Flow meter

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of new energy and flow meter heat preservation, in particular to a flow meter which is characterized in that a pipeline for fluid to pass through is arranged in a heat preservation unit, a flow meter body and a self-power-supply unit are located on the pipeline and communicate with the interior of the pipeline, and the flow meter body is connected with the self-power-supply unit; the self-powered unit generates electricity through flowing of fluid in a pipeline and transmits electric energy to the flow meter body, and the flow meter body measures the flow of the fluid passing through the pipeline. The heat preservation unit comprises a phase change energy storage layer and a thermal diode, and the thermal diode serves as a switch of the heat preservation unit, is turned on when the external environment temperature is larger than the preset temperature and transmits external environment heat to the phase change energy storage layer, and is turned off when the external environment temperature is smaller than the preset temperature. According to the invention, the flowmeter can be kept in an ideal working temperature range in a low-temperature environment, and the measurement precision of the flowmeter and the long-term reliability of equipment are maintained.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of new energy and flow meter insulation, and in particular to a flow meter. Background Art

[0002] With the development of science and technology and the progress of society, the demand for flow meters has become increasingly extensive and complex, especially in certain harsh environments, such as remote areas without power supply and low ambient temperature, where flow monitoring faces huge challenges. In environments without power supply and low temperature, traditional flow meters that rely on external power sources are difficult to adapt. Low temperature environments will not only increase the density and viscosity of the fluid, affecting the accuracy of flow measurement, but may also cause the performance of the flow meter's internal sensor to deteriorate, and extreme temperature changes will affect the sensitivity of the sensor, thereby affecting the overall measurement accuracy of the flow meter. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present invention proposes a flow meter to solve the problem that the existing flow meter has no stable power supply and no effective heating and heat preservation measures in remote areas and low temperature environments, which leads to the degradation of flow meter performance and affects the accuracy of flow measurement.

[0004] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flow meter, comprising: a flow meter body, a self-powered unit and a heat preservation unit;

[0005] The heat preservation unit is provided with a pipeline for fluid to pass through, the flow meter body and the self-powered unit are located on the pipeline and communicate with the inside of the pipeline, and the flow meter body is connected to the self-powered unit;

[0006] The self-powered unit is used to generate electricity through the flow of fluid in the pipeline and transmit the electric energy to the flow meter body, and the flow meter body is used to measure the flow of the fluid passing through the pipeline;

[0007] The heat preservation unit includes a phase change energy storage layer and a thermal diode. When the external environment temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature, the thermal diode is in an open state to transfer the external environment heat to the phase change energy storage layer. When the external environment temperature is less than the predetermined temperature, the thermal diode is in a closed state.

[0008] The phase change energy storage layer is used to store or release heat.

[0009] Preferably, the flow meter body comprises: a housing, an electromagnet and electrodes;

[0010] The electromagnet is arranged on the inner side wall of the shell, the pipe passes through the shell, and the electrode is arranged on the side wall of the pipe;

[0011] The electromagnet is connected to the self-powered unit;

[0012] The electrode is used to detect the electromotive force generated when the fluid cuts the magnetic flux lines of the magnetic field after the electromagnet is energized when passing through the pipeline;

[0013] and / or,

[0014] The electromagnet comprises: a flowmeter stator core and a flowmeter metal coil;

[0015] The flow meter stator core is arranged on the side walls of the top and bottom of the housing;

[0016] The flowmeter metal coil is wound around the outside of the flowmeter stator core;

[0017] The flow meter metal coil is connected to the self-powered unit.

[0018] Preferably, it also includes: a data processing and sending module;

[0019] The electrode is connected to the data processing and sending module, and the data processing and sending module determines the real-time flow rate of the fluid in the pipeline according to the electromotive force detected by the electrode, and sends the real-time flow rate to the terminal for display;

[0020] and / or,

[0021] The data processing and sending module includes: a single chip microcomputer and a Bluetooth module.

[0022] Preferably, determining the real-time flow rate of the fluid in the pipeline according to the electromotive force detected by the electrode comprises:

[0023] Determine the real-time traffic using a formula;

[0024]

[0025] Where: D is the pipe diameter, U is the induced electromotive force, B is the magnetic induction intensity, and Q is the flow rate of the fluid;

[0026] Wherein, the magnetic induction intensity B is determined by the formula;

[0027]

[0028] Where: N is the number of turns of the flowmeter metal coil, I is the current, μ is the magnetic permeability, and l is the length of the magnetic path.

