VORTEX FLOW METER

Abstract: A vortex flow meter includes a vibration sensing ele­ ment having a sensor responsive to an external vibration and a sensor responsive to a vortex train at vertically opposite ends thereof. The sensing element is fixed to a conduit fulcrumed at an intermediate portion thereof. A vortex shedding member is integrally and oscillatably mounted in a lower portion of the sensing element. The flow meter can be assembled merely by being positioned in the conduit and, due to an integral structure, it is effectively applicable even to small diameter conduits through which fluids flow at very small flow rates. In a path along which leads from a sensor responsive to pressure variations due to vortex trains are routed to a transducer box, vibration of the transducer box is prevented from reaching the sensor via the leads, thereby rendering the flow meter less susceptive to externally derived vibrations.

Description: The present invention relates to a vortex flow meter for meaasuring a flow rate of a fluid based on Karman vortex streets, or vortex trains. A vortex flow meter is well known (GB-A-2408268) in the flow measurement art in which a vortex shedding member is positioned across a passageway inside a conduit through which a fluid flows. The velocity of flow rate of the fluid in the conduit is measured by sensing pressure variations of the fluid caused by vortex trains. In this kind of flow meter, mechanical and other vibrations attributable to mechanical vibrations of the conduit, turbulent flows of the fluid itself, pulsation of a pump, and the like are apt to appear as errors in an output signal of the flow meter. For the compensation of such errors in measurement, it has been practiced to use a sensor responsive to mechanical vibrations and a sensor responsive to vortex trains and provide a difference between output signals of the two sensors. The problem with such an approach is that the two sensors are constructed integrally with each other but separately from the vortex shedding member and, therefore, have to be assembled independently of the latter. Especially, where the flow meter is small size, difficulty is encountered in machining and assembling it, resulting in an inefficient procedure. Another problem is that since the pressure variation due to a vortex train is proportional to the square flow rate, the flow meter needs to be responsive to a wide range of pressures and, hence, its sensitivity is very low when flow rate is small. Such has hitherto been coped with by using a preamplifier having a gain which is small for large flow rates and large for small flow rates, i.e. a substantially constant total gain. However, the preamplifier with such a characteristic is susceptive to externally derive vibrations of low frequencies which constitute a source of noise. Attempts have been made to provide a stably operable vortex flow meter by compensating for the external vibrations or allowing a minimum of external vibrations to effect the measurement. It is the object of the invention to provide a vortex flow meter furnished with an improved structure for allowing a minimum of external vibrations to act thereon. In the present invention, there is provided a vortex flow meter comprising a thin-walled cylindrical tube extending throughout a center of a mounting flange and provided with a pressure receiving plate at a lower end thereof, sensing elements integrally mounted in the thin-walled cylindrical tube for converting a small pressure variation acting on the pressure receiving plate to an electrical signal, a flexible tubular member rigidly connected to the mounting flange coaxially with the thin-walled cylindrical tube in such a manner as to surround the thin-walled cylindrical tube, a hermetically sealed elastic narrow tube, a hermetically sealed terminal block, the electrical signal being outputted sequentially via the flexible tubular member, the elastic narrow tube and the terminal block, and a protective tube slidably coupled on an outer periphery of the terminal block and fixed in place while surrounding the flexible tubular member, the elastic narrow tube and the mounting flange. The flow meter can be assembled merely by being positioned in the conduit and, due to an integral structure, it is effectively applicable even to small diameter conduits through which fluids flow at very small flow rates. In a path along which leads from the sensing elements responsive to pressure variations due to vortex trains are routed to a transducer box, vibration of the transducer box is prevented from reaching the sensor via the leads, thereby rendering the flow meter less susceptive to externally derived vibrations. