Sensor Bypass for Gas Meters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021190568-A1
Application number	US-201916725591-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 23, 2019
Priority date	Dec 23, 2019
Publication date	Jun 24, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A gas meter having a sensor module and at least one bypass module is described herein. In an example of the gas meter, an enclosure defines an interior cavity within which a manifold may be configured to include a sensor module connector, at least one bypass module connector, and an exhaust port. A sensor module may be connected to the sensor module connector of the manifold and may measure a flowrate through the sensor module and into the manifold. A bypass module may be connected to the bypass module connector of the manifold to bypass gas around the sensor module. A processor may be used to compute a gas flowrate through the meter using inputs including the measured flowrate and data based on the measured flowrate to adjust for gas that bypassed the sensor module.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A gas meter, comprising:
an enclosure defining an inlet port, an outlet port, and an interior cavity; a manifold located within the interior cavity of the enclosure, comprising a first connector, a second connector, and a third connector, wherein the manifold is connected to the outlet port to exhaust gas through the outlet port; a sensor module, connected to the first connector of the manifold, and configured to measure a first gas flowrate from the interior cavity of the enclosure, through the sensor module, through the manifold and out the outlet port; a bypass module, connected to the second connector of the manifold, to direct a second gas flow having a second gas flowrate from the interior cavity of the enclosure, through the bypass module, through the manifold, and out the outlet port; and a plug connected to the third connector, to block gas flow from entering the manifold through the third connector.

2 . The gas meter as recited in claim 1 , additionally comprising:
a processor to compute a gas flowrate through the meter using inputs comprising:
a measured flowrate through the sensor module; and
an adjustment factor, the adjustment factor being based on the measured flowrate.

3 . The gas meter as recited in claim 1 , additionally comprising:
one or more baffles within the interior cavity of the gas meter to redirect gas flow through the interior cavity of the gas meter.

4 . The gas meter as recited in claim 1 , wherein the bypass module has a flow passage that is approximately the same as the flow passage of the sensor module.

5 . The gas meter as recited in claim 1 , additionally comprising:
a second sensor module; and a processor and a memory device; wherein the processor compares data from the sensor module and the second sensor module to determine whether the data is within a threshold difference.

6 . A gas meter, comprising:
a manifold comprising a first connector, a second connector, and an exhaust port; a sensor module, connected to the first connector of the manifold, to measure a first gas flow having a first flowrate through the sensor module and into the manifold; and a bypass module, connected to the second connector of the manifold, to direct a second gas flow having a second flowrate through the bypass module.

7 . The gas meter as recited in claim 6 , additionally comprising:
a processor to calculate a gas flowrate through the meter using inputs comprising: the measured flowrate; a number of bypass modules; and a multiplicative factor based on the measured flowrate.

8 . The gas meter as recited in claim 6 , wherein a ratio of the first flowrate and the second flowrate is approximately fixed over a range of gas flowrates through the exhaust port.

9 . The gas meter as recited in claim 6 , wherein a ratio of the first flowrate and the second flowrate is variable over a lifecycle of the gas meter, and wherein the gas meter additionally comprises:
a processor to calculate an adjustment to compensate for variations in the ratio of the rate of the first gas flow and a rate of the second gas flow over the lifecycle of the gas meter.

10 . The gas meter as recited in claim 6 , additionally comprising:
a third connector of the manifold; and a second bypass module connected to the third connector.

11 . The gas meter as recited in claim 6 , additionally comprising:
a third connector of the manifold; and a plug connected to third connector, to block gas flow into the third connector.

12 . The gas meter as recited in claim 6 , additionally comprising:
a third connector of the manifold; and a second bypass module connected to the third connector.

13 . The gas meter of claim 6 , additionally comprising:
an enclosure having an entry port and an interior cavity; wherein the sensor module and the bypass module are on a first side of the interior cavity and the entry port is on a second side of the interior cavity that is opposite the first side of the interior cavity.

14 . A method of measuring gas flow, comprising:
receiving a first gas flow having a first gas flowrate into an interior of a gas meter; measuring a second gas flow to thereby obtain a measured second gas flowrate, wherein the measuring is performed by a sensor module and the second gas flow is a portion of the first gas flow; bypassing a third gas flow having a third gas flowrate, through a bypass module, the third gas flow being a portion of the first gas flow and being separate from the second gas flow; obtaining a factor based at least in part on the measured second gas flowrate; and determining the first gas flowrate based on inputs comprising:
the measured second gas flowrate; and
the factor.

15 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein obtaining the factor comprises:
using a plurality of values for the factor for each of a respective plurality of measured second gas flowrates.

16 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the bypass module is one of a plurality of bypass modules, and wherein bypassing the third gas flow comprises:
bypassing the third gas flow through the plurality of bypass modules.

17 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the sensor module is one of two sensor modules, and wherein the method additionally comprises:
comparing output from the two sensor modules; and determining if the gas meter should be replaced, based on the comparison.

18 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein obtaining the factor is based at least in part on accessing a look-up table, and wherein measuring gas flow additionally comprises:
providing custom look-up table to the gas meter based on testing the gas meter.

19 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein the sensor module and the bypass module exhaust gas flows into a manifold, and wherein the method additionally comprises:
blocking gas flow into the manifold in at least one location using at least one plug in at least one respective bypass module connector.

20 . The method as recited in claim 14 , wherein:
measuring the second gas flow comprises directing gas from the interior of the gas meter through the sensor module and into a manifold; and bypassing the third gas flow comprises directing gas from the interior of the gas meter through the bypass module and at least one other bypass module and into the manifold.

Assignees

• Itron Global Sarl

Inventors

• Haag Christian Oskar
• Nenninger-Abe Kanako
• Einhaus Manfred

Classifications

• G01F7/00

  Volume-flow measuring devices with two or more measuring ranges; Compound meters · CPC title

• G01F5/00 Primary

  Measuring a proportion of the volume flow · CPC title

• G01F15/185 Primary

  Connecting means, e.g. bypass conduits · CPC title

• G01F1/66

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