Measuring channel and process for spatially arranging a sensor component or sensor array in a measuring channel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12098937-B2
Application number	US-202017104825-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 25, 2020
Priority date	Nov 29, 2019
Publication date	Sep 24, 2024
Grant date	Sep 24, 2024

Abstract

In a method for spatially arranging at least one sensor array in a measuring channel, a predetermined desired geometry of the measuring channel is provided; a desired sensor-array arrangement associated with the desired geometry of the measuring channel is provided, where the sensor-array arrangement includes spatially-defined positioning parameters and orienting parameters in regard to the sensor components; an actual geometry of the measuring channel is captured; it is determined if a positioning parameter or an orienting parameter is outside of an admissible value range in relation to the actual geometry of the measuring channel, and the at least two sensor components of the sensor array are arranged in the measuring channel according to a most-current desired-sensor-array arrangement.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for spatially arranging at least one sensor array comprising at least two sensor components in a measuring channel, the method comprising: a) providing a predetermined desired geometry of the measuring channel; b) providing a desired sensor-array arrangement associated with the desired geometry of the measuring channel, wherein the desired sensor-array arrangement comprises spatially-defined positioning parameters and orienting parameters in regard to the at least two sensor components; c) capturing an actual geometry of the measuring channel at one or more locations in the measuring channel; d) determining if at least one of the spatially-defined positioning parameters or at least one of the orienting parameters of the desired sensor-array arrangement is outside of an admissible value range in relation to the actual geometry of the measuring channel, wherein, in response to that at least one of the spatially defined positioning parameters or at least one of the orienting parameters is outside of the admissible value range: the at least one of the spatially-defined positioning parameters or the least one of the orienting parameters of the desired-sensor-array arrangement is redetermined so as to be in compliance with the admissible value range, at least one further positioning parameter and/or orienting parameter of the desired-sensor-array arrangement is redetermined based on at least one predefined arrangement criterion, and step d) is subsequently repeated; and e) arranging the at least two sensor components of the sensor array in the measuring channel according to a most-current desired-sensor-array arrangement, wherein step e) includes providing at least one reception for at least one sensor component of the at least two sensor components in a channel wall of the measuring channel, the at least one sensor component being completely positioned within a space-section of the at least one reception limited by a radial thickness of the channel wall of the measuring channel.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the measuring channel is a curved measuring channel, the measuring channel being held stationary at least during the steps c) to e).

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein step c) comprises optically and/or mechanically scanning the actual geometry of the measuring channel.

4. The method according to claim 3 , wherein step c) comprises, capturing the spatially-defined positioning parameters and/or the orienting parameters of a reflection plane formed as a section of an inner channel surface, the reflection plane being a passive sensor component of the at least two sensor components.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one reception is formed with an axial stop for the at least one sensor component.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
step d) comprises, redetermining a first positioning parameter of the spatially-defined positioning parameters according to a translational shift in an axial direction of one of the at least two sensor components; and
a predetermined desired axial distance of an effective surface of the one of the at least two sensor components is considered in relation to an inner channel surface.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a first orienting parameter of the orienting parameters is redetermined according to a rotational turn of a first sensor component of the at least two sensor components around a first positioning parameter, of the spatially-defined positioning parameters, of the first sensor component.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the redetermining of the first positioning parameter and/or of the first orienting parameter of the first sensor component is defined according to a beam path from a center point of an effective surface of a further sensor component to a second effective surface of the further sensor component and/or according to a predefined desired axial distance of the first effective surface of the first sensor component in relation to an inner channel surface of the measuring channel.

9. The method according to claim 7 , wherein the first sensor component is a passive sensor component.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein step d) comprises redetermining the at least one further positioning parameter based on a translational shift in an axial direction of a further sensor component.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the further sensor component is an active sensor component.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
none of the sensor components in an inner channel surface of the measuring channel are formed as a section of the inner channel surface of the measuring channel;
the at least two sensor components are arranged within a channel wall of the measuring channel are formed as the section of the inner channel surface of the measuring channel; or
a passive sensor component of the at least two sensor components are formed as the section of the inner channel surface of the measuring channel.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
during a first determination period, the determination according to step d) is performed in regard to at least one passive sensor component of the at least two sensor components, and subsequently, during a second determination period, the determination according to step d) is performed with regard to an active sensor component of the at least two sensor components, and
in the second determination period, the determination according to step d) is performed at first regarding a first of at least two active sensor components and thereafter in regard to a second of at least two active sensor components.

14. A measuring channel for a processing fluid of the processing plant, such as a power plant, a petrochemical plant, a foodstuff processing plant or the like, the measuring channel having a cylinder-sleeve-shaped channel wall, comprising:
a cylinder-sleeve-shaped channel wall formed as a cast body and/or having manufacturing tolerances of 1 mm or more; and
at least one active sensor component configured to determine a measurement of the processing fluid, the at least one active sensor component being attached to the channel wall with a positioning tolerance of less than ±0.5 mm, and/or with a positioning tolerance of less than the manufacturing tolerance of the measuring channel, wherein the measuring channel is manufactured according to the method of claim 1 .

15. The measuring channel according to claim 14 , wherein:
the measuring channel comprises at least one sensor array of interacting sensor components, the at least one sensor array including the at least one active sensor component and at least one further active or passive sensor component,
the at least one active sensor component comprises an effective surface,
the at least one further sensor component has a further, active or passive effective surface, the further effective surface and the active surface being arranged in relation to one another with an angular tolerance of ±1° or less,
the at least one sensor array comprises a further active sensor component and at least one further passive sensor component,
all further effective surfaces are arranged in relation to the active effective surface with an angular tolerance of ±2° or less, and
all sensor components of the at least one sensor array are attached to the channel wall with a positioning tolerance of less than ±0.5 mm, and/or with a positioning tolerance of less than a cast manufacturing tolerance of the measuring channel.

16. The measuring channel according to cl

Assignees

• Samson Ag

Inventors

• Krueger Marcel
• Merscher Michael
• Richter Gaetano
• Krause Sebastian

Classifications

• G01N9/00

  Investigating density or specific gravity of materials; Analysing materials by determining density or specific gravity · CPC title

• F16K37/005

  for measuring fluid parameters (F16K37/0033 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01F15/005

  Valves (valves in general F16K) · CPC title

• F16K37/00

  Special means in or on valves or other cut-off apparatus for indicating or recording operation thereof, or for enabling an alarm to be given · CPC title

• G01L11/06

  Ultrasonic means · CPC title