System and method for preventing false flow measurements in a vibrating meter

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9851239-B2
Application number	US-201214116472-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2012
Priority date	May 23, 2011
Publication date	Dec 26, 2017
Grant date	Dec 26, 2017

Abstract

A meter electronics ( 20 ) for a vibrating meter ( 5 ) is provided. The vibrating meter ( 5 ) includes a sensor assembly located within a pipeline ( 301 ). The sensor assembly ( 10 ) is in fluid communication with one or more fluid switches ( 309 ). The meter electronics ( 20 ) is configured to measure one or more flow characteristics of a fluid flowing through the sensor assembly ( 10 ). The meter electronics ( 20 ) is further configured to receive a first fluid switch signal ( 214 ) indicating a fluid condition within the pipeline ( 301 ) from a first fluid switch ( 309 ) of the one or more fluid switches. The meter electronics ( 20 ) is further configured to correct the one or more flow characteristics if the fluid condition is outside a threshold value or band.

First claim

We claim:

1. A fluid flow system ( 300 ), comprising:
a pipeline ( 301 );
at least one fluid switch located within the pipeline ( 301 ) and determining one of one or more fluid conditions within the pipeline ( 301 ), wherein a first fluid switch ( 309 ) of the at least one fluid switch comprises a fluid level switch wherein a first fluid switch signal ( 214 ) indicates that a liquid fill level within the pipeline ( 301 ) is outside a threshold value or band;
a vibrating meter ( 5 ) including:
a sensor assembly ( 10 ) located within the pipeline ( 301 ) proximate to and in fluid communication with the first fluid switch ( 309 ); and
a meter electronics ( 20 ) in electrical communication with the sensor assembly ( 10 ) to receive one or more sensor signals ( 210 ) and measure one or more flow characteristics, wherein a flow characteristic of the one or more flow characteristics comprises a mass flow rate;

a system controller ( 317 ) in electrical communication with the first fluid switch ( 309 ) and in electrical communication with the meter electronics ( 20 ) and configured to:
receive the one or more measured flow characteristics from the meter electronics ( 20 );
receive the first fluid switch signal ( 214 ) indicating one of the one or more fluid conditions within the pipeline ( 301 ) from the first fluid switch ( 309 ); and
correct at least one of the one or more flow characteristics measured by the meter electronics if a fluid condition of the one or more fluid conditions is outside a threshold value or band.

2. The fluid flow system ( 300 ) of claim 1 , wherein the first fluid switch ( 309 ) is located upstream from the sensor assembly ( 10 ).

3. The fluid flow system ( 300 ) of claim 2 , further comprising at least a second fluid switch ( 310 ) located proximate to and downstream from the sensor assembly ( 10 ).

4. The fluid flow system ( 300 ) of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fluid switch comprises a fluid flow switch that indicates that a fluid flow rate through the pipeline ( 301 ) is outside a threshold value or band.

5. The fluid flow system ( 300 ) of claim 1 , wherein the correction of the measured flow characteristics comprises determining the measured flow characteristics are false.

6. A method for operating a vibrating meter including a meter electronics and a sensor assembly located within a pipeline and in fluid communication with one or more fluid switches, comprising steps of:
measuring one or more flow characteristics of a fluid flowing through the sensor assembly;
measuring one or more fluid conditions with the one or more fluid switches wherein a fluid switch of the one or more fluid switches comprises a fluid level switch, wherein the fluid level switch is configured to determine a liquid fill level within the pipeline; and
correcting the one or more flow characteristics of the fluid flowing through the sensor assembly if the liquid fill level is outside a threshold value or band.

7. The method of claim 6 , comprising measuring a flow rate within the pipeline.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the step of correcting comprises determining the flow characteristics are false.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising a step of totalizing the one or more flow characteristics after a fluid condition of the one or more fluid conditions falls outside the threshold value or band.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the vibrating meter comprises a Coriolis flow meter.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein a flow characteristic of the one or more flow characteristics comprises a mass flow rate.

12. A meter electronics ( 20 ) for a vibrating meter ( 5 ) with a sensor assembly located within a pipeline ( 301 ) and in fluid communication with one or more fluid switches ( 309 ), the meter electronics ( 20 ) configured to:
measure one or more flow characteristics of a fluid flowing through the sensor assembly ( 10 );
receive a first fluid switch signal ( 214 ) indicating a fluid condition within the pipeline ( 301 ) from a first fluid switch ( 309 ) of the one or more fluid switches; and
correct the one or more flow characteristics if the fluid condition is outside a threshold value or band, wherein the fluid condition comprises a liquid fill level within the pipeline.

13. The meter electronics ( 20 ) of claim 12 , wherein the one or more flow characteristics of the one or more flow characteristics comprises a flow rate within the pipeline.

14. The meter electronics ( 20 ) of claim 12 , wherein the correction of the measured flow characteristics comprises determining the flow characteristics are false.

15. The meter electronics ( 20 ) of claim 14 , further configured to totalize the one or more flow characteristics after the fluid condition falls outside the threshold value or band.

16. The meter electronics ( 20 ) of claim 12 , wherein the first fluid switch ( 309 ) is located upstream of the sensor assembly ( 10 ) and wherein the meter electronics ( 20 ) is further configured to receive a second fluid switch signal ( 215 ) from a second fluid switch ( 310 ) located downstream of the sensor assembly ( 10 ).

Assignees

• Weinstein Joel
• Pruysen Aart R
• Jones Steven M
• Houghton John Ansdell
• Micro Motion Inc

Inventors

• Weinstein Joel
• Pruysen Aart R
• Jones Steven M
• Houghton John Ansdell

Classifications

• G01F1/05

  by using mechanical effects · CPC title

• G01F15/0755

  involving digital counting · CPC title

• G01F1/8436

  signal processing · CPC title

• G01F1/8477

  with multiple measuring conduits · CPC title

• G01F1/002 Primary

  wherein the flow is in an open channel · CPC title