An ultrasonic flow meter

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of ultrasonic flowmeters, and discloses an ultrasonic flowmeter comprising an ultrasonic meter head and a case for detecting flow, wherein a clamp is connected to one side of the ultrasonic meter head via a flange, a pipe body to be detected is clamped inside the ultrasonic meter head, and the case is used to detect the flow inside the pipe body to be detected; a detection component is embedded inside the ultrasonic meter head, and the detection component comprises a detection ring, which is embedded inside the ultrasonic meter head. The present invention provides a rotatable detection component, and utilizes a toggle plate to drive the rotating ring to drive the detection ring and the ultrasonic probe to rotate along the axial direction of the pipe body to be detected, thereby quickly scanning and automatically avoiding defective areas such as depressions and protrusions on the pipe wall. The optimal detection position can be accurately locked without repeatedly disassembling and assembling the equipment, significantly improving the convenience of the clamping operation and the detection efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of ultrasonic flowmeters, and in particular to an ultrasonic flowmeter. Background Art

[0002] An ultrasonic flowmeter is an instrument that measures flow based on the propagation characteristics of ultrasonic waves in fluids. It calculates the fluid velocity and converts it into flow rate by detecting the propagation time difference, phase difference, or Doppler frequency shift of the ultrasonic signal in the downstream and upstream directions. Clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters, a type of non-contact measurement device, are widely used in industrial process control, urban water management, and environmental monitoring due to their advantages such as requiring no damage to the pipeline structure, easy installation (simply attaching the probe to the pipe wall), and compatibility with corrosive or high-pressure fluids. Their core principle is to eliminate the air gap between the probe and the pipe wall through a coupling agent, allowing ultrasonic waves to penetrate the pipe wall and enter the fluid, thereby achieving indirect flow measurement.

[0003] However, in actual applications of existing clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters, after long-term operation of the pipeline, the outer wall may develop depressions, protrusions, or abnormal surface roughness due to corrosion, external force impact, etc., causing scattering, refraction, or energy attenuation of ultrasonic waves during transmission, seriously affecting measurement accuracy. Pipe wall defects can easily lead to measurement deviations and even signal interruption. In addition, the quality of the coupling agent application is crucial to the measurement effect. Currently, it mostly relies on manual application, which is difficult to avoid problems such as incomplete coverage, uneven distribution, or residual bubbles. In particular, it is difficult to control the uniformity of high-viscosity coupling agents on complex curved pipe walls. In addition, environmental factors such as pipeline vibration and temperature changes may cause the coupling agent to be lost or its performance to fail, further exacerbating measurement errors and increasing on-site maintenance costs. The above problems make the clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter less reliable in scenarios with complex pipe wall conditions or long-term operation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is: To this end, we propose an ultrasonic flowmeter.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present application adopts the following technical solution: an ultrasonic flowmeter, comprising an ultrasonic head and a housing for detecting flow, wherein a clamp is connected to one side of the ultrasonic head via a flange, a pipe to be detected is clamped inside the ultrasonic head, and the housing is used to detect the flow inside the pipe to be detected;

[0006] A detection assembly is embedded in the interior of the ultrasonic head, and the detection assembly includes a detection ring, which is embedded in the interior of the ultrasonic head. A limit ring is fixedly connected to one side of the outer wall of the detection ring, and the limit ring is embedded in a limit groove reserved on the inner wall of the ultrasonic head. A rotating ring is provided inside the ultrasonic head, and the detection ring, the limit ring and the rotating ring are rotatably connected to the ultrasonic head. An ultrasonic probe is installed on the detection ring, and a signal line is electrically connected to the surface of the ultrasonic probe, and the other end of the signal line is connected to the case.

[0007] A smear assembly is connected to one side of the detection ring, and the smear assembly includes a liquid storage tank. A first plug and a second plug are installed inside the liquid storage tank, and the first plug and the second plug are connected by a threaded rod. The rotating ring is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the liquid storage tank, and the interior of the liquid storage tank is filled with a coupling agent, and the coupling agent is filled between the first plug and the second plug.

