Transducer self-checking method, apparatus and electronic device for an external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter

Abstract

The embodiment of the application provides a transducer self-checking method and device of an outer clamp type ultrasonic flowmeter and electronic equipment. The method comprises the following steps: in response to a first self-checking instruction input for any pair of transducers, driving the pair of transducers to which the first self-checking instruction is directed to emit ultrasonic signals to each other; wherein the first self-checking instruction is input under the condition that the mutual emission surfaces of the pair of transducers to which the first self-checking instruction is directed are attached to each other and smeared with a coupling agent; judging whether the pair of transducers to which the first self-checking instruction is directed has a fault according to the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers to which the first self-checking instruction is directed during the emission of the ultrasonic signals to each other, and displaying the judgment result. By applying the embodiment of the application, the accuracy of fault detection of the transducers of the outer clamp type ultrasonic flowmeter can be improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of flow measurement technology, and in particular to a transducer self-testing method, device, and electronic equipment for clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, fault detection in clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters typically relies on manual experience. Specifically, if inspectors find signs such as coupling agent failure or visible aging in the transducer, they assume it's faulty. However, relying on their experience often leads to misjudgments, resulting in low accuracy in transducer fault detection. Therefore, improving the accuracy of fault detection for clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters has become a pressing issue. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this application is to provide a transducer self-testing method, apparatus, and electronic device for clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters, so as to improve the accuracy of fault detection of the transducer of clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters. The specific technical solution is as follows:

[0004] This application provides a transducer self-testing method for a clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, applied to the controller of the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, wherein the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter further includes at least one pair of transducers, and the method includes:

[0005] In response to a first self-test command input for any pair of transducers, the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command are driven to emit ultrasonic signals to each other; wherein, the first self-test command is input when the mutual emission surfaces of the pair of transducers are in contact with each other and coated with coupling agent.

[0006] Based on the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals, determine whether there is a fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command, and display the determination result.

[0007] In one possible embodiment, the method further includes:

[0008] In response to the self-test start command, a prompt message is displayed, which prompts: first apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of a pair of transducers, then attach the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers to each other, and then input the first self-test command for the pair of transducers.

[0009] In one possible embodiment, the displayed prompt information includes:

[0010] Display a first prompt message, which prompts you to apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of a pair of transducers;

[0011] In response to the confirmation command input for the first prompt information, a second prompt information is displayed, which prompts the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers to be brought into contact with each other;

[0012] In response to the confirmation command input for the second prompt information, a third prompt information is displayed, which prompts the input of a first self-test command for the pair of transducers.

[0013] In one possible embodiment, determining whether a fault exists in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command based on the ultrasonic signals detected during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command includes:

[0014] The first signal index is obtained from the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals; the first signal index includes: first signal amplitude, and / or, first signal-to-noise ratio;

[0015] If the first signal indicator is greater than the first preset indicator threshold, it is determined that there is no fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command.

[0016] If the first signal indicator is not greater than the first preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command is faulty.

[0017] In one possible embodiment, displaying the judgment result includes:

[0018] The judgment result and the first signal indicator are displayed simultaneously.

[0019] In one possible embodiment, the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter includes multiple pairs of transducers, and the method further includes:

[0020] Display the transducer pair identifier for each pair of transducers;

[0021] In response to a selection command, the transducer identifier selected by the selection command is identified as a target transducer pair identifier; and the pair of transducers represented by the target transducer pair identifier is determined as the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command.

[0022] This application embodiment also provides a transducer self-testing method for an external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, applied to the controller of the external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, wherein the external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter further includes at least one pair of transducers, and the method includes:

[0023] In response to a second self-test command input to any one of the transducers, the transducer targeted by the second self-test command is driven to emit an ultrasonic signal and receive the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself.

[0024] Based on the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer targeted by the second self-test command during the reception of its own emitted ultrasonic signal, determine whether the transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty, and display the determination result.

[0025] In one possible embodiment, determining whether a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty based on the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer during the reception of its own emitted ultrasonic signal includes:

[0026] The second signal index is obtained from the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer targeted by the second self-test command during the reception of the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself; the second signal index includes: second signal amplitude, and / or, second signal-to-noise ratio;

[0027] If the second signal indicator is greater than the second preset indicator threshold, it is determined that there is no fault in the transducer targeted by the second self-test command.

[0028] If the second signal indicator is not greater than the second preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty.

[0029] In one possible embodiment, displaying the judgment result includes:

[0030] The judgment result and the second signal indicator are displayed simultaneously.

[0031] This application embodiment also provides a transducer self-testing device for an external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, applied to the controller of the external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, wherein the external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter further includes at least one pair of transducers, and the device includes:

[0032] The driving module is used to respond to a first self-test command input for any pair of transducers and drive the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command to emit ultrasonic signals to each other; wherein the first self-test command is input when the mutual emission surfaces of the pair of transducers are in contact with each other and coated with coupling agent.

[0033] The judgment module is used to determine whether there is a fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command based on the ultrasonic signals detected during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command, and to display the judgment result.

