Electronic vibration measurement system

Abstract

The measurement system includes a vibration transducer (10) and electrically coupled measurement system electronics (20) for controlling the transducer and evaluating the vibration measurement signal provided by the transducer. The exciter device has a vibration exciter (31) positioned and oriented such that the drive offset (ΔE) is no greater than 0.5% of the tube length. The measurement system electronics (20) is configured to provide electrical power to the vibration exciter (31) via an electrical drive signal (e1) having a time-varying current, and to at least intermittently provide a drive signal (e1) containing a sinusoidal (second useful) current (eN2) with a (second) (AC) frequency, so as to monitor the mass of the measured substance based on a corresponding (second) useful signal component (s1N2; s2N2) of at least one of the vibration measurement signals (s1, s2).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an electronic vibration measurement system comprising a vibrating transducer and an electronic measurement system unit electrically connected thereto, particularly a Coriolis mass flow rate measurement device or a Coriolis mass flow rate / density measurement device, for measuring and / or monitoring at least one quantifiable variable of a flowing analyte (particularly a gas, liquid, or dispersion). The quantifiable variable can be a time-varying flow parameter of the corresponding analyte, such as mass flow rate, volumetric flow rate, or flow rate, and / or a time-varying material parameter, such as density and / or viscosity. Such measurement systems, typically designed as compact, in-line measurement devices, have long been known and have proven themselves in industrial applications, particularly in the control and monitoring of automated production—engineered production or process systems—or in the field of transshipment stations for cargo transportation, where they may also undergo calibration. Examples of the types of electronic vibration measurement systems discussed and their applications are described, for example, in EP-A317 340, EP-A 816 807, JP-A 8-136311, JP-A 9-015015, US-A 2003 / 0154804, US-A 2005 / 0125167, US-A 2006 / 0000293, US-A 2006 / 0112774, US-A 2006 / 0266129, US-A 2007 / 0062308, US-A 2007 / 0113678, US-A 2007 / 0119264, US-A 2007 / 0119265, US-A 2007 / 0151370, US-A 2007 / 0151371, US-A 2007 / 0186685, US-A 2008 / 0034893, US-A 2008 / 0041168, US-A 2008 / 0141789, US-A 2010 / 0011882, US-A 2010 / 0050783, US-A 2010 / 0101333, US-A 2010 / 0139416, US-A 2010 / 0139417, US-A 2010 / 0236338, US-A 2010 / 0242623, US-A 2010 / 0242624、US-A 2010 / 0251830、US-A 2011 / 0167907, US-A 2012 / 0123705, US-A 2014 / 0352454, US-A 2016 / 0033314, US-A 2016 / 0123836, US-A 2016 / 0138997, US-A 2016 / 0349091, US-A 2017 / 0030870, US-A 2017 / 0356777, US-A 2020 / 0132529, US-A 46 80 974, US-A 47 38144、US-A 47 68 384、US-A 47 77 833、US-A 47 93 191、US-A 48 01 897、US-A 48 23 614、US-A 48 31 885、US-A 48 79 911、US-A 50 09 109、US-A 50 24 104、US-A 50 50 439、US-A 52 91 792、US-A 53 59 881、US-A 53 98 554、US-A 54 76 013、US-A 55 31 126、US-A 56 02 345、US-A 56 91 485、US-A 57 28 952、US-A 57 34 112、US-A 57 96 010、US-A 57 96 011、US-A 57 96 012、US-A 58 04 741、US-A 58 31 178、US-A 58 61 561、US-A 58 69 770、US-A 59 26 096、US-A 59 45 609、US-A 59 79 246、US-A 60 47 457、US-A 60 73 495、US-A 60 92 429、US-B 62 23 605、US-B 63 11 136、US-B 63 30 832、US-B 63 97 685、US-B 65 13 393、US-B 65 57 422、US-B 66 51 513、US-B 66 66 098、US-B 66 91 583、US-B 68 40 109、US-B 68 68 740、US-B 68 83 387、US-B 70 17 424、US-B 70 40 179、US-B 70 73 396、US-B 70 77 014、US-B 70 80 564、US-B 71 34 348、US-B 72 99 699、US-B 73 05 892、US-B 73 60 451、US-B 73 92 709、US-B 74 06 878、US-B 75 62 586、WO-A 00 / 14485、WO-A 01 / 02816、WO-A 03 / 021204、WO-A03 / 021205、WO-A 2004 / 072588、WO-A 2005 / 040734、WO-A 2005 / 050145、WO-A 2006 / 036139、WO-A 2007 / 097760、WO-A2008 / 013545、WO-A 2008 / 077574、WO2009 / 134827、WO-A2009 / 134829、WO-A 2009 / 134830、WO-A 2009 / 136943、WO-A 2011 / 019345、WO-A 2013 / 002759、WO-A 2013 / 009307、WO-A 2017 / 019016、WO-A 2017 / 069749、WO-A 2017 / 108283、WO-A 2017 / 194278、WO-A 2019 / 017891、WO-A 2019 / 081169、WO-A 2019 / 081170、WO-A2020 / 126287、WO-A 87 / 06691、WO-A 93 / 01472、WO-A 95 / 16897、WO-A 95 / 29386、WO-A 96 / 05484、WO-A 96 / 08697、WO-A 97 / 26508、WO-A 99 / 39164、WO-A 99 / 40394、WO-A In 99 / 44018 or our own non-prepublished patent applications DE102019124709.8, PCT / EP2020 / 059050 and PCT / EP2020 / 071817, and in particular the applicant has long manufactured and advertised the device as a Coriolis mass flow rate measuring device or as a Coriolis mass flow rate / density measuring device, for example under the trade names “PROMASS G 100”, “PROMASS O 100”, “PROMASS E 200”, “PROMASS F 300”, “PROMASS X 500”, “CNGmass”, “LPGmass” or “Dosimass” (https: / / www.endress.com / de / search?filter.text=promass). Background Technology

[0002] Each transducer in the illustrated measurement system includes: at least one tube assembly; an actuator assembly; and a sensor assembly, wherein the at least one tube assembly is used to conduct the flowing analyte, the actuator assembly is used to convert electrical power into mechanical power for exciting and maintaining forced mechanical vibration of the tube assembly, and the sensor assembly is used to detect the mechanical vibration of the tube assembly and to provide vibration measurement signals representing the vibrational motion of the tube assembly. The actuator assembly and the sensor assembly are electrically coupled to a measurement system electronics unit, which in turn controls the transducer, specifically its actuator assembly, and receives and evaluates the measurement signals provided therefrom, specifically the vibration measurement signals provided by its sensor assembly, specifically to determine a measured value representing at least one analyte variable. To prevent external influences, the tube assembly, actuator assembly, and sensor assembly are housed together within a transducer protective housing, typically made of metal, and the measurement system electronics unit is housed, for example, within an electronics protective housing, also made of metal; the latter may also be directly mounted on the aforementioned transducer protective housing, forming, for example, a compactly designed Coriolis mass flow / density measurement device. In the case of the measurement system shown in WO-A96 / 08697 or WO-A 2019 / 017891, the transducer protective housing and the tube assembly are again detachably connected to each other, for example, so as to enable the subsequent insertion of the tube assembly or the replacement of the defective or worn tube assembly with a good tube assembly in the field.

[0003] The aforementioned tube assemblies are each configured for integration into the production line process and each has at least one tube, for example, exactly one tube, exactly two tubes, or exactly four tubes. In each case, these tube assemblies extend a certain length from a corresponding first tube end to a corresponding second tube end and have a cavity surrounded by a tube wall, typically metallic, extending from the first tube end to the second tube end. Due to the measurement principle, at least partially bent and / or at least partially straight tubes are configured to pass through the measured material being re-fed or discharged via the connected production line, at least in the flow direction from the first tube end to the second tube end, and simultaneously allow vibration, for example, to generate mass flow-related Coriolis forces, inertial forces depending on the density of the measured substance, and / or frictional forces depending on the viscosity of the measured substance, for example, to perform bending vibrations around a static resting position. The tubes of commercially available (standard) measurement systems typically have at least two symmetrical planes orthogonal to each other and may have, for example, U-shaped, V-shaped, rectangular, or triangular shapes, and even more rarely, Ω-shaped or helical shapes. Furthermore, the corresponding pipe walls are typically made of steel (e.g., stainless steel, duplex steel, or super duplex steel), titanium alloys, zirconium alloys (e.g., zirconium alloys), and / or tantalum alloys. The length of such pipes can range from approximately 100 mm to 2,000 mm, and the diameter (inner pipe diameter) can range from approximately 0.1 mm to approximately 100 mm, typically resulting in a diameter-to-length ratio in the range of approximately 0.08 to 0.25.

[0004] In the case of a transducer with a single tube, the single tube is typically connected to the production line via a substantially straight connecting pipe leading to the inlet side and another substantially straight connecting pipe leading to the outlet side. Furthermore, the tube assembly of such a transducer with a single tube includes at least one single or multiple components (e.g., tubular, box-shaped, or plate-shaped) of a reverse oscillator, coupled to the tube on the inlet side to form a first coupling region and coupled to the tube on the outlet side to form a second coupling region, and which is substantially stationary during operation or oscillates in the opposite direction to the tube, i.e., at the same frequency and opposite phase. The tube assembly of such a transducer, formed by the tube and the reverse oscillator, is typically vibratoryly held within the transducer protective housing via the two connecting pipes, through which the tube is connected to the production line during operation. In the cases of (standard) transducers with a single, substantially straight tube, as shown in, for example, US-A 52 91 792, US-A 57 96 010, US-A 59 45 609, US-B 70 77014, US-A 2007 / 0119264, WO-A 01 / 02816, or even WO-A 99 / 40394, the latter and the reverse oscillator are aligned substantially coaxially with each other, which is very common in conventional transducers. Relatively cost-effective steel grades, such as construction steel or machined steel, are often used as materials for the reverse oscillator, especially when titanium, tantalum, or zirconium are used for the tube. In the case of a transducer with two or more tubes, the corresponding tube assembly typically has an inlet-side splitter and an outlet-side splitter, wherein the inlet-side splitter extends between the tube and the inlet-side connecting flange, the outlet-side splitter extends between the tube and the outlet-side connecting flange, and the tube assembly can be integrated into the production line via the outlet-side splitter.The pipe assemblies shown in US-A 2012 / 0123705, US-A 56 02345, US-A 59 26 096, WO-A2009 / 136943, WO-A 87 / 06691, WO-A96 / 05484, WO-A 96 / 08697, WO-A 97 / 26508, WO-A 99 / 39164, or WO-A2019 / 017891 each have two pipes, namely a first pipe and a second pipe that are structurally identical and parallel to each other, and a first or inlet-side splitter, which serves as a pipe branching unit here, having exactly two flow openings, and a second or outlet-side splitter, which is structurally identical to the first splitter and serves as a pipe merging unit here, having exactly two flow openings. In US-A 56 02 345, WO-A 96 / 08697, or US-A... The pipe assemblies shown in 2017 / 0356777 or WO-A2019 / 081169 or WO-A2019 / 081170 or the mentioned patent application PCT / EP2019 / 082044 each have a first or inlet-side splitter, which serves as a pipeline branching unit here, having exactly two flow openings, a second or outlet-side splitter, which is structurally identical to the first splitter, serving as a pipeline merging unit here, having exactly two flow openings, and two pipes, namely the first pipe and the second pipe. Furthermore, each of the aforementioned two or four tubes is respectively connected to each of the first and second splitters, such that the first tube has its first end connected to the first flow opening of the first splitter and its second end connected to the first flow opening of the second splitter; the second tube has its first end connected to the second flow opening of the first splitter and its second end connected to the second flow opening of the second splitter; or the first tube has its first end connected to the first flow opening of the first splitter and its second end connected to the first flow opening of the second splitter; the second tube has its first end connected to the second flow opening of the first splitter and its second end connected to the second flow opening of the second splitter; the third tube has its first end connected to the third flow opening of the first splitter and its second end connected to the third flow opening of the second splitter; and the fourth tube has its first end connected to the fourth flow opening of the first splitter and its second end connected to the fourth flow opening of the second splitter. Furthermore, the splitters of commercially available transducers are typically designed as integral components of the aforementioned transducer protective housing.

[0005] In order to generate a vibration signal that is affected by or corresponds to the measured variable, at least one tube of the transducer is actively excited by the exciter assembly during the operation of the measurement system so as to vibrate in a vibration mode (sometimes referred to as the drive mode or useful mode) suitable for measuring the corresponding measured variable or suitable for generating the Coriolis force, inertial force or friction force mentioned above, and simultaneously detect the corresponding vibration response (i.e., the resulting vibration motion of at least one tube) by the sensor assembly.

[0006] To (actively) excite the mechanical vibration of at least one tube, the actuator assembly has at least one electromechanical vibration actuator, typically an electrodynamic vibration actuator, which is partially mechanically connected to the tube and configured to convert electrical power with a time-varying current into mechanical power, such that a time-varying driving force acts on the tube at a drive point formed by the vibration actuator mechanically connected thereto. In the above case, the tube assembly has at least one additional (second) tube to which the at least one vibration actuator can also be partially fastened, such that the vibration actuator acts differentially on both tubes. In another case, the tube assembly has a reverse oscillator to which the vibration actuator can be partially fastened, such that the vibration actuator acts differentially on the tube and the reverse oscillator. However, the vibration actuator can also be, for example, partially attached to the aforementioned transducer protective housing. In the case of transducers in conventional (standard) measurement systems, the at least one vibration exciter is typically designed and arranged such that the resulting driving force acts virtually only at a point on the corresponding tube, or the line of action of the resulting driving force is substantially perpendicular to the normal of the driving cross-sectional area (i.e., the cross-sectional area of ​​the tube) which is surrounded by an imaginary circumference passing through the aforementioned driving point. In the case of (standard) transducers in commercially available (standard) measurement systems, exciter assemblies, such as those shown in particular in US-A 56 02 345, US-A57 96 010, US-B 68 40 109, US-B 70 77 014 or US-B 70 17 424, US-A2014 / 0352454, WO-A93 / 01472, WO-A 2005 / 050145, WO-A2013 / 002759, WO-A 2011 / 019345, are typically also designed such that each tube is (partially) connected to exactly one vibration exciter, such that the exciter assembly has no other vibration exciters connected to the respective tubes besides (one) vibration exciter. In particular, for this (standard) case, the vibration exciter is usually of the electrodynamic type, i.e., formed by a vibration coil, for example, such that: its magnetoarmature is mechanically connected to at least one tube to form a drive point, and its air coil, which is submerged in the magnetic field of the armature, is electrically connected to the measurement system electronics unit, and is mechanically connected to another tube of the tube assembly or a reverse oscillator or mechanically connected to the transducer protective housing.However, electronic vibration measurement systems are also known, for example, from WO-A 2017 / 069749, WO-A 2017 / 019016, WO-A 2006 / 036139, US-A 5926 096, WO-A 99 / 28708, WO-A 99 / 44018, WO-A 99 / 02945, US-A2020 / 0132529, US-A 48 31 885, US-B 65 57 422, US-A 60 92 429 or US-A 48 23 614, in which the exciter assembly has two or more vibration exciters, which are respectively connected to the same tube in the tube of the respective tube assembly and / or formed by one or more piezoelectric elements.

[0007] To detect vibration of at least one tube, the sensor assembly has at least two (e.g., electrodynamic or optical) vibration sensors. A first vibration sensor is positioned on the inlet side of the tube at a distance from the vibration exciter in the flow direction, and a second vibration sensor, typically structurally identical to the first, is positioned on the outlet side of the tube at a distance from the vibration exciter in the flow direction. Furthermore, each of the at least two vibration sensors is configured to detect the vibrational motion of the tube and convert it into a first or second vibration measurement signal, which is electrical or optical and represents the vibrational motion—for example, using a voltage dependent on the vibration of the tube. In the case of electrodynamic vibration sensors, they can be formed, for example, by plunger coils electrically connected to the measurement system electronics unit, such that: their magnetoarmature is mechanically connected to at least one tube, and their air coil, submerged in the magnetic field of the armature, is electrically connected to the measurement system electronics unit and mechanically connected to the reverse oscillator or sensor housing of another tube or tube assembly.

[0008] The measurement system electronics of each of the aforementioned measurement systems are further configured to excite at least one vibration exciter during operation according to a useful mode to be excited, i.e., to feed electrical power to the at least one vibration exciter via at least one electrical drive signal having a time-varying current controlled, for example, with respect to (AC) frequency, phase angle, and amplitude, such that the tube performs forced mechanical vibration, i.e., bending vibration, using one or more vibration frequencies specified by the drive signal, and typically corresponding to one or more resonant frequencies of at least one tube; for example, this also has a constant controlled vibration amplitude. For this purpose, the drive signal can be formed as a harmonic sinusoidal signal, i.e., a sinusoidal signal having exactly one (AC) frequency, or, for example, also formed as a multi-frequency signal, i.e., a signal containing several signal components with different (AC) frequencies. As a result, each of the first and second vibration measurement signals provided by the sensor assembly respectively contains one or more sinusoidal signal components, each having a frequency corresponding to the vibration frequency of the tube's vibrational motion, specifically, such that each of the first and second vibration signals respectively has at least one useful signal component, i.e., a sinusoidal signal component having a (signal) frequency corresponding to the first useful frequency. Therefore, the electronic unit of the measurement system is also configured to at least intermittently provide the vibration exciter with the aforementioned drive signal containing a sinusoidal (useful) current having an (AC) frequency, such that at least one tube performs useful vibration at least partially or primarily at the useful frequency (i.e., the (vibration) frequency corresponding to the aforementioned (AC) frequency), i.e., mechanical vibration forced by the (excited) vibration exciter.

[0009] In the case of the type of measurement system discussed, one or more of a plurality of natural vibration modes inherent in the tube and each having an associated natural or resonant frequency are typically used as useful modes. In particular, one or more of these natural vibration modes are one or more symmetrical vibration modes in which the tube is capable of performing vibrational motions with an odd number of antinodes and a corresponding even number of nodes. Especially since they are particularly suitable for measuring the mass flow rate, density, and viscosity of the flowing analyte, one or more natural symmetrical bending vibration modes are preferably used as useful modes in such measurement systems, particularly in the case of commercially available standard measurement systems. In the case of transducers with one or more curved tubes, a symmetrical bending vibration mode is typically selected as the useful mode, in which the corresponding tube oscillates about an imaginary first vibration axis that is cantilevered to connect the first and second tube ends, with the cantilever clamped at only one end around a static rest position (out-of-plane mode). In the case of transducers with one or more straight tubes, a symmetrical bending vibration mode is typically selected as the useful mode, in which the corresponding tube oscillates about an imaginary vibration axis that coincides with one of its principal axes of inertia (longitudinal axis) and is imaginarily connected to the first and second tube ends by a clamping rope around a static rest position (in-plane mode). In commercially available measurement systems, the first-order (bending) vibration mode, sometimes referred to as the basic vibration mode or f1 mode, is used, in particular. In this mode, the vibration motion of the tube has exactly one antinode and two nodes, and is therefore symmetrical. More rarely, the third-order (bending) vibration mode is used, which is also symmetrical and sometimes referred to as f3 mode. In this mode, the vibration motion of the tube has exactly three antinodes and four nodes, and the third-order vibration mode has been established as a useful mode.

