Patent ID: 6044714
Filing Date: 2000-04-04
Classification: G01F

Abstract:
For operating in an explosion-hazard environment, a flowmeter comprising:A) a transducer assembly operable by application thereto of an excitation pulse to transmit acoustic energy into a fluid, receive resultant sonic signals from the fluid, and produce a receiver signal representative of the sonic signals thus received;B) a signal-conduction medium, coupled to the transducer assembly, for conducting excitation pulses to the transducer assembly and receiver signals from the transducer assembly; andC) control circuitry for generating excitation pulses whose amplitudes exceed 50 volts and whose amplitude-duration products are less than 750 V-.mu.sec., applying the excitation pulses to the signal-conduction medium, receiving the resultant receiver signals from the signal-conduction medium, and producing in response an indication of the fluid's flow rate.