[0034] In one possible embodiment, the device further includes:

[0035] The display module is used to display prompt information in response to the self-test start command. The prompt information is used to prompt: first apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of a pair of transducers, then attach the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers to each other, and then input the first self-test command for the pair of transducers.

[0036] In one possible embodiment, the displayed prompt information includes:

[0037] Display a first prompt message, which prompts you to apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of a pair of transducers;

[0038] In response to the confirmation command input for the first prompt information, a second prompt information is displayed, which prompts the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers to be brought into contact with each other;

[0039] In response to the confirmation command input for the second prompt information, a third prompt information is displayed, which prompts the input of a first self-test command for the pair of transducers.

[0040] In one possible embodiment, determining whether a fault exists in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command based on the ultrasonic signals detected during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command includes:

[0041] The first signal index is obtained from the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals; the first signal index includes: first signal amplitude, and / or, first signal-to-noise ratio;

[0042] If the first signal indicator is greater than the first preset indicator threshold, it is determined that there is no fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command.

[0043] If the first signal indicator is not greater than the first preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command is faulty.

[0044] In one possible embodiment, displaying the judgment result includes:

[0045] The judgment result and the first signal indicator are displayed simultaneously.

[0046] In one possible embodiment, the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter includes multiple pairs of transducers, and the device further includes:

[0047] The identification display module is used to display the transducer pair identification for each pair of transducers;

[0048] The identification module is used to identify the transducer identifier selected by the selection instruction in response to the selection instruction, as the target transducer pair identifier; and to determine the pair of transducers represented by the target transducer pair identifier as the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test instruction.

[0049] This application embodiment also provides a transducer self-testing device for an external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, applied to the controller of the external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, wherein the external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter further includes at least one pair of transducers, and the device includes:

[0050] The second driving module is used to respond to a second self-test command input to any one of the transducers, drive the transducer targeted by the second self-test command to emit an ultrasonic signal and receive the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself.

[0051] The second judgment module is used to determine whether a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty based on the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer during the reception of the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself, and to display the judgment result.

[0052] In one possible embodiment, determining whether a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty based on the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer during the reception of its own emitted ultrasonic signal includes:

[0053] The second signal index is obtained from the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer targeted by the second self-test command during the reception of the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself; the second signal index includes: second signal amplitude, and / or, second signal-to-noise ratio;

[0054] If the second signal indicator is greater than the second preset indicator threshold, it is determined that there is no fault in the transducer targeted by the second self-test command.

[0055] If the second signal indicator is not greater than the second preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty.

[0056] In one possible embodiment, displaying the judgment result includes:

[0057] The judgment result and the second signal indicator are displayed simultaneously.

[0058] This application also provides an electronic device, including:

[0059] Memory, used to store computer programs;

[0060] The processor, when executing the program stored in the memory, implements the transducer self-test method of any of the above-described clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters.

[0061] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, which, when executed by a processor, implements the transducer self-testing method of any of the above-described clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters.

[0062] This application also provides a computer program product containing instructions that, when run on a computer, cause the computer to execute the transducer self-test method of any of the above-described clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters.

[0063] Beneficial effects of the embodiments in this application:

[0064] The transducer self-testing method, apparatus, and electronic device of the clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter provided in this application embodiment can, when the interfacing surfaces of a pair of transducers are in contact with each other and coated with a coupling agent, input a first self-test command to the pair of transducers. The controller responds to the first self-test command by driving the pair of transducers to emit ultrasonic signals to each other. Since the interfacing surfaces of the pair of transducers are in contact with each other and coated with a coupling agent, the noise during the propagation of the ultrasonic signal is negligible; even if there is noise, it should only be some background noise. Therefore, the pair of transducers should be able to detect a strong ultrasonic signal and only detect low noise (or even no noise at all) during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals. Based on this, the presence of a fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command can be determined based on the ultrasonic signals detected during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command, and the determination result can be displayed. The process of obtaining the determination result does not rely on the subjective factors of the inspection personnel, but rather on the objective relationship between the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers and whether the pair of transducers is faulty. Therefore, compared to relying on human experience to detect faults in clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter transducers, the embodiments of this application can more objectively determine whether a pair of transducers is faulty based on the ultrasonic signals detected during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals between the two transducers. This avoids the inaccuracies caused by human experience in the judgment results, resulting in higher accuracy of the judgment results. Consequently, the accuracy of fault detection in clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter transducers is higher, thereby improving the accuracy of fault detection in clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter transducers.

[0065] Of course, implementing any product or method of this application does not necessarily require achieving all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0066] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other embodiments can be obtained based on these drawings.

[0067] Figure 1 A schematic flowchart of a transducer self-testing method provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0068] Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating a method for determining whether a pair of transducers is faulty, provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0069] Figure 3a This is another flowchart illustrating a transducer self-testing method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0070] Figure 3b A schematic diagram illustrating a method for displaying prompt information provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0071] Figure 3c Another schematic diagram illustrating the display method of prompt information provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0072] Figure 3d Another schematic diagram illustrating the display method of prompt information provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0073] Figure 4 This is another flowchart illustrating a transducer self-testing method provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0074] Figure 5 A schematic diagram illustrating a display change of the control panel of the controller provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0075] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a transducer provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0076] Figure 7 A schematic flowchart of a transducer self-testing method two provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0077] Figure 8a A flowchart illustrating a method for determining whether a transducer is faulty, provided as an embodiment of this application.