[0010] In the above (standard) case, each tube (or each pair of tubes) is provided with exactly one vibration exciter, which is therefore always positioned and aligned such that the aforementioned drive cross-sectional area is located as close as possible to half the length of the tube, and thus at the corresponding maximum amplitude or the maximum amplitude of the corresponding useful vibration in each of the aforementioned symmetrical vibration modes, but at the vibration node of the asymmetrical vibration mode inherent in the tube. For the purpose of achieving the highest possible efficiency in the excitation of the useful mode, and to avoid undesirable vibration excitation in one or more of the aforementioned asymmetrical vibration modes, in the case of a commercially available (standard) measurement system, the vibration exciter is also specifically positioned such that the drive offset, i.e., the minimum distance between the drive cross-sectional area of ​​at least one tube and the designated reference cross-sectional area (i.e., the cross-sectional area located at the maximum amplitude of the vibrational motion of the useful vibration), is as small as possible, ideally zero. In the case of a commercially available (standard) measurement system, the intersection line of the two mutually orthogonal planes of symmetry of at least one tube, or the principal axis of inertia of at least one tube perpendicular to the vibrational motion of the tube in the second-order vibration mode or perpendicular to the driving force, is also typically located within the aforementioned reference cross-sectional area. In the case of commercially available (standard) measurement systems, the drive offset (especially due to the various tolerances required in transducer production and the components and assemblies required therein) is actually slightly different from zero, but is typically less than 5 mm and less than 0.5% of the tube length, and is also typically less than 2 mm and less than 0.2% of the tube length.

[0011] For the purpose of effectively stimulating useful modes, the measurement system electronics are specifically configured to adjust the (AC) frequency that determines the useful frequency accordingly, such that it corresponds as precisely as possible to the resonant frequency (f1) of the first-order vibration mode or the resonant frequency (f3) of the third-order vibration mode, or deviate from the corresponding resonant frequency to be adjusted to be less than 1% and / or less than 1 Hz, and thus deviate from the resonant frequency of any other natural vibration mode of the tube by more than 5% and / or more than 10 Hz. Alternatively, the measurement system electronics are also configured to follow changes in the resonant frequency, for example, due to changes in the density of the analyte conducted in the tube and changes in the (AC) frequency of the drive signal, such that the excited useful vibration is primarily the resonant vibration of at least one tube. To adjust the (AC) frequency, the measurement system electronics unit of the corresponding measurement system (e.g., as shown in US-A 2016 / 0349091, US-A2017 / 0030870, US-A 58 31 178 and US-A48 01 897 respectively) may, for example, have a phase-locked loop (PLL), and optionally also have a digital phase-locked loop.

[0012] As a result of the useful vibration of at least one tube excited in the manner described above, a Coriolis force (which also depends in particular on the mass flow rate) is induced in the analyte flowing through it, causing the useful vibration to superimpose with the Coriolis vibration. That is, an additional forced vibration with a useful frequency, corresponding to the natural vibration mode, sometimes also called the Coriolis mode, whose order is increased by 1 compared to the order of the useful mode, and the useful signal component of the vibration measurement signal follows the change in the phase difference of the analyte conducted in the tube with the change in the phase difference of the useful signal component (i.e., the difference between the phase angle of the useful signal component of the first vibration measurement signal and the phase angle of the useful signal component of the second vibration measurement signal). Furthermore, the measurement system electronics of each of the above measurement systems are correspondingly configured to generate a mass flow rate measurement value representing the mass flow rate based on the aforementioned phase difference of the useful signal component caused by the vibration of the tube in the Coriolis mode. In the case of commercially available (standard) measurement systems, when the basic vibration mode is used as the useful mode, the second-order antisymmetric vibration mode is usually used as the Coriolis mode, or when the third-order vibration mode is used as the useful node, the fourth-order antisymmetric vibration mode is usually used as the Coriolis mode. Since the resonant frequency of the vibration mode used as the useful mode depends particularly on the instantaneous density of the analyte, in addition to the mass flow rate, the density of the corresponding flowing analyte can be directly measured directly using a commercially available Coriolis mass flow meter based on the (AC) frequency of the drive signal and / or the (signal) frequency of the useful signal component of the vibration measurement signal. Therefore, the measurement system electronics of the type of measurement system discussed are typically also configured to generate a density measurement value representing the density based on the aforementioned (AC) frequency of the drive signal and / or the signal frequency of the aforementioned useful signal component of at least one of the vibration signals. Furthermore, the viscosity of the flowing analyte can be directly measured using an electronic vibration measurement system of the type discussed, for example, based on the excitation energy or excitation power required to maintain the useful vibration and / or based on the damping generated by the dissipation of the vibrational energy of the useful vibration. Moreover, other measured variables, such as the Reynolds number, derived from the aforementioned flow rate and / or material parameters can be easily determined using such an electronic vibration measurement system.

[0013] For example, especially in the aforementioned US-A 2003 / 0154804, US-A 2007 / 0186686, US-A2010 / 0095783, US-A2010 / 0095784, US-A 2010 / 0095785, US-A2018 / 0231411, US-A 2019 / 0154485, WO2009 / 134827, WO-A2009 / 134829, WO-A 2009 / 134830, WO-A 2017 / 108283, WO-A2017 / 194278, WO-A2020 / 126287 and international patent applications PCT / EP. As discussed in 2020 / 059050 or PCT / EP2020 / 071817, the measurement system ultimately utilizes measurement accuracy to represent the measured variable to be detected, particularly mass flow rate, density, or viscosity. In the corresponding measured values, measurement accuracy is also particularly dependent on the mass of the analyte. This can occasionally significantly reduce the measurement accuracy of the measurement system or lead to unacceptably high inaccuracies in the measurement results, for example, by fluctuations in the mass of the analyte and / or deviations from the specifications specified for the corresponding measurement system, such as by deviations of one or more material parameters characterizing the mass of the analyte from the range of values ​​specified for this purpose. Examples of such fluctuations in the mass or deviations from the specifications include time-varying loading of foreign substances (such as solid particles and / or bubbles in a liquid), formation of condensates in a gaseous analyte, degassing of a liquid analyte, or, in the case where the analyte is formed as a dispersion, time-varying concentrations of the various phases and / or components of the analyte and / or occasional separation of the components of the analyte. In addition, the quality of the tested substance may sometimes be affected by such changes, resulting in unacceptable deviations from the specifications specified for the corresponding tested substance itself or the associated (processing) process.

[0014] To detect such undesirable fluctuations and / or deviations in the mass of the analyte, US-A2010 / 0095783, US-A 2010 / 0095784, and US-A 2010 / 0095785 specifically propose monitoring the mass of the analyte by determining the (modal) damping of the antisymmetric Coriolis mode based on the driving signal that induces the symmetric useful mode and based on the useful signal component of at least one of the resulting vibration measurement signals, and comparing it with a correspondingly specified threshold, wherein, i.e., the damping is calculated only indirectly based on the time derivative of the previously determined (modal) damping of the useful mode. A particular drawback of this monitoring of the mass of the analyte is that, for this purpose, the damping of the symmetric useful mode must be initially determined over a relatively long period of time; therefore, the damping of the antisymmetric Coriolis mode, and thus the mass of the analyte to be monitored, can only be determined at a correspondingly earlier point in time, or may be delayed, and vice versa, allowing only precise detection of slow changes in the mass of the analyte. Summary of the Invention

[0015] Based on the above-mentioned prior art, the object of the present invention is to improve the above-mentioned type of electronic vibration measurement system, especially the (standard) measurement system, so that rapid changes and / or significant fluctuations in the mass of the measured substance are detected as early and reliably as possible, i.e., reported accordingly, and / or taken into account when determining the measured value of at least one measurement variable.

[0016] To achieve this objective, the present invention comprises an electronic vibration measurement system, particularly a Coriolis mass flow rate measurement device or a Coriolis mass flow rate / density measurement device, for measuring and / or monitoring at least one measured variable, particularly flow parameters, i.e., particularly mass flow rate and / or volumetric flow rate and / or flow rate, and / or material parameters, i.e., particularly the density and / or viscosity of the fluid measured substance (particularly a gas, liquid, or dispersion). A measurement system according to the invention, designed as an online measurement device and / or a compact measurement device, comprises: a transducer having a tube assembly for conducting the flow of a analyte; an actuator assembly for converting electrical power into mechanical power for exciting and sustaining forced mechanical vibration of the tube assembly; and a sensor assembly for detecting the mechanical vibration of the tube assembly and for providing vibration measurement signals representing the vibrational motion of the tube assembly; and a measurement system electronics unit, specifically electrically coupled to the transducer via, for example, electrical connections formed and / or arranged in an electronic protective housing via at least one microprocessor, i.e., electrically coupled to both the actuator assembly and the sensor assembly of the transducer, for controlling the transducer and for evaluating the vibration measurement signals provided by the transducer.

[0017] In the measurement system according to the invention, the tube assembly is further specified to have at least one tube, which is, for example, at least partially curved and / or at least partially straight and / or a first tube, extending from a first tube end to a second tube end, having a tube length, for example, greater than 100 mm, and having a lumen surrounded by a tube wall, for example, of metal, extending from the first tube end to the second tube end, and the tube is configured to be traversed by the analyte at least in the flow direction from the first tube end to the second tube end, and simultaneously permitted to vibrate, wherein the tube inherently possesses associated resonant frequencies (f1). The tube is capable of performing vibrational motions in multiple vibrational modes (natural vibrational forms) of f1, f2, ..., fx, in which the tube is able to perform vibrational motions with one or more antinodes and two or more nodes, such that: in the basic vibrational mode, i.e., the first-order vibrational mode (f1 mode), i.e., the first-order bending vibrational mode, the vibrational motion of the tube has exactly one antinode and two nodes; and in the harmonic mode, i.e., the second-order or higher-order vibrational modes (f2 mode, ..., fx mode), i.e., the second-order or higher-order bending vibrational mode, the vibrational motion of the tube has two or more antinodes and three or more nodes.

[0018] In the measurement system according to the invention, the exciter assembly is further specified to have a vibration exciter, such as an electrodynamic vibration exciter, mechanically connected to the tube; and the vibration exciter is configured to convert electrical power having a time-varying current into mechanical power, such that at a drive point formed on the tube mechanically connected to the vibration exciter, a time-varying driving force acts on the tube, for example, such that the line of action of the driving force is perpendicular to the normal of the drive cross-sectional region of the tube, wherein the vibration exciter is positioned and aligned such that the drive cross-sectional region of the tube surrounded by an imaginary circumference of the tube passing through the drive point is aligned with... For example, the driving offset between designated reference cross-sectional areas of the at least one tube, determined in the case of an intact or original transducer, i.e., a minimum distance, is no greater than 3 mm (e.g., less than 2 mm) and / or less than 0.5% of the tube length (i.e., less than 0.2% of the tube length, i.e., equal to zero in the case of an intact or original transducer), wherein the vibrational motion is formed between two antinodes of the vibrational motion of the at least one tube in a (second or higher order) vibrational mode (deviating from the first order vibrational mode), and the vibration node, for example (nominally) located at, for example, half the tube length, is located within the reference cross-sectional area.

[0019] In the measurement system according to the invention, it is further specified that the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to excite the vibration exciter, that is, to feed electrical power into the vibration exciter through an electrical drive signal having a time-varying current, so that the tube performs forced mechanical vibration, such as bending vibration, at one or more vibration frequencies specified by the drive signal.

[0020] In the measurement system according to the invention, the sensor assembly is further specified to have a first vibration sensor, such as an electrodynamic or optical first vibration sensor, which is positioned on the tube, for example, at a distance greater than 10 mm and / or greater than one-fifth of the tube length in the flow direction, i.e., at least partially mechanically connected to the tube; and the first vibration sensor is configured to detect the vibrational motion of the tube and convert it into a first vibration measurement signal, such as an electrical or optical first vibration measurement signal, representing the vibrational motion, for example, such that the first vibration measurement signal includes one or more sinusoidal signal components, each of which has a frequency corresponding to the vibrational frequency of the tube's vibrational motion; and the sensing is further specified to have a first vibration sensor. The device assembly has at least one second vibration sensor, such as an electrodynamic or optical second vibration sensor, which is positioned on the tube, for example, at a distance from the vibration exciter in the flow direction, for example, at a distance greater than 10 mm and / or greater than one-fifth of the tube length in the flow direction, i.e., at least partially mechanically connected to the tube. The second vibration sensor is configured to detect the vibrational motion of the tube and convert it into a second vibration measurement signal, such as an electrodynamic or optical second vibration measurement signal, representing the vibrational motion. For example, the second vibration measurement signal contains one or more sinusoidal signal components, each of which has a frequency corresponding to the vibrational frequency of the tube's vibrational motion.

[0021] In the measurement system according to the invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to receive and evaluate the first and second vibration measurement signals, i.e., to determine and output, for example, a measurement value representing the at least one measured variable. Furthermore, in the measurement system according to the invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to at least intermittently provide a drive signal containing a sinusoidal first (useful) current having a first (AC) frequency, such that the tube performs at least a portion of the first useful vibration at the first useful frequency (i.e., the (vibration) frequency corresponding to the first (AC) frequency), i.e., mechanical vibration forced by the (excited) vibration exciter, for example, such that the first useful frequency deviates from the resonant frequency f1 of the fundamental vibration mode by less than 1% and / or less than 1 Hz, and / or the first useful frequency deviates from the resonant frequency f2 of the second-order vibration mode by more than 5%, and / or more than 1 Hz. 10Hz, and / or the first useful vibration is adapted to induce a Coriolis force in the flowing analyte that depends on the mass flow rate. Each of the first and second vibration signals has a first useful signal component, i.e., a sinusoidal signal component with a (signal) frequency corresponding to the first useful frequency, and a measurement representing the at least one analyte variable, such as a mass flow rate measurement representing the mass flow rate of the analyte and / or a density measurement representing the density of the analyte, is determined at least based on the first useful signal component, for example, based on their (signal) frequencies and / or based on the amplitude and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the first useful signal components. Furthermore, in the measurement system according to the invention, the measurement system electronics are configured to provide, at least intermittently, for example, during test intervals lasting longer than 10ms and / or time limits and / or cyclic start-ups, a drive signal containing a sinusoidal second (useful) current with a second (AC) frequency, such that the second (AC) frequency... example For example, for two or more oscillation cycles and / or cycles greater than 10 ms The resonant frequency f2 of the second-order vibration mode deviates from the resonant frequency f2 by less than 1%, for example less than 0.1%, and / or less than 1 Hz, for example less than 0.1 Hz, and the tube at least partially, for example simultaneously with the first useful vibration. And / or fixedly, i.e., for two or more vibration cycles The second useful vibration has a period of 10 ms and / or greater than 10 ms, and has a constant non-zero amplitude.The mechanical vibration is forced by the (excited) vibration exciter at a second useful frequency (i.e., the (vibration) frequency corresponding to the second (AC) frequency), whereby each of the first and second vibration signals has a second useful signal component, i.e., a sinusoidal signal component with a (signal) frequency corresponding to the second useful frequency, and the quality of the substance under test is monitored based on at least one of the two useful signal components, for example, based on its (signal) frequency, and / or based on the (signal) amplitude of at least one of the second useful signal components, and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the second useful signal components, i.e., to determine whether a fault exists in the substance under test, i.e., an undesirable change in one or more material parameters of the substance under test, and / or whether a measurement error exists in the determination of the measured value due to a fault in the substance under test.

[0022] According to a second embodiment of the present invention, it is further specified that the resonant frequency f1 of the first useful frequency deviating from the basic vibration mode is less than 1% and / or less than 1 Hz of the resonant frequency f1.

[0023] According to a first embodiment of the invention, it is further specified that the first useful frequency deviates from the resonant frequency fr3 of the inherent third-order vibration mode (i.e., a third-order bending vibration mode) in the at least one tube by less than 1% of the resonant frequency fr3, and / or less than 1 Hz. That is, for example, corresponding to the resonant frequency fr3, in the third-order vibration mode, the vibrational motion of the tube has exactly three antinodes and two nodes. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, it is further specified that the first node of the vibrational motion of the at least one tube in the third-order vibration mode is located in the first tube end, and the second node of the third-order vibration mode is located in the second tube end.

[0024] According to a third embodiment of the invention, the harmonic mode is further specified to correspond to a second-order vibration mode (f2 mode), i.e., a second-order bending vibration mode, in which the vibrational motion of the tube has exactly two antinodes and three nodes. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, it is further specified that the vibrational nodes formed between the two antinodes of the vibrational motion of the at least one tube in the second-order vibration mode and (nominally) located at, for example, half the length of the tube, are located within the reference cross-sectional area; and / or the principal axis of inertia of the at least one tube, perpendicular to the vibrational direction of the tube's vibrational motion in the second-order vibration mode, is located within the reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube.

[0025] According to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, the distance between the centroid (center point) of the driving offset corresponding to the driving cross-sectional region of the tube and the centroid (center point) of the reference cross-sectional region of the at least one tube is further defined.

[0026] According to a fifth embodiment of the present invention, the line of action of the driving force is further defined as being perpendicular to the normal of the driving cross-sectional region of the tube.

[0027] According to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, the intersection line of two mutually orthogonal symmetrical planes of the at least one tube is further defined within the reference cross-sectional area.

[0028] According to a seventh embodiment of the present invention, the principal axis of inertia of the at least one tube, perpendicular to the driving force, is further defined within the reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube.

[0029] According to an eighth embodiment of the present invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to provide a second useful current for the drive signal at least intermittently, simultaneously with the first (useful) current, for example, such that the amplitude of the first (useful) current is adjusted to be not less than the amplitude of the second (useful) current and / or such that the amplitude of the second (useful) current is adjusted to be greater than 40% of the amplitude of the first (useful) current, for example, not less than 50% of the amplitude of the first (useful) current.

[0030] According to a ninth embodiment of the present invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to adjust the second (AC) frequency according to the first (AC) frequency, for example, such that the second (AC) frequency is within a frequency setting interval, the upper limit and / or lower limit of the frequency setting interval and / or the center frequency corresponding to a specified multiple of the first (AC) frequency, that is, for example, the first (AC) frequency corresponding to a multiple greater than 230% and / or less than 300% of the first (AC) frequency.

[0031] According to a tenth embodiment of the present invention, the measurement system electronics unit is further provided to have a first phase-locked loop (PLL1) for adjusting the first (AC) frequency, such as a digital first phase-locked loop, and a second phase-locked loop (PLL2) for adjusting the second (AC) frequency, such as a digital second phase-locked loop. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics unit is further provided to adjust the capture range of the second phase-locked loop (PLL2) based on at least one output signal of the first phase-locked loop (PLL1), such as the output signal of a loop filter of the first phase-locked loop (PLL1) and / or based on the first (AC) frequency.

[0032] According to the eleventh embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics unit is further configured to perform quality monitoring of the analyte based on a second useful signal component, for example, based on its (signal) frequency, and / or based on the (signal) amplitude of at least one of the second useful signal components, and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the second useful signal components, to determine whether the current failure of the measurement system can be attributed to a change, for example, an irreversible change in the flow properties of one or more of the tube assembly, for example, due to a reduction in the flow cross-section of the tube assembly, for example, due to blockage of one or more of the tubes and / or due to deposits on the inner side of the tube wall of one or more of the tubes.

[0033] According to a twelfth embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to determine the (modal) deflection of a first useful vibration corresponding to the (signal) amplitude (e.g., the difference in (signal) amplitudes of the first useful signal components), i.e., to determine, for example, a deflection value representing the deflection of the first useful vibration based on at least one of the vibration measurement signals.

[0034] According to a thirteenth embodiment of the present invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to determine the (modal) deflection of the first useful vibration corresponding to the (signal) amplitude (e.g., the difference in (signal) amplitudes of the second useful signal components) of one of the second useful signal components, i.e., to determine, for example, a deflection value representing the deflection of the second useful vibration based on at least one of the vibration measurement signals.

[0035] According to a fourteenth embodiment of the invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to determine a deflection ratio corresponding to the ratio of the (modal) deflection of the first useful vibration to the (modal) deflection of the second useful vibration, i.e., to determine a deflection ratio value representing the deflection ratio based, for example, on at least one of the vibration measurement signals.

[0036] According to a fifteenth embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to determine the (modal) damping of a first useful vibration, the (modal) damping of which corresponds to the ratio of the (signal) amplitude of one of the first useful signal components (e.g., the sum or difference of the (signal) amplitudes of the first useful signal components) to the (signal) amplitude of the first (useful) current, i.e., to determine, for example, a damping value representing the damping of the first useful vibration based on the drive signal and at least one of the vibration measurement signals.

