Patent ID: 8396675

Claim:
A method of using a discharge flow rate determining apparatus comprising: supersonic wave determining means for determining intensity of a supersonic wave generated at and propagated from the discharge opening in association with discharge of the fluid from the discharge opening, at a determination site distant from the discharge opening; storing means for storing a correlation existent between the intensity of the supersonic wave at the determination site and the discharge flow rate of the fluid from the discharge opening; calculating means for calculating the discharge flow rate of the fluid from the discharge opening from the supersonic wave intensity determined by the supersonic wave determining means at the determination site, based on the correlation stored in the storing means; and outputting means for outputting the discharge flow rate of the fluid from the discharge opening calculated by the calculating means as the determination result; comprising the steps for configuring the apparatus to be capable of selectively providing; a discharge flow rate determining mode in which intensity of the supersonic wave generated at and propagated from the discharge opening in association with discharge of the fluid from the discharge opening is determined by the supersonic wave determining means and the calculating means is caused to calculate the discharge flow rate of the fluid from the discharge opening based upon the determined supersonic wave intensity, and a leaking portion searching mode in which intensity of the supersonic wave generated at a leaking portion in association with leakage of fluid is determined by the supersonic wave determining means while the supersonic wave determining means is being moved or changed in its posture and the leaking portion is searched based upon the determined intensity of the supersonic wave at the leaking portion; and selectively effecting the discharge flow rate determining mode and the leaking portion searching mode.