[0029] Preferably, the self-powered unit comprises: an impeller chamber, a rotor, a bearing, a stator and a battery;

[0030] The two sides of the impeller chamber are respectively provided with a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for connecting to a pipeline;

[0031] The rotor and the bearing are located inside the impeller chamber, and the rotor is sleeved outside the bearing;

[0032] The stator and the battery are located inside the bearing, and the stator is connected to the battery;

[0033] The rotor is used to drive the impeller chamber to rotate through the fluid entering the impeller chamber, cut the magnetic flux lines generated when the rotor is energized, and transmit the electrical energy generated when cutting the magnetic flux lines to the battery.

[0034] Preferably, the rotor comprises: blades, N-pole magnets and S-pole magnets;

[0035] The N-pole magnets and the S-pole magnets are connected to each other to form a ring, and the N-pole magnets and the S-pole magnets are alternately distributed;

[0036] A plurality of evenly distributed blades are arranged on the annular outer peripheral surface formed by the N-pole magnet and the S-pole magnet;

[0037] The annular sleeve formed by the N-pole magnet and the S-pole magnet is arranged outside the bearing.

[0038] and / or,

[0039] The stator comprises: a self-powered stator core and a self-powered metal coil;

[0040] A plurality of the self-powered stator cores are arranged and evenly distributed inside the bearing, and the self-powered metal coil is wound around the outside of the self-powered stator core.

[0041] Preferably, the interior of the pipeline communicating with the fluid inlet of the impeller chamber is a tapered channel, and an end of the tapered channel with a narrower diameter is close to the impeller chamber.

[0042] Preferably, the thermal diode comprises: a top metal plate, a bottom metal plate, a phase change driver, a movable metal contact plate, a metal base and a support rod;

[0043] The top metal plate is located at the bottom of the phase change energy storage layer, the bottom metal plate is located below the top metal plate, and the support rod is arranged between the top metal plate and the bottom metal plate;

[0044] The metal base is located between the top metal plate and the bottom metal plate, a groove is provided on the metal base, a phase change driver is provided inside the groove, and the movable metal contact plate is located above the phase change driver;

[0045] When the external ambient temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature, the phase change driver drives the movable metal contact plate to contact the top metal plate, transferring the external ambient heat to the phase change energy storage layer, and the thermal diode is in an open state; when the external ambient temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, the phase change driver drives the movable metal contact plate to separate from the top metal plate, and the thermal diode is in a closed state.

[0046] Preferably, the phase change driver comprises: a phase change material and a rubber membrane;

[0047] The rubber film is wrapped outside the phase change material;

[0048] When the external environment temperature is greater than or less than a predetermined temperature, the phase change material drives the movable metal contact plate to contact or separate from the top metal plate by melting and expanding or solidifying and shrinking;

[0049] and / or,

[0050] The phase change material is paraffin.

[0051] Preferably, the heat preservation unit further comprises: a heat preservation layer;

[0052] The thermal insulation layer is arranged outside the phase change energy storage layer;

[0053] and / or,

[0054] The support rod is made of acrylic resin.

[0055] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0056] The present invention proposes a flow meter, which can operate normally without an external power supply by providing a self-powered unit and a heat preservation unit, and can also effectively maintain the operation stability of its internal sensor under severe cold conditions, thereby reducing dependence on the environment and overall operating costs. In a low-temperature environment, the flow meter can be maintained within an ideal operating temperature range, maintaining measurement accuracy and long-term reliability of the device. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0057] The accompanying drawings herein are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. These drawings illustrate embodiments consistent with the present invention and, together with the specification, are used to explain the technical solutions of the present invention.

[0058] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a flow meter according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0059] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a flow meter body according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0060] Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a self-powered unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0061] Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of a heat preservation unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown;

[0062] Figure 5 A heat conduction principle diagram of a heat preservation unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0063] In the figure, 1-insulation layer; 2-top metal plate; 3-bottom metal plate; 4-support rod; 5-movable metal contact plate; 6-metal base; 7-phase change material; 8-rubber membrane; 9-pipeline; 10-fluid flow direction; 11-blade; 12-impeller chamber; 13-N pole magnet; 14-S pole magnet; 15-bearing; 16-self-powered metal coil; 17-self-powered stator core; 18-battery; 19-external heat flow; 20-internal heat flow; 23-ring magnet; 24-rotor; 25-stator; 26-housing; 27-phase change energy storage layer; 28-thermal diode; 29-phase change driver; 30-tapered channel; 31-flow meter metal coil; 32-flow meter stator core; 33-electrode; 34-flow meter body; 35-electromagnet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0064] Various exemplary embodiments, features and aspects of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings represent elements with the same or similar functions. Although various aspects of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale unless otherwise specified.