[0078] Figure 8b A schematic diagram of the control panel of the controller provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0079] Figure 8c Another schematic diagram of the control panel of the controller provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0080] Figure 9 A schematic diagram of a transducer self-testing device for an external clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0081] Figure 10 Another structural schematic diagram of the transducer self-testing device for the clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0082] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an electronic device provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0083] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0084] Currently, fault detection in clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters typically relies on manual experience. Specifically, if inspectors find signs such as coupling agent failure or visible aging in the transducer, they consider it faulty. The inspectors then remove the transducer they believe is faulty from the pipeline and send it back to the manufacturer. The manufacturer then performs disassembly and reassembly to test the transducer, achieving a relatively accurate fault diagnosis. However, inspectors often misjudge transducer faults based on their experience, resulting in low accuracy in fault detection.

[0085] Furthermore, it takes time to send the disassembled transducers back to the manufacturer. Manufacturers typically use multiple methods, such as multimeter testing, signal amplitude testing, and signal-to-noise ratio testing, to accurately detect transducer faults. This fault detection process also requires observation and analysis time, resulting in a long time required for transducer fault detection and thus low efficiency.

[0086] Based on this, in order to improve the efficiency and accuracy of fault detection for clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters, this application provides two transducer self-testing methods for clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters. These two transducer self-testing methods are referred to as Transducer Self-Testing Method 1 and Transducer Self-Testing Method 2, respectively. Both Transducer Self-Testing Method 1 and Transducer Self-Testing Method 2 are applied to the controller of the clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter. To facilitate understanding of the two transducer self-testing methods provided in this application, the clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter involved in this application will first be described exemplarily.

[0087] An external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter includes at least one pair of transducers and a controller, with the controller connected to each transducer. The pair of transducers is designated as Transducer 1 and Transducer 2. Transducer 1 and Transducer 2 are respectively attached to opposite sides of a pipe. Transducer 1 transmits ultrasonic signals to Transducer 2 and receives ultrasonic signals transmitted by Transducer 2. Simultaneously, Transducer 2 transmits ultrasonic signals to Transducer 1 and receives ultrasonic signals transmitted by Transducer 1. Transducer 1 and Transducer 2 send the received ultrasonic signals to the controller. The controller calculates the flow velocity of the fluid in the pipe based on the received ultrasonic signals and displays the calculated flow velocity on a control panel set on the controller itself.

[0088] The clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter involved in the embodiments of this application has been described above by way of example. The transducer self-test method one and transducer self-test method two provided in the embodiments of this application will be described below by way of example, with reference to the above-described clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter. See also Figure 1 Transducer self-test method one includes:

[0089] S101, in response to a first self-test command input to any pair of transducers, drives the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command to emit ultrasonic signals to each other.

[0090] The first self-test command is input when the mutual reflective surfaces of the targeted pair of transducers are in contact with each other and coated with coupling agent.

[0091] S102, based on the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals, determine whether there is a fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command, and display the judgment result.

[0092] In applying the embodiments of this application, on the one hand, when the inter-reflection surfaces of a pair of transducers are in contact with each other and coated with a coupling agent, a first self-test command is input to the pair of transducers. The controller, in response to the first self-test command, drives the pair of transducers to emit ultrasonic signals to each other. Since the inter-reflection surfaces of the pair of transducers are in contact with each other and coated with a coupling agent, the noise during the propagation of the ultrasonic signal is negligible; even if there is noise, it should only be some background noise. Therefore, the pair of transducers should be able to detect a relatively strong ultrasonic signal during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals, and only detect low noise (or even no noise at all). Based on this, it is possible to determine whether the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command is faulty based on the ultrasonic signals detected during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command, and to display the determination result. The process of obtaining the determination result does not rely on the subjective factors of the inspection personnel, but rather on the objective relationship between the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers and whether the pair of transducers is faulty. Therefore, compared to relying on human experience to detect faults in clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter transducers, the embodiments of this application can more objectively determine whether a pair of transducers is faulty based on the ultrasonic signals detected during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals between the two transducers. This avoids the inaccuracies caused by human experience in the judgment results, resulting in higher accuracy of the judgment results. Consequently, the accuracy of fault detection in clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter transducers is higher, thereby improving the accuracy of fault detection in clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter transducers.

[0093] On the other hand, in the process of obtaining the judgment result, the embodiments of this application do not need to spend time sending the transducer back to the manufacturer, nor do they need to spend time performing multiple tests on the transducer such as multimeter testing, first signal amplitude testing, and first signal-to-noise ratio testing. This reduces the time required for transducer fault detection, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of transducer fault detection for clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters.

[0094] The above S101-S102 will be described by example below.

[0095] In S101, a pair of transducers are designated as transducer 1 and transducer 2. Each transducer, on one side attached to the pipe, has a transmitting surface and a receiving surface. The transmitting surface is used to transmit ultrasonic signals, and the receiving surface is used to receive ultrasonic signals. The mutual contact of the transmitting and receiving surfaces of the pair of transducers means that the sides of the transducers with transmitting and receiving surfaces are attached together, such that the transmitting surface of transducer 1 is in contact with the receiving surface of transducer 2, and vice versa.