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a fragmentary section of a vortex flow meter embodying the present invention; Figs. 2-5 are fragmentary views of modifications to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary section of another embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS While the vortex now meter of the present invention is susceptible of numerous physical embodiments, depending upon the environment and requirements of use, substantial numbers of the herein shown and described embodiments have been made, tested and used, and all have performed in an eminently satisfactory manner. Referring to Fig. 1, a first embodiment of the present invention is shown which is provided with a unique structure for preventing externally derived vibrations from acting on electrical signals, which are output from sensor elements and passed through leads, and reaching a sensor unit to appear as noise in a pressure signal. In Fig. 1, a sensor is shown as being mounted in a conduit 50 and in a section as viewed in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which a pressure variation acts on the sensor. The reference numeral 31 designates a flange. A cylindrical tube 32 having a relatively thin wall extends throughout the flange 31 and has a pressure receiving plate 35 at its bottom. The flange 31 is fastened to a conduit 50 by screws 44. A vortex train originating from the flow of a fluid in the conduit develops a delicate pressure variation which is imparted to the pressure receiving plate 35 via openings 51 to act on the thin-walled tube 32. The force acting on the tube 32 is transformed by sensor elements 34 such as piezoelectric elements into a quantity of electricity which is then led out of the tube 32 by leads 37. An insulating material 36 such as resin or glass fills the space between the tube 32 and the sensor elements 34. The electrical signal generated as stated above is coupled to insulated thin lines 38 and, therefrom, to an input terminal of an amplifier (not shown) inside a transducer box 70 via terminals 41 of external leads. These leads are connected to the sensor elements 34 within the flexible tube 33 and to the terminals 41 of the external leads within a hermetically sealed terminal block 40. A hermetically sealed and thin-walled elastic narrow tube 39 made of stainless steel or the like is hermetically sealed and rigidly connected at one end to the tube 33 and at the other end to the terminal block 40 by welding, for example. In this particular embodiment, the elastic narrow tube 39 comprises a sheath wire. The other end of the hollow tube 33 is fixed to the flange 31. Inside the terminal block 40, as inside the tube 32, an insulating material such as resin or glass sealingly retains the leads. The outer periphery of the terminal block 40 is slidably and sealingly retained by a protective tube 60 with the intermediary of an elastic sealing member 42. The other end of the protective tube 60 is rigidly connectd to the conduit 50 while embracing the flange 31. The transducer box 70 is fastened to the protective tube 60 by screws 43 while covering the outer periphery of an upper portion of the latter. Referring to Figs. 2-5, various modifications to the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 are shown. In these modifications, it is to be noted that the thin tube 32 extends throughout the flange 31 in a fashion similar to that shown in Fig. 1, though Figs. 2 to 5 illustrate these elements in such a manner as to be constructed integrally with each other. In Fig. 2, the flexible tube 33 is provided with a radially outwardly extending annular extending lip portion 47 at its lower end for the purpose of farther reducing the bending strength of the tube 33. The flange 31, on the other hand, is provided with a recess 45 around an opening formed therein throughout the cylindrical tube 32 extends. The recess 45 comprises a bottom portion 45a and a stepped portion 45b. The lid portion 47 of the tube 33 is rigidly connected to the stepped portion 45b of the flange 31 by an electron beam or like fusing means while being prevented from contacting the bottom portion 45a of the recess 45 of the flange 31. With such a structure the tube 33 attains a decrease in bending strength due to a longer arm of bending moment. In Fig. 3, the smaller bending strength described above with reference to Fig. 2 is implemented by a bellows 48 which forms part of the flexible tube 33. Although the bellows 48 is shown in an intermediate position of the tube 33, it may be positioned adjacent to the upper or lower end of the tube 33 in which case the bending strength will become even smaller than one attainable with the Fig. 2 structure. In Fig. 4, a hermetic seal 80 is disposed in the flexible tube 33 in order to retain the thin lines 38 so that the latter may be prevented from touching the inner wall of the tube 33 to detriment the insulation. The thin