[0065] The word “exemplary” is used exclusively herein to mean “serving as an example, example, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.

[0066] The term "and / or" herein is only a description of the association relationship of the associated objects, indicating that there may be three relationships. For example, A and / or B can represent: A exists alone, A and B exist at the same time, and B exists alone. In addition, the term "at least one" herein represents any combination of at least two of any one or more of a plurality of. For example, including at least one of A, B, and C can represent including any one or more elements selected from the set consisting of A, B, and C.

[0067] In addition, in order to better illustrate the present invention, numerous specific details are provided in the following specific embodiments. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be implemented without certain specific details. In some examples, methods, means, components and circuits well known to those skilled in the art are not described in detail in order to highlight the subject matter of the present invention.

[0068] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a flow meter according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a flow meter body according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 3 A schematic structural diagram of a self-powered unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 4 A schematic structural diagram of a heat preservation unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown; Figure 5 FIG. 2 shows a heat conduction principle diagram of a heat preservation unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1-5 As shown, a flow meter comprises: a flow meter body 34, a self-powered unit and a heat preservation unit; a pipe 9 for passing fluid is arranged inside the heat preservation unit, the flow meter body 34 and the self-powered unit are on the pipe 9 and are connected with the inside of the pipe 9, and the flow meter body 34 is connected to the self-powered unit; the self-powered unit is used to generate electricity through the flow of fluid in the pipe 9 and transmit the electric energy to the flow meter body 34, and the flow meter body 34 is used to measure the fluid flow passing through the pipe 9; the heat preservation unit comprises a phase change energy storage layer 27 and a thermal diode 28, and the thermal diode 28 is used to be in an open state when the external ambient temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature, and transmit the external ambient heat to the phase change energy storage layer 27, and when the external ambient temperature is less than a predetermined temperature, the thermal diode 28 is in a closed state; the phase change energy storage layer 27 is used to store or release heat.

[0069] In the embodiment of the present invention, Figure 1 As shown, the flow meter body 34 and the self-powered unit are located inside the insulation unit; an inlet and an outlet are provided on both sides of the insulation unit, and a pipeline 9 for carrying fluid passes through the inlet and outlet of the insulation unit. The flow direction 10 of the fluid in the pipeline is as shown in FIG. Figure 1 As shown; the self-powered unit and the flow meter body 34 are installed on the pipe 9, connected to the inside of the pipe 9, and the self-powered unit is close to the inlet, that is, the direction of fluid inflow, and the flow meter body 34 is close to the outlet, that is, the direction of fluid outflow.

[0070] When the fluid passes through the pipe 9, it flows from the inlet direction to the outlet direction. When passing through the self-powered unit, it enters the interior thereof, and the kinetic energy of the fluid flow is converted into electrical energy for power generation. The self-powered unit is connected to the flow meter body 34, and transmits the generated electrical energy to the flow meter body 34.

[0071] When the fluid passes through the self-powered unit and reaches the flow meter body 34, it enters the interior thereof; after the flow meter body 34 is powered on and started, the flow of the fluid passing through the interior thereof is measured.

[0072] A thermal diode 28 is provided at the bottom of the phase change energy storage layer 27 of the heat preservation unit. When the external environment temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature, the thermal diode 28 automatically opens to transfer the external environment heat to the phase change energy storage layer 27; the phase change energy storage layer 27 absorbs and stores the heat, and releases the heat when the ambient temperature drops, thereby ensuring that the operating environment temperature of the self-powered unit and the flow meter body 34 inside it is stable. When the external environment temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, the thermal diode 28 automatically closes to prevent the heat of the phase change energy storage layer 27 from being transferred to the external environment through it, ensuring that the heat of the phase change energy storage layer 27 will not be lost too quickly.

[0073] In the present invention, the flow meter body 34 includes: a shell 26, an electromagnet 35 and an electrode 33; the electromagnet 35 is arranged on the inner wall of the shell 26, the pipe 9 passes through the shell 26, and the electrode 33 is arranged on the side wall of the pipe 9; the electromagnet 35 is connected to the self-powered unit; the electrode 33 is used to detect the electromotive force generated when the fluid cuts the magnetic flux lines of the magnetic field after the electromagnet 35 is energized when passing through the pipe 9;

[0074] And / or, the electromagnet 35 includes: a flowmeter stator core 32 and a flowmeter metal coil 31; the flowmeter stator core 32 is arranged on the side walls of the top and bottom of the shell 26; the flowmeter metal coil 31 is wound around the outside of the flowmeter stator core 32; the flowmeter metal coil 31 is connected to the self-powered unit.