[0096] The clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter consists of pairs of transducers that are attached to the pipe. If a user wants to troubleshoot a specific pair of transducers attached to the pipe, they can remove the pair from the pipe and apply coupling agent to the side of each transducer with its transmitting and receiving surfaces. The interfacing surfaces of the transducers are then aligned, ensuring they are both in contact and coated with coupling agent. Afterward, the user inputs a first self-test command for the pair of transducers through the controller's control panel. Upon receiving the command, the controller drives the pair of transducers to emit ultrasonic signals to each other.

[0097] In step S102, a pair of transducers are designated as transducer 1 and transducer 2. Since the interfacing surfaces of transducers 1 and 2 are in contact and coated with a coupling agent, during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals, transducer 1 detects the ultrasonic signal emitted by transducer 2, and transducer 2 detects the ultrasonic signal emitted by transducer 1. Then, transducer 1 sends its detected ultrasonic signal to the controller, and transducer 2 sends its detected ultrasonic signal to the controller. Based on the received ultrasonic signals detected by transducer 1 and transducer 2, the controller determines whether the pair of transducers is faulty and displays the result on its control panel.

[0098] In one possible embodiment, see Figure 2 The system determines whether a fault exists in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command by means of the following methods:

[0099] S201, acquire a first signal index of the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals. The first signal index includes: a first signal amplitude, and / or, a first signal-to-noise ratio.

[0100] S202, if the first signal indicator is greater than the first preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that there is no fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command.

[0101] S203, if the first signal indicator is not greater than the first preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command is faulty.

[0102] In S201-S203, for ease of description, the ultrasonic signal detected by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals is referred to as the first ultrasonic signal. A first signal index of the first ultrasonic signal is calculated, and based on the comparison between the first signal index and a first preset index threshold, it is determined whether the pair of transducers is faulty.

[0103] The first signal indicator including the first signal amplitude and / or the first signal-to-noise ratio refers to the following three cases: Case 1, the first signal indicator only includes the first signal amplitude; Case 2, the first signal indicator only includes the first signal-to-noise ratio; Case 3, the first signal indicator includes both the first signal amplitude and the first signal-to-noise ratio. The following will provide exemplary descriptions of how to determine whether a pair of transducers is faulty in each of the above three cases.

[0104] In scenario one, the first signal indicator only includes the first signal amplitude, and correspondingly, the first preset indicator threshold refers to the first preset amplitude threshold. Since the mutual emission surfaces of the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command are in contact with each other and coated with coupling agent, the noise during the propagation of the ultrasonic signal can be ignored. Even if there is noise, it should only be some background noise. Therefore, the pair of transducers should be able to detect a strong ultrasonic signal and only detect low noise (or even no noise) during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals. Based on this, in scenario one, if the first signal amplitude is greater than the first preset amplitude threshold, it indicates that the transducer detects a high signal strength of the ultrasonic signal and detects low noise, which means the transducer is functioning normally and is not faulty. Conversely, if the first signal amplitude is not greater than the first preset amplitude threshold, it indicates that the transducer detects a low signal strength of the ultrasonic signal or detects high noise, which means the transducer is malfunctioning and is faulty.

[0105] In scenario two, the first signal indicator only includes the first signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and correspondingly, the first preset indicator threshold refers to the first preset ratio threshold. As explained above, the pair of transducers should be able to detect a strong ultrasonic signal and only detect low noise (or even no noise) during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals. Based on this, in scenario two, if the first SNR is greater than the first preset ratio threshold, it indicates that the transducer detects a high signal strength of the ultrasonic signal and detects low noise, which means the transducer is functioning normally and is not faulty. Conversely, if the first SNR is not greater than the first preset ratio threshold, it indicates that the transducer detects a low signal strength of the ultrasonic signal or detects high noise, which means the transducer is malfunctioning and is faulty.

[0106] In scenario three, the first signal indicator includes the first signal amplitude and the first signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Correspondingly, the first preset indicator threshold refers to the first preset amplitude threshold and the first preset ratio threshold. In scenario three, based on the comparison results of the first signal amplitude and the first preset amplitude threshold, and the comparison results of the first SNR and the first preset ratio threshold, it is determined whether the pair of transducers is faulty. Specifically, as explained above, the pair of transducers should be able to detect a strong ultrasonic signal and only detect low noise (or even no noise) during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals. Based on this, if the first signal amplitude is greater than the first preset amplitude threshold and the first SNR is greater than the first preset ratio threshold, it indicates that the transducer detects a high signal strength of the ultrasonic signal and detects low noise, which means that the transducer is functioning normally and is not faulty. Conversely, if the amplitude of the first signal is not greater than the first preset amplitude threshold, or the first signal-to-noise ratio is not greater than the first preset ratio threshold, it indicates that the signal strength of the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer is low, or that a large amount of noise is detected. This means that the transducer is malfunctioning, or that the transducer is faulty.