[0008] Preferably, the inner wall of the ultrasonic meter head and the inner wall of the clamp are provided with clips, the clips are used to wrap the surface of the tube body to be detected, and the clips are made of sealing material.

[0009] Preferably, a mounting groove is provided on the surface of the detection ring, and the signal line is embedded in the mounting groove.

[0010] Preferably, there are two ultrasonic heads, and there are two clips, detection rings, limit rings, rotating rings, liquid storage tanks, first plugs and second plugs inside the ultrasonic head. The two clips, detection rings, limit rings, rotating rings, liquid storage tanks, first plugs and second plugs are connected by pins to form a ring structure after connection.

[0011] Preferably, an ultrasonic probe is installed on the surface of the detection ring, and the signal emitting section of the ultrasonic probe is vertically corresponding to the outer surface of the pipe body to be detected. There are two ultrasonic probes in total.

[0012] Preferably, the diameter of the clip is smaller than the diameter of the detection ring and the liquid storage tank, the tube to be detected is connected to the clip, and the tube to be detected passes through the interior of the detection ring and the liquid storage tank until it extends out from the inside of the ultrasonic head.

[0013] Preferably, a reserved groove is provided at the top of the ultrasonic meter head, a toggle piece is embedded in the reserved groove, and the toggle piece is provided with a latching tooth that cooperates with the rotating ring.

[0014] Preferably, the toggle piece is embedded in the reserved groove to correspond to the rotating ring, and the toggle piece drives the rotating ring to perform circular motion inside the ultrasonic meter head.

[0015] Preferably, the threaded rod is connected to one group of the first plug and the second plug, the threaded rod passes through the interior of the first plug and extends out from one end thereof, and a nut is sleeved on the threaded rod, which is used to limit the position of the first plug inside the liquid storage tank.

[0016] Preferably, the first plug and the second plug are movably connected to the liquid storage tank, the coupling agent adheres to the inner wall of the liquid storage tank, the tube to be tested is embedded in the first plug and the second plug, and the coupling agent is between the liquid storage tank and the tube to be tested.

[0017] Technical effects and advantages of the present invention:

[0018] The present invention provides a rotatable detection component, and uses a toggle plate to drive a rotating ring to drive the detection ring and the ultrasonic probe to rotate along the axial direction of the tube body to be detected. It can quickly scan and automatically avoid defective areas such as depressions and protrusions on the tube wall. The optimal detection position can be accurately locked without repeatedly disassembling and assembling the equipment, which significantly improves the convenience of the clamping operation and the detection efficiency. At the same time, the first plug and the second plug are driven by the liquid storage tank and the threaded rod of the smearing component to extrude the coupling agent. With the rotation function of the detection ring, the coupling agent can be evenly filled in the microscopic gap between the ultrasonic probe and the tube body to be detected, avoiding signal attenuation caused by air interface reflection, and at the same time buffering vibration interference, thereby improving ultrasonic transmission efficiency and improving detection accuracy compared to traditional manual operations. It effectively solves the core problems of tube wall defects affecting detection accuracy, cumbersome clamping operations and uneven coupling agent smearing in the prior art. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The disclosure of the present invention is illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same components:

[0020] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of the watch case and the tube to be tested according to the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the ultrasonic meter head of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 It is a structural schematic diagram of the clamping piece and the detection ring of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic structural diagram of the detection ring and liquid storage tank of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic structural diagram of the first plug and the threaded rod of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure of the liquid storage tank of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 8 It is a structural schematic diagram of the tube body to be detected and the limit ring of the present invention.