[0037] According to a sixteenth embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to determine the (modal) damping of a second useful vibration, the (modal) damping of which corresponds to the ratio of the (signal) amplitude of one of the second useful signal components (e.g., the sum or difference of the (signal) amplitudes of the second useful signal components) to the (signal) amplitude of the second (useful) current, i.e., to determine, for example, a damping value representing the damping of the second useful vibration based on the drive signal and at least one of the vibration measurement signals.

[0038] According to a seventeenth embodiment of the invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to determine a damping ratio corresponding to the ratio of the (modal) damping of the first useful vibration to the (modal) damping of the second useful vibration, i.e., to determine a damping ratio value representing the damping ratio, for example, based on the drive signal and / or at least one of the vibration measurement signals.

[0039] According to an eighteenth embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to determine a damping value representing the (modal) damping of the second useful vibration based on the drive signal and at least one of the vibration measurement signals, i.e., comparing one or more of the damping values ​​with a reference value (damping reference value) predetermined for this purpose. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to perform quality monitoring of the analyte, comparing one or more of the damping values ​​with at least one reference value (damping reference value) predetermined and / or determined for it by a sound measurement system, and is also configured, for example, to output a message indicating the deviation if one or more damping values ​​deviate from the reference value, for example, a message declared as a (fault) alarm; and / or the measurement system electronic unit is configured to perform quality monitoring of the analyte based on several damping values ​​to determine the second useful vibration. The time variation of the damping of the useful vibration, i.e., the trend and / or rate and / or speed of change, i.e., determining the increase of faults as the damping of the second useful vibration decreases and / or outputting a message indicating an increase in faults, e.g., a message declared as a (fault) alarm; and / or the measurement system electronics are configured to determine, and for example also output, a dispersion measure of the damping of the second useful vibration for the at least one tube, e.g., empirical variance and / or span, based on a plurality of damping values, and / or to compare the dispersion measure with one or more reference values ​​specified therefor in order to perform quality monitoring of the analyte.

[0040] According to a nineteenth embodiment of the present invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to determine the resonant frequency f1 of the first vibration mode of the at least one tube, i.e., for example, to determine a frequency value representing the resonant frequency based on the drive signal and / or at least one of the vibration measurement signals.

[0041] According to a twentieth embodiment of the present invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to determine the resonant frequency f2 of the second vibration mode of the at least one tube, i.e., for example, to determine a frequency value representing the resonant frequency based on a drive signal and / or at least one vibration measurement signal.

[0042] According to a twenty-first embodiment of the present invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to determine a resonant frequency ratio, which is the ratio of the resonant frequency of a first vibration mode corresponding to the at least one tube to the resonant frequency of a second vibration mode of the at least one tube, i.e., for example, to determine a frequency ratio value representing the resonant frequency ratio based on the first and second (AC) frequencies of the drive signal and / or based on the signal frequencies of the first and second useful signal components of at least one of the vibration measurement signals.

[0043] According to a twenty-second embodiment of the present invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to determine a frequency value representing the resonant frequency of the second vibration mode of the at least one tube based on the drive signal and / or at least one of the vibration measurement signals, i.e., by comparing one or more of the frequency values ​​with one or more reference values ​​specified therefor, and / or using the frequency values ​​to determine a dispersion measure of the resonant frequency for the second vibration mode of the at least one tube. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to determine, and for example, output, a dispersion measure of the resonant frequency of the second vibration mode of the at least one tube based on a plurality of frequency values, and / or, in order to perform quality monitoring of the analyte, compare the dispersion measure with a reference value specified therefor, and output a message indicating the deviation if the dispersion measure deviates from the reference value.

[0044] According to a twenty-third embodiment of the present invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to determine a frequency ratio value representing the ratio of the resonant frequency of a first vibration mode of the at least one tube to the resonant frequency of a second vibration mode of the at least one tube based on the drive signal and / or at least one of the vibration measurement signals, i.e., by comparing one or more of the frequency ratio values ​​with one or more reference values ​​specified for this purpose, and / or by using several of the frequency ratio values ​​to determine a dispersion measure of the resonant frequency ratio for the at least one tube. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics are configured to perform quality monitoring of the analyte, compare one or more of the frequency ratios with at least one predetermined reference value (frequency ratio reference value), and, for example, be configured to output a message indicating the deviation, such as a (fault) alarm message, if one or more of the frequency ratios deviate from the reference value; and / or, the measurement system electronics are configured to determine, and, for example, also output a dispersion measure, such as empirical variance and / or span, for the resonant frequency ratio of the at least one tube based on a plurality of frequency ratios, and / or, in order to perform quality monitoring of the analyte, compare the dispersion measure with a reference value specified therefor, and output a message indicating the deviation if the dispersion measure deviates from the reference value.

[0045] According to a twenty-fourth embodiment of the present invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to determine a phase difference value based on the vibration measurement signal, the phase difference value representing the phase difference of the second useful signal component, that is, the difference between the phase angle of the second useful signal component of the first vibration measurement signal and the phase angle of the second useful signal component of the second vibration measurement signal. For example, one or more of the phase difference values ​​are compared with a reference value (phase difference reference value) predetermined for this purpose, and / or several phase difference values ​​are used to determine a dispersion measure of the phase difference of the second useful signal component for the at least one tube. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics unit is configured to perform quality monitoring of the analyte, compare one or more of the phase difference values ​​with at least one predetermined reference value (phase difference reference value), and, for example, be configured to output a message indicating the deviation, such as a (fault) alarm message, if one or more of the phase difference values ​​deviate from the reference value; and / or, the measurement system electronics unit is configured to determine, and, for example, also output a dispersion measure of the phase difference for the second useful signal component based on a plurality of phase difference values, such as empirical variance and / or span, and / or, in order to perform quality monitoring of the analyte, compare the dispersion measure with a reference value specified therefor, and output a message indicating the deviation if the dispersion measure deviates from the reference value.

[0046] According to a twenty-fifth embodiment of the present invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to determine a deflection ratio value representing the ratio of the deflection (amplitude) of the first useful vibration to the deflection (amplitude) of the second useful vibration based on at least one of the vibration measurement signals, i.e., by comparing one or more of the deflection ratio values ​​with one or more reference values ​​specified therefor, and / or by using several of the deflection ratio values ​​to determine a dispersion measure of the deflection ratio for the at least one tube. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics are configured to perform quality monitoring of the analyte, compare one or more of the deflection ratio values ​​with at least one predetermined reference value (deflection ratio reference value), and, for example, be configured to output a message indicating the deviation, such as a (fault) alarm message, if one or more of the deflection ratio values ​​deviate from the reference value; and / or, the measurement system electronics are configured to determine, and, for example, also output a dispersion measure of the deflection ratio for the at least one tube, such as empirical variance and / or span, based on a plurality of deflection ratio values, and / or, in order to perform quality monitoring of the analyte, compare the dispersion measure with a reference value specified therefor, and output a message indicating the deviation if the dispersion measure deviates from the reference value.

[0047] According to a twenty-sixth embodiment of the present invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to provide a second (useful) current (eN2) having a specified (current) amplitude. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to perform monitoring of the quality of the analyte, cyclically comparing the amplitude of at least one of the second useful signal components with the amplitude of the second (useful) current and / or a reference value (amplitude reference value) specified therefor, i.e., for example, with a reference value corresponding to the amplitude of at least one second useful signal component determined at the specified (current) amplitude of the second (useful) current, i.e., determining whether the (signal) amplitude deviates from the reference value or by how much.

[0048] According to a twenty-seventh embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured, for example, to perform quality monitoring of the analyte, to calculate one or more characteristic values ​​of at least one analyte characteristic number characterizing the state of the analyte, based on at least one of the second useful signal components of the vibration measurement signals, for example, based on its (signal) frequency, and / or based on the (signal) amplitude of at least one of the second useful signal components, and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the second useful signal components, such that the analyte characteristic number depends on one or more parameters of the system function of the measurement system provided between the second useful current component of the drive signal and the second useful signal component of the at least one vibration measurement signal. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to perform quality monitoring of the analyte, for example, by comparing one or more characteristic values ​​for the analyte characteristic number with one or more reference values ​​determined for the analyte characteristic number, respectively, by the manufacturer of the measurement system and / or during the production and / or startup of the measurement system and / or according to the drive signal, for example, evaluating and / or quantifying the deviation of one or more of the characteristic values ​​from one or more of the reference values. Furthermore, the measurement system electronic unit can be configured to determine whether one or more characteristic values ​​for the number of characteristics of the analyte are greater than at least one reference value for the number of characteristics of the analyte. That is, for example, if one or more characteristic values ​​for the number of characteristics of the analyte are greater than one or more reference values ​​indicating a reduction in the quality of the analyte and / or greater than a reference value indicating that the analyte exceeds specifications, then a message indicating this is output, such as a message declared as a (fault) alarm.

[0049] According to a twenty-eighth embodiment of the present invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to monitor the quality of the analyte based on a second useful signal component (e.g., based on both the second useful signal component and the first useful signal component) to determine, for example, whether or to what extent a fault exists in the analyte due to (undesired) separation of the analyte and / or due to the (undesired) loading of one or more foreign substances into the analyte, such as a fault that reduces the function of the measurement system and / or a fault that causes the measurement system to malfunction and / or a fault that causes measurement error in the measured values.

[0050] According to a twenty-ninth embodiment of the present invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to perform quality monitoring of the analyte based on the at least one second useful signal component, for example, based on its (signal) frequency, and / or based on the (signal) amplitude of at least one of the second useful signal components, and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the second useful signal components, to determine whether or to what extent measurement error exists in the determination of the measured value due to a fault in the analyte. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronic unit is further configured to detect a fault in the analyte and output a message indicating the fault in the analyte, such as a message declared as a (fault) alarm.

[0051] According to a thirtieth embodiment of the present invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further configured to follow the change of the density of the analyte conducted in the tube with respect to the first (AC) frequency of the driving signal, and the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to generate a density measurement value representing the density based on the first (AC) frequency of the driving signal and / or based on the signal frequency of a first useful signal component of at least one of the vibration signals.

[0052] According to the thirty-first embodiment of the present invention, it is further specified that the first useful signal component of the first and second vibration measurement signals follows the change of the mass flow rate of the measured substance transmitted in the pipeline with the change of the phase difference of the first useful signal component, wherein the phase difference of the first useful signal component is the difference between the phase angle of the first useful signal component of the first vibration measurement signal and the phase angle of the first useful signal component of the second vibration measurement signal, and the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to generate a mass flow rate measurement value representing the mass flow rate based on the phase difference of the first useful signal component. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, it is further specified that the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to, for example, perform monitoring of the mass of the analyte, to check or calibrate the transducer's (mass flow rate and phase difference) characteristic curve function based on at least one of the vibration measurement signals, for example, based on the phase angle of at least one of the second useful signal components and / or based on the phase difference of the second useful signal components, according to the transducer's (mass flow rate and phase difference) characteristic curve function, the phase difference of the first useful signal component depends on the mass flow rate, and / or to check or calibrate the measurement system's (mass flow rate and measured value) characteristic curve function, according to the measurement system's (mass flow rate and measured value) characteristic curve function, the mass flow rate measured value determined based on the phase difference of the first useful signal component depends on the mass flow rate.

[0053] According to the thirty-second embodiment of the present invention, the measurement system electronics are further specified to provide the drive signal (e1) with a second (useful) current during test intervals, for example, lasting longer than 10 ms and / or time-limited and / or cyclically initiated, in a sine curve having a second (AC) frequency, so as to This makes the second (useful) current (eN2) is non-volatile or fixed, i.e., for two or more oscillation cycles and / or more than 10 ms (milliseconds). During this period, the second (useful) current (eN2) is provided in a manner with a (substantially) constant non-zero amplitude. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics are further specified to be configured to determine a measured value representing the at least one measured variable during the test interval based on the second useful signal component, for example based on its (signal) frequency and / or based on the (signal) amplitude and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the second useful signal components (s1N2); and / or the test interval correspondingly lasts for more than 100 ms (milliseconds), for example not less than 1 s (seconds); and / or the measurement system electronics are configured to automatically, for example in a time-controlled manner, for example cyclically start and / or end the test interval; and / or the measurement system electronics are configured to receive and execute one or more commands to start the test interval.

[0054] According to the thirty-third embodiment of the present invention, the pipe wall is further specified to be made of steel, such as stainless steel, duplex steel or super duplex steel, or composed of titanium alloy and / or zirconium alloy, such as zirconium alloy and / or tantalum alloy.

[0055] According to the thirty-fourth embodiment of the present invention, the tube is further specified to have a diameter (inner tube diameter) greater than 0.1 mm, i.e., greater than 0.5 mm. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the tube is further specified to have a diameter-to-length ratio greater than 0.08, for example greater than 0.1, and / or less than 0.25, for example less than 0.2; and / or, the tube length is greater than 200 mm, for example greater than 500 mm, and / or less than 2,000 mm, for example less than 1,500 mm; and / or the tube has a diameter greater than 10 mm, i.e., greater than 15 mm.

[0056] According to the thirty-fifth embodiment of the present invention, it is further specified that, apart from the vibration exciter, the exciter assembly does not have any other vibration exciter connected to the tube.

[0057] According to the thirty-sixth embodiment of the present invention, the vibration exciter is further specified to be positioned and aligned such that the drive offset is less than 0.5 mm, i.e., zero, or such that the centroid of the drive cross-sectional area of ​​the tube corresponds to or coincides with the drive reference point.

[0058] According to the thirty-seventh embodiment of the present invention, each of the first-order vibration mode and the second-order vibration mode of the tube is further provided to have a first vibration node located in the first tube end of the at least one tube and a second vibration node located in the second tube end of the at least one tube.

[0059] According to the thirty-eighth embodiment of the invention, it is further specified that the tube is partially curved, for example, in the shape of an arc and / or a V-shape, such that the tube has a central vertex arc segment and / or such that exactly one principal axis of inertia of the at least one tube is located within the reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube.

[0060] According to the thirty-ninth embodiment of the invention, it is further specified that the tube is partially straight, for example, straight along the entire length of the tube, such that the three principal axes of inertia of the at least one tube are located within a reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube, and / or the center of mass is located within a reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube.

[0061] According to the fortieth embodiment of the present invention, the vibration exciter is further specified to be formed by a vibration coil, which, for example, has an air coil and an armature.

[0062] According to the forty-first embodiment of the present invention, each of the first vibration sensor and the second vibration sensor is further provided to be formed by a plunger coil, the plunger coil having, for example, an air coil and an armature.

[0063] According to a forty-second embodiment of the invention, the vibration exciter is further provided to have a magnetoarmature and a coil, the magnetoarmature being formed, for example, by a permanent magnet, and the coil being submerged in the magnetic field of the armature, i.e., an air coil, for example. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the magnetoarmature is further provided to be mechanically connected to the at least one tube to form the drive point; and / or, the coil is electrically connected to the measurement system electronics unit and configured to receive drive signals and conduct its first and second (useful) currents.

[0064] According to the forty-third embodiment of the present invention, the electronic unit of the measurement system is further provided to have a non-volatile electronic data memory, which is configured to store digital data, for example, even without the application of an operating voltage.

[0065] According to a first further improvement of the invention, the tube assembly is further provided to have at least one second tube, which is, for example, at least partially curved and / or at least partially straight, and / or structurally identical to and / or at least partially parallel to the first tube.

[0066] According to a first embodiment of the first improvement, the second tube is further defined to extend for a tube length from the first tube end to the second tube end and to have a lumen surrounded by a tube wall (e.g., a metal tube wall) and extending from the first tube end to the second tube end. The second tube is configured such that, for example, the test substance passes through it simultaneously with the first tube at least in the flow direction from the first tube end to the second tube end, and vibration is permitted at the same time.

[0067] According to a second embodiment of the first improved scheme, it is further specified that multiple vibration modes (natural vibration forms) having associated resonant frequencies are inherent in the second tube, in which the second tube is capable of performing vibrational motions having one or more antinodes and two or more nodes, for example, such that the vibrational motion of the second tube in the second-order vibration mode (f1 mode) is opposite to, for example, in the opposite direction to, the vibrational motion of the first tube in the second-order vibration mode (f2 mode), and / or the vibrational motion of the second tube in the first-order vibration mode (f1 mode) is opposite to, for example, in the opposite direction to, the vibrational motion of the first tube in the first-order vibration mode. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, the resonant frequency of the first-order vibration mode of the first tube is equal to the resonant frequency of the first-order vibration mode (f1 mode) of the second tube; and the resonant frequency of the second-order vibration mode of the first tube is equal to the resonant frequency of the second-order vibration mode of the second tube.

[0068] According to a third embodiment of the first improved solution, the first vibration sensor is further specified to be positioned on both the first tube and the second tube, i.e., partially mechanically connected to both the first tube and partially mechanically connected to both the second tube, and the first vibration sensor is configured to detect, for example, differentially the vibrational movements of both the first tube and the second tube, i.e., opposite vibrational movements, and convert them into the first vibration measurement signal, such that the vibration measurement signal represents the vibrational movements of the first tube and the second tube, for example, opposite vibrational movements.

[0069] According to a fourth embodiment of the first improved solution, the second vibration sensor is further specified to be positioned on both the first tube and the second tube, i.e., partially mechanically connected to both the first tube and partially mechanically connected to both the second tube, and the second vibration sensor is configured to detect, for example, differentially the vibrational movements of both the first tube and the second tube, i.e., opposite vibrational movements, and convert them into a second vibration measurement signal, such that the vibration measurement signal represents the vibrational movements of the first tube and the second tube, for example, opposite vibrational movements.

[0070] According to a fifth embodiment of the first improved scheme, the pipe assembly is further specified to have a first and / or inlet-side diverter, which serves as a pipeline branching unit and has at least two flow openings, and the pipe assembly to have a second and / or outlet-side diverter, which is structurally identical to the first diverter and / or serves as a pipeline merging unit and has at least two flow openings. Further developing this embodiment of the invention, each of the first and second pipes of the pipe assembly is further specified to be connected to each of the first and second diverters, for example, forming parallel flow channels, such that the first pipe has its first end connected to a first flow opening of the first diverter and its second end connected to a first flow opening of the second diverter, and the second pipe has its first end connected to a second flow opening of the first diverter and its second end connected to a second flow opening of the second diverter.

[0071] According to a sixth embodiment of the first improved scheme, it is further specified that the vibration exciter is partially mechanically connected to the first tube and partially mechanically connected to the second tube.

[0072] According to the seventh embodiment of the first improved scheme, it is further specified that the vibration exciter is configured to act differentially on the first tube and the second tube, for example, such that the first tube and the second tube simultaneously perform opposite forced mechanical vibrations of equal frequencies; and / or the vibration exciter is configured to convert electrical power with time-varying current into mechanical power, such that a time-varying driving force acts on the second tube at a driving point formed on the second tube mechanically connected to the vibration exciter via the vibration exciter, for example, simultaneously and / or oppositely acting on the second tube with a driving force acting on the first tube at a driving point formed on the first tube mechanically connected to the vibration exciter via the vibration exciter; and / or, the vibration exciter is configured to simultaneously convert electrical power fed in by the electrical drive signal into forced mechanical vibrations of the first tube and the second tube, for example, such that the first tube and the second tube simultaneously perform forced mechanical vibrations at the first useful frequency and / or the second useful frequency.

[0073] According to a second improvement of the invention, the measurement system further includes an electronic protective housing for the electronic unit of the measurement system, the protective housing being, for example, a transducer protective housing fastened to the transducer and / or of metal.

[0074] According to a third improvement of the invention, the measurement system further includes: a transducer protective housing, the transducer protective housing being, for example, metallic, wherein the transducer protective housing and the tube assembly are fastened to each other, for example, detachably fastened to each other.