[0107] The first preset amplitude threshold and the first preset ratio threshold can both be set based on past experience or actual needs. Furthermore, in cases one and three, the first preset amplitude threshold can be the same or different; in cases two and three, the first preset ratio threshold can be the same or different.

[0108] Specifically, the first signal-to-noise ratio of the first ultrasonic signal is calculated using the following formula (1):

[0109]

[0110] Among them, P s P represents the signal intensity of the first ultrasound signal. n S represents the noise intensity of the first ultrasonic signal. max This is the first signal-to-noise ratio. Specifically, signal strength can refer to signal power, and correspondingly, noise strength refers to noise power; signal strength can also refer to signal amplitude, and correspondingly, noise strength refers to noise amplitude.

[0111] In this embodiment, the judgment result can be displayed only on the controller's control panel, or both the judgment result and the first signal indicator can be displayed on the controller's control panel. Based on the displayed first signal indicator, the user can more accurately obtain the ultrasonic signal detection capability of a pair of transducers, so that the user can more accurately perform subsequent debugging and processing on the pair of transducers.

[0112] By using this embodiment, the comparison results between the first signal index of the ultrasonic signal detected by a pair of transducers and the first preset index threshold can be used to more objectively and accurately determine whether there is a fault in the pair of transducers, thereby further improving the accuracy of fault detection of the transducers of clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters.

[0113] The foregoing description has exemplarily illustrated the method for determining whether a pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command is faulty. Referring to the foregoing description, the user can only input the first self-test command to detect transducer faults in the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter when the interfacing surfaces of the pair of transducers are in contact with each other and coated with coupling agent. To help users more quickly and accurately achieve the interfacing surfaces of the pair of transducers being in contact with each other and coated with coupling agent, thereby more quickly and accurately detecting transducer faults in the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, in one possible embodiment, the transducer self-test method one provided in this application includes: displaying a prompt message in response to a self-test start command.

[0114] Users input the self-test start command by selecting the self-test function on the controller's control panel. Upon receiving the self-test start command, the controller displays a prompt message on the control panel. The prompt message instructs users to: first apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of a pair of transducers, then align the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers together, and then input the first self-test command for that pair of transducers. The prompt message can be displayed in any form, such as text or graphics.

[0115] By using this embodiment, users can quickly and accurately learn how to ensure that the mutual surfaces of a pair of transducers are aligned and coated with coupling agent by following the prompts displayed on the control panel. This helps users to more quickly and accurately achieve the alignment and coating of coupling agent on the mutual surfaces of a pair of transducers, thereby enabling faster and more accurate fault detection of the transducers in clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters. In other words, it can further improve the efficiency and accuracy of fault detection of the transducers in clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters.

[0116] Considering that controller control panels are generally small, in one possible embodiment, the above-mentioned prompts can be displayed in segments to ensure that users can clearly see the prompts on the small control panel. In this embodiment, see... Figure 3a The transducer self-testing method provided in this application includes:

[0117] S301, in response to the self-test start command, displays the first prompt message.

[0118] The user inputs the self-test start command by selecting the self-test function on the controller's control panel. Upon receiving the self-test start command, the controller displays a first prompt message on the control panel. This first prompt message instructs the user to apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers. The first prompt message can be displayed in text and / or graphical form. For example, such as... Figure 3b As shown, Figure 3b The first prompt message is displayed in the form of text "Step 1: Apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of the two transducers" and graphics.

[0119] S302, in response to the confirmation command entered for the first prompt information, display the second prompt information.

[0120] The controller's control panel displays a first prompt and a confirmation button. After applying coupling agent to the interfacing surfaces of a pair of transducers according to the first prompt, the user clicks the confirmation button on the control panel, thus inputting a confirmation command for the first prompt. Upon receiving the user's confirmation command for the first prompt, the controller displays a second prompt, which instructs the user to align the interfacing surfaces of the pair of transducers. The second prompt can be displayed in text and / or graphic form. For example, such as... Figure 3c As shown, Figure 3c The second prompt message is displayed in the form of the text "Step 2: Place the transducer as shown in the left figure" and a graphic.

[0121] S303, in response to the confirmation command entered for the second prompt information, displays the third prompt information.

[0122] The controller's control panel displays a second prompt message and a confirmation button. After the user aligns the interfacing surfaces of the transducers according to the second prompt message, they click the confirmation button on the control panel, which is equivalent to inputting a confirmation command for the second prompt message. Upon receiving the user's confirmation command for the second prompt message, the controller displays a third prompt message, which prompts the user to input a first self-test command for the pair of transducers. The third prompt message can be displayed in text and / or graphic form. For example, such as... Figure 3d As shown, Figure 3d The third prompt message is displayed in the form of the text "Step 3: Please press OK to start the test" and a graphic.

[0123] S304, in response to a first self-test command input to any pair of transducers, drives the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command to emit ultrasonic signals to each other.

[0124] The controller's control panel displays a third prompt message and a confirmation button. Clicking the confirmation button on the control panel inputs a first self-test command for that pair of transducers. Upon receiving the first self-test command, the controller drives the pair of transducers to emit ultrasonic signals to each other.

[0125] S305: Based on the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals, determine whether there is a fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command, and display the determination result.