[0075] In the embodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 As shown, the flowmeter body 34 includes an electromagnet 35, a flowmeter housing (housing 26) and an electrode 33. Among them, the electromagnet 35 is composed of a flowmeter metal coil 31 and a flowmeter stator core 32, and the flowmeter metal coil 31 is wound on the flowmeter stator core 32. The material of the flowmeter metal coil 31 can be a copper coil, etc. There are two electromagnets 35, which are respectively installed at the top and bottom of the housing 26, and the two positions are opposite. There are two electrodes 33, which are respectively installed on both sides of the pipe 9 in the housing 26, and the binary positions are opposite.

[0076] When the self-powered unit applies an excitation current to the flowmeter metal coil 31, the flowmeter stator core 32 of the electromagnet 35 generates a uniform magnetic field. When the fluid passes through the magnetic field through the pipeline 9, it cuts the magnetic flux lines and generates an electromotive force (induced electromotive force).

[0077] The electrode 33 of the flow meter body 34 will detect the generated electromotive force, which is proportional to the flow rate of the fluid. By detecting this electromotive force signal, the flow rate of the fluid can be determined, and then the flow rate of the fluid can be obtained.

[0078] The fluid in the pipeline 9 should be a conductive fluid to ensure that the flow meter body 34 can work normally; the electrode 33 is made of corrosion-resistant and wear-resistant materials, such as stainless steel, to ensure that the electrode 33 can be used for a long time in a conductive liquid environment.

[0079] The present invention further includes: a data processing and sending module; the electrode 33 is connected to the data processing and sending module, and the data processing and sending module determines the real-time flow rate of the fluid in the pipeline 9 according to the electromotive force detected by the electrode 33, and sends the real-time flow rate to the terminal for display;

[0080] And / or, the data processing and sending module includes: a single chip microcomputer and a Bluetooth module.

[0081] In the embodiment of the present invention, a data processing and transmitting module is integrated on the flow meter body 34. The self-powered unit is respectively connected to the single chip microcomputer and the Bluetooth module of the data processing and transmitting module to supply power; the single chip microcomputer is connected to the electrode 33; the Bluetooth module is respectively connected to the single chip microcomputer and the terminal device.

[0082] After receiving the electromotive force detected by the electrode 33, the single chip microcomputer of the data processing and sending module calculates the real-time flow rate of the fluid accordingly, and transmits the real-time flow rate of the fluid to the terminal device for display via the Bluetooth module.

[0083] In the present invention, the real-time flow rate of the fluid in the pipeline 9 is determined according to the electromotive force detected by the electrode 33, including: determining the real-time flow rate using formula (1);

[0084]

[0085] Where: D is the diameter of the pipe 9, U is the induced electromotive force, B is the magnetic induction intensity, and Q is the flow rate of the fluid;

[0086] Wherein, the magnetic induction intensity B is determined by using formula (2);

[0087]

[0088] Wherein: N is the number of turns of the flow meter metal coil 31, I is the current flowing through the flow meter metal coil 31, μ is the magnetic permeability, and l is the length of the magnetic path.

[0089] In the embodiment of the present invention, the electromotive force detected by the electrode 33 is substituted into equation (1) to calculate the corresponding real-time flow rate.

[0090] In the present invention, the self-powered unit includes: an impeller chamber 12, a rotor 24, a bearing 15, a stator 25 and a battery 18; a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for connecting to a pipeline 9 are respectively provided on both sides of the impeller chamber 12; the rotor 24 and the bearing 15 are located inside the impeller chamber 12, and the rotor 24 is sleeved outside the bearing 15; the stator 25 and the battery 18 are located inside the bearing 15, and the stator 25 is connected to the battery 18; the rotor 24 is used to drive the impeller chamber 12 to rotate by the fluid entering the impeller chamber 12, cut the magnetic flux lines generated when the rotor 24 is energized, and transmit the electric energy generated when cutting the magnetic flux lines to the battery 18.

[0091] In the present invention, the rotor 24 includes: blades 11, N-pole magnets 13 and S-pole magnets 14; the N-pole magnets 13 and S-pole magnets 14 are connected to each other to form a ring, and the N-pole magnets 13 and S-pole magnets 14 are alternately distributed; a plurality of evenly distributed blades 11 are arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the ring formed by the N-pole magnets 13 and S-pole magnets 14; the ring sleeve formed by the N-pole magnets 13 and S-pole magnets 14 is arranged outside the bearing 15.

