Inductive flow meter including extended magnetic pole pieces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9631961-B2
Application number	US-201514829749-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2015
Priority date	Aug 19, 2015
Publication date	Apr 25, 2017
Grant date	Apr 25, 2017

Abstract

A magnetic flow meter includes a magnetic flow transducer positioned to sense the flow of water through the flow meter. The magnetic flow transducer includes first and second electrodes positioned on opposite sides of a measuring channel. First and second magnetic pole pieces are positioned on opposite sides of the measuring channel and orthogonal to the first and second electrodes. The magnetic pole piece includes extending tab portions that are located adjacent to the first and second electrodes on opposite sides of the first and second electrodes. The extended tabs formed on each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces reduce the induced voltage within the electrodes to increase the accuracy of the measurement taken by the magnetic flow transducer.

First claim

We claim:

1. A magnetic inductive flow meter, comprising:
a flow tube having an inlet, an outlet and a measuring channel positioned between the inlet and the outlet;
a first electrode and a second electrode positioned on opposite sides of the measuring channel;
a pair of magnetic pole pieces positioned on opposite sides of the measuring channel and orthogonal to the first and second electrodes, wherein a portion of each of the magnetic pole pieces is positioned to overlap each of the first and second electrodes; and
an electromagnet coupled to the pair of magnetic pole pieces and configured to generate an alternating magnetic field across the measuring channel.

2. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 1 wherein:
each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces includes a generally rectangular surface element having a first end and a second end;
a first tab portion extending from the first end of the surface element of each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces and positioned to overlap the first electrode; and
a second tab portion extending from the second end of the surface element of each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces and positioned to overlap the second electrode.

3. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 2 wherein the first and second tab portions are integrally formed with the surface element.

4. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 2 wherein the first and second tab portions extend in opposite directions from the surface element.

5. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 2 wherein each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces includes an attachment strip that extends diagonal to the rectangular surface element.

6. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 1 wherein the measuring channel has a rectangular cross-section having a pair of spaced sidewalls and a pair of spaced end walls, wherein each of the first and second electrodes is positioned adjacent to one of the end walls and the portion of each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces positioned to overlap each of the electrodes extends past one of the end walls.

7. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 5 wherein the attachment strip is coupled to the electromagnet.

8. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 2 wherein the first tab portion and the second tab portion are generally rectangular.

9. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 2 wherein the first and second electrodes each include a plug and a pin formed from diamagnetic materials, wherein the first and second tabs overlap the diamagnetic materials.

10. A magnetic flow transducer for use in a magnetic inductive flow meter having a flow tube including a measuring channel, the magnetic flow transducer comprising:
a first electrode and a second electrode positioned on opposite sides of the measuring channel;
a first magnetic pole piece and a second magnetic pole piece positioned on opposite sides of the measuring channel and orthogonal to the first and second electrodes, wherein a portion of the first and second magnetic pole pieces are positioned to overlap each of the first and second electrodes when the magnetic flow transducer is positioned within the flow meter; and
an electromagnet coupled to the first and second magnetic pole pieces and configured to generate an alternating magnetic field through the measuring channel.

11. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 10 wherein:
each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces includes a generally rectangular surface element having a first end and a second end;
a first tab portion extending from the first end of the surface element of each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces and positioned to overlap the first electrode; and
a second tab portion extending from the second end of the surface element of each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces and positioned overlap the second electrode.

12. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 11 wherein the first and second tab portions are integrally formed with the surface element.

13. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 11 wherein the first and second tab portions extend in opposite directions from the surface element.

14. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 11 wherein each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces includes an attachment strip that extends diagonal to the rectangular surface element.

15. The magnetic inductive flow transducer of claim 10 wherein the measuring channel has a rectangular cross-section having a pair of spaced sidewalls and a pair of spaced end walls, wherein each of the first and second electrodes is positioned adjacent to one of the end walls and the portion of the first and second magnetic pole pieces that overlap each of the electrodes extends past one of the end walls.

16. The magnetic inductive flow transducer of claim 10 wherein the first tab portion and the second tab portion are generally rectangular.

17. The magnetic inductive flow transducer of claim 10 wherein the first and second electrodes each include a plug and a pin formed from diamagnetic materials, wherein the first and second tabs overlap the diamagnetic materials.

18. A magnetic inductive flow meter, comprising:
a flow tube having an inlet, an outlet and a measuring channel having a rectangular cross-section including a pair of spaced end walls and a pair of spaced sidewalls, wherein the measuring channel is positioned between the inlet and the outlet;
a first electrode and a second electrode positioned adjacent to opposite end walls of the measuring channel;
a first magnetic pole piece and a second magnetic pole piece each positioned adjacent to opposite sidewalls of the measuring channels and orthogonal to the first and second electrodes, wherein each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces includes a generally rectangular surface element having a first end and a second end;
a first tab portion extending from the first end of the surface element of each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces, wherein the first tab portion extends past one of the end walls and is positioned to overlap the first electrode;
a second tab portion extending from the second end of the surface element of each of the first and second magnetic pole pieces, wherein the second tab portion extends past one of the end walls and is positioned to overlap the second electrode; and
an electromagnet coupled to the first and second magnetic pole pieces and configured to generate an alternating magnetic field across the measuring channel.

19. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 18 wherein the first and second tab portions are integrally formed with the surface element.

20. The magnetic inductive flow meter of claim 19 wherein the first and second electrodes each include a plug and a pin formed from diamagnetic materials, wherein the first and second tabs overlap the diamagnetic materials.

Assignees

• Sensus Spectrum Llc

Inventors

• Profeta Jr Joseph Anthony
• Stern Trampas

Classifications

• G01F1/584 Primary

  constructions of electrodes, accessories therefor · CPC title

• G01F1/588

  combined constructions of electrodes, coils or magnetic circuits, accessories therefor · CPC title

• G01F1/586 Primary

  constructions of coils, magnetic circuits, accessories therefor (G01F1/582 takes precedence; magnet; inductances; transformers; selection of materials for their magnetic properties per se H01F) · CPC title