Measuring device and method for determining a corrected mass flow and uses of the measuring device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016290849-A1
Application number	US-201415037125-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 27, 2014
Priority date	Nov 19, 2013
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A measuring device which has at least a first component, in which an integral measurement duct is provided or the first component forms in connection with additional components a measurement duct integrally in the measuring device. The measurement duct is provided for conducting a measured medium through the measuring device, characterized in that the first component has a first sensor for determining a first thermophysical property selected from thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and/or specific heat capacity of the measured medium, and wherein the measuring device has a second sensor, which vibrates and is provided for determining viscosity and/or density of the measured medium. The measured medium is conducted through the measurement duct from the first sensor to the second sensor.

First claim

1 - 35 . (canceled)

36 . A measuring device, having:
one of: at least a first component which includes an integral measurement duct in the measuring device; and at least a first component and additional components, said at least a first component and said additional components forming a measurement duct in the measuring device, wherein: said measurement duct serving to conduct a measured medium; said at least a first component has a first sensor for determining a first thermophysical property selected from one of: thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and/or specific heat capacity of the measured medium; said at least a first component further has a second sensor, which vibrates and is provided for determining viscosity and/or density of the measured medium; the measured medium is conducted through said measuring duct from said first sensor to said second sensor; and the determination of said at least one thermophysical property occurs according to one of: the 3-omega method and the evaluating amplitude and phase of temperature measurement points of a temperature signal.

37 . The measuring device as claimed in claim 36 , wherein:
the measuring device is a thermal mass flow measuring device; and said first sensor is additionally provided for determining mass flow of the measured medium through said measurement duct.

38 . The measuring device as claimed in claim 36 , wherein:
the measuring device has at least one evaluation unit, which determines from measured values measured by said first and/or second sensor at least thermal conductivity κ, thermal diffusivity α, specific heat capacity ρc p , viscosity μ and/or density ρ of the measured medium.

39 . The measuring device as claimed in claim 36 , wherein:
said first sensor includes at least one sensor element, which is heatable and which measures a temperature of the medium.

40 . The measuring device as claimed in claim 36 , wherein:
said first and second sensors are arranged on said first component.

41 . The measuring device as claimed in claim 36 , wherein:
said first sensor has at least two passive sensor elements and a heater.

42 . The measuring device as claimed in claim 41 , wherein:
said heater includes at least one temperature sensor element and at least one heating element.

43 . The measuring device as claimed in claim 41 , wherein:
said at least two passive sensor elements are arranged asymmetrically to said heater.

44 . The measuring device as claimed in claim 41 , wherein:
said heater is excited periodically.

45 . The measuring device as claimed in claim 36 , wherein:
said second sensor includes one or more cantilevers.

46 . The measuring device as claimed in claim 45 , wherein:
said cantilever is excited electromagnetically to execute oscillations.

47 . The measuring device as claimed in claim 45 , wherein:
said cantilever is affixed only unilaterally, while a second end is arranged to oscillate freely.

48 . The measuring device as claimed in claim 36 , wherein:
the measuring device is embodied as a handheld device with a connection to a valve, especially a valve as specified in DIN ISO 11117.

49 . The use of the measuring device as claimed in claim 36 for determining product characteristics of gases or liquids and/or the composition of a gas- or liquid mixture.

50 . A method for determining a corrected flow of a measured medium with a measuring device, comprising the steps of:
determining a thermal mass flow of the measurement medium; determining, by a first sensor of the measuring device, at least one thermophysical property selected from one of thermal conductivity, thermal diffusivity and/or specific heat capacity of the measured medium; determining at least one density and/or the viscosity of the measured medium by a second sensor which vibrates; and correcting the thermal mass flow of the measured medium based on the ascertained thermophysical property of the measured medium and the density and/or viscosity of the measured medium.

51 . The method as claimed in claim 50 , wherein:
the correcting of the thermal mass flow occurs by means of at least one evaluation unit.

52 . The use of the measuring device as claimed in claim 36 for determining concentration of at least one component of a gas mixture having known ingredients.

53 . The use as claimed in claim 52 , wherein:
the gas mixture is a binary and/or ternary gas mixture.

54 . The use as claimed in claim 52 , wherein:
the one component is an aliphatic hydrocarbon having a chain length of less than 4 C-atoms, especially methane.

55 . The use as claimed in claim 52 , wherein:
the concentrations of all components of the ternary gas mixture are determined.

56 . The use of the measuring device as claimed in claim 52 for determining methane fraction in a methane containing gas mixture, such as in natural gas, landfill gas, biogas and/or synthesis gas.

57 . The use of the measuring device as claimed in claim 36 for determining heating value of a combustible gas mixture, such as a binary or ternary gas mixture.

58 . The use of the measuring device as claimed in claim 36 for controlling flow of a measured medium, such as a gaseous medium, by means of a control apparatus, wherein the control apparatus is operated as a function of the one first thermophysical property and the density of the measured medium.

59 . The use as claimed in claim 58 , wherein:
the control apparatus is a mass flow controller.

60 . The use as claimed in claim 58 , wherein:
the control of the flow of the medium includes control of the in- and outflow of gases in a burning process of a combustion apparatus, especially the supply of oxygen and combustible gases and/or the outflow of exhaust gases.

61 . The use as claimed in claim 60 , wherein:
the measuring device is arranged in the combustion apparatus in the form of a combustion engine and the measuring device is applied for optimizing the combustion process in the combustion engine, especially in an internal combustion engine of a land- or water vehicle.

62 . The use as claimed in claim 58 , wherein:
the measuring device is applied for analysis of the exhaust of the combustion apparatus.

63 . The use as claimed in claim 58 , wherein:
the measuring device is applied for metering anesthetic gas in medicinal applications.

64 . The use as claimed in claim 58 , wherein:
the measuring device is applied for setting a predetermined ratio of nitrogen to oxygen in the case of the providing of diving gas.

65 . The use of the measuring device as claimed in claim 36 , wherein:
the measuring device is applied for exhaust gas measurement, polluting gas monitoring and/or composition monitoring of supplied and discharged gases in a biogas reactor.

66 . The use of the measuring device as claimed in claim 36 in a gas chromatograph for detecting leakages of carrier gas and/or for monitoring the ratio between carrier gas and analyte.

67 . The use of the measuring device as claimed in claim 36 for detecting a dangerous substance in an atmosphere, such a in air.

68 . The use of the measuring device as claimed in claim 36 for monitoring degree of purity of a one component gas or a gas mixture

Assignees

• Endress & Hauser Flowtec Ag

Inventors

• Badarlis Anastasios
• Pfau Axel
• Popp Oliver
• Kumar Vivek
• Schultheis Hanno

Classifications

• G01N11/16

  by measuring damping effect upon oscillatory body · CPC title

• G01F1/684

  Structural arrangements; Mounting of elements, e.g. in relation to fluid flow · CPC title

• G01F1/688

  using a particular type of heating, cooling or sensing element {(G01F1/6847 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G01F1/6845

  Micromachined devices · CPC title

• G01N9/002

  using variation of the resonant frequency of an element vibrating in contact with the material submitted to analysis (G01N9/34 takes precedence) · CPC title