[0092] And / or, the stator 25 includes: a self-powered stator core 17 and a self-powered metal coil 16; a plurality of the self-powered stator cores 17 are arranged and evenly distributed inside the bearing 15, and the self-powered metal coil 16 is wound around the outside of the self-powered stator core 17.

[0093] In the embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 As shown, the self-powered unit includes an impeller chamber 12, a stator 25, a rotor 24, a bearing 15 and a battery 18. The stator 25 is composed of a self-powered metal coil 16 and a self-powered stator core 17, and the self-powered metal coil 16 is wound on the self-powered stator core 17. The self-powered stator core 17 can ensure the mechanical fixation of the self-powered metal coil 16, and guide and amplify the magnetic flux passing through the self-powered metal coil 16. The material of the self-powered metal coil 16 can be a copper coil, etc. The rotor 24 includes an annular magnet 23 with alternating polarity distribution, that is, N-pole magnets 13 and S-pole magnets 14 are interspersed, and blades 11 are evenly distributed and installed around the magnet.

[0094] The impeller chamber 12 is connected in series to the pipe 9 through which water flows. After the fluid in the pipe 9 enters the impeller chamber 12, it pushes the blades 11 to rotate, and the blades 11 drive the annular magnet 23 to rotate. Some electric energy is pre-stored inside the battery 18, and the electric energy is transmitted to the self-powered metal coil 16 of the stator 25 through the battery 18, so that the self-powered stator core 17 generates a magnetic field. When the annular magnet 23 composed of the N-pole magnet 13 and the S-pole magnet 14 rotates, it cuts the magnetic flux lines to generate electricity, and then converts the kinetic energy of the fluid into electric energy, and transmits the electric energy to the battery 18 for storage. The battery 18 is connected to the flow meter metal coil 31 and the data processing and sending module to power them.

[0095] The annular magnet 23 and the blade 11 together constitute an impeller, wherein the blade 11 is curved, and the curved concave surface faces the fluid inlet. This shape allows the fluid to be easily captured by the impeller, maximizes the momentum transfer between the fluid and the impeller, and increases the contact time between the fluid and the impeller.

[0096] The rotor 24 and the stator 25 are sealed and separated to prevent the fluid from leaking out from the gap between the rotor 24 and the stator 25, thereby ensuring the normal operation and efficiency of the flow meter.

[0097] The bearing 15 is located between the stator 25 and the rotor 24 , and the bearing 15 is used to reduce the rotation resistance of the rotor 24 and improve the power generation efficiency of the self-powered unit.

[0098] In the present invention, the interior of the pipe 9 communicating with the fluid inlet of the impeller chamber 12 is a tapered channel 30 , and the end of the tapered channel 30 with a narrower diameter is close to the impeller chamber 12 .

[0099] In the embodiment of the present invention, a tapered channel 30 is provided inside the pipe 9 near the fluid inlet of the impeller chamber 12 to concentrate the fluid and increase the pressure of the fluid, that is, the diameter of the end of the pipe 9 on the fluid inlet side of the impeller chamber 12 is larger than the diameter of the end close to the impeller chamber 12, so that the fluid passes through at a faster speed, which plays a role in accelerating the fluid. The accelerated fluid can drive the impeller to rotate faster, thereby improving the power generation efficiency.

[0100] In the present invention, the thermal diode 28 includes: a top metal plate 2, a bottom metal plate 3, a phase change driver 29, a movable metal contact plate 5, a metal base 6 and a support rod 4; the top metal plate 2 is located at the bottom of the phase change energy storage layer 27, the bottom metal plate 3 is located below the top metal plate 2, and the support rod 4 is arranged between the top metal plate 2 and the bottom metal plate 3; the metal base 6 is located between the top metal plate 2 and the bottom metal plate 3, a groove is arranged on the metal base 6, a phase change driver 29 is arranged inside the groove, and the movable metal contact plate 5 is located above the phase change driver 29; when the external environment temperature is greater than the predetermined temperature, the phase change driver 29 drives the movable metal contact plate 5 to contact the top metal plate 2, and transfers the external environment heat to the phase change energy storage layer 27, and at this time, the thermal diode 28 is in an open state; when the external environment temperature is less than the predetermined temperature, the phase change driver 29 drives the movable metal contact plate 5 to separate from the top metal plate 2, and at this time, the thermal diode 28 is in a closed state.