[0126] S305 is the same as S102 mentioned above. Please refer to the relevant explanation of S102 above. It will not be repeated here.

[0127] In this embodiment, the user is prompted to perform the required operation by sequentially displaying a first, second, and third prompt message, thus helping the user to detect faults in the transducer of the clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter. Furthermore, compared to the standard prompt messages, the first, second, and third prompt messages are all relatively brief and can be clearly displayed on a small control panel, ensuring that the user can clearly see the required operation and thereby ensuring the accurate implementation of the transducer self-test method one provided in this application embodiment.

[0128] When clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters experience inaccurate measurement results, users need to troubleshoot the various components of the flow meter to determine which component is causing the problem. In this scenario, users can... Figure 4 The transducer self-test method shown is used to test the transducer to determine whether the problem with the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter is caused by a transducer malfunction. Figure 4 S403-S405 are pre-test steps, and S406 is the transducer testing step. See also... Figure 4 Transducer self-test method one includes:

[0129] S401, power on.

[0130] Connect the controller to the power supply and turn it on. At this point, the controller's control panel diagram should appear as follows: Figure 5 The image on the left side of the first row is shown in the middle.

[0131] S402, Transducer self-test function selected and enabled.

[0132] Users select the self-test function on the controller's control panel. At this time, the controller's control panel diagram can be viewed as follows: Figure 5 The image on the right side of the first row is shown in the middle.

[0133] S403, Self-test step 1: Apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of the two transducers.

[0134] The user applies coupling agent to the inter-reflection surfaces of the pair of transducers that require fault detection. At this point, the controller's control panel diagram can be viewed as follows: Figure 5 The image on the right side of the second row is shown in the middle.

[0135] S404, Self-test step 2: Place the two transducers together in a mirror image effect.

[0136] The user places the emitting surfaces of the pair of transducers together. In this embodiment, when the two transducers are placed in the same manner, their emitting surfaces are located on different sides, and their receiving surfaces are also located on different sides. For example, as... Figure 6 As shown, one transducer has its emitting surface on the left and its receiving surface on the right, while the other transducer has its emitting surface on the right and its receiving surface on the left. If the two transducers are not placed side-by-side in a mirror-like manner, their emitting and receiving surfaces will be touching, preventing the mutual emitting surfaces from touching. Therefore, in this embodiment, the two transducers need to be placed side-by-side in a mirror-like manner. The control panel diagram of the controller can then be shown as follows. Figure 5 The image on the left side of the second row is shown in the middle.

[0137] S405, Self-test step 3: After completing the above steps, the two transducers emit self-test signals to begin testing.

[0138] The two transducers emitting self-test signals is equivalent to the aforementioned pair of transducers emitting ultrasonic signals to each other. S405 is equivalent to S101 mentioned above; please refer to the relevant description of S101 above, which will not be repeated here. At this time, the control panel diagram of the controller can be as follows: Figure 5 The figure in the third row is shown.

[0139] S406, Determine whether the sensor signal amplitude and signal-to-noise ratio meet the standards?

[0140] Here, the signal amplitude is the aforementioned first signal amplitude, and the signal-to-noise ratio is the aforementioned first signal-to-noise ratio. If so, the two transducers (i.e., a pair of transducers) are considered to be without fault (i.e., normal), and steps S407-S408 are executed. If not, the two transducers are considered to be faulty (i.e., abnormal), and steps S409-S410 are executed. For the specific method of determining whether the sensor's first signal amplitude and first signal-to-noise ratio meet the standard, please refer to the aforementioned description of steps S201-S203, which will not be repeated here.

[0141] S407, the transducer is normal.

[0142] S408, transducer issues have been ruled out.

[0143] If the transducer is found to be normal, it can be assumed that the problem with the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter is not caused by a transducer malfunction, thus ruling out a transducer problem.

[0144] S409, transducer malfunction.

[0145] S410, return to factory / replace transducer.

[0146] In the event of a transducer malfunction, the faulty transducer can be repaired by returning it to the factory, or the fluid flow rate in the pipeline can be continued by replacing the transducer.

[0147] In S406-S410, assuming the first preset amplitude threshold is set to 65%, the first preset ratio threshold is set to 65%, and assuming both the first signal amplitude and the first signal-to-noise ratio are 70%, then if the first signal amplitude is greater than the first preset amplitude threshold and the first signal-to-noise ratio is greater than the preset ratio threshold, it indicates that the transducer is functioning normally. In this example, the control panel diagram of the controller can be shown as follows: Figure 5 As shown in the left-hand image of the fourth row, the judgment result is "Transducer normal". The sixth image shows the first signal amplitude in the form of a progress bar and the number "70%" and the first signal-to-noise ratio in the form of a progress bar and the number "70%".

[0148] Alternatively, assuming the first preset amplitude threshold is set to 65%, the first preset ratio threshold is set to 65%, and the first signal amplitude is 40% and the first signal-to-noise ratio is 20%, then if the first signal amplitude is not greater than the first preset amplitude threshold and the first signal-to-noise ratio is not greater than the preset ratio threshold, it indicates that the transducer is malfunctioning. In this example, the control panel diagram of the controller can be as follows: Figure 5 As shown in the right-hand figure of the fourth row, the "transducer abnormality" displayed in the right-hand figure of the fourth row is the judgment result. The first signal amplitude is shown in the seventh figure in the form of a progress bar and the number "40%", and the first signal-to-noise ratio is shown in the form of a progress bar and the number "20%".

