameter of the pipe, the time difference beginning when the first ultrasonic transmitter emits the first ultrasonic wave signal and ending when the second ultrasonic wave signal is received by the first signal receiver at the first ultrasonic transmitter.

2. The flowrate measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to calculate the flowrate of the fluid in the pipe according to the following formula:

Q
=

Agu
=

π
⁢

⁢

D
2

4

⁢
g
⁢

C
0
2

⁢

⁢
sin
⁢

⁢
θ

2
⁢
D
⁢

⁢
cos
⁢

⁢
θ

⁢
Δ
⁢

⁢
t

;

where Q is the flowrate;
A is a cross-sectional area of the pipe;
u is a flow velocity of a fluid in the pipe;
D is a diameter of the pipe;
θ is an emission angle of the first ultrasonic transmitter, and is an angle between an emission direction of the first ultrasonic transmitter and a vertical direction;
C 0 is a speed at which sound travels in the fluid;
g is the acceleration of gravity; and
Δt is a time interval between emission of the first ultrasonic wave signal by the first ultrasonic transmitter and reception of the second ultrasonic wave signal by the first signal receiver.

3. The flowrate measurement device according to claim 2 , wherein the emission angle of the first ultrasonic transmitter is adjustable, and an emission angle of the second ultrasonic transmitter is adjustable, and the controller is configured to calculate a diameter of the pipe according to the following formula:

D
=

L

2
⁢

⁢
tan
⁢

⁢
θ

,

where L is a distance between the first ultrasonic transmitter and a third signal receiver that first receives the first ultrasonic wave signal reflected from a pipe wall after the first ultrasonic transmitter emits the first ultrasonic wave signal.

4. The flowrate measurement device according to claim 1 , further comprising a display device for displaying a measurement result.

5. The flowrate measurement device according to claim 1 , further comprising a storage device for storing a measurement result.

6. The flowrate measurement device according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment portion comprises a mounting plate and two clamping plates separately disposed on two sides of the mounting plate, the measurement portion is mounted on the mounting plate, and a gap between the two clamping plates is adjustable.

7. The flowrate measurement device according to claim 1 , further comprising a power supply device for supplying power to the flowrate measurement device.

8. The flowrate measurement device according to claim 1 , further comprising an input device for inputting an operation instruction.

9. A flowrate measurement method, comprising steps of:
providing a first ultrasonic transmitter, a plurality of signal receivers and a second ultrasonic transmitter on a surface of a pipe, wherein the plurality of signal receivers are capable of receiving an ultrasonic wave signal reflected from the pipe, and the plurality of signal receivers comprises a first signal receiver disposed at a same position as the first ultrasonic transmitter, a second signal receiver disposed at a same position as the second ultrasonic transmitter, and a plurality of third

Assignees

• Ordos Yuansheng Optoelectronics Co Ltd
• Boe Technology Group Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ji Dong
• Luo Feng
• Zhang Nan
• Liu Guoliang
• Liu Da
• Fang Xiaodong
• Huang Jialin
• Zhao Guoqiang
• Liu Jie

Classifications

• G01F1/667 Primary

  Arrangements of transducers for ultrasonic flowmeters; Circuits for operating ultrasonic flowmeters · CPC title

• G01F1/66 Primary

  by measuring frequency, phase shift or propagation time of electromagnetic or other waves, e.g. using ultrasonic flowmeters · CPC title