[0075] The basic idea of ​​this invention is that, in the case of an electronic vibration measurement system of the type discussed, in order to monitor the mass of the analyte transmitted therethrough, at least one vibration exciter actively ( That is, especially non-volatile or Fixed The excitation or attempt to excite a useful vibration, i.e., for example, a bending vibration according to the natural vibration mode of at least one tube, which has a vibration node located at or immediately adjacent to the exciter. In a measurement system with a single vibration exciter acting on the center of the tube, and particularly in commercially available (standard) measurement systems, the aforementioned vibration mode corresponds to a second-order vibration mode, i.e., for example, a second-order bending vibration mode. Due to the very low drive offset produced, the aforementioned useful vibration nominally has only a very low amplitude or no amplitude at all, even when excited at the corresponding resonant frequency of the vibration mode. However, on the other hand, any change in drive offset, i.e., the change associated with the displacement of the aforementioned vibration node closest to the exciter, causes the amplitude to change correspondingly with the same excitation compared to the initially measured amplitude; this in particular makes the amplitude increase correspondingly as the drive offset increases. The change in drive offset can be caused by an increasingly asymmetrical distribution of the mass and / or viscosity of the analyte within the at least one tube, which is associated with a change in the mass of the analyte or a corresponding change in modal mass and / or modal damping, in particular causing the drive offset to increase as the mass of the analyte decreases.

[0076] To monitor the quality of the measured substance, it is very easy to cyclically determine the corresponding vibration response (i.e., the vibration response generated by the excitation of the second-order vibration mode) or the (system) parameters characterizing them during the operation of the measurement system, and compare them with the corresponding reference vibration response ("fingerprint") or its reference value, so that an increase in the corresponding reference value or a deviation exceeding the specified tolerance measurement is detected, and the presence of a fault in the measured substance may also be reported; this is also advantageous to be carried out simultaneously with the actual measurement operation without significantly affecting the actual measurement operation or having to interrupt the measurement operation for a longer period of time for this purpose.

[0077] Another advantage of the present invention is that it enables the monitoring of the quality of the measured substance according to the invention, even primarily and possibly exclusively using proven designs for conventional electronic vibration measurement systems, and especially for transducers installed therein, while also primarily retaining the proven technology and architecture of established measurement system electronics; for example, such that conventional and possibly already installed measurement systems can also be retrofitted by corresponding reprogramming of the corresponding measurement system electronics. Attached Figure Description

[0078] In the following, the invention and its advantageous embodiments are explained in more detail based on exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. Components with the same or the same function or purpose are indicated by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings; for clarity of purpose, or if it seems wise for other reasons, the aforementioned reference numerals are omitted in subsequent drawings. Further advantageous embodiments or modifications, particularly combinations of aspects of the invention initially explained individually, also arise from the drawings and / or the claims themselves.

[0079] In the diagram:

[0080] Figure 1 A perspective side view of an exemplary embodiment of the electronic vibration measurement system is shown;

[0081] Figure 2 The diagram illustrates the application of according to Figure 1 A schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of the vibration transducer of the electronic vibration measurement system and the measurement system electronic unit electrically coupled thereto;

[0082] Figure 3 The diagram illustrates the application of according to Figure 1 A schematic diagram of another exemplary embodiment of the vibration transducer of the electronic vibration measurement system and the measurement system electronic unit electrically coupled thereto;

[0083] Figure 4a It shows the applicability according to Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the tube assembly of a vibration transducer in an electronic vibration measurement system, wherein the tube is excited to vibrate to a first useful vibration;

[0084] Figure 4b A schematic diagram is shown of the Coriolis vibration of the tube in the tube assembly according to Figure 4, which is excited due to useful vibration and depends on the mass flow rate.

[0085] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the inherent first-, second-, or third-order vibration modes within the tube of the tube assembly according to Figure 4 is shown; and

[0086] Figure 6 , Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the tube assembly according to Figure 4 is shown, wherein the tube is excited to a second useful vibration. Detailed Implementation

[0087] Figure 1 or Figure 2 and Figure 3Exemplary embodiments or variations thereof are schematically illustrated for use in measuring and / or monitoring at least one, particularly time-varying, measured variable of a fluid (e.g., at least intermittently flowing and / or at least intermittently two-phase or multi-phase or non-uniform) analyte, wherein the measured variable may be, for example, a flow parameter of the analyte FL, such as mass flow rate. Volumetric flow rate and / or flow rate, or, for example, material parameters such as density ρ and / or viscosity η. The measurement system is specifically provided or configured to be integrated into the process of a production line that conducts a fluid FL used as the analyte (i.e., a gas, liquid, or dispersion), and that is at least intermittently passed through by the fluid FL supplied or discharged via the production line during operation. Furthermore, the measurement system is provided to determine (i.e., particularly to calculate and / or output) (continuously in chronological order) a measured value X that quantifies at least one physical analyte variable. M And optionally, digital measurements. A production line can be, for example, a pipeline, i.e., a pipeline for filling equipment, refueling equipment, or another industrial equipment.

[0088] As in Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, or as evident from their combination, the measurement system includes a vibration transducer 10, i.e., a transducer having a tube assembly, an exciter assembly (31), and a sensor assembly (41, 42), wherein the tube assembly is formed by at least one (first) or several tubes for conducting the analyte, the exciter assembly (31) is used to convert electrical power to excite and maintain forced mechanical vibration of at least one tube, and the sensor assembly (41, 42) is used to detect the mechanical vibration of the tube assembly and to provide vibration measurement signals (s1, s2) (e.g., electrical or optical vibration measurement signals) that accordingly represent the vibrational motion of the tube assembly (i.e., particularly one or more of its tubes). In addition, the measurement system also includes a measurement system electronics unit 20, which is electrically coupled to the transducer 10, i.e., electrically coupled to both the exciter assembly and the sensor assembly of the transducer, i.e., through corresponding electrical connection lines, particularly through at least one microprocessor (μC) formed and / or arranged in the electronic protective housing (200) and / or used as a transmitter for controlling the transducer, i.e., particularly causing the aforementioned mechanical vibration of at least one tube, and evaluating the vibration measurement signal provided by the transducer, i.e., determining the aforementioned measurement value, for example.

[0089] According to another embodiment of the invention, the measuring system further includes a support frame 100, particularly a bending-resistant and / or torsional-resistant support frame, wherein, as also... Figure 1 , Figure 2 or Figure 3As schematically shown, the support frame 100 and the tube assembly are fastened to each other, for example, by material bonding or detachably. To protect the transducer or its components from harmful environmental influences, to prevent the vibrating tube from emitting unwanted sounds, or to collect the measured material escaping from the leak-proof tube assembly, as is quite common in electronic vibration measurement systems of the type discussed, the aforementioned support frame 100 can also be designed to surround the transducer protective housing of the tube assembly together with the exciter assembly and sensor assembly, for example, such that the transducer protective housing is metallic and / or has a compressive strength greater than the maximum compressive strength of at least one tube of the tube assembly and / or greater than 50 bar. Furthermore, the measurement system electronics 20 can also be housed within an electronics protective housing 200, as is quite common in measurement systems of the type discussed, which is, for example, fastened to the aforementioned support frame or the transducer protective housing and / or is metallic.

[0090] At least one tube in the tube assembly may be at least partially straight, i.e., particularly hollow cylindrical, and / or at least partially curved, for example, such that the tube has a central apex arc segment, i.e., particularly substantially V-shaped or having a V-shaped profile, and / or such that the tube ultimately has a tubular shape located in a single (tube) plane. Figure 2As shown, at least one tube extends from a first tube end to a second tube end, the tube length corresponding to the length of the tube's imaginary centerline, for example, greater than 100 mm, and the tube has a lumen surrounded by a tube wall extending from the first tube end to the second tube end. According to another embodiment of the invention, the tube length is greater than 200 mm, for example also greater than 500 mm, and / or less than 2,000 mm, for example also less than 1,500 mm. In the case of at least partially bent tubes, the aforementioned tube length corresponds to the extended or unfolded length of the tube, and the tube can be manufactured by bending a tubular semi-finished product. According to another embodiment of the invention, the tube wall of the at least one tube is made of metal (i.e., for example steel, particularly stainless steel, duplex or super duplex steel, titanium alloys and / or zirconium alloys, particularly zirconium-tin alloys, and / or tantalum alloys and / or nickel-based alloys). Furthermore, the at least one tube of the tube assembly can be designed as a single piece, for example, such that the tube is produced seamlessly or (at least in the case where the tube wall is made of metal) has a single weld. According to another embodiment of the invention, the at least one tube of the tube assembly has a diameter (inner tube diameter) greater than 0.1 mm (i.e., also greater than 0.5 mm), and / or the tube wall of the at least one tube has a minimum wall thickness of not less than 0.5 mm (e.g., also greater than 1.5 mm), and this particularly makes the wall thickness substantially uniform. According to another embodiment of the invention, the tube has a diameter-to-length ratio greater than 0.08, particularly greater than 0.1 and / or less than 0.25, particularly less than 0.2. Incidentally, however, the at least one tube or each tube of the tube assembly may also present any other geometry and / or size conventionally used in conventional (standard) electronic vibration measurement systems, i.e., 1 mm, 2 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm or even larger, and / or may be made of other materials conventionally used for this purpose.

[0091] According to another embodiment of the invention, the tube assembly of the transducer 10 has at least one second tube 112, such as Figure 3 As schematically shown. The tube 112 may be at least partially bent and / or at least partially straight. Furthermore, as... Figure 3As shown, tube 112 may also be structurally identical to tube 111 and / or at least partially parallel to tube 111. Similar to tube 111, tube 112 extends from the first end to the second end along its length, and like tube 111, tube 112 also has a lumen surrounded by a tube wall (e.g., a metal tube wall) extending from the first end to the second end. Furthermore, tube 112 is also designed, particularly simultaneously with the first tube, to be traversed by the measured substance or a portion thereof at least in the flow direction from the first end to the second end, and is simultaneously permitted to vibrate. Furthermore, the pipe assembly may also have a first and / or inlet-side splitter 21 and a second and / or outlet-side splitter 22, wherein the first and / or inlet-side splitter 21 serves as a pipeline branching unit, for example, and has at least two flow openings; the second and / or outlet-side splitter 22 is structurally identical to the splitter 21 and / or serves as a pipeline merging unit, and also has at least two flow openings. Thus, each of the pipes 111 and 112 of the pipe assembly can be correspondingly connected to each of the first and second splitters to form two parallel flow channels, for example, such that pipe 111 has its first end connected to the first flow opening 21a of the first splitter 21 and its second end connected to the first flow opening 22a of the second splitter; and second pipe 112 has its first end connected to the second flow opening 21b of the first splitter 21 and its second end connected to the second flow opening 22b of the second splitter 22. The length of pipe 111 may, for example, be equal to the length of pipe 112. Furthermore, the pipe assembly may also have additional pipes, i.e., two additional pipes, and thus, as particularly shown in US-A 56 02 345, WO-A 96 / 08697, US-A2017 / 0356777, WO-A 2019 / 081169, or WO-A 2019 / 081170 above, a total of four pipes. Therefore, both splitter 21 and splitter 22 each have, in particular, exactly four flow openings, and each pipe of the pipe assembly can be connected to each of splitters 21 and 22 respectively to form four parallel flow paths for the fluid. In the above-described case where the pipe assembly has four pipes, the pipes may also be designed, for example, such that they are structurally identical only in pairs, i.e., for example, the pipe lengths are chosen to have equal dimensions only in pairs. Furthermore, in the case of a tube assembly having two or more tubes, the wall of each tube may, for example, be composed of the same material, which is very common in the case of tube assemblies of the type discussed or transducers or measurement systems formed therefrom; for example, this also makes the wall thickness of each tube in the tube assembly equal to the wall thickness of the other tube or every other tube, and / or makes the diameter (i.e., inner diameter) of each tube in the tube assembly equal to the diameter of the other tube or every other tube.

[0092] As already noted, the tube assembly or the transducer MW formed therefrom is specifically configured to be connected to the aforementioned production line via an inlet end 10+ (e.g., also surrounded by a first connecting flange) and a corresponding outlet end 10# (e.g., surrounded by a second connecting flange), and is traversed by the analyte FL during operation. Furthermore, sealing surfaces may be formed at each of the aforementioned connecting flanges. In the above case, the tube assembly has at least two tubes and two distributors respectively connected thereto, the inlet end 10+ of the tube assembly being formed correspondingly by distributor 21, and the outlet end 10# of the tube assembly being formed correspondingly by distributor 22; therefore, distributor 21 may have the aforementioned first connecting flange, and distributor 22 may have the aforementioned second connecting flange. Furthermore, at least one tube of the tube assembly can also be configured to conduct the analyte FL or a portion thereof in its respective lumen, i.e., by performing, for example, forced mechanical vibration, which specifically induces a measurement effect corresponding to at least one measured variable and / or is excited by the exciter assembly around an associated static rest position; this specifically allows the at least one tube of the tube assembly to vibrate and simultaneously be passed through by the analyte from its first tube end in the direction (flow direction) of its second tube end. As is customary in the case of transducers of the type discussed, the aforementioned forced mechanical vibration can be at least partially forced bending vibration of the at least one tube about an imaginary vibration axis of the tube assembly (i.e., for example, an imaginary vibration axis connecting the first and second tube ends).

[0093] The aforementioned actuator assembly of the transducer 10 is then specifically provided or configured to convert the electrical power fed therein (from the measurement system electronics unit 20) into mechanical power, such that... Figure 4a As shown or even from Figure 2 and Figure 4a As is evident in the combination, at least one tube 111 and / or each of the tubes of the tube assembly performs at least intermittent forced mechanical vibrations around a corresponding static rest position, while a sensor assembly is provided or configured to detect the mechanical vibrations of the tube assembly, particularly the forced mechanical vibrations by the exciter assembly, and / or the bending vibrations of the at least one tube, and provides a first vibration measurement signal s1 and a second vibration measurement signal s2, which, for example, electrical vibration measurement signals s1 and s2, each at least partially represent the vibrational motion of one or more tubes of the tube assembly, for example, by means of the vibrational motion (X) corresponding to the at least one tube. s1 X s2 The corresponding variable voltage; this specifically makes, such as Figure 4b As illustrated in the diagram, vibration measurement signals s1 and s2 (or correspondingly their spectral signal components s1N1 or s2N1) follow the mass flow rate of the measured substance transmitted in the tube assembly with respect to the first phase difference. The change (i.e., the change in the difference between the phase angle of vibration measurement signal s1 and the phase angle of vibration measurement signal s2), and / or the change in each of the aforementioned vibration measurement signals s1 and s2 respectively following the change in the density of the measured material transmitted in the tube assembly with the change in the corresponding signal frequency of at least one spectral signal component.

[0094] The exciter assembly of the measurement system according to the invention has a vibration exciter 31, such as an electrodynamic vibration exciter, which is mechanically connected to at least one tube and is also configured to convert electrical power with time-varying current into mechanical power, such that... Figure 2 As shown or from Figure 2 and Figure 4a The time-varying driving force F is evident in the combination. exc1 The vibration exciter 31 acts on the tube at a driving point, which is formed on the tube mechanically connected to it via the aforementioned driving point. In this case, an imaginary circumference of the tube passing through the driving point surrounds a cross-sectional area of ​​the tube, which is also referred to below as the driving cross-sectional area of ​​the tube. According to another embodiment of the invention, the vibration exciter 31 is positioned such that... Figure 4a As shown, the driving force F mentioned above exc1 The line of action is perpendicular to the normal to the driving cross-sectional region of the tube. According to another embodiment of the invention, the vibration exciter 31 is electrodynamic, i.e., formed by a vibration coil having, for example, an air coil and an armature, or the vibration exciter 31 has, for example, a magnetoarmature formed by a permanent magnet and a coil submerged in the magnetic field of the armature, i.e., an air coil. For example, the magnetoarmature may be mechanically connected to at least one tube 111 to form a driving point, and / or the coil may be electrically connected, for example, to the measurement system electronics unit 20.

[0095] In the aforementioned case where the tube assembly has two tubes, according to another embodiment of the invention, the vibration exciter 31 is configured to simultaneously excite the mechanical vibrations of both tubes 111 and 112; this specifically allows the vibration exciter 31 to act differently on the two tubes 111 and 112, i.e., to introduce or only introduce opposing excitation forces into the two tubes 111 and 112, for example, causing the first and second tubes 111 and 112 to simultaneously perform opposite forced mechanical vibrations of equal frequencies. Therefore, the vibration exciter 31 can be mechanically connected, for example, to tubes 111 and 112, i.e., such that the aforementioned driving force acts on both tubes 111 and 112. According to another embodiment of the invention, the vibration exciter 31 is configured to provide electrical power with a time-varying current as mechanical power, such that the time-varying driving force acts on the second tube at a drive point formed on the second tube mechanically connected to the vibration exciter 31, i.e., simultaneously and / or opposite to the driving force acting on the tube 111 at the drive point formed on the tube 111 mechanically connected to the vibration exciter 31. According to another embodiment of the invention, it is further specified that the exciter assembly does not have any other vibration exciters connected to the tube besides the vibration exciter 31, which is common, for example, in conventional electronic vibration (standard) measurement systems.

[0096] like Figure 2As schematically shown, the sensor assembly of the measurement system according to the invention further comprises a first vibration sensor 41 (particularly an electrodynamic or optical first vibration sensor) and a second vibration sensor 42 (particularly an electrodynamic or optical second vibration sensor). Each of the vibration sensors 41, 42 (which are, for example, structurally identical) is respectively positioned on the tube, i.e., respectively at least partially mechanically connected to the tube, and is also configured to detect at least the vibrational motion of the tube and convert them into a first or second vibration measurement signal representing said vibrational motion, such as an electrodynamic or optical second vibration measurement signal; this specifically makes each of the first and second vibration measurement signals respectively contain one or more sinusoidal signal components of a corresponding frequency corresponding to the vibrational frequency of the tube's vibrational motion. According to another embodiment of the invention, each of the vibration sensors 41, 42 is also provided to be positioned at a distance from the vibration exciter 31 along the flow direction, particularly at a distance greater than 10 mm and / or greater than one-fifth and / or the same distance as the tube length; this specifically makes the vibration sensors 41, 42 (as is customary in conventional electronic vibration (standard) measurement systems) positioned at a distance from each other on the tube in the flow direction. According to another embodiment of the invention, each of the first and second vibration sensors 41, 42 is formed by a plunger coil having, for example, an air coil and an armature. In the case described above, where the tube assembly has at least two tubes, each of the vibration sensors 41, 42 can be positioned on both the first tube 111 and the second tube 112, i.e., particularly partially mechanically connected to the first tube and partially mechanically connected to the second tube, and each of the vibration sensors 41, 42 can also be configured (particularly differentially) to detect the vibrational movements of both the first tube and the second tube, i.e., particularly opposite vibrational movements, and convert them into a first or second vibration measurement signal, such that each vibration measurement signal represents the vibrational movements of the first tube and the second tube 111, 112, particularly opposite vibrational movements. Figure 3This is particularly true in the aforementioned case where vibration sensors 41 and 42 are electrodynamic vibration sensors constructed as plunger coils. In the aforementioned case where the tube assembly has two tubes, according to another embodiment of the invention, each of the first and second vibration sensors is positioned on the first and second tubes, i.e., for example, partially mechanically connected to the first tube and partially mechanically connected to the second tube. Furthermore, each of the first and second vibration sensors is configured to detect the vibrational motion of both the first and second tubes, i.e., opposite vibrational motions, and convert them into corresponding first or second vibration measurement signals, such that each of the first and second vibration measurement signals represents the vibrational motion of the first and second tubes. The vibration sensors can be specifically designed such that vibrational motions, particularly opposite vibrational motions of the tubes, can subsequently be detected differentially, and / or each of the first and second vibration measurement signals represents the opposite vibrational motions of the first and second tubes, respectively.