[0028] Legend: 11. Ultrasonic meter head; 12. Meter case; 13. Tube to be tested; 14. Chuck; 2. Testing assembly; 21. Clip; 22. Testing ring; 23. Limiting ring; 24. Ultrasonic probe; 25. Mounting slot; 26. Signal line; 27. Rotating ring; 28. Toggle piece; 3. Applicator assembly; 31. Liquid storage tank; 32. First plug piece; 33. Threaded rod; 34. Second plug piece. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] It is easy to understand that according to the technical solution of the present invention, without changing the essential spirit of the present invention, a person skilled in the art can propose a variety of interchangeable structural modes and implementation modes. Therefore, the following specific embodiments and drawings are only exemplary descriptions of the technical solution of the present invention and should not be regarded as the entire invention or as a limitation or restriction of the technical solution of the present invention.

[0030] Reference Figures 1-8 As shown, the present invention provides a technical solution: an ultrasonic flowmeter, comprising an ultrasonic head 11 and a case 12 for detecting flow, wherein a clamp 14 is connected to one side of the ultrasonic head 11 through a flange, a pipe body 13 to be detected is clamped inside the ultrasonic head 11, and the case 12 is used to detect the flow inside the pipe body 13 to be detected; in the detection of the ultrasonic flowmeter, the ultrasonic flowmeter is clamped on the outside of the pipe body 13 to be detected, and the liquid flow inside the pipe body 13 to be detected after clamping is detected. If a depression or protrusion appears on the pipe at the clamping position, the detection accuracy of the ultrasonic flowmeter will be affected. This is because the sound path of the ultrasonic wave suddenly changes when it penetrates the pipe wall, resulting in deviations in the calculation of the downstream or upstream propagation time in the time difference method measurement; on the other hand, the irregular pipe wall surface will cause scattering or reflection of the ultrasonic wave, causing the signal energy reaching the receiving end to be attenuated or mixed with interference noise. In addition, the acoustic impedance of the defective area is inconsistent with that of the normal pipe wall, which will generate additional reflected waves at the interface, interfering with the phase or frequency characteristics of the original signal, resulting in distortion in the frequency shift calculation of suspended particles in the Doppler method, thereby reducing the detection accuracy of the ultrasonic flowmeter. In order to solve this problem, the staff will select the pipe wall with an intact surface for clamping and then conduct testing. However, in this case, the position of the ultrasonic flowmeter to clamp the pipe needs to be constantly adjusted, which makes the clamping operation of the pipe wall relatively cumbersome.

[0031] In order to solve this problem, the detection component 2 is provided to facilitate the super-clamping work. By clamping the flow meter to the pipeline and adjusting the position by rotation, the detection can be avoided at the defective part, thereby improving the accuracy of the detection. The specific operation is as follows:

[0032] There are two ultrasonic heads 11, and there are two clips 21, detection ring 22, limit ring 23, rotating ring 27, liquid storage tank 31, first plug 32 and second plug 34 inside the ultrasonic head 11. The two clips 21, detection ring 22, limit ring 23, rotating ring 27, liquid storage tank 31, first plug 32 and second plug 34 are connected by a pin to form a ring structure after connection. The semicircular design can facilitate the engagement of the tube body 13 to be detected. After the tube body 13 to be detected is embedded inside, it is combined to form a ring, and then the tube body 13 to be detected is tested. The ultrasonic head 11 is wrapped and tested in the form of wrapping, which can not only improve the stability during the test, but also expand the detection range and improve the test results under the premise of rotation. The ultrasonic head 11 is embedded with a detection component 2, and the detection component 2 includes a detection ring 22. The detection ring 22 is embedded in the interior of the ultrasonic head 11, and one side of the outer wall of the detection ring 22 is fixedly connected to a limit ring 23. The limit ring 23 is embedded in the limit groove reserved on the inner wall of the ultrasonic head 11. A rotating ring 27 is provided inside the ultrasonic head 11, and a reserved groove is provided at the top of the ultrasonic head 11, and a toggle piece is embedded in the reserved groove. 28, the toggle piece 28 is provided with a latching tooth that matches the rotating ring 27, the toggle piece 28 is embedded from the reserved groove and corresponds to the rotating ring 27, the toggle piece 28 drives the rotating ring 27 to perform a circular motion inside the ultrasonic head 11, the detection ring 22, the limit ring 23 and the rotating ring 27 are rotatably connected to the ultrasonic head 11, an ultrasonic probe 24 is installed on the detection ring 22, and an ultrasonic probe 24 is installed on the surface of the detection ring 22. The signal transmitting section of the ultrasonic probe 24 corresponds vertically to the surface of the tube body 13 to be detected. There are two ultrasonic probes 24, and the surface of the ultrasonic probe 24 is electrically connected. A signal line 26, the other end of which is connected to the case 12, is provided with a clip 21 on the inner wall of the ultrasonic head 11 and the inner wall of the chuck 14, and is used to wrap the surface of the tube body 13 to be detected. The clip 21 is made of a sealing material, and the diameter of the clip 21 is smaller than the diameter of the detection ring 22 and the liquid storage tank 31. The tube body 13 to be detected is connected to the clip 21, and the tube body 13 to be detected passes through the interior of the detection ring 22 and the liquid storage tank 31 until it extends out from the interior of the ultrasonic head 11. A mounting groove 25 is provided on the surface of the detection ring 22, and the signal line 26 is embedded in the interior of the mounting groove 25;