[0101] In the present invention, the phase change driver 29 comprises: a phase change material 7 and a rubber film 8; the rubber film 8 is wrapped outside the phase change material 7; when the external ambient temperature is greater than or less than a predetermined temperature, the phase change material 7 drives the movable metal contact plate 5 to contact or separate from the top metal plate 2 by melting and expanding or solidifying and shrinking;

[0102] And / or, the phase change material 7 is paraffin.

[0103] In the present invention, the heat preservation unit further comprises: a heat preservation layer 1; the heat preservation layer 1 is arranged outside the phase change energy storage layer 27;

[0104] And / or, the support rod 4 is made of acrylic resin.

[0105] In the embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 As shown, the heat preservation unit of the flow meter includes a phase change material layer (phase change energy storage layer 27), a thermal diode 28 and a heat preservation material layer (heat preservation layer 1). The inner layer of the heat preservation unit is the phase change energy storage layer 27, and the outer layer is the heat preservation layer 1. The phase change material in the phase change energy storage layer 27 can be an inorganic salt hydrate with a low phase change expansion rate. The phase change material layer is wrapped by a heat preservation material layer, and the heat preservation material in the heat preservation layer 1 can be heat preservation cotton, etc.

[0106] The thermal diode 28 includes a top metal plate 2, a bottom metal plate 3, a phase change driver 29, a movable metal contact plate 5, a metal base 6 and a support rod 4, and the bottom of the phase change energy storage layer 27 is covered by the top metal plate 2 of the thermal diode 28. The materials of the top metal plate 2, the metal base 6, the bottom metal plate 3 and the movable metal contact plate 5 can be metal copper, etc. The material of the support rod 4 can be acrylic resin with low thermal conductivity to reduce unnecessary heat loss.

[0107] The top metal plate 2 is separated from the bottom metal plate 3 by a support rod 4. The phase change driver 29 is filled with a phase change material 7 and sealed by a rubber film 8 to prevent the temperature of the thermal diode 28 from rising and causing the phase change material 7 in the phase change driver 29 to leak. The phase change material 7 can be a material with a high phase change expansion rate, such as paraffin. The interior of the phase change driver 29 should be kept in a vacuum state to prevent air from entering the phase change driver 29 and affecting the switching of the thermal diode 28.

[0108] The thermal diode 28 in the heat preservation unit has two working modes, such as Figure 5 As shown in Figure (a), when the external environment temperature reaches the melting temperature of the phase change material 7, that is, greater than the predetermined temperature, the phase change material 7 melts and expands, pushing up the movable metal contact plate 5 above it, and the movable metal contact plate 5 moves upward until it contacts the top metal plate 2. The external heat flow 19 is transferred from the movable metal contact plate 5 and the top metal plate 2 to the interior of the phase change energy storage layer 27, forming an internal heat flow 20. The phase change material 7 in the phase change energy storage layer 27 absorbs and stores heat. At this time, the thermal diode 28 is in the open state.

[0109] like Figure 5 As shown in the middle (b) figure, when the external environment temperature is lower than the melting temperature of the phase change material 7, that is, lower than the predetermined temperature, the phase change material 7 solidifies and shrinks, driving the movable metal contact plate 5 to move downward and separate from the top metal plate 2, and the thermal diode 28 is now closed. When the thermal diode 28 is closed, the phase change energy storage layer 27 and the external environment are mainly conducted through the support rod 4 with low thermal conductivity, thereby minimizing heat loss.

[0110] The thermal diode 28 serves as a switch of the insulation unit. When the external ambient temperature is low, the thermal diode 28 is in a closed state to reduce the heat loss of the insulation unit; when the external ambient temperature is high, the thermal diode 28 is in an open state, and the phase change material in the phase change energy storage layer absorbs the external heat and stores it.

[0111] The contact surface between the movable metal contact plate 5 and the top metal plate 2 in the heat preservation unit needs to be kept smooth to reduce the contact thermal resistance between the movable metal contact plate 5 and the top metal plate.

[0112] The phase change material in the phase change energy storage layer 27 in the insulation unit can undergo phase change between solid and liquid, absorbing or releasing a large amount of heat without changing the temperature. When the external environment temperature is higher than the phase change temperature of the phase change material 7 in the phase change driver 29, the thermal diode 28 is turned on, and the phase change material 7 absorbs the heat from the external environment, causing it to change from solid to liquid; when the external environment temperature is lower than the phase change temperature of the phase change material 7 in the phase change driver 29, the thermal diode 28 is turned off, and the phase change material 7 changes from liquid to solid to release the stored heat, thereby keeping the flow meter body 34 in the insulation layer 1 within the ideal operating temperature range, thereby improving the environmental adaptability of the flow meter.