[0097] At least one tube or each tube in the tube assembly inherently possesses a plurality of naturally occurring vibration modes (natural vibration forms), each having an associated resonant frequency (f1, f2, ..., fx), and wherein the tube is capable of performing vibrational motions having one or more antinodes (SB) and two or more nodes (SK), such that the number of nodes is exactly one greater than the number of associated antinodes. Similarly... Figure 5 As shown, the vibration of the corresponding tube in the basic vibration mode (i.e., the first-order vibration mode (f1 mode), i.e., for example, the first-order bending vibration mode) has exactly one antinode and therefore two vibration nodes (f1 mode: 1SB, 2SK), while the vibration of the corresponding tube in the harmonic mode (deviating from the basic vibration mode), i.e., the second-order or higher-order vibration mode (f2 mode, f3 mode, f4 mode, ..., fx mode), i.e., for example, the second-order, third-order, fourth-order or higher-order bending vibration mode, has two or more antinodes and correspondingly, three or more vibration nodes (f2 mode: 2SB, 3SK, f3 mode: 3SB, 4SK, f4 mode: 4SB, 5SK, ..., fx mode: xSB, [x+1]SK). In this case, each of the above-mentioned vibration modes of the tube, and therefore also first-order, second-order, or third-order vibration modes (f1 mode, f2 mode, f3 mode), has a first vibration node located in a first tube end of at least one tube and a second vibration node located in a second tube end of the at least one tube. Figure 5In the case described above where the tube assembly has two (or more) tubes, multiple vibration modes with associated resonant frequencies are also inherent in the second tube 112, in which the second tube (like tube 111) is capable of performing vibrational motions with one or more antinodes and two or more nodes, respectively. This also results in, for example, that, under corresponding excitation, the vibrational motion of tube 112 in its first-order vibration mode (f1 mode) is opposite to, for example, reversed, the vibrational motion of tube 111 in its first-order vibration mode (f1 mode), and / or, under corresponding excitation, the vibrational motion of tube 112 in its second-order vibration mode (f2 mode) is opposite to, for example, reversed, the vibrational motion of tube 112 in its second-order vibration mode. According to another embodiment of the invention, the tube assembly is further designed such that, at least in the case of a pristine or intact transducer, the resonant frequency f1 of the first-order vibration mode of tube 111 is equal to the resonant frequency of the first-order vibration mode (f1 mode) of tube 112, and / or at least nominally, i.e., in a pristine or intact transducer, the resonant frequency f2 of the second-order vibration mode of tube 111 is equal to the resonant frequency of the second-order vibration mode of tube 112. In the above case, wherein the tube assembly has two or more tubes, and is also very common in conventional electronic vibration (standard) measurement systems, the tube assembly may further have a connecting element, which is also used to adjust the vibrational properties of the tube assembly, and in particular to tune one or more resonant frequencies of its tubes; this specifically makes, as Figure 3 As shown, a first connecting element 23 (e.g., a plate-shaped first connecting element) is mechanically connected to each tube and positioned at a distance from the splitter 22 than from the splitter 21, and at least one second connecting element 24 (e.g., a plate-shaped second connecting element) and / or at least one second connecting element 24 that is structurally identical to the connecting element 23 is mechanically connected to each of its tubes and positioned at a distance from the splitter 21 than from the splitter 22.

[0098] In the measurement system according to the invention, the vibration exciter 31 is positioned and aligned such that, as Figure 4a or Figure 6As schematically shown, and particularly common in conventional electronic vibration (standard) measurement systems, the drive offset ΔE (i.e., the minimum distance between the aforementioned drive cross-sectional area of ​​tube 111 and a designated reference cross-sectional area of ​​at least one tube) is no greater than 3 mm and / or less than 0.5% of the tube length. The reference cross-sectional area is then selected or defined, for example, using an intact or original transducer, such that the vibration node of the vibrational motion (formed between the two antinodes of the vibrational motion of the at least one tube in a harmonic mode (i.e., a second-order vibrational mode) and / or (nominally) located at half the tube length) lies within the reference cross-sectional area. Therefore, the drive offset ΔE also corresponds in effect to the distance between the regional centroid (center point) of the drive cross-sectional area of ​​the tube and the regional centroid (center point) of the reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube. According to another embodiment of the invention, the reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube is further selected such that the intersection line of the principal axis of inertia of the tube perpendicular to the aforementioned drive force and / or the two mutually orthogonal planes of symmetry of the tube lies within the reference cross-sectional area. Furthermore, according to another embodiment of the invention, the tube assembly and actuator assembly are designed such that the drive offset ΔE is at least nominally or initially, and thus very conventional in intact or original transducers, as well as in conventional electronic vibration (standard) measurement systems, only slightly greater than zero, i.e., less than 2 mm, for example, also less than 1 mm, and / or less than 0.2% of the tube length; in the case of an ideal or perfectly symmetrical tube and sensor assembly, the drive offset is also made equal to zero (ΔE = 0), and thus the centroid of the driving cross-sectional region of the tube corresponds as closely as possible to or coincides with the centroid of the reference cross-sectional region. In the above case, wherein the at least one tube is at least partially curved, i.e., for example, at least partially having an arcuate shape and / or substantially V-shaped, the at least one tube 111 can also be further designed, and the aforementioned reference cross-sectional region can be selected such that exactly one principal axis of inertia of the at least one tube is located within the reference cross-sectional region of the tube. In the alternative case where the at least one tube is straight along its entire length, the aforementioned reference cross-sectional regions can be selected sequentially such that each of the three principal axes of inertia of the at least one tube lies within the reference cross-sectional region of the at least one tube, or the center of mass lies within the reference cross-sectional region of the at least one tube. According to another embodiment of the invention, the reference cross-sectional region is selected such that the vibration nodes of the vibrational motion (formed between two antinodes of the vibrational motion of the at least one tube in the aforementioned second-order vibration mode (i.e., particularly the second-order bending vibration mode) and / or the principal axes of inertia of the at least one tube perpendicular to the vibrational direction of the vibrational motion of the tube in the second-order vibration mode) lie within the reference cross-sectional region of the at least one tube.

[0099] As already mentioned, in addition to the transducer 10, the measurement system also includes a measurement system electronics unit 20 electrically coupled thereto (i.e., particularly electrically coupled to its exciter assembly and its sensor assembly). The measurement system electronics unit 20 can be designed, for example, to be programmable and / or remotely parameterizable, i.e., correspondingly formed, for example, by at least one microprocessor and / or at least one digital signal processor (DSP) and / or by a programmable logic device (FPGA) and / or by a customer-specifically programmed logic module (ASIC). Furthermore, the measurement system electronics unit 20 can be supplied with the electrical energy required during operation via an internal energy storage device and / or via a connecting cable from outside the measurement system electronics unit 20. The electrical coupling or connection between the transducer 10 and the measurement system electronics unit 20 can be achieved via corresponding electrical connection lines and corresponding cable feeds. In this case, the connection lines can be at least partially formed as electrical conductors covered by an electrical insulator in at least some portions, for example, in the form of twisted-pair wires, ribbon cables, and / or coaxial cables. As an alternative or supplement, connecting lines can also be formed, at least in some portions, through printed conductors on a printed circuit board, particularly a flexible, optionally coated printed circuit board. Furthermore, as... Figure 1 As schematically shown, the measurement system electronics unit 20 can, for example, be housed in a corresponding separate electronic protective housing 200, which is particularly impact-resistant and / or also explosion-resistant and / or at least water-resistant, and can also be designed to enable the exchange of measurement data and / or other operational data, such as status messages, such as current measured values ​​or settings and / or diagnostic values ​​for controlling the measurement system, during operation of the measurement system, via a data transmission system (e.g., a fieldbus system) and / or via radio wirelessly with a higher-level electronic (measurement) data processing system (not shown here) (e.g., a programmable logic controller (PLC), a process control system (PLS), a remote terminal unit (RTU), or a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) process executed on a personal computer (PC) and / or workstation). Figure 2 and Figure 3Therefore, the measurement system electronics unit 20 may, for example, have a transmit and receive circuit COM that is powered during operation by an evaluation and supply unit located in the aforementioned data processing system and located remotely from the measurement system. For example, the measurement system electronics unit 20 (or its aforementioned transmit and receive electronics unit COM) may also be designed to be electrically connected to the aforementioned external electronic data processing system via a two-conductor connection 2L, optionally configured as a 4-20mA current loop, and via this connection, to obtain the electrical power required to operate the measurement system from the aforementioned evaluation and supply unit of the data processing system, and, for example, to transmit the measured values ​​(optionally, digitized measured values) to the data processing system by (load) modulation of the DC current fed by the evaluation and supply unit. Furthermore, the measurement system electronics unit 20 may also be designed to operate nominally and / or intrinsically safely at a maximum power of 1W or less. Furthermore, the measurement system electronics unit 20 can also be constructed, for example, in a modular manner, such that various electronic components of the measurement system electronics unit 20 (such as the measurement and evaluation circuit DSV formed by one or more microprocessors and / or one or more digital signal processors for processing and evaluating measurement signals (especially vibration measurement signals) provided by the transducer 10, the drive circuit Exc for controlling the transducer 10 or its exciter assembly, the internal power supply circuit VS for providing one or more internal operating voltages, and / or the aforementioned transmit and receive circuit COM for communicating with the aforementioned upper-level (measurement) data processing system or the aforementioned external fieldbus) are respectively mounted on one or more separate circuit boards and / or formed by one or more separate microprocessors. Figure 2 and Figure 3 As can be seen from the diagram, the aforementioned transmitting and receiving circuits COM can, for example, also be provided with a measured value (X) determined internally by the measurement system (e.g., by the aforementioned measurement and control circuit DSV). M ) output (x m One of them. Therefore, the transmitting and receiving circuit COM can also be configured to transmit the received measurement value X. M Convert to provide the measured value X M The output signal x m For example, output signals conforming to industry standards, such as DIN IEC 60381-1:1985-11, IEC 61784-1CPF1 (Foundation Fieldbus), IEC 61784-1CPF3 (Profibus), IEC 61158, or IEC 61784-1CPF9 (HART). This is for visualizing measurement values ​​(X) generated internally by the measurement system in the field. MThe measurement system may also have a display and operation element HMI, such as an LCD, OLED, or TFT display, located behind a window correspondingly disposed in the aforementioned electronic housing 200, and / or status messages generated internally by the measurement system (such as error messages or alarms). This HMI also communicates at least intermittently with the measurement system electronics unit 20 and a corresponding input keyboard and / or touchscreen. In the case where the measurement system has the aforementioned support frame 100 (which is specifically designed as a transducer protective housing), the electronic equipment protective housing 200 can, for example, be fastened to the support frame, also as... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As illustrated schematically or as readily apparent from its combination.

[0100] In the measurement system according to the invention, the measurement system electronics unit 20 is specifically configured to excite the vibration exciter 31 by an electronic drive signal e1 having a time-varying current, i.e., to feed electrical power into the vibration exciter 31, such that at least one tube performs forced mechanical vibration, i.e., bending vibration, at one or more vibration frequencies specified by the drive signal e1. Furthermore, the measurement system electronics unit 20 is configured to provide at least intermittently (i.e., for example, during normal measurement operation or during measurement intervals) a signal containing a first (AC) frequency f. eN1 The drive signal e1 of the sinusoidal first (useful) current eN1 causes the at least one transistor to operate at the first useful frequency f. N1 (That is, the (vibration) frequency f corresponding to the first (AC) frequency) eN1 (f N1 =f eN1 The vibration exciter 31 (excited by the (useful) current eN1) at least partially (e.g., and mainly) performs the first driving force (component) F generated by or from the vibration exciter 31. exc1 The forced first useful vibration (i.e., mechanical vibration) results in vibration signal s1 having a first useful signal component s1N1, and vibration signal s2 having a first useful signal component s2N1, i.e., each having a first useful frequency f. N1 The (signal) frequency f s1N1 or f s2N1 (f s1N1 =f s2N1 =f N1 The sinusoidal signal component; this makes the first useful frequency f N1 The resonant frequency f2 that deviates from the second-order vibration mode (f2 mode) exceeds 5% of the resonant frequency f2 (|f2-f N1 |>0.05f2) and / or more than 10Hz (|f2-f N1(>10Hz), and / or make the first useful vibration suitable for inducing a Coriolis force F, depending on its mass flow rate, in the analyte flowing through the at least one tube or through the tube assembly formed therefrom. c Therefore, the electronic unit of the measurement system can also be configured to adjust the first (useful) current eN1 of the drive signal, which is very common in electronic vibration measurement systems of the type discussed, such that the Coriolis vibration depending on the mass flow rate is also forced due to the first useful vibration excited by it, and thus the useful signal components s1N1 and s2N1 of the vibration measurement signals s1 and s2 follow the change of the mass flow rate of the analyte conducted in the at least one tube with respect to the phase difference of the first useful signal components of the vibration measurement signals s1 and s2 (i.e., the difference between the phase angle of the first useful signal component s1N1 and the phase angle of the first useful signal component s2N1). In the case where the tube assembly has at least two tubes, the vibration exciter 31 can also be correspondingly configured to simultaneously convert the electrical power fed in by the electric drive signal e1 into forced mechanical vibration of the first and second tubes 111 and 112; this also specifically causes the first and second tubes 111 and 112 to simultaneously vibrate at the first useful frequency f. N1 Forced mechanical vibration is performed, i.e., vibration in the opposite direction, for example. In the above case, where the vibration exciter 31 is formed by a coil electrically connected to the electronic unit of the measurement system, energizing the vibration exciter 31 means that the coil receives a drive signal e1, i.e., its current.

[0101] The aforementioned (AC) frequency f of the useful current component eN1 eN1 And therefore the first useful frequency f N1 The resonant frequency of the tube assembly, which may correspond to, for example, the lowest resonant frequency or the resonant frequency f1 of the fundamental vibration mode (f1 mode) of tube 111, is also dependent on the density of the measured substance FL conducted in the tube assembly. Therefore, the measurement system electronics 20 according to another embodiment of the invention is further configured to adjust the first (AC) frequency f1. eN1 This makes the (AC) frequency f eN1 Or useful frequency f N1 The resonant frequency f1 that deviates from the fundamental vibration mode is less than 1% (|f1-f) of the resonant frequency f1. N1 |<0.01f1) and / or less than 1Hz (|f1-f N1 |<1Hz), that is, for example, the resonant frequency f1 (f1 mode) corresponding to the fundamental vibration mode, or the vibrational motion of the first useful vibration ultimately corresponds to the vibrational motion of at least one tube 111's fundamental vibration mode (f1 mode). According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics unit is configured to adjust the first (AC) frequency f eN1 This makes the (AC) frequency f eN1 Or useful frequency fN1 The resonant frequency f3 that deviates from the third-order vibration mode (f3 mode) is less than 1% of the resonant frequency f3 (|f3-f N1 |<0.01f3) and / or less than 1Hz (|f3-f N1 |<1Hz), that is, for example, the resonant frequency f3 corresponding to the third-order vibration mode (f3 mode), or the vibrational motion of the first useful vibration thus ultimately corresponds to the vibrational motion of the third-order vibration mode (f3 mode) of the at least one tube 111. In order to generate the drive signal e1, as is quite common in such a measurement system, the measurement system electronics unit 20 may have a corresponding drive circuit Exc, which is formed, for example, by one or more phase-locked loops (PLLs) for determining the corresponding resonant frequency or adjusting the currently desired (AC) frequency.

[0102] As already noted, the measurement system electronics 20 is also specifically provided for receiving and evaluating the vibration measurement signals s1, s2 generated by the transducer 10, that is, specifically determining and outputting a measurement value X representing at least one measured variable. MSpecifically, the measurement system electronics 20 is configured to determine a measured value representing the at least one measured variable, i.e., for example, a mass flow rate measurement representing the mass flow rate of the measured substance and / or a density measurement representing the density of the measured substance, based at least on the amplitude of at least one of the first useful signal components s1N1, s2N1 (i.e., based on their (signal) frequencies) and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the useful signal components s1N1 or s2N1; this is also typical for measurement systems of the type discussed, and particularly for those mentioned above, such as US-A 2006 / 0266129, US-A 2007 / 0113678, US-A2010 / 0011882, US-A 2012 / 0123705, US-A2017 / 0356777, US-A 56 02345, and US-A 59 26. Typical methods of measurement systems known in WO-A 2009 / 136943, WO-A 2019 / 017891, WO-A2019 / 081169, WO-A 2019 / 081170, WO-A 87 / 06691, WO-A 96 / 05484, WO-A 96 / 08697, WO-A 97 / 26508, WO-A 99 / 39164, or our own unpublished international patent application PCT / EP2019 / 082044. According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics 20 is therefore further configured to generate a mass flow measurement representing the mass flow rate based on the aforementioned phase difference between the first useful signal components s1N1 and s2N1, for example, through a characteristic curve function of the phase difference versus the mass flow measurement value programmed into the measurement system electronics, i.e., a characteristic curve function of the measurement system electronics, and optionally further designed as a (linear) parametric function, according to which the determined phase difference is subsequently converted into the mass flow measurement value X. m According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics 20 is also configured to determine the resonant frequency f1 of a first vibration mode (f1 mode) of at least one tube, i.e., for example, to determine the frequency value X representing the resonant frequency f1 based on the drive signal e1 and / or at least one vibration measurement signal s1, s2. f1 For example, this is also to calculate the density measurement value X, representing the density, based on such a frequency value, for example, according to the characteristic curve function of the corresponding resonant frequency and density measurement value of the electronic unit of the measurement system. ρAlternatively or additionally, the measurement system electronics 20 may also be provided or configured to generate viscosity measurements based on at least one vibration measurement signal s1, s2 and / or based on a drive signal e1, i.e., a measurement representing the viscosity of the measured substance FL—for example, according to a damping versus viscosity measurement characteristic curve function of the measurement system electronics. The processing of the vibration measurement signals s1, s2 and possibly the control of one or more of the aforementioned drive circuits Exc (which is very common in such measurement systems) may also occur through the aforementioned measurement and evaluation circuit DSV, respectively, as described above. Figure 2 or Figure 3 As shown schematically in the diagram.

[0103] The program code executed during the operation of the measurement system in the measurement system electronics unit 20 (i.e., in one or more of the aforementioned microprocessor or digital signal processor of the measurement system electronics unit 20) can be persistently stored, for example, in one or more non-volatile data memories (EEPROMs) of the measurement system electronics unit 20, i.e., memories that store digital data even without an applied operating voltage, and can be loaded into volatile data memories (RAMs) provided in the measurement system electronics unit 20 or in the aforementioned measurement and evaluation circuit DSV (e.g., integrated into the microprocessor) when the measurement system electronics unit is started. For processing in the microprocessor or digital signal processor, the vibration measurement signals s1 and s2 are first converted into corresponding digital signals by a corresponding analog-to-digital converter (A / D) (i.e., by appropriately digitizing the corresponding signal voltages of each of the vibration measurement signals s1 and s2, which are electrical signals, for comparison, in this respect, for example, the aforementioned US-B 6311 136). Therefore, the measurement system electronic unit 20 (i.e., in the aforementioned measurement and evaluation circuit DSV) can provide corresponding analog-to-digital converters for the vibration measurement signals s1, s2 and / or at least one non-volatile electronic data memory (EEPROM), configured to store digital data, i.e., even without an applied operating voltage. This further improves the final determination of the measured value X. M The accuracy, such as Figure 2 and Figure 3The transducers, which are schematically shown and are very common in such measurement systems, may also have temperature sensors 71 (71, 72) for detecting the temperature within the tube assembly and providing one or more corresponding temperature measurement signals θ1 (θ1, θ2), and are respectively, for example, directly attached to at least one tube of the tube assembly, and / or strain sensors for detecting mechanical stress within the tube assembly and providing one or more corresponding strain measurement signals, and respectively, for example, directly attached to one of the conduits of the tube assembly, and the measurement system electronics may also be configured to receive and process the temperature or strain measurement signals, i.e., particularly for determining the measured values.