[0033] During the test, the ultrasonic probe 24 sends and receives signals to detect the liquid flow inside the tube 13 to be tested. After the ultrasonic probe 24 passes the test, the signal is transmitted to the inside of the case 12 through the signal line 26. The data is displayed through the case 12 to facilitate the staff to record;

[0034] First, the ultrasonic head 11 is opened. After opening, the clip 21, the detection ring 22, the limiting ring 23, the rotating ring 27, the liquid storage tank 31, the first plug 32, and the second plug 34 are separated in sequence. After separation, the tube body 13 to be tested is embedded in the clip 21, the detection ring 22, the limiting ring 23, the rotating ring 27, the liquid storage tank 31, and the first plug 32. Then, the limiting ring 23, the rotating ring 27, the liquid storage tank 31, and the first plug 32 are closed to form a ring structure, which then wraps the tube body 13 to be tested. Then, the ultrasonic head 11 and the clip 21 are closed. At this time, the operation of embedding the tube body 13 to be tested into the ultrasonic head 11 is completed.

[0035] Secondly, the detection position is adjusted. When adjusting, the toggle piece 28 is toggled, and the rotating ring 27 is driven to rotate by the toggle piece 28. When the rotating ring 27 rotates, the detection ring 22 and the limit ring 23 are driven to rotate. When the limit ring 23 rotates, the ultrasonic probe 24 also rotates. The detection position of the optimal point is established by continuously rotating. The optimal position is established by toggling the value displayed on the watch case 12 by the ultrasonic probe 24. After the optimal position is established, the toggle piece 28 stops toggling the rotating ring 27.

[0036] To avoid a gap between the ultrasonic probe 24 and the pipe 13 to be tested, which would result in a decrease in detection accuracy, a coupling agent is added between the two. If a gap exists, the ultrasonic wave will be strongly reflected at the air-metal interface, resulting in a significant attenuation of the signal energy or even inability to penetrate. The acoustic impedance of the coupling agent is between that of the probe material and the pipe wall, which can effectively fill the microscopic depressions and gaps in the contact surface, allowing the ultrasonic wave to pass through the interface with minimal loss. In addition, the coupling agent can also buffer the impact of pipeline vibration on the probe and reduce signal fluctuations caused by mechanical displacement, thereby ensuring the stable transmission of the ultrasonic wave in the path between the probe, coupling agent and pipe wall, providing a reliable signal foundation for flow detection. The specific operation is as follows:

[0037] A smear assembly 3 is connected to one side of the detection ring 22. The smear assembly 3 includes a liquid reservoir 31. A first plug 32 and a second plug 34 are installed inside the liquid reservoir 31. The first plug 32 and the second plug 34 are connected by a threaded rod 33. The rotating ring 27 is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the liquid reservoir 31. The interior of the liquid reservoir 31 is filled with a coupling agent. The coupling agent is filled between the first plug 32 and the second plug 34. The threaded rod 33 is connected to one group of the first plug 32 and the second plug 34. The threaded rod 33 passes through the interior of the first plug 32 and extends from one end thereof. A nut is sleeved on the threaded rod 33. The nut is used to limit the position of the first plug 32 inside the liquid reservoir 31. The first plug 32 and the second plug 34 are movably connected to the liquid reservoir 31. The coupling agent adheres to the inner wall of the liquid reservoir 31. The tube body 13 to be tested is embedded in the first plug 32 and the second plug 34. The coupling agent is between the liquid reservoir 31 and the tube body 13 to be tested. In the process of adding the coupling agent, the coupling agent is applied to the inner wall of the liquid storage tank 31 in advance. Due to its high viscosity, the coupling agent will adhere to the inner wall of the liquid storage tank 31. When the coupling agent needs to be filled between the tube 13 to be tested and the ultrasonic probe 24, the first plug 32 and the second plug 34 are moved by pushing the threaded rod 33. When the first plug 32 and the second plug 34 move on the inner wall of the liquid storage tank 31, the coupling agent will be pushed. As the first plug 32 and the second plug 34 gradually move, the coupling agent will be pushed. As the coupling agent gradually separates from the interior of the liquid storage tank 31, the coupling agent is also pushed out of the interior of the liquid storage tank 31. When the first plug 32 and the second plug 34 are pushed, the first plug 32 and the second plug 34 will be wrapped around the outer wall of the detection ring 22, thereby pushing the coupling agent between the first plug 32 and the second plug 34 to the outer wall of the detection ring 22. Since there is a gap between the tube body 13 to be detected and the detection ring 22, the gap is just embedded by the second plug 34 and the first plug 32. That is, the first plug 32 and the second plug 34 are interposed between the tube 13 to be inspected and the detection ring 22. At this time, the coupling agent between the first plug 32 and the second plug 34 is just pushed into the interior of the detection ring 22, and the coupling agent is filled between the ultrasonic probe 24 and the tube 13 to be inspected. In order to ensure that the coupling agent covers more evenly, the detection ring 22 can be rotated in advance and then reset again after the rotation. The purpose of the rotation is to ensure that the coupling agent is more evenly distributed under the rotation of the ultrasonic probe 24. In addition, in order to ensure that the coupling agent fills the tube 13 to be inspected and the ultrasonic probe 24 more tightly, the position of the first plug 32 on the threaded rod 33 is adjusted so that the distance between the first plug 32 and the second plug 34 is reduced. When the distance between the first plug 32 and the second plug 34 is reduced, the coupling agent inside is squeezed, and the squeezing makes the coupling agent more fully filled between the tube 13 to be inspected and the ultrasonic probe 24, thereby improving the accuracy of the inspection.

[0038] Working Principle: The present invention uses a symmetrical semi-ring-shaped ultrasonic meter head 11 and a clamp 14 to quickly engage the tube body 13 to be inspected, and uses a pin to connect the clamp 21, the detection ring 22 and other components to form an annular wrapping structure to ensure detection stability. During detection, the top dial plate 28 is manually toggled, and the rotating ring 27 and the detection ring 22 are driven to rotate circumferentially through the gear transmission, so that the ultrasonic probe 24 scans along the outer wall of the tube body 13 to be inspected. The optimal detection position without defects is locked based on the signal parameters displayed in real time on the case 12. Subsequently, the threaded rod 33 of the application component 3 drives the first plug 32 and the second plug 34 to move axially within the liquid storage tank 31, squeezing the pre-applied high-viscosity coupling agent into the gap between the detection ring 22 and the tube body 13 to be inspected. At the same time, the slight rotation of the detection ring 22 allows the coupling agent to evenly cover the interface between the ultrasonic probe 24 and the tube wall, filling the microscopic gap and buffering vibration. Finally, the ultrasonic probe 24 transmits and receives signals, which are transmitted to the case 12 for processing via the signal line 26, achieving high-precision detection of the liquid flow in the tube body 13 to be inspected.