[0149] When the user needs to perform fault detection on a new pair of transducers, they can return to execute S402-S410 to perform fault detection on the new pair of transducers.

[0150] The method for displaying prompts on the controller's control panel has been described above as an example. In one possible embodiment, the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter includes multiple pairs of transducers. In this embodiment, the transducer self-test method provided in this application further includes: displaying a transducer pair identifier for each pair of transducers; in response to a selection command, identifying the transducer identifier selected by the selection command as a target transducer pair identifier; and determining the pair of transducers represented by the target transducer pair identifier as the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command.

[0151] The controller's control panel displays transducer pair identifiers for each pair of transducers. Users input selection commands by selecting a transducer pair identifier on the control panel and clicking the confirmation button. The transducer pair identifier selected by the user is the transducer identifier selected by the selection command, and the transducer pair identifier selected by the selection command is used as the target transducer pair identifier.

[0152] After the user places the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers indicated by the target transducer pair with each other and applies coupling agent, the user inputs a first self-test command. In response to the first self-test command, the controller drives the pair of transducers indicated by the target transducer pair to emit ultrasonic signals to each other. Based on the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers indicated by the target transducer pair during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals, the controller determines whether there is a fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command and displays the determination result.

[0153] The transducer self-testing method one provided in the embodiments of this application has been described above by way of example. The transducer self-testing method two provided in the embodiments of this application will now be described by way of example, in conjunction with the above-described clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter. See [link to documentation]. Figure 7 The transducer self-test method two provided in this application includes:

[0154] S701, in response to a second self-test command input to any one of the transducers, drives the transducer targeted by the second self-test command to emit an ultrasonic signal and receive the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself.

[0155] S702, based on the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer targeted by the second self-test command during the reception of its own emitted ultrasonic signal, determine whether the transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty, and display the determination result.

[0156] Applying the embodiments of this application, on the one hand, a second self-test command is input to any transducer. In response to the second self-test command, the controller drives the transducer to emit an ultrasonic signal and receive its own emitted ultrasonic signal. Since the transducer receives its own emitted ultrasonic signal, the noise during the propagation of the ultrasonic signal can be ignored; even if there is noise, it should only be some background noise. Therefore, the transducer should be able to detect a relatively strong ultrasonic signal while receiving its own emitted ultrasonic signal, and detect only low noise (or even no noise at all). Based on this, it is possible to determine whether the transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty based on the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer during the reception of its own emitted ultrasonic signal, and to display the determination result. The process of obtaining the determination result does not rely on the subjective factors of the inspection personnel, but rather on the objective relationship between the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer and whether the transducer is faulty. Therefore, compared to relying on human experience to detect faults in clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter transducers, the embodiments of this application can more objectively determine whether a transducer is faulty based on the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer while receiving its own emitted ultrasonic signal. This avoids the inaccuracies caused by human experience in the judgment results, resulting in higher accuracy of the judgment results. Consequently, the accuracy of fault detection for clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter transducers is higher, thereby improving the accuracy of fault detection for clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter transducers.

[0157] On the other hand, in the process of obtaining the judgment result, the embodiments of this application do not require time to send the transducer back to the manufacturer, nor do they require time to perform various tests on the transducer such as multimeter testing, signal amplitude testing, and signal-to-noise ratio testing. This reduces the time required for fault detection of the transducer, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of fault detection of the transducer of clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter.

[0158] The above S701-S702 will be described by example below.

[0159] In the S701, each pair of transducers in the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter is attached to the pipe. If the user wants to perform fault detection on a particular transducer attached to the pipe, the user can remove that transducer from the pipe. Then, the user can input a second self-test command for that transducer through the control panel set by the controller. After receiving the second self-test command, the controller drives that transducer to emit ultrasonic signals and receives the ultrasonic signals emitted by itself.

[0160] In S702, since the transducer receives its own emitted ultrasonic signal, it detects the ultrasonic signal it is emitting during the transmission process. The transducer then sends the detected ultrasonic signal to the controller. Based on the received ultrasonic signal, the controller determines whether the transducer is faulty and displays the result on its control panel.

[0161] In one possible embodiment, see Figure 8a The system determines whether a fault exists in the pair of transducers targeted by the second self-test command by means of the following methods:

[0162] S801, acquire a second signal index of the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer targeted by the second self-test command during the reception of its own emitted ultrasonic signal. The second signal index includes: second signal amplitude, and / or, second signal-to-noise ratio.

[0163] S802, if the second signal indicator is greater than the second preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that there is no fault in the transducer targeted by the second self-test command.

[0164] S803, if the second signal indicator is not greater than the second preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that a transducer targeted by the second self-test command has a fault.

[0165] In S801-S803, for ease of description, the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer targeted by the second self-test command during the reception of its own emitted ultrasonic signal is referred to as the second ultrasonic signal. A second signal index of the second ultrasonic signal is calculated, and based on the comparison between the second signal index and a second preset index threshold, it is determined whether the transducer is faulty.