lines 38 extending from the sensor elements 34 are connected to the elastic narrow tube 39 by leads 81 which are insulated from each other by an insulator 82. The modification shown in Fig. 5 is a combined version of the modifications described above with reference to Figs. 2-4. Constructed as discussed above, the embodiment of the present invention is hardly effected by externally derived vibrations and, therefore, operable with stability in sensing vortex trains. This is because, although the moment developed by the protective tube 60 and transducer box 70 is transformed into a moment which is imparted through the elastic narrow tube 39, that moment acts on the flexible tubular member 33 and only the force transmitted through the leads 38 is allowed to act on the sensor elements 34. Still another modification to the embodiment of Fig. 1 is shown in Fig. 6. As shown, the protective tube 60 is fastened at its lower end to the flow meter 50 by means of screws 91 and 92 while being spaced from the latter as at 93 and 94. The spaces 93 and 94 are effective to damp mechanical vibrations. The vortex shedder in accordance with this particular modification is provided with openings 95 for removing bubbles and openings 96 for removing impurities such as dust, in addition to the pressure variation inlet openings 51. The reference numeral 97 in Fig. 6 designates a packing or an O-ring. The O-ring 97 is fitted in an annular recess 98 which is formed in the conduit 50. The flange 31 is provided with an annular projection 31a which is engaged in the recess 98 to positively position the flange 31 relative to the conduit 50.

Claims: A vortex flow meter, comprising a thin walled cylindrical tube (32) extending throughout a center of and held by a mounting flange (31) said flange being mounted in the wall of a conduit (50) and said cylindrical tube being provided with a pressure receiving plate (35) at a lower end thereof, which is exposed to small pressure variations of vortex train shed by a vortex shedder (5), sensing elements (34) integrally mounted in said cylindrical tube (32) being internal to the conduit (50) for converting the small pressure variations acting on said pressure receiving plate (35) to electrical signals, electrical leads (37, 38, 81) extending from the sensing elements (34) for outputting said electrical signals, a flexible tubular member (33) rigidly connected at its lower end to the mounting flange (31) coaxially with the thin-walled cylindrical tube (32) in such a manner as to surround the thin-walled cylindrical tube (32), a hermetically sealed elastic narrow tube (39) connected at its lower end to the top of the flexible tubular member (33), a hermetically sealed terminal block (40) connected to the upper end of the elastic narrow tube (39), said electrical leads (37, 38, 81) extending upward from said cylindrical tube (32) via the end face of the latter into the inside of the flexible tubular member (33) and from inside said flexible tubular member (33) out through the end face of the latter and subsequently via said elastic narrow tube (39) to said terminal block (40), and said terminal block (40) being slidably and sealingly retained via its outer periphery inside a protective tube (60) rigidly connected to the conduit (50) and surrounding at its lower end the flexible tubular member (33), the elastic narrow tube (39) and the mounting flange (31). A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flexible tubular member (33) has a radially outwardly extending annular lip portion (47) at its lower end, the top surface of the mounting flange (31) being provided with a double recess (45) around an opening therein throughout which the thin walled cylindrical tube (32) extends, said recess (45) being formed with an inner bottom portion (45a) and an outer stepped portion (45b) said annular lip portion (47) of the flexible tubular member (33) and the bottom portion (45a) of said recess (45) being held out of contact with each other. A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein part of the flexible tubular member (33) comprises a bellows (48). A vortex flow meter as claimed in any one of claims 1-3, wherein said electric leads (37, 38, 81) extending out from the sensing elements (34) to the interior of the flexible tubular member (33) are insulated from each other by an insulating material (82). A vortex flow meter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the insulating material forms a hermetic seal (80). A vortex flow meter as claimed in any one of claims 1-5, wherein the elastic narrow tube (39) comprises a sheath wire.

Inventors: MATSUBARA, NAOKI C/O OVAL ENG. CO. LTD., MURAKAMI, HIDEO C/O OVAL ENGINEERING CO. LTD.
Applicants: OVAL ENGINEERING CO., LTD.
Application year: 1984
Main classification: G01F1
IPC codes: G01F1