[0039] The technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the contents of the above description. Those skilled in the art can make various deformations and modifications to the above embodiments without departing from the technical idea of ​​the present invention, and these deformations and modifications should all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic flow meter, characterized in that: It includes an ultrasonic meter head and a meter case for detecting flow, wherein one side of the ultrasonic meter head is connected to a clamp via a flange, the interior of the ultrasonic meter head clamps a pipe to be detected, and the meter case is used to detect the flow inside the pipe to be detected; A detection assembly is embedded in the interior of the ultrasonic head, and the detection assembly includes a detection ring, which is embedded in the interior of the ultrasonic head. A limit ring is fixedly connected to one side of the outer wall of the detection ring, and the limit ring is embedded in a limit groove reserved on the inner wall of the ultrasonic head. A rotating ring is provided inside the ultrasonic head, and the detection ring, the limit ring and the rotating ring are rotatably connected to the ultrasonic head. An ultrasonic probe is installed on the detection ring, and a signal line is electrically connected to the surface of the ultrasonic probe, and the other end of the signal line is connected to the case. A smear assembly is connected to one side of the detection ring. The smear assembly includes a liquid storage tank. A first plug and a second plug are installed inside the liquid storage tank. The first plug and the second plug are connected by a threaded rod. The rotating ring is fixedly connected to the outer surface of the liquid storage tank. The liquid storage tank is filled with a coupling agent, and the coupling agent is filled between the first plug and the second plug. The ultrasonic head is provided with two, and there are two clips, detection rings, limit rings, rotating rings, liquid storage tanks, first plugs and second plugs inside the ultrasonic head. The two clips, detection rings, limit rings, rotating rings, liquid storage tanks, first plugs and second plugs are connected by pins to form a ring structure after connection. The diameter of the clip is smaller than the diameter of the detection ring and the liquid storage tank. The tube body to be detected is connected to the clip and passes through the interior of the detection ring and the liquid storage tank until it extends out from the interior of the ultrasonic head.

2. The ultrasonic flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein: The inner wall of the ultrasonic meter head and the inner wall of the clamp are provided with clips, and the clips are used to wrap the surface of the tube to be detected, and the clips are made of sealing material.

3. The ultrasonic flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein: A mounting groove is provided on the surface of the detection ring, and the signal line is embedded in the mounting groove.

4. The ultrasonic flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein: An ultrasonic probe is installed on the surface of the detection ring. The signal emitting section of the ultrasonic probe is vertically corresponding to the outer surface of the pipe body to be detected. There are two ultrasonic probes in total.

5. The ultrasonic flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein: A reserved groove is provided on the top of the ultrasonic meter head, a toggle piece is embedded in the reserved groove, and a latching tooth matched with the rotating ring is provided on the toggle piece.

6. The ultrasonic flowmeter according to claim 5, characterized in that: The toggle piece is inserted into the reserved groove to correspond to the rotating ring, and the toggle piece drives the rotating ring to perform circular motion inside the ultrasonic meter head.

7. The ultrasonic flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein: The threaded rod is connected to one group of the first plug and the second plug. The threaded rod passes through the interior of the first plug and extends out from one end thereof. A nut is sleeved on the threaded rod, and the nut is used to limit the position of the first plug inside the liquid storage tank.

8. The ultrasonic flowmeter according to claim 1, wherein: The first plug piece and the second plug piece are movably connected to the liquid storage tank, the coupling agent adheres to the inner wall of the liquid storage tank, the tube to be tested is embedded in the first plug piece and the second plug piece, and the coupling agent is located between the tube to be tested and the liquid storage tank.

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