Patent ID: 9714852
Date: 2017-07-25
CPC Classifications: G01F

Claim:
1. An apparatus for characterizing gas flow in a pipeline, comprising: a first pipeline connection providing access to an interior of the pipeline at the one portion of the pipeline; and a second pipeline connection providing access to the interior of the pipeline at another portion of the pipeline separated from the one portion of the pipeline by a blockage in the pipeline, a blower arrangement having an inlet connected to the first pipeline connection and an outlet connectable to the second pipeline connection, and including a blower and a motor, the motor being connected to the blower and operable to drive the blower to impel gas flow from the one portion of the pipeline connected to the inlet on one side of the blockage to the another portion of the pipeline connected to the outlet on another side of the blockage; and a meter assembly including a flow meter and a pair of conduits, one of the conduits being attached to an outlet side of the flow meter and including the outlet of the blower arrangement, and the other of the conduits having a first end attached an inlet side of the flow meter and a second end selectively connectable to and disconnectable from an outlet side of the blower arrangement to facilitate attachment and detachment of the meter assembly to and from the blower arrangement, the flow meter being operable to measure a flow of the gas passing through the outlet when the meter assembly is attached to the blower arrangement.