[0104] As already mentioned, during operation, the analyte or its mass can change significantly over time or undergo significant fluctuations; in particular, this also causes the vibrational properties of at least one tube transmitting the analyte to change to a degree that significantly reduces measurement accuracy due to deviations in the mass from the specified specifications. The change in the vibrational characteristics of the at least one tube can be attributed, for example, to changes in one or more modal masses and / or damping determined by the mass of the analyte, i.e., the corresponding mass and / or damping that determines the aforementioned vibrational modes or their corresponding distributions, and causes the (natural) vibrational forms of one or more vibrational modes of the at least one tube to be significantly different from their corresponding counterparts under normal (analyte) mass (i.e., within specifications); this also regularly causes the density (usually substantially similar or uniform) and viscosity of the analyte present in normal analyte to become increasingly non-uniformly distributed, and the aforementioned (system) parameters of the modal mass and modal damping of one or more vibrational modes thus change accordingly. As a result, not only does the change in the mass of the analyte cause a change in the resonant frequency of one or more of the aforementioned vibration modes, but this change also regularly causes a change in the form of the vibrational motion of the corresponding vibration mode, resulting in the position of one or more vibration nodes located between two antinodes of the vibrational motion of the at least one tube in one or more harmonic modes. Therefore, the position of the aforementioned reference cross-sectional area relative to its corresponding original position and / or vibration node is also changed. Consequently, the driving offset determined relative to the reference cross-sectional area or vibration node also undergoes a change, for example, causing the driving offset to increase compared to the driving offset ΔE determined in normal analytes. Examples of such fluctuations in the mass of the analyte or deviations in the mass from the specifications of the analyte include time-varying loading of foreign substances (such as solid particles and / or bubbles in liquids), formation of condensates in gaseous analytes, degassing of liquid analytes, or, in the case where the analyte is formed as a dispersion, time-varying concentrations of the various phases and / or components of the analyte and / or occasional separation of the components of the analyte.

[0105] The system function affected by such a change in the mass of the (analyte) or deviation of the mass from specifications can, for example, correspond to one or more (modal) vibration responses of the tube assembly, which are related to the measurement of at least one measured variable, i.e., the functional dependence of the amplitude of the aforementioned useful vibration on the drive signal, or the functional dependence of the amplitude of the aforementioned Coriolis vibration on the drive signal and mass flow rate. Accordingly, examples of such a system function of the transducer can include, for example, a system function of mass flow rate and phase difference (i.e., a system function of the transducer according to which the aforementioned phase difference of the first useful signal component of the vibration measurement signal depends on the mass flow rate), a system function containing (system) parameters (such as a system function of density and resonant frequency, i.e., for example, a system function of the transducer according to which the aforementioned resonant frequency f1 depends on the density), or the damping of vibration as a system function containing (system) parameters (such as a system function of viscosity and damping, i.e., for example, a system function of the transducer according to which the damping of the first useful vibration depends on the viscosity). Therefore, however, one or more measurement functions of the measurement system can also be affected, according to which the measurement system ultimately converts the measured variable to be detected in each case into a corresponding measured value based on one or more of the aforementioned system functions of the transducer. Examples of such measurement functions of the measurement system include, in particular, the mass flow rate and measured value function relating to the mass flow rate and phase difference system function of the measurement system electronics and the aforementioned phase difference and mass flow rate measured value characteristic curve function, i.e., the measurement function of the measurement system according to which the mass flow rate measured value determined depends on the mass flow rate; and / or the density and measured value function of the measurement system relating to the aforementioned density and resonant frequency system function of the transducer and the aforementioned resonant frequency and density measured value characteristic curve function of the measurement system electronics; and / or the viscosity and measured value characteristic curve function of the measurement system relating to the aforementioned viscosity and damping system function of the transducer and the aforementioned damping and viscosity measured value characteristic curve function of the measurement system electronics. Changes in the mass of the analyte or deviations from the specifications discussed can also lead to changes in one or more system functions or parameters characterizing the corresponding measurement function. For example, the aforementioned zero point and / or sensitivity (slope of the characteristic curve function) of the phase difference versus mass flow measurement value corresponds to the change in phase difference of the first useful signal component, which undergoes a corresponding time variation (i.e., with corresponding fluctuations), and corresponds to the measurement accuracy of the measurement system, which ultimately uses measurement accuracy to represent the analyte variable. In the case of a normal analyte, the measurement accuracy of the measurement system is significantly reduced in the corresponding measurement value due to its dependence on the system's measurement accuracy.

[0106] In order to detect and report any changes in the quality of the tested substance or deviations from specifications as early and reliably as possible, it is also specified that the tube assembly is actively excited to mechanically vibrate by the exciter assembly, such that at least one tube performs vibration corresponding to the above-mentioned second-order vibration mode (f2 mode), and the resulting vibration measurement signal is evaluated by the measurement system electronic unit 20 accordingly, i.e., in particular, to check the permissible changes in the quality of the tested substance. This especially makes the corresponding The vibrations described in the second-order vibration mode (f2 mode) are non-volatile or constant, that is, for two or more vibration cycles. Periods and / or periods greater than 10 ms have (substantially) constant non-zero amplitude of vibration. To this end, the measurement system electronics 20 of the measurement system according to the invention is further configured to at least intermittently provide a sinusoidal second (useful) current eN2 to the drive signal e1, the sinusoidal second (useful) current eN2 having a frequency f that deviates from the first (AC) frequency f. eN1 For example, a deviation of more than 10Hz from the second (AC) frequency f eN2 This causes the at least one tube 111 to at least partially perform a second useful vibration (different from the first useful vibration), namely, by the vibration exciter 31 (excited by the (useful) current eN2) or the second driving force (component) F generated therewith. exc2 The excitation vibration exciter 31 is activated at the second useful frequency f N2 (That is, corresponding to the second (AC) frequency f) eN2 (f N2 =f eN2 The mechanical vibration applied at the (vibration) frequency of the first and second vibration signals s1 and s2 respectively has a second useful signal component s1N2 or s2N2 ​​(i.e., has a component corresponding to the second useful frequency f). N2 The (signal) frequency f s1N2 or f s2N2 (f s1N2 =f s2N2 =f N2 The sinusoidal signal component of the measurement system. According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics unit 20 is further configured to provide the aforementioned second (useful) current (eN2) having a specified (current) amplitude.

[0107] In the measurement system according to the invention, the measurement system electronics unit 20 is further specifically configured to adjust the second (AC) frequency f. eN2 This causes the resonant frequency f2 of the second-order vibration mode (f2 mode) of at least one tube 111 to be less than 1% of the resonant frequency f2 (|f2-f N2 |<0.01f2), for example, is also less than 0.1% of the resonant frequency f2, and / or less than 1Hz (|f1-f N2 |<1Hz), for example, also less than 0.1Hz; this also makes the (AC) frequency f eN2The resonant frequency f2(f2) corresponding to the second-order vibration mode (f2 mode) eN2 =f2).

[0108] For the tube assembly having at least two tubes as described above, the vibration exciter 31 can also be configured to convert the electrical power fed in by the electrical drive signal e1 into forced mechanical vibration of the first and second tubes 111, 112, such that the first and second tubes 111, 112 simultaneously perform forced mechanical vibration at a second useful frequency, i.e., for example, at a first useful frequency f. N1 Second useful frequency f N2 Forced mechanical vibration. Therefore, the measurement system electronics unit 20 according to another embodiment of the present invention is also configured to provide a second useful current e1N2 of the drive signal e1 at least intermittently and simultaneously with the first (useful) current e1N1; for example, this also makes the amplitude of the first (useful) current e1N1 (current) adjusted to be not less than the amplitude of the second (useful) current e1N2 (current) and / or the amplitude of the second (useful) current e1N2 (current) is adjusted to be greater than 40% of the amplitude of the first (useful) current e1N1 (current), for example, not less than 50%.

[0109] Alternatively or additionally, the measurement system electronics unit is also configured to operate according to a first (AC) frequency f eN1 Alternatively, the second (AC) frequency f can be adjusted based on the resonant frequency f1. eN2 This, for example, makes the second (AC) frequency f eN2 Within a frequency setting interval, the upper and / or lower limits of the interval and / or the center frequency correspond to the first (AC) frequency f. eN1 A specified multiple, that is, for example, the first (AC) frequency f. eN1 The corresponding frequency f is greater than the first (AC) frequency. eN1 230% and / or less than the first (AC) frequency f eN1 A multiple of 300%. According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics unit also has features for adjusting the (AC) frequency f. eN1 The first phase-locked loop (PLL1) (e.g., also a digital first phase-locked loop) and the frequency f used for adjustment (AC) eN2 The second phase-locked loop (PLL2) (e.g., a digital second phase-locked loop). Furthermore, the measurement system electronics unit 20 can also be configured based on a first (AC) frequency f. eN1 Alternatively, the capture range of the second phase-locked loop (PLL2) can be adjusted by at least one output signal of the first phase-locked loop (PLL1) (i.e., the output signal of the loop filter of the first phase-locked loop (PLL1)).

[0110] The measurement system electronics 20 of the measurement system according to the invention is further configured to monitor the quality of the test substance based on or by evaluating at least one of the second useful signal components s1N2, s2N2, for example, based on their (signal) frequency and / or based on the (signal) amplitude of at least one of the second useful signal components s1N2, s2N2 ​​and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the second useful signal components s1N2, s2N2, i.e., to determine whether or to what extent a fault exists in the test substance. According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics 20 is configured to determine, based on at least one of the second useful signal components s1N2, s2N2, whether or to what extent a fault exists in the test substance affecting the vibrational characteristics of the second-order vibration mode, i.e., an undesirable change in one or more material parameters of the test substance, i.e., to determine, for example, whether the fault of the test substance is due to (undesirable) separation of the test substance and / or due to (undesirable) loading of one or more foreign substances onto the test substance. In addition, the measurement system electronic unit 20 can also be configured to determine, based on at least one of the second useful signal components s1N2, s2N2, whether and / or to what extent there is a fault in one or more of the aforementioned system function or measurement function of the measurement system due to a fault in the measured substance, and thus also to determine that a measurement error exists when determining the corresponding measured value.

[0111] The aforementioned evaluation of at least one of the second useful signal components s1N2 and s2N2 ​​can, for example, be a simple check of the second useful signal component against at least one of the vibration measurement signals s1 and s2, or the detection of the second useful signal component in the vibration measurement signals s1 and s2 that is above a specified (minimum) signal level; however, it can also include dedicated measurements of the corresponding (signal) amplitude or time amplitude distribution and / or the corresponding phase angle or time phase angle distribution and / or the corresponding (signal) frequency or time frequency distribution of one or more of the second useful signal components s1N2 and s2N2. For example, parameter values ​​characterizing the corresponding vibration response or one or more of the aforementioned system functions can be cyclically determined by the measurement system electronics based on the vibration measurement signals s1 and s2, and can be compared with reference values ​​correspondingly specified for them. Alternatively or additionally, the electronic unit of the measurement system may cyclically calculate one or more characteristic values ​​for at least one measured substance characteristic number based on vibration measurement signals s1, s2. These characteristic values ​​characterize the state of the measured substance, for example, such that the corresponding characteristic values ​​correspond to the relationship between two or more of the above-mentioned parameter values, or depend on several such parameter values ​​and / or the measured substance characteristic number decreases as the mass (of the measured substance) decreases.

[0112] The vibration response or (system) parameter characterizing the system function can be, for example, the amplitude ratio or frequency ratio of at least one tube, bending stiffness, modal bending stiffness ratio, damping, or modal damping ratio. Corresponding reference values ​​and corresponding threshold values ​​for these parameters can be predetermined, i.e., for example, during the (first) calibration of the measurement system by the manufacturer at the factory, or possibly during the on-site startup of the measurement system, by the measurement system itself, and / or based on laboratory measurements using a measurement system of the same structure or type, based on different analytes with separately known masses of the analyte, and therefore can be pre-stored in the measurement system's electronic unit 20, for example, in its non-volatile data memory EEPROM. The parameter values ​​determined using the measurement system's electronic unit 20 can also be further output, for example, displayed on-site, and / or transmitted to the aforementioned (measurement) data processing system.

[0113] Considering the corresponding adjustments to the first and second useful frequencies, the corresponding resonant frequency ratio of the corresponding vibration modes can also be determined, for example, and used to monitor the mass of the measured substance as a (system) parameter of the system function specifying the transducer, for example, such that the ratio of the time variation (e.g., continuous increase or continuous decrease) of the resonant frequency f2 to the resonant frequency f1 is used as an indication of the presence of a transducer fault. According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics 20 is therefore configured to determine the resonant frequency f2 of the second vibration mode (f2 mode) of at least one tube 111, i.e., for example, based on the frequency value X of the resonant frequency f2 representing at least one of the vibration measurement signals s1, s2. f2 And / or determine the resonant frequency ratio f1 / f2, which is the ratio of the resonant frequency f1 corresponding to the first vibration mode (f1 mode) to the resonant frequency f2 of the second vibration mode (f2 mode), i.e., for example, based on the first and second (AC) frequencies f1 of the drive signal e1. eN1 f eN2 And / or the signal frequency f based on at least one of the useful signal components s1N1, s1N2, s2N1, s2N2 ​​in the vibration measurement signal. s1N1 f s2N1 f s1N2 f s2N2 To determine the frequency ratio X representing the resonant frequency ratio f1 / f2. f12 (X f12 =f eN1 / f eN2 ;X f12 =f s1N1 / f s1N2 ;X f12 =f s2N1 / f s2N2In order to monitor the mass of the analyte by means of the electronic unit 20 of the measurement system, the frequency ratio X is determined cyclically. f12 It can also be compared, for example, with a reference value specified for this purpose, i.e., in particular, to determine whether or by how much the resonant frequency ratio f1 / f2 deviates from the reference value.

[0114] Considering the deflection of the second useful vibration, the change in the natural vibrational form of the second-order vibration mode can also be determined, for example, and used for monitoring the mass of the analyte as a (system) parameter of the system function specifying the transducer. According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics 20 is therefore also configured to determine, based on the vibration measurement signals s1, s2, the phase difference value representing at least one phase difference of the second useful signal component (i.e., the difference between the phase angle of the second useful signal component s1N2 of vibration measurement signal s1 and the phase angle of the second useful signal component s2N2 ​​of vibration measurement signal s2). In order to perform mass monitoring of the analyte by the measurement system electronics 20, the cyclically determined phase difference value can be compared, for example, with one or more reference values ​​specified for this purpose, to determine, for example, whether or by how much the phase difference of the second useful signal component or the fundamental mode deflection of the second useful vibration of at least one tube deviates from the corresponding reference value. For example, an excessively high and / or time-progressively increasing phase difference of the second useful signal component can be used as an indication of the presence of a fault. One or more of the aforementioned reference values ​​for the phase difference of the second useful signal component can also be set as a function of the phase difference, which has currently been determined to determine the mass flow rate measurement X of the first useful vibration. m Alternatively or additionally, the phase difference value determined for the second useful vibration can also be used to monitor the mass of the analyte by means of the measurement system electronics unit 20, in order to determine a phase difference ratio corresponding to the aforementioned phase difference of the second useful vibration and the mass flow rate measurement value X used to determine the first useful vibration. m The ratio of the phase differences. According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronic unit 20 is further configured to determine at least one of the (signal) amplitudes of the first useful signal components s1N1 and s2N1 based on the vibration measurement signals s1 and s2, so that the amplitude values ​​respectively represent the deflection x1 of the first useful vibration, that is, in particular, the amplitude value X representing the (signal) amplitude of the useful signal component s1N1. s1N1 And the amplitude value X representing the amplitude of the useful signal component s2N1. s2N1 Both, and / or the measurement system electronics unit 20, are configured to determine at least one of the (signal) amplitudes of the second useful signal components s1N2 and s2N2, and thus determine the amplitude value of the deflection x2 representing the second useful vibration, i.e., in particular, the amplitude value X representing the (signal) amplitude of the useful signal component s1N2. s1N2And the amplitude value X represents the amplitude of the useful signal component s2N2. s2N2 Both, for example, through an FIR filter and / or through the amplitude value X s1N1 X s2N1 X s1N2 or X s2N2 The numerical integration is used to form a corresponding moving average of the amplitude of the useful signal components s1N1, s1N2, s1N2, or s2N2. Alternatively or additionally, the measurement system electronics are also configured to determine a deflection ratio x1 / x2 corresponding to the ratio of the deflection of the first useful vibration to the deflection of the second useful vibration, i.e., for example, based on at least one of the vibration measurement signals s1 and s2, possibly by using the aforementioned deflection value X. s1N1 X s1N2 And / or the above deflection value X s2N1 X s2N2 To determine the deflection ratio value representing the deflection ratio x1 / x2. In order to perform mass monitoring of the analyte by means of the measurement system electronic unit 20, the amplitude value (i.e., specifically the amplitude value X) is determined cyclically. s1N2 X s2N2 The determined deflection ratio value can be further compared, for example, with one or more reference values ​​specified for this purpose, to determine whether or by how much one or more of the modal deflections (i.e., particularly the deflection of the second useful vibration) of one and / or more or at least one tube in the (signal) amplitude deviates from the corresponding reference value. Amplitude value X s1N2 X s2N2 One or more of the above reference values ​​(or the modal deflection of the vibration of at least one tube) can also be set, for example, to the instantaneous adjustment (current) amplitude and / or instantaneous deflection value X of the second (useful) current eN2. s1N1 and / or X s2N1 One of the functions.

[0115] Taking into account both the deflection velocity of the first or second useful vibration and the driving force that causes them respectively, in addition, for example, the (modal) damping of the corresponding useful vibration or the corresponding vibration mode can be determined and used as a (system) parameter of the system function of the specified transducer for monitoring the mass of the test substance. For example, the ratio of excessively high and / or continuously increasing (modal) damping of the second useful vibration or the time-varying (modal) damping d2 of the second useful vibration to the (modal) damping d1 of the first useful vibration, for example, continuously increasing or continuously decreasing, is used as an indicator of the presence of a fault in the test substance, i.e., for example, excessively high deviation of the mass of the test substance from the specifications and / or excessively rapid change in the mass of the test substance. Furthermore, considering both the deflection of the first or second useful vibration and the driving force that causes them respectively, the corresponding (modal) spring stiffness of the corresponding useful vibration or the corresponding vibration mode can also be determined, for example, and used to monitor the mass of the measured substance as a (system) parameter of the system function of the transducer. For example, in the case of a sufficiently high and time-constant (modal) spring stiffness during the second useful vibration, the time-varying and / or excessively high (modal) damping of the second useful vibration indicates the presence of a fault in the measured substance, and / or the excessively low and / or continuously decreasing (modal) spring stiffness of the second useful vibration or the ratio of the time-varying (e.g., continuously increasing or continuously decreasing) of the (modal) spring stiffness of the second useful vibration to the time-varying (e.g., continuously increasing or continuously decreasing) of the (modal) spring stiffness of the second useful vibration can also indicate the presence of a mechanical fault in the tube assembly or the transducer formed therefrom in the case of excessively high (modal) damping of the second useful vibration.