[0113] It can be understood that the above-mentioned various embodiments mentioned in the present invention can be combined with each other to form a combined embodiment without violating the principle logic. Due to space limitations, the present invention will not go into details.

[0114] The flow meter of the present invention can operate normally without an external power supply, and can also effectively maintain the stable operation of its internal sensor under severe cold conditions. The self-powered unit uses the fluid flow itself to generate the required electrical energy, which not only enables the flow meter to operate stably in remote areas, but also reduces dependence on the environment and overall operating costs. The insulation unit ensures that the flow meter can be maintained in an ideal operating temperature range in a low temperature environment to maintain the measurement accuracy and long-term reliability of the equipment. The present invention is of great significance for solving the problem of flow measurement in special environments.

[0115] The present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: (1) The impeller is driven to rotate by the flow of fluid, driving the magnet to rotate, cutting the magnetic flux lines, converting the kinetic energy of the fluid into electrical energy, storing it in the battery 18, and supplying power to the flow meter body 34, so as to realize the self-powered function of the flow meter in remote areas and solve the problem of the inconvenience of traditional power supply. (2) The flow meter is connected in series to the pipe 9 through which the fluid flows, and a tapered channel is set at the entrance of the impeller chamber 12 to concentrate the fluid and increase the pressure of the fluid, so that the fluid passes through at a faster speed, driving the rotation of the impeller. At the same time, the metal coil is wound around the stator 25 core, and the stator 25 core can ensure the mechanical fixation of the coil and guide and amplify the magnetic flux passing through the coil, thereby improving the power generation efficiency of the self-powered unit. (3) The thermal diode 28 device provides a constant temperature operating environment for the flow meter. When the external environment temperature reaches the melting temperature of the phase change material 7, the phase change material 7 expands due to the heat, pushing the movable metal plate to contact the top metal plate 2. At this time, the thermal diode 28 is in the open state; when the external environment temperature is low, the phase change material 7 solidifies and shrinks, the movable metal plate is separated from the top metal plate 2, and an air gap exists between the two metal plates. At this time, the thermal diode 28 is in the closed state, reducing the heat transfer from the inside of the insulation unit to the outside world, ensuring that the flow meter has a relatively stable temperature operating environment.

[0116] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, and the above description is exemplary, not exhaustive, and is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the described embodiments. The selection of terms used herein is intended to best explain the principles of the embodiments, practical applications, or technical improvements in the market, or to enable other persons of ordinary skill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A flow meter, characterized in that: include: A flow meter body (34), a self-powered unit and a heat preservation unit; A pipe (9) for passing fluid is provided inside the heat preservation unit, the flow meter body (34) and the self-powered unit are located on the pipe (9) and are in communication with the inside of the pipe (9), and the flow meter body (34) is connected to the self-powered unit; The self-powered unit is used to generate electricity through the flow of fluid in the pipeline (9), and transmit the electric energy to the flow meter body (34), and the flow meter body (34) is used to measure the flow of the fluid passing through the pipeline (9); The heat preservation unit comprises a phase change energy storage layer (27) and a thermal diode (28); when the external environment temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature, the thermal diode (28) is in an open state to transfer external environment heat to the phase change energy storage layer (27); and when the external environment temperature is less than the predetermined temperature, the thermal diode (28) is in a closed state; The phase-change energy storage layer (27) is used to store or release heat.

2. The flow meter according to claim 1, characterized in that The flow meter body (34) comprises: a housing (26), an electromagnet (35) and an electrode (33); The electromagnet (35) is arranged on the inner side wall of the shell (26), the pipe (9) passes through the shell (26), and the electrode (33) is arranged on the side wall of the pipe (9); The electromagnet (35) is connected to the self-power supply unit; The electrode (33) is used to detect the electromotive force generated when the fluid cuts the magnetic flux lines of the magnetic field after the electromagnet (35) is energized when passing through the pipeline (9); and / or, The electromagnet (35) comprises: a flow meter stator core (32) and a flow meter metal coil (31); The flow meter stator core (32) is arranged on the side walls of the top and bottom of the housing (26); The flow meter metal coil (31) is wound around the outside of the flow meter stator core (32); The flow meter metal coil (31) is connected to the self-powered unit.

