Patent ID: 6752026
Filing Date: 2004-06-22
Classification: G01F

Abstract:
A fluid-flow-rate measuring apparatus for indicating the rate of flow of fluid through said apparatus that is connected to an open or to a closed conduit for flowing fluid, with said apparatus having means to detect explosive, fast-transient, slow-transient, pulsating, and/or steady-state rate of fluid flow, that may be in multiple phase composition, by sensing a change in an electromagnetic field generated by one or more coils of a resonant electronic or electrical circuit, and which electromagnetic field is altered by the movement of one or more pistons made from a material that supports a magnetic field, thereby permitting detection of a change in current and voltage, and where said piston(s) is (are) longitudinally and axially disposed within said apparatus housing, and where displacement of said piston(s) is caused by fluid forces upon the upstream surface(s) of said piston(s), and with said apparatus comprising:(a) an open or closed housing of non-magnetic material to contain a flowing fluid; (b) one or more pistons longitudinally and axially positioned in the housing of (a), with said piston(s) held in position by one or more resilient-restoring members to maintain a reference position for said piston(s) and to permit said piston(s) to slide against said restoring members within said housing as a result of force generated on said piston(s) by a fluid flowing though the housing, and with said piston(s) and resilient-restoring member(s) held within said housing by piston-retaining members at each end of said housing that are secured to said housing, where necessary, by means to maintain pressure-tight security, for closed conduits systems, of the fluid within said housing; (c) a fluid expansion chamber contiguous to an upstream piston, which expansion chamber permits a flowing fluid to expand within the apparatus to generate force on the face of a piston so as to move the piston laterally or longitudinally from a reference position as a result of the force generated by the expanding fluid, and a fluid contraction chamber contiguous to a downstream piston, or to a resilient-restoring member, which contraction chamber restores fluid conditions to a fluid state before fluid expansion in said expansion chamber; (d) one or more electrical-electronic coil devices [i] which may consist of continuous turns of insulated, electrically conductive wire to form a cylindrical coil, with a circular void in the center, to be placed axially on the housing of (a), or [ii] which may consist of continuous turns of insulated, electrically conductive wire to form a longitudinal, continuous coil, with a longitudinal void at the center, that can be removed from a position contiguous to the housing of (a) without removing the housing from the fluid system; (e) an electromagnetic shield-cover, constructed of material that reduces or blocks electromagnetic field interference, said cover also containing or restricting within its confines an internal electromagnetic field generated by one or more coils of (d), while simultaneously reducing noise from stray ferrous materials and from electromagnetic, electronic, and electrical signals; (f) a means to move the continuous-wire coil(s) of (d), configured as one or more coils, either axially or longitudinally on the housing of (a), in order to establish a reference position for the coil(s) with respect to the mechanical piston(s) of (b) inside the housing; (g) a means to hold in place continuous-wire coil(s) of (d) either axially or longitudinally in relation to the longitudinal axis of the housing of (a), so that the coil(s) will retain a fixed position relative to a zero position of piston(s) of (b) inside the housing; (h) a means to place a label on the housing of (a) that shows a reference position for the continuous-wire coil(s) of (d), and that identifies the specifications of the apparatus, including electronic settings, and type of coil, (i) a means to provide direct current electrical power to the electronic components of the apparatus, so that both direct current and voltage, and alternating current and voltage generated by the electronics, can be adjusted to set the frequency and amplitude, and the off-set current and voltage, all of which are used in combination with electronic circuits and components to convert mechanical piston motion into electronic signals that indicate fluid flow rate for display on an analog or digital voltage or current indicator.