[0116] According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics unit 20 is further configured to determine the (modal) damping of a second useful vibration, which corresponds to the ratio of the (signal) amplitude of one of the second useful signal components s1N2 (e.g., the sum or difference of the (signal) amplitudes of the second useful signal components) to the (signal) amplitude of the second (useful) current eN2. That is, for example, a damping value representing the damping d2 of the second useful vibration is determined based on the second (useful) current e1N2 and the second useful signal component of at least one of the vibration measurement signals s1, s2. In order to perform mass monitoring of the analyte by the measurement system electronics unit 20, the cyclically determined damping value can also be compared, for example, with one or more reference values ​​specified for this purpose, i.e., particularly to determine whether or by how much the damping of the second useful vibration of at least one tube deviates from a specified reference value (damping reference value). Alternatively or additionally, the measurement system electronics unit may further be configured to determine a damping ratio d1 / d2 corresponding to the ratio of (modal) damping of the first useful vibration to (modal) damping of the second useful vibration, i.e., to determine a damping ratio value representing the damping ratio d1 / d2, for example, based on at least the first and second useful signal components of at least one of the first and second (useful) currents of the drive signal and / or vibration measurement signals. Therefore, the measurement system electronics unit 20 is also configured to determine both the aforementioned (modal) damping of the second useful vibration and the (modal) damping of the first useful vibration, corresponding to the ratio of the (signal) amplitude of one of the first useful signal components s1N1 (e.g., also the sum or difference of the (signal) amplitudes of the first useful signal components s1N1 and s2N1) to the (signal) amplitude of the first (useful) current eN1, i.e., to determine a damping value representing the damping of the first useful vibration, for example, based on the drive signal and at least one vibration measurement signal. To perform quality monitoring of the analyte, the measurement system electronics unit 20 according to another embodiment of the invention is further configured to compare one or more of the damping values ​​and / or one or more of the damping ratio values ​​representing the damping of the second useful vibration with at least one reference value determined in advance and / or by a properly functioning measurement system. Specifically, it outputs a message indicating this deviation, particularly declared as a (fault) alarm message for reduced (analyte) quality, in the event of a deviation between one or more of the damping values ​​and the corresponding reference value (damping reference value) or between one or more of the damping ratio values ​​and the corresponding reference value (damping ratio reference value). According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics unit 20 is further configured to determine a spring stiffness value representing the spring stiffness c2 of the second useful vibration based on a second signal component of the second (useful) current e1N2 and at least one of the vibration measurement signals s1 and s2.Alternatively or additionally, the measurement system electronics unit can also be configured to determine a spring stiffness ratio c1 / c2, which is the ratio of the (modal) spring stiffness c1 corresponding to the first useful vibration and the (modal) spring stiffness c2 corresponding to the second useful vibration. That is, for example, a spring stiffness ratio value representing the spring stiffness ratio c1 / c2 is determined based on the first and second useful signal components of at least one of the first and second (useful) currents and / or vibration measurement signals. Therefore, the measurement system electronics unit 20 is also configured to determine the aforementioned (modal) spring stiffness c1 of the second useful vibration and the (modal) spring stiffness of the first useful vibration, which correspond to the ratio of the (signal) amplitude of one of the first useful signal components s1N1 (e.g., also the sum or difference of the (signal) amplitudes of the first useful signal components s1N1 and s2N1) to the (signal) amplitude of the first (useful) current eN1. That is, for example, a spring stiffness value representing the spring stiffness c1 of the first useful vibration is determined based on the first useful signal component of the first (useful) current e1N1 and at least one of the vibration measurement signals. In order to perform quality monitoring of the analyte by means of the measurement system electronics 20, the cyclically determined spring stiffness value or spring stiffness ratio can be compared, for example, with one or more reference values ​​specified for this purpose, i.e., to determine whether or how much the spring stiffness c2 of the second useful vibration of the at least one tube deviates from the specified reference value (spring stiffness reference value). In another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics 20 is also configured to determine, based on the comparison with the reference value, the time-varying (e.g., continuously increasing or continuously decreasing) ratio of the excessively low and / or continuously decreasing (modal) spring stiffness of the second useful vibration or the time-varying (e.g., continuously increasing or continuously decreasing) spring stiffness c2 of the second useful vibration to the (modal) spring stiffness c1 of the first useful vibration, in order to output a message indicating a damaged measurement system, for example, and a message declared as a (fault) alarm of the measurement system, i.e., specifically, not a (fault) alarm for a reduced (analyte).

[0117] For one or more of the aforementioned (system) parameters, i.e., for example, the resonant frequency ratio f1 / f2 of at least one tube, the deflection ratio x1 / x2 of the first and second useful vibrations, the (modal) damping d2 of the second useful vibration, the damping ratio d1 / d2 of the first and second useful vibrations, the (modal) spring stiffness d2 of the second useful vibration, the spring stiffness ratio c1 / c2 of the first and second useful vibrations, etc., i.e., for example, the spring stiffness value representing the (modal) spring stiffness c2, the spring stiffness ratio value representing the spring stiffness ratio c1 / c2, the damping value representing the (modal) damping d2, the damping ratio value representing the damping ratio d1 / d2, the deflection ratio value representing the deflection ratio x1 / x2, the phase difference value representing the phase difference of the second useful signal component, etc., can also be used to cyclically determine the dispersion measure of the corresponding system parameters. For example, such a dispersion measure can be the empirical variance or span of the corresponding (system) parameter, or parameter values ​​determined for them respectively. The determined dispersion measure can also be used to monitor the quality of the measured substance, for example, such that if the corresponding (system) parameter has a low dispersion measure, i.e., a dispersion measure below the corresponding specified threshold, at most a fault in the measurement system can be inferred, and / or a (system) parameter with a dispersion measure above the corresponding specified threshold will not trigger any fault message, even if a comparison of its parameter value with the corresponding reference value would initially indicate this. Alternatively or additionally, the dispersion measure determined using the measurement system electronics unit 20 can also be output, for example, displayed on-site, and / or transmitted to the aforementioned (measurement) data processing system. Alternatively or additionally, the parameter values ​​determined for one or more of the aforementioned (system) parameters, i.e., for example, the resonant frequency ratio f1 / f2 of the at least one tube, the deflection ratio x1 / x2 of the first and second useful vibrations, the damping of the second useful vibration, the damping ratio d1 / d2 of the first and second useful vibrations, etc., can also be used for time-varying cyclic determination, i.e., for example, the trend and / or rate of change and / or rate of change and / or speed of change of the corresponding (system) parameter. The determined time-varying parameters can also be used to monitor the mass of the measured substance, for example, so that when the damping of the second useful vibration increases, or when the change in the resonant frequency ratio f1 / f2 and / or the damping ratio d1 / d2 increases at a rate exceeding the specified measurement range, a deviation in the increase of the mass of the measured substance can be detected and reported accordingly. Therefore, it is also possible to output, for example, on-site display, the time-varying parameters or rate of change or velocity determined using the measurement system electronics unit 20, and / or transmit them to the aforementioned (measurement) data processing system.

[0118] Monitoring of the quality of the analyte according to the invention can be performed, for example, during test intervals reserved for this purpose, such as occasionally repeated test intervals, or test intervals lasting not less than 1 second each. Test intervals can be time-limited, for example, less than 1 minute each, but can be initiated cyclically, for example, by commands from outside the measurement system and / or automatically (i.e., by the measurement system electronics itself in a time-controlled and / or event-controlled manner). Therefore, the measurement system electronics according to another embodiment of the invention is used to automatically start and / or end test intervals and / or is capable of receiving and executing one or more commands to start a test interval. According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics is further configured to start the test interval during normal measurement operation or during the excitation of a first useful vibration, such that at least a drive signal e1 having a second (useful) current e2 is provided; this, for example, is such that the drive signal e1 also at least intermittently includes a first (useful) current eN1, such that the second useful vibration and the first useful vibration are simultaneously excited, and thus the first and second useful vibrations are at least intermittently superimposed on each other during the test interval. According to another embodiment of the invention, the measurement system electronics unit is further configured to determine a measurement value representing at least one measured variable based on the second useful signal components s1N2; s2N2 ​​during the test interval, and particularly based on their (signal) frequencies and / or based on the (signal) amplitude of at least one of the second useful signal components s1N2 and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the second useful signal components s1N2.

Claims

1. An electronic vibration measurement system for measuring at least one measured variable of a fluid substance, the measurement system comprising: - Transducer (10) -- It has a tubular assembly for conducting the flow of the analyte. -- It has an actuator assembly for converting electrical power into mechanical power for exciting and maintaining forced mechanical vibration of the tube assembly; -- and having a sensor assembly for detecting mechanical vibrations of the tube assembly and for providing vibration measurement signals representing the vibrational motion of the tube assembly, respectively; - and a measurement system electronic unit (20) electrically coupled to the transducer (10), that is, electrically coupled to both the exciter assembly of the transducer (10) and the sensor assembly of the transducer (10), for controlling the transducer and for evaluating the vibration measurement signal provided by the transducer; - Wherein, the tube assembly has at least one tube (111). -- The tube has a length extending from a first tube end to a second tube end and has a lumen surrounded by a tube wall that extends from the first tube end to the second tube end. -- and the tube is configured such that the substance being tested passes through it at least in the flow direction from the first tube end to the second tube end, and is simultaneously allowed to vibrate. -- And wherein, inherently, the tube contains multiple vibration modes, each having an associated resonant frequency, in which the tube is capable of performing vibrational motions, each having one or more antinodes and two or more nodes, such that: -- In the basic vibration mode, i.e., the first-order vibration mode, the vibration motion of the tube has exactly one antinode and two nodes. -- and in harmonic modes, i.e. second-order or higher-order vibration modes, the vibrational motion of the tube has two or more antinodes and three or more nodes. - Wherein, the exciter assembly has a vibration exciter (31). -- The vibration exciter (31) is mechanically connected to the tube; -- And the vibration exciter (31) is configured to convert electrical power with time-varying current into mechanical power, such that at the drive point formed on the tube mechanically connected to the vibration exciter via the vibration exciter, a time-varying driving force acts on the tube. -- Wherein, the vibration exciter (31) is positioned and aligned such that the drive offset (ΔE) between the drive cross-sectional area of ​​the tube surrounded by the imaginary circumference of the tube passing through the drive point and the designated reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube, i.e., the minimum distance, is no greater than 3 mm and / or less than 0.5% of the tube length, wherein the vibration node formed between the two antinodes of the vibration motion of the at least one tube in the second-order vibration mode deviating from the first-order vibration mode is located within the reference cross-sectional area. - And wherein the measurement system electronic unit (20) is configured to excite the vibration exciter (31), that is, to feed electrical power into the vibration exciter (31) by an electrical drive signal (e1) having a time-varying current, such that the tube performs forced mechanical vibration at one or more vibration frequencies specified by the electrical drive signal (e1); - Wherein, the sensor assembly includes a first vibration sensor, -- The first vibration sensor is positioned on the tube. -- and the first vibration sensor is configured to detect the vibrational motion of the tube and convert it into a first vibration measurement signal representing the vibrational motion. - Wherein, the sensor assembly has at least one second vibration sensor, -- The second vibration sensor is positioned on the tube. -- and the second vibration sensor is configured to detect the vibrational motion of the tube and convert it into a second vibration measurement signal representing the vibrational motion. - And wherein the measurement system electronic unit is configured to receive and evaluate the first vibration measurement signal and the second vibration measurement signal; - Wherein, the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured as follows: -- At least intermittently provide an electrical drive signal (e1) containing a sinusoidal first useful current (eN1) with a first frequency, such that --- The tube performs at least partially a first useful vibration at a first useful frequency, i.e., a vibration frequency corresponding to the first frequency, i.e., a mechanical vibration forced by the excited vibration exciter. --- Furthermore, each of the first vibration measurement signal and the second vibration measurement signal (s1; s2) has a first useful signal component, that is, a sinusoidal signal component with a signal frequency corresponding to the first useful frequency. -- and at least based on the first useful signal components, i.e., based on their signal frequencies and / or based on the amplitude of at least one of the first useful signal components and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the first useful signal components, to determine the measurement value representing the at least one measured variable, i.e., the mass flow measurement value representing the mass flow rate of the measured substance and / or the density measurement value representing the density of the measured substance. - And wherein the measurement system electronics are configured to: -- The electrically driven signal (e1) containing a sinusoidal second useful current (eN2) with a second frequency is provided at least intermittently, such that --- The second frequency, for two or more vibration cycles and / or a period greater than 10 ms, deviates from the resonant frequency f2 of the second-order vibration mode by less than 1% and / or less than 1 Hz. --- and the tube, at least partially, performs a second useful vibration with a constant non-zero vibration amplitude for two or more vibration cycles and / or a cycle greater than 10 ms, i.e., mechanical vibration forced by the excited vibration exciter at a second useful frequency—i.e., a vibration frequency corresponding to the second frequency—thereby each of the first vibration measurement signal and the second vibration measurement signal having a second useful signal component, i.e., a sinusoidal signal component with a signal frequency corresponding to the second useful frequency. -- and based on at least one of the second useful signal components, i.e., based on its signal frequency, and / or based on the signal amplitude of at least one of the second useful signal components, and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the second useful signal components, --- To monitor the quality of the substance being tested.

2. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The electronic vibration measurement system is a Coriolis mass flow measurement device or a Coriolis density measurement device.

3. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The at least one measured variable is a flow parameter and / or a material parameter.

4. The measurement system of claim 3, wherein, The flow parameters are mass flow rate and / or volume flow rate, and the material parameters are density and / or viscosity.

5. The measurement system of claim 3, wherein, The flow parameter is the flow rate, and the material parameter is the density and / or viscosity.

6. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The fluid being measured is a gas, liquid, or dispersion.

7. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The measurement system is designed as an online measurement device and / or a compact measurement device.

8. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The pipe wall is a metal pipe wall.

9. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The first-order vibration mode is a first-order bending vibration mode.

10. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The second-order vibration mode is a second-order or higher-order bending vibration mode.

11. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The vibration exciter (31) is an electrodynamic vibration exciter.

12. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The minimum distance is less than 2 mm and / or less than 0.2% of the tube length.

13. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The minimum distance is zero in the case of an intact or original transducer.

14. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The forced mechanical vibration is a bending vibration.

15. The measurement system according to claim 1, wherein, The first vibration sensor is an electrodynamic or optical first vibration sensor, the first vibration measurement signal representing the vibration motion is an electrical or optical first vibration measurement signal, the second vibration sensor is an electrodynamic or optical second vibration sensor, and the second vibration measurement signal representing the vibration motion is an electrical or optical second vibration measurement signal.

16. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The second frequency, for two or more vibration cycles and / or a period greater than 10 ms, deviates from the resonance frequency f2 of the second-order vibration mode by less than 0.1% and / or less than 0.1 Hz.

17. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, - wherein, The measurement system electronics unit is configured to monitor the quality of the test substance based on the second useful signal component to determine whether there is a fault in the test substance and / or the extent of the fault in the test substance. and / or - Wherein, the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to determine whether and / or the extent of measurement error exists in the determination of the measured value due to a malfunction of the substance being measured.

18. The measurement system according to claim 17, - The measurement system electronics unit is configured to monitor the quality of the analyte based on both the second useful signal component and the first useful signal component to determine whether and / or to what extent the analyte is faulty due to undesirable separation of the analyte and / or undesirable loading of one or more foreign substances.

19. The measurement system of claim 1, wherein, The first useful frequency deviates from the resonant frequency f1 of the basic vibration mode by less than 1% and / or less than 1 Hz.

20. The measurement system according to claim 1, wherein, The first useful frequency deviates from the resonant frequency fr3 of the inherent third-order vibration mode in the at least one tube by less than 1% of the resonant frequency fr3, and / or less than 1 Hz, that is, corresponding to the resonant frequency fr3, in the third-order vibration mode, the vibration motion of the tube has exactly three vibration antinodes and two vibration nodes.

21. The measurement system of claim 20, wherein, The third-order vibration mode is a third-order bending vibration mode.

22. The measurement system of claim 20, wherein, In the third-order vibration mode, the first vibration node of the vibration motion of at least one tube is located in the first tube end, and the second vibration node of the third-order vibration mode is located in the second tube end.

23. The measurement system of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The harmonic mode corresponds to a second-order vibration mode, in which the vibration motion of the tube has exactly two antinodes and three nodes.

24. The measurement system of claim 23, wherein, The second-order vibration mode is a second-order bending vibration mode.

25. The measurement system according to claim 23, - Wherein, the vibration node formed between two antinodes of the vibration motion of the at least one tube in the second-order vibration mode, nominally located at half the length of the tube, is located within the reference cross-sectional area. - and / or wherein, The principal axis of inertia of the at least one tube, which is perpendicular to the vibration direction of the tube's vibrational motion in the second-order vibration mode, is located within the reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube.

26. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, - wherein, The driving offset corresponds to the distance between the centroid of the driving cross-sectional region of the tube and the centroid of the reference cross-sectional region of the at least one tube; and / or - Wherein, the line of action of the driving force is perpendicular to the normal to the driving cross-sectional region of the tube; and / or - Wherein, the intersection line of two mutually orthogonal symmetrical planes of the at least one tube is located within the reference cross-sectional area; and / or - Wherein, the principal axis of inertia of the at least one tube, perpendicular to the driving force, is located within the reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube.

27. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, - wherein, The measurement system electronics are configured to at least intermittently provide the second useful current of the electrical drive signal (e1) simultaneously with the first useful current, such that the amplitude of the first useful current is adjusted to be not less than the amplitude of the second useful current and / or the amplitude of the second useful current is adjusted to be greater than 40% and not less than 50% of the amplitude of the first useful current; and / or - Wherein, the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to adjust the second frequency according to the first frequency, such that the second frequency is within a frequency setting interval, wherein the upper limit and / or lower limit and / or center frequency of the frequency setting interval corresponds to a specified multiple of the first frequency, that is, the first frequency corresponds to a multiple greater than 230% and / or less than 300% of the first frequency.

28. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, - The measurement system electronic unit has a first phase-locked loop (PLL1) for adjusting the first frequency. - and wherein, The electronic unit of the measurement system has a second phase-locked loop (PLL2) for adjusting the second frequency.

29. The measurement system of claim 28, wherein, The first phase-locked loop (PLL1) is a digital first phase-locked loop, and the second phase-locked loop (PLL2) is a digital second phase-locked loop.

30. The measurement system according to claim 28, wherein, The measurement system electronics unit is configured to adjust the capture range of the second phase-locked loop (PLL2) by at least one output signal of the first phase-locked loop (PLL1) and / or based on the first frequency.

31. The measurement system according to claim 28, wherein, The measurement system electronics unit is configured to adjust the capture range of the second phase-locked loop (PLL2) based on the output signal of the loop filter of the first phase-locked loop (PLL1) and / or based on the first frequency.

32. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, - Wherein, the measurement system electronic unit is configured to determine the modal deflection of the first useful vibration corresponding to the signal amplitude of one of the first useful signal components—that is, the difference in signal amplitudes of the first useful signal components—that is, to determine a deflection value representing the deflection of the first useful vibration based on at least one of the vibration measurement signals; and / or - wherein, The measurement system electronics are configured to determine the modal deflection of the first useful vibration corresponding to the signal amplitude of one of the second useful signal components—that is, the difference in signal amplitudes of the second useful signal components—that is, to determine a deflection value representing the deflection of the second useful vibration based on at least one of the vibration measurement signals; and / or - Wherein, the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to determine a deflection ratio x1 / x2 corresponding to the ratio of the modal deflection of the first useful vibration to the modal deflection of the second useful vibration, that is, to determine a deflection ratio value representing the deflection ratio x1 / x2 based on at least one of the vibration measurement signals.

33. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, - wherein, The measurement system electronics are configured to determine the modal damping of the first useful vibration, the modal damping of which corresponds to the ratio of the signal amplitude of one of the first useful signal components—i.e., the sum or difference of the signal amplitudes of the first useful signal components—to the signal amplitude of the first useful current (eN1), i.e., to determine a damping value representing the damping of the first useful vibration based on the electric drive signal and at least one of the vibration measurement signals; and / or - Wherein, the measurement system electronic unit is configured to determine the modal damping of the second useful vibration, the modal damping of the second useful vibration corresponding to the ratio of the signal amplitude of one of the second useful signal components—that is, the sum or difference of the signal amplitudes of the second useful signal components—to the signal amplitude of the second useful current (eN2), i.e., determining a damping value representing the damping of the second useful vibration based on the electric drive signal and at least one of the vibration measurement signals; and / or - Wherein, the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to determine a damping ratio d1 / d2 corresponding to the ratio of the modal damping of the first useful vibration to the modal damping of the second useful vibration, that is, to determine a damping ratio value representing the damping ratio d1 / d2 based on the electric drive signal and / or at least one of the vibration measurement signals.