3. The flow meter according to claim 2, characterized in that: Also includes: Data processing and sending module; The electrode (33) is connected to the data processing and sending module, and the data processing and sending module determines the real-time flow rate of the fluid in the pipeline (9) according to the electromotive force detected by the electrode (33), and sends the real-time flow rate to the terminal for display; and / or, The data processing and sending module includes: a single chip microcomputer and a Bluetooth module.

4. The flow meter according to claim 3, characterized in that: Determining the real-time flow rate of the fluid in the pipeline (9) based on the electromotive force detected by the electrode (33) comprises: Determine the real-time flow rate using formula (1); Where: D is the diameter of the pipe (9), U is the induced electromotive force, B is the magnetic induction intensity, and Q is the flow rate of the fluid; Wherein, the magnetic induction intensity B is determined by using formula (2); Wherein: N is the number of turns of the flow meter metal coil (31), I is the current, μ is the magnetic permeability, and l is the length of the magnetic path.

5. The flow meter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The self-powered unit comprises: an impeller chamber (12), a rotor (24), a bearing (15), a stator (25) and a battery (18); A fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for connecting to a pipeline (9) are respectively arranged on both sides of the impeller chamber (12); The rotor (24) and the bearing (15) are located inside the impeller chamber (12), and the rotor (24) is sleeved outside the bearing (15); The stator (25) and the battery (18) are located inside the bearing (15), and the stator (25) is connected to the battery (18); The rotor (24) is used to drive the impeller chamber (12) to rotate by means of the fluid entering the impeller chamber (12), cut the magnetic flux lines generated when the rotor (24) is energized, and transmit the electric energy generated when the magnetic flux lines are cut to the storage battery (18).

6. The flow meter according to claim 5, characterized in that The rotor (24) comprises: blades (11), N-pole magnets (13) and S-pole magnets (14); The N-pole magnet (13) and the S-pole magnet (14) are connected to each other to form a ring, and the N-pole magnet (13) and the S-pole magnet (14) are alternately distributed; A plurality of evenly distributed blades (11) are arranged on the annular outer peripheral surface formed by the N-pole magnet (13) and the S-pole magnet (14); The annular sleeve formed by the N-pole magnet (13) and the S-pole magnet (14) is arranged outside the bearing (15). and / or, The stator (25) comprises: a self-powered stator core (17) and a self-powered metal coil (16); A plurality of the self-powered stator iron cores (17) are arranged and evenly distributed inside the bearing (15), and the self-powered metal coil (16) is wound around the outside of the self-powered stator iron cores (17).

7. The flow meter according to claim 5, characterized in that: The interior of the pipe (9) connected to the fluid inlet of the impeller chamber (12) is a tapered channel (30), and the end of the tapered channel (30) with a narrower diameter is close to the impeller chamber (12).

8. The flow meter according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The thermal diode (28) comprises: a top metal plate (2), a bottom metal plate (3), a phase change driver (29), a movable metal contact plate (5), a metal base (6) and a support rod (4); The top metal plate (2) is located at the bottom of the phase change energy storage layer (27), the bottom metal plate (3) is located below the top metal plate (2), and the support rod (4) is arranged between the top metal plate (2) and the bottom metal plate (3); The metal base (6) is located between the top metal plate (2) and the bottom metal plate (3), a groove is provided on the metal base (6), a phase change driver (29) is provided inside the groove, and the movable metal contact plate (5) is located above the phase change driver (29); When the external environment temperature is greater than a predetermined temperature, the phase change driver (29) drives the movable metal contact plate (5) to contact the top metal plate (2), and transfers the external environment heat to the phase change energy storage layer (27), and the thermal diode (28) is in an open state at this time; when the external environment temperature is less than the predetermined temperature, the phase change driver (29) drives the movable metal contact plate (5) to separate from the top metal plate (2), and the thermal diode (28) is in a closed state at this time.

9. The flow meter according to claim 8, characterized in that The phase change driver (29) comprises: a phase change material (7) and a rubber membrane (8); The rubber film (8) is wrapped around the phase change material (7); When the external environment temperature is greater than or less than a predetermined temperature, the phase change material (7) drives the movable metal contact plate (5) to contact or separate from the top metal plate (2) through melting expansion or solidification contraction; and / or, The phase change material (7) is paraffin.

10. The flow meter according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that: The heat preservation unit further comprises: a heat preservation layer (1); The thermal insulation layer (1) is arranged outside the phase change energy storage layer (27); and / or, The support rod (4) is made of acrylic resin.

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