Reducing noise in a vortex flow meter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11460330-B2
Application number	US-202016921104-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2020
Priority date	Jul 6, 2020
Publication date	Oct 4, 2022
Grant date	Oct 4, 2022

Abstract

A vortex flow meter is within a flow conduit. The vortex flow meter includes a housing defining a flow passage substantially in-line with the flow conduit. An actuable buff body is within the flow passage. A sensor is downstream of the actuable buff body and is attached to the housing. The sensor is configured to detect vortex shedding. A controller is configured to send a drive signal to an oscillator to oscillate the buff body. The controller is configured to receive a vortex stream from the sensor. The vortex stream is indicative of vortexes shed by the buff body within a fluid. The controller is configured to determine a flow velocity responsive to the received vortex stream.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vortex flow meter comprising:
a housing defining a flow passage;
a translatable buff body within the flow passage;
a linkage attached to the translatable buff body, the linkage comprising a cable in tension, the cable configured to move in a direction of tension, movement of the cable being coupled to the translatable buff body to move in unison with the translatable buff body; and
an actuator attached to the linkage, the actuator configured to oscillate the translatable buff body by the linkage;
a sensor downstream of the translatable buff body and attached to the housing, the sensor configured to detect vortex shedding in a fluid flowing past the buff body; and
a controller configured to:
send a drive signal to an oscillator to oscillate the buff body;
receive a vortex stream from the sensor, the vortex stream indicative of vortexes shed by the buff body within a fluid;
determine a flow velocity responsive to the received vortex stream,
adjust an amplitude of oscillations in response to adjusting operation conditions; and
adjust a frequency in response to adjusting operation conditions.

2. The vortex flow meter of claim 1 , further comprising:
a linkage attached to the translatable buff body at a first end of the linkage; and
an actuator attached to a second end of the linkage, the actuator configured to oscillate the translatable buff body.

3. The vortex flow meter of claim 2 , wherein the actuator comprises an electric motor or a piezoelectric material.

4. The vortex flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises an acoustic sensor.

5. The vortex flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the buff body is configured to oscillate with an amplitude of up to 10 millimeters.

6. The vortex flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the buff body is configured to oscillate between 0.03 hertz and 0.045 hertz.

7. The vortex flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the vortex stream comprises an analog signal.

8. The vortex flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the buff body is cylindrical and perpendicular to the flow passage.

9. The vortex flow meter of claim 1 , wherein the translatable buff body is a linearly translatable buff body.

10. A method comprising:
receiving a fluid flow by a conduit;
flowing the fluid flow over a buff body within the conduit;
ocillatingly translating the buff body, positioned within the conduit, within the fluid flow, by a linkage attached to the translatable buff body, the linkage comprising a cable in tension, the cable configured to move in a direction of tension, movement of the cable being coupled to the translatable buff body to move in unison with the translatable buff body;
producing vortex shedding by the buff body responsive to flowing the fluid flow over the buff body;
sensing the vortex shedding by a sensor downstream of the buff body within the conduit;
producing a vortex stream by the sensor responsive to sensing the vortex shedding by the sensor, the vortex stream indicative of vortexes shed by the buff body within the fluid;
receiving the vortex stream by a controller;
determining a flow velocity by the controller responsive to the received vortex stream;
adjusting an amplitude of oscillations in response to adjusting operation conditions of the fluid flow; and
adjusting a frequency in response to adjusting operation conditions.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein oscillating the buff body comprises oscillating the buff body with an amplitude of up to 10 mm.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein oscillating the buff body comprises to oscillating the buff body between 0.03 hertz and 0.045 hertz.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein oscillating the buff body comprises:
directing a current into a piezoelectric material coupled to the buff body.

14. A system comprising:
a flow conduit;
a vortex flow meter within the flow conduit, the vortex flow meter comprising:
a housing defining a flow passage substantially in-line with the flow conduit;
a translatable buff body within the flow passage;
a linkage attached to the translatable buff body, the linkage comprising a cable in tension, the cable configured to move in a direction of tension, movement of the cable being coupled to the translatable buff body to move in unison with the translatable buff body; and
an actuator attached to the linkage, the actuator configured to oscillate the translatable buff body by the linkage;
a sensor downstream of the translatable buff body and attached to the housing, the sensor configured to detect vortex shedding; and
a controller configured to:
send a drive signal to an oscillator to oscillate the buff body;
receive a vortex stream from the sensor, the vortex stream indicative of vortexes shed by the buff body within a fluid;
determine a flow velocity responsive to the received vortex stream; and
adjust an amplitude of oscillations in response to adjusting operation conditions of the fluid flow; and
adjust a frequency in response to adjusting operation conditions of the fluid flow.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the vortex flow meter is at least twelve conduit diameters in length from any bends in the conduit.

Assignees

• Saudi Arabian Oil Co

Inventors

• Al-Jindan Jana M
• Noui-Mehidi Mohamed Nabil

Classifications

• G01F1/3266

  by sensing mechanical vibrations · CPC title

• G01F1/3218 Primary

  bluff body design · CPC title

• G01F1/3282

  for detecting variations in infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic waves, due to modulation by passing through the swirling fluid · CPC title

• G01F1/3209

  using Karman vortices · CPC title

• G01F1/3287

  circuits therefor · CPC title