34. The measurement system of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The measurement system electronic unit is configured to determine a damping value representing the modal damping of the second useful vibration based on the electric drive signal and at least one of the vibration measurement signals, that is, to compare one or more of the damping values ​​with a damping reference value predetermined for it.

35. The measurement system according to claim 34, - wherein, The electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to monitor the mass of the substance being measured, compare one or more of the damping values ​​with at least one damping reference value determined in advance or by a properly functioning measurement system, and is also configured to output a message indicating that one or more of the damping values ​​deviate from the damping reference value. and / or - Wherein, the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to monitor the mass of the measured substance, determine the time variation of the damping of the second useful vibration based on several damping values ​​among the damping values, i.e., the trend of change and / or the rate of change and / or the speed of change, i.e., when the damping of the second useful vibration decreases, determine the increase in fault and / or output a message indicating the increase in fault; and / or - wherein the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to determine, and also output, a dispersion measure of damping for the second useful vibration of the at least one tube based on a plurality of damping values, and / or to compare the dispersion measure with one or more dispersion measure reference values ​​specified therefor in order to monitor the mass of the measured substance.

36. The measurement system of claim 35, wherein, The message is declared as a fault alarm.

37. The measurement system of claim 35, wherein, The dispersion measure is empirical variance and / or span.

38. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, - wherein, The electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to determine the resonant frequency f1 of a first vibration mode of the at least one tube, that is, to determine a frequency value representing the resonant frequency f1 based on the electrical drive signal and / or at least one of the vibration measurement signals; and / or - Wherein, the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to determine the resonant frequency f2 of the second vibration mode of the at least one tube, that is, to determine a frequency value representing the resonant frequency f2 based on the electric drive signal and / or at least one of the vibration measurement signals; and / or - Wherein, the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to determine a resonant frequency ratio f1 / f2, which is the ratio of the resonant frequency f1 of the first vibration mode corresponding to the at least one tube to the resonant frequency f2 of the second vibration mode of the at least one tube, that is, to determine a frequency ratio representing the resonant frequency ratio f1 / f2 based on the first and second frequencies of the electric drive signal and / or based on the signal frequencies of the first and second useful signal components of at least one of the vibration measurement signals.

39. The measurement system of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The measurement system electronics are configured to determine a frequency value representing the resonant frequency f2 of the second vibration mode of the at least one tube based on the electric drive signal and / or at least one of the vibration measurement signals, i.e., to compare one or more of the frequency values ​​with one or more frequency reference values ​​specified therefor, and / or to use several of the frequency values ​​to determine a dispersion measure of the resonant frequency f2 for the second vibration mode of the at least one tube.

40. The measurement system according to claim 39, wherein, The measurement system electronics are configured to determine, based on multiple frequency values, a dispersion measure of the resonant frequency f2 for the second vibration mode of the at least one tube, and / or, in order to monitor the mass of the measured substance, compare the dispersion measure with a dispersion measure reference value assigned to it, and output a message indicating that the dispersion measure deviates from the dispersion measure reference value.

41. The measurement system according to claim 40, wherein, The measurement system electronics are configured to determine, based on the electric drive signal and / or at least one of the vibration measurement signals, a frequency ratio representing the ratio of the resonant frequency f1 of the first vibration mode of the at least one tube to the resonant frequency f2 of the second vibration mode of the at least one tube, i.e., to compare one or more of the frequency ratios with one or more frequency ratio reference values ​​specified therefor, and / or to use several of the frequency ratios to determine a dispersion measure of the resonant frequency ratio f1 / f2 for the at least one tube.

42. The measurement system according to claim 41, - wherein, The measurement system electronics unit is configured to monitor the mass of the analyte, compare one or more of the frequency ratios with at least one pre-determined frequency ratio reference value, and is further configured to output a message indicating that one or more of the frequency ratios deviate from the frequency ratio reference value; and / or - The measurement system electronics are configured to determine and output a dispersion measure for the resonant frequency ratio f1 / f2 of the at least one tube based on a plurality of frequency ratios, and / or to compare the dispersion measure with a dispersion measure reference value assigned to it in order to monitor the quality of the analyte, and to output a message indicating that the dispersion measure deviates from the dispersion measure reference value.

43. The measurement system according to claim 42, wherein, The message is declared as a fault alarm.

44. The measurement system of claim 42, wherein, The dispersion measure is empirical variance and / or span.

45. The measurement system of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The measurement system electronic unit is configured to determine a phase difference value based on the vibration measurement signal, the phase difference value representing the phase difference of the second useful signal component, that is, the difference between the phase angle of the second useful signal component of the first vibration measurement signal (s1) and the phase angle of the second useful signal component of the second vibration measurement signal (s2), that is, to compare one or more of the phase difference values ​​with a phase difference reference value predetermined for them and / or use several phase difference values ​​to determine a dispersion measure of the phase difference of the second useful signal component for the at least one tube.

46. ​​The measurement system according to claim 45, - wherein, The electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to monitor the mass of the analyte, compare one or more of the phase difference values ​​with at least one pre-determined phase difference reference value, and output a message indicating that one or more of the phase difference values ​​deviate from the phase difference reference value; and / or - The measurement system electronic unit is configured to determine and output a dispersion measure of the phase difference for the second useful signal component based on a plurality of phase difference values, and / or to compare the dispersion measure with a dispersion measure reference value assigned to it in order to monitor the quality of the substance being measured, and to output a message indicating that the dispersion measure deviates from the dispersion measure reference value.

47. The measurement system of claim 46, wherein, The message is declared as a fault alarm.

48. The measurement system of claim 46, wherein, The dispersion measure is empirical variance and / or span.

49. The measurement system of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The measurement system electronics are configured to determine a deflection ratio value representing the ratio of deflection x1 of the first useful vibration to deflection x2 of the second useful vibration based on at least one of the vibration measurement signals, i.e., to compare one or more of the deflection ratio values ​​with one or more deflection ratio reference values ​​specified therefor, and / or to use a plurality of the deflection ratio values ​​to determine a dispersion measure of the deflection ratio x1 / x2 for the at least one tube.

50. The measurement system according to claim 49, - wherein, The electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to monitor the mass of the analyte, compare one or more of the deflection ratio values ​​with at least one pre-defined deflection ratio reference value, and output a message indicating that one or more of the deflection ratio values ​​deviate from the deflection ratio reference value; and / or - The measurement system electronic unit is configured to determine and output a dispersion measure for the deflection ratio x1 / x2 of the at least one tube based on a plurality of deflection ratio values, and / or to compare the dispersion measure with a dispersion measure reference value assigned to it in order to monitor the mass of the analyte, and to output a message indicating that the dispersion measure deviates from the dispersion measure reference value.

51. The measurement system of claim 50, wherein, The message is declared as a fault alarm.

52. The measurement system according to claim 50, wherein, The dispersion measure is empirical variance and / or span.

53. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The measurement system electronics unit is configured to provide a second useful current (eN2) with a specified current amplitude.

54. The measurement system according to claim 53, wherein, The electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to monitor the mass of the analyte and cyclically compare the signal amplitude of at least one of the second useful signal components with the signal amplitude depending on the second useful current (eN2) and / or an amplitude reference value specified therefor, the amplitude reference value being an amplitude reference value corresponding to the signal amplitude of the at least one second useful signal component determined at a specified current amplitude of the second useful current (eN2), i.e., determining whether the signal amplitude deviates from the amplitude reference value or by how much.

55. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, - wherein, The first useful signal component of the first vibration measurement signal and the second vibration measurement signal follows the change of the mass flow rate of the measured substance conducted in the pipeline with the change of the phase difference of the first useful signal component. The phase difference of the first useful signal component is the difference between the phase angle of the first useful signal component of the first vibration measurement signal (s1) and the phase angle of the first useful signal component of the second vibration measurement signal (s2). - And wherein the measurement system electronic unit is configured to generate a mass flow measurement value representing the mass flow rate based on the phase difference of the first useful signal component.

56. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, - Wherein, the electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to follow the change in density of the analyte conducted in the tube as a function of the first frequency of the electrically driven signal. - and wherein, The electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to generate a density measurement value representing the density based on the first frequency of the electric drive signal and / or the signal frequency of the first useful signal component of at least one of the first vibration measurement signal and the second vibration measurement signal.

57. The measurement system of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to monitor the mass of the measured substance and calculate one or more characteristic values ​​of at least one measurement system characteristic number (MK1) characterizing the operating state of the measurement system based on the second useful signal component of at least one of the vibration measurement signals, i.e., based on its signal frequency, and / or based on the signal amplitude of at least one of the second useful signal components, and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the second useful signal components, such that the measurement system characteristic number depends on one or more parameters of the system function of the measurement system provided between the second useful current component of the electric drive signal (e1) and the second useful signal component of the at least one vibration measurement signal.

58. The measurement system of claim 57, wherein, The measurement system electronic unit (20) is configured to monitor the quality of the analyte, and to evaluate and / or quantify the deviation of one or more characteristic values ​​of the measurement system characteristic number from one or more characteristic number reference values ​​determined for the measurement system characteristic number by means of the manufacturer of the measurement system and / or during the production and / or startup of the measurement system and / or according to the electrical drive signal, namely one or more reference values ​​indicating a reduced function of the transducer and / or one or more reference values ​​indicating a malfunction of the transducer and / or one or more reference values ​​indicating a defective transducer.

59. The measurement system of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The measurement system electronics unit (20) is configured to determine whether one or more characteristic values ​​used for measuring the system characteristic number (MK1) are greater than at least one characteristic number reference value used for the measurement system characteristic number. That is, if one or more characteristic values ​​used for the measurement system characteristic number are greater than one or more reference values ​​indicating a reduced function of the transducer and / or greater than one or more reference values ​​indicating a malfunction of the transducer and / or greater than one or more reference values ​​indicating a transducer that is no longer in good working order, then a message indicating this is output.

60. The measurement system of claim 59, wherein, The message is declared as a fault alarm.

61. The measurement system of claim 57, wherein, The measurement system electronic unit (20) has a non-volatile electronic data memory (EEPROM) configured to store digital data even without an applied operating voltage, i.e., to store one or more characteristic reference values ​​predetermined for the characteristic numbers of the measurement system.

62. The measurement system of claim 61, wherein, One or more reference values ​​for the characteristic numbers of the measurement system, predetermined by the manufacturer of the measurement system and / or determined during the production and / or operation of the measurement system, i.e., one or more reference values ​​representing a reduced function of the transducer, and / or one or more reference values ​​representing a malfunction of the transducer, are stored in the electronic data memory.

63. The measurement system of claim 62, wherein, The measurement system electronic unit (20) is configured to compare one or more characteristic values ​​for the measurement system characteristic number with one or more characteristic number reference values ​​for the measurement system characteristic number stored in the data memory.

64. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The measurement system electronics are configured to provide the electrically driven signal (e1) with the second useful current (eN2) in a sinusoidal pattern with a second frequency during test intervals lasting longer than 10 ms and / or time-limited and / or cyclically started; such that the second useful current (eN2) is non-volatile or fixed, i.e., has a substantially constant non-zero amplitude for two or more oscillation cycles and / or for periods exceeding 10 ms.

65. The measurement system according to claim 64, - wherein, The measurement system electronics are configured to, during the test interval, determine a measured value representing the at least one measured variable based on the second useful signal components, i.e., based on their signal frequencies and / or based on the signal amplitude of at least one of the second useful signal components and / or based on the phase angle of at least one of the second useful signal components; and / or - Wherein, the test interval lasts for more than 100 ms and not less than 1 s; and / or - Wherein, the measurement system electronic unit is configured to automatically and / or cyclically start and / or end the test interval in a time-controlled manner; and / or - The measurement system electronic unit is configured to receive and execute one or more commands to start the test interval.

66. The measurement system of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The pipe wall is made of steel, titanium alloy and / or zirconium alloy and / or tantalum alloy.

67. The measurement system of claim 66, wherein, The steel is stainless steel, and the zirconium alloy is a zirconium-tin alloy.

68. The measurement system of claim 66, wherein, The steel is a duplex steel, and the zirconium alloy is a zirconium-tin alloy.

69. The measurement system of claim 66, wherein, The steel is a super duplex steel, and the zirconium alloy is a zirconium-tin alloy.

70. The measurement system of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The tube has a diameter greater than 0.1 mm.

71. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The tube has a diameter greater than 0.5 mm.

72. The measurement system according to claim 70, - Wherein, the tube has a diameter-to-length ratio greater than 0.08 and / or less than 0.25; - and / or among them, The length of the tube is greater than 200 mm and / or less than 2000 mm; - and / or wherein the tube has a diameter greater than 10 mm.

73. The measurement system according to claim 70, - Wherein, the pipe has a diameter-to-length ratio greater than 0.1 and / or less than 0.2; - and / or wherein, The length of the tube is greater than 500 mm and / or less than 1500 mm; - and / or wherein the tube has a diameter greater than 15 mm.

74. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, - Wherein, apart from the vibration actuator (31), the actuator assembly does not have any other vibration actuator connected to the tube; and / or - wherein, The vibration exciter (31) is positioned and aligned such that the drive offset is less than 0.5 mm, i.e., zero, or such that the centroid of the drive cross-sectional area of ​​the tube corresponds to or coincides with the drive reference point, and / or - Wherein, each of the first-order vibration mode and the second-order vibration mode of the tube has a first vibration node located at the first tube end of the at least one tube and a second vibration node located at the second tube end of the at least one tube; and / or - Wherein, the tube is partially curved, in an arc and / or V-shaped shape, such that the tube has a central vertex arc segment and / or such that exactly one principal axis of inertia of the at least one tube is located within the reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube; and / or - Wherein, the tube is partially straight, being straight along its entire length, such that the three principal axes of inertia of the at least one tube are located within the reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube, and / or the center of mass is located within the reference cross-sectional area of ​​the at least one tube.

75. The measurement system of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The tube assembly has at least one second tube (112), which is at least partially curved and / or at least partially straight, and / or structurally identical to and / or at least partially parallel to the first tube.

76. The measurement system according to claim 75, - wherein, The second tube extends for a length from the first tube end to the second tube end and has a lumen surrounded by a tube wall, extending from the first tube end to the second tube end. - And wherein the second tube is designed to be passed through by the substance being tested at least in the flow direction from the end of the first tube to the end of the second tube, and is simultaneously allowed to vibrate.

77. The measurement system of claim 76, wherein, The pipe wall is a metal pipe wall.

78. The measurement system according to claim 75, wherein, Multiple vibration modes, i.e. natural vibration forms, each having an associated resonant frequency, are inherent in the second tube. In these modes, the second tube is capable of performing vibrational motions, each having one or more antinodes and two or more nodes, such that the vibrational motion of the second tube in the second-order vibration mode is opposite to that of the first tube in the second-order vibration mode, and / or the vibrational motion of the second tube in the first-order vibration mode is opposite to that of the first tube in the first-order vibration mode.

79. The measurement system according to claim 78, - wherein, The resonant frequency of the first-order vibration mode of the first tube is equal to the resonant frequency of the first-order vibration mode of the second tube. - And wherein the resonant frequency of the second-order vibration mode of the first tube is equal to the resonant frequency of the second-order vibration mode of the second tube.

80. The measurement system according to claim 75, - Wherein, the first vibration sensor is positioned on both the first tube and the second tube, that is, partially mechanically connected to both the first tube and partially mechanically connected to the second tube. - and among them, The first vibration sensor is configured to differentially detect the vibrational motion of both the first tube and the second tube, i.e., opposite vibrational motion, and convert them into the first vibration measurement signal, such that the vibration measurement signal represents the vibrational motion of the first tube and the second tube, i.e., opposite vibrational motion.

81. The measurement system according to claim 75, - wherein, The second vibration sensor is positioned on both the first tube and the second tube, that is, partially mechanically connected to both the first tube and partially mechanically connected to the second tube. - And wherein the second vibration sensor is configured to differentially detect the vibrational motion of both the first tube and the second tube, i.e., opposite vibrational motion, and convert them into the second vibration measurement signal, such that the vibration measurement signal represents the vibrational motion of the first tube and the second tube, i.e., opposite vibrational motion.

82. The measurement system according to claim 75, - in, The pipe assembly has a first and / or inlet-side splitter (21), which serves as a pipeline branching unit and has at least two flow openings. - and wherein the pipe assembly has a second and / or outlet-side diverter (22), the second and / or outlet-side diverter (22) being structurally identical to the first and / or inlet-side diverter (21) and / or serving as a pipeline merging unit, and having at least two flow openings.

83. The measurement system of claim 82, wherein, Each of the first tube and the second tube of the tube assembly is respectively connected to each of the first splitter and the second splitter, forming parallel flow channels for the fluid, such that... - The first pipe has its first end connected to the first flow opening of the first and / or inlet-side splitter (21), and its second end connected to the first flow opening of the second and / or outlet-side splitter (22). - and the second pipe with its first pipe end connected to the second flow opening of the first and / or inlet-side splitter (21), and with its second pipe end connected to the second flow opening of the second and / or outlet-side splitter (22).

84. The measurement system of claim 75, wherein, The vibration exciter (31) is partially mechanically connected to the first tube and partially mechanically connected to the second tube.

85. The measurement system according to claim 75, - Wherein, the vibration exciter (31) is configured to act differentially on the first tube and the second tube, such that the first tube and the second tube simultaneously perform opposite forced mechanical vibrations of equal frequency; and / or - wherein, The vibration exciter (31) is configured to convert electrical power with a time-varying current into mechanical power, such that a time-varying driving force acts on the second tube at a driving point formed on the second tube mechanically connected to the vibration exciter via the vibration exciter, and simultaneously and / or oppositely acts on the second tube with the driving force acting on the first tube at the driving point formed on the first tube mechanically connected to the vibration exciter via the vibration exciter; and / or - Wherein, the vibration exciter (31) is configured to simultaneously convert the electrical power fed in by the electrical drive signal (e1) into forced mechanical vibration of the first tube and the second tube, such that the first tube and the second tube simultaneously perform forced mechanical vibration at the first useful frequency and / or the second useful frequency.

86. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, - Wherein, the vibration exciter (31) is formed by a vibration coil having an air coil and an armature; and / or - wherein, Each of the first vibration sensor and the second vibration sensor is formed by a plunger coil, which has an air coil and an armature.

87. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The vibration exciter (31) has a magnetoarmature and a coil, wherein the magnetoarmature is formed by a permanent magnet and the coil is submerged in the magnetic field of the armature, and the coil is an air coil.

88. The measurement system according to claim 87, - wherein, The magnetoarmature is mechanically connected to the at least one tube to form the drive point; and / or - The coil is electrically connected to the electronic unit of the measurement system and is configured to receive the electric drive signal (e1) and conduct the first and second useful currents (eN1, eN2) of the electric drive signal (e1).

89. The measurement system of any one of claims 1 to 16, further comprising: An electronic protective housing (200) for the electronic unit (20) of the measurement system, the electronic protective housing being fastened to the transducer protective housing and / or metal of the transducer.

90. The measurement system of any one of claims 1 to 16, further comprising: A transducer protective housing, the transducer protective housing being of metal, wherein the transducer protective housing and the tube assembly are detachably fastened to each other.

91. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The first useful frequency deviates from the resonant frequency f1 of the basic vibration mode by less than 1% and / or less than 1 Hz.

92. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The first useful frequency deviates from the resonant frequency f2 of the second-order vibration mode by more than 5% and / or more than 10 Hz.

93. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The first useful vibration is adapted to induce a Coriolis force in the flowing analyte that depends on the mass flow rate.

94. The measurement system according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein, The electronic unit of the measurement system is configured to monitor the quality of the substance being tested in order to determine whether a fault exists in the substance being tested.

95. The measurement system of claim 94, wherein, The fault of the test substance is an undesirable change in one or more material parameters of the test substance.

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