[0166] The second signal indicator including the second signal amplitude and / or the second signal-to-noise ratio refers to the following three cases: Case 4, the second signal indicator only includes the second signal amplitude; Case 5, the second signal indicator only includes the second signal-to-noise ratio; Case 6, the second signal indicator includes both the second signal amplitude and the second signal-to-noise ratio. The following will provide exemplary descriptions of how to determine whether a pair of transducers is faulty in each of the above three cases.

[0167] In scenario four, the second signal indicator only includes the second signal amplitude. Correspondingly, the second preset indicator threshold refers to the second preset amplitude threshold. Since this transducer receives its own emitted ultrasonic signal, the noise during the propagation of the ultrasonic signal can be ignored. Even if there is noise, it should only be some background noise. Therefore, during the period when this transducer receives its own emitted ultrasonic signal, it should be able to detect a relatively strong ultrasonic signal and only detect low noise (or even no noise). Based on this, if the second signal amplitude is greater than the second preset amplitude threshold, it indicates that the transducer detects a high signal strength of the ultrasonic signal and detects relatively low noise, which means the transducer is functioning normally and is not faulty. Conversely, if the second signal amplitude is not greater than the second preset amplitude threshold, it indicates that the transducer detects a low signal strength of the ultrasonic signal or detects relatively high noise, which means the transducer is malfunctioning and is faulty.

[0168] In scenario five, the second signal indicator only includes the second signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Correspondingly, the second preset indicator threshold refers to the second preset ratio threshold. As explained above, during the period when a transducer receives its own emitted ultrasonic signal, the transducer should be able to detect a strong ultrasonic signal and only detect low noise (or even no noise). Based on this, if the second SNR is greater than the second preset ratio threshold, it indicates that the transducer detects a high-intensity ultrasonic signal and detects low noise, meaning the transducer is functioning normally and is not faulty. Conversely, if the second SNR is not greater than the second preset ratio threshold, it indicates that the transducer detects a low-intensity ultrasonic signal or detects high noise, meaning the transducer is malfunctioning and is faulty.

[0169] In scenario six, the second signal indicators include the second signal amplitude and the second signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Correspondingly, the second preset indicator threshold refers to the second preset amplitude threshold and the second preset ratio threshold. In scenario six, the presence of a fault in the pair of transducers is determined based on the comparison between the second signal amplitude and the second preset amplitude threshold, and the comparison between the second SNR and the second preset ratio threshold. Specifically, as explained above, during the period when one transducer receives its own emitted ultrasonic signal, the transducer should be able to detect a relatively strong ultrasonic signal and only detect low noise (or even no noise at all). Based on this, if the second signal amplitude is greater than the second preset amplitude threshold and the second SNR is greater than the second preset ratio threshold, it indicates that the transducer detects a high-intensity ultrasonic signal and detects relatively low noise. Therefore, the transducer can be considered to be functioning normally, and thus, it can be considered that the transducer is not faulty. Conversely, if the amplitude of the second signal is not greater than the second preset amplitude threshold, or the second signal-to-noise ratio is not greater than the second preset ratio threshold, it indicates that the signal strength of the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer is low, or that a large amount of noise is detected. This can be considered as an abnormal function of the transducer, or a fault in the transducer.

[0170] The second preset amplitude threshold and the second preset ratio threshold can both be set based on past experience or actual needs. Furthermore, in cases four and six, the second preset amplitude threshold can be the same or different; in cases five and six, the second preset ratio threshold can be the same or different.

[0171] Specifically, the second signal-to-noise ratio of the second ultrasonic signal is calculated using the following formula (2):

[0172]

[0173] Among them, P s ’ P represents the signal intensity of the second ultrasound signal. n ’ S represents the noise intensity of the second ultrasonic signal. max ’ This is the second signal-to-noise ratio. Specifically, signal strength can refer to signal power, and correspondingly, noise strength refers to noise power; signal strength can also refer to signal amplitude, and correspondingly, noise strength refers to noise amplitude.

[0174] In this embodiment, the judgment result can be displayed only on the controller's control panel, or both the judgment result and the second signal indicator can be displayed on the controller's control panel. Based on the displayed second signal indicator, the user can more accurately obtain the ultrasonic signal detection capability of a pair of transducers, so that the user can more accurately perform subsequent debugging and processing on the pair of transducers.

[0175] For example, suppose the method described in Case Six above is used to determine whether a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty. Assume the second preset amplitude threshold is set to 65%, the second preset ratio threshold is set to 65%, and both the second signal amplitude and the second signal-to-noise ratio are 70%. Then, if the second signal amplitude is greater than the second preset amplitude threshold and the second signal-to-noise ratio is greater than the preset ratio threshold, it indicates that the transducer is functioning normally. In this example, the control panel diagram of the controller can be as follows: Figure 8b As shown, Figure 8b The "Transducer Normal" message displayed is the judgment result, and Figure 8b The second signal amplitude is shown in the form of a progress bar and the number "70%", and the second signal-to-noise ratio is also shown in the form of a progress bar and the number "70%".

[0176] Alternatively, assuming the second preset amplitude threshold is set to 65%, the