Method for measuring flow using electromagnetic resonance phenomenon and apparatus using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11035710-B2
Application number	US-201916554326-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 28, 2019
Priority date	Sep 7, 2018
Publication date	Jun 15, 2021
Grant date	Jun 15, 2021

Abstract

Disclosed herein are a method and apparatus for measuring flow using an electromagnetic resonance phenomenon. The flowmeter includes an RF resonator in the form of a cylinder into which a transmission antenna for forming a magnetic field in a preset frequency range and a reception antenna for measuring a response signal are inserted, the RF resonator being shielded from an external magnetic field; and a processor for measuring the flow in a pipe that passes through the RF resonator based on the response signal. The RF resonator includes circular holes in the two bases of the cylinder so as to enable the pipe to pass through the RF resonator, and is formed with a first body and a second body, which are split in the height direction of the cylinder and are coupled using a coupling member so as to wrap the outer circumferential surface of the pipe.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flowmeter using an electromagnetic resonance phenomenon, comprising:
an RF resonator in a form of a cylinder, into which a transmission antenna for forming a magnetic field in a preset frequency range and a reception antenna for measuring a response signal are inserted, the RF resonator being shielded from an external magnetic field; and
a processor for measuring flow in a pipe that passes through the RF resonator based on the response signal,
wherein the RF resonator includes a circular hole in each of two bases of the cylinder so as to enable the pipe to pass through the RF resonator and is formed with a first body and a second body, split along a height direction of the cylinder,
the first body and the second body being coupled to each other using a coupling member so as to wrap an outer circumferential surface of the pipe.

2. The flowmeter of claim 1 , wherein the RF resonator is made of aluminum or brass.

3. The flowmeter of claim 1 , wherein a first diameter corresponding to the circular hole is set in consideration of at least one of an outer diameter of the pipe and a frequency range of electromagnetic radiation that is capable of being absorbed by liquid flowing in the pipe.

4. The flowmeter of claim 3 , wherein a second diameter corresponding to each of the two bases is set so as to match a preset ratio of the first diameter and the second diameter.

5. The flowmeter of claim 3 , wherein:
a length of the transmission antenna and that of the reception antenna are set in consideration of a wavelength of the magnetic field in the preset frequency range, and
a diameter of the transmission antenna and that of the reception antenna are set in consideration of the first diameter.

6. The flowmeter of claim 1 , wherein the coupling member is attached to a part at which a lateral surface of the cylinder is cut and is prevented from protruding into an inner space of the cylinder in which the magnetic field in the preset frequency range is formed.

7. The flowmeter of claim 1 , wherein the RF resonator further includes two antenna insertion holes through which the transmission antenna and the reception antenna are inserted.

8. The flowmeter of claim 1 , wherein the transmission antenna and the reception antenna are inserted so as to be prevented from coming into contact with a surface of the RF resonator.

9. The flowmeter of claim 1 , wherein the processor calculates a permittivity of liquid flowing in the pipe based on the response signal and measures the flow based on the permittivity.

10. The flowmeter of claim 9 , wherein the processor calculates the permittivity based on a difference between a first voltage, corresponding to an electromagnetic wave applied to the transmission antenna, and a second voltage, corresponding to the response signal.

11. A method for measuring flow using an electromagnetic resonance phenomenon, comprising:
applying an electromagnetic wave to a transmission antenna inserted into an RF resonator, which is shielded from an external magnetic field, thereby forming a magnetic field in a preset frequency range inside the RF resonator;
measuring a response signal from liquid passing through the RF resonator in a pipe using a reception antenna inserted into the RF resonator; and
measuring the flow in the pipe based on the response signal,
wherein the RF resonator in a form of a cylinder includes a circular hole in each of two bases of the cylinder so as to enable the pipe to pass through the RF resonator, and is formed with a first body and a second body split along a height direction of the cylinder, the first body and the second body being coupled to each other using a coupling member so as to wrap an outer circumferential surface of the pipe.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the RF resonator is made of aluminum or brass.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein a first diameter corresponding to the circular hole is set in consideration of at least one of an outer diameter of the pipe and a frequency range of electromagnetic radiation that is capable of being absorbed by the liquid flowing in the pipe.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein a second diameter corresponding to each of the two bases is set so as to match a preset ratio of the first diameter and the second diameter.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein:
a length of the transmission antenna and that of the reception antenna are set in consideration of a wavelength of the magnetic field in the preset frequency range, and
a diameter of the transmission antenna and that of the reception antenna are set in consideration of the first diameter.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the coupling member is attached to a part at which a lateral surface of the cylinder is cut and is prevented from protruding into an inner space of the cylinder in which the magnetic field in the preset frequency range is formed.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the RF resonator further includes two antenna insertion holes through which the transmission antenna and the reception antenna are inserted.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the transmission antenna and the reception antenna are inserted so as to be prevented from coming into contact with a surface of the RF resonator.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein measuring the flow is configured to calculate a permittivity of the liquid flowing in the pipe based on the response signal and to measure the flow based on the permittivity.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein measuring the flow is configured to calculate the permittivity based on a difference between a first voltage, corresponding to the electromagnetic wave applied to the transmission antenna, and a second voltage, corresponding to the response signal.

Assignees

• Electronics & Telecommunications Res Inst

Inventors

• Hong Hyo-Bong
• Jong Jae-Chan
• Choi Seung-Min

Classifications

• G01F1/716 Primary

  using electron paramagnetic resonance [EPR] or nuclear magnetic resonance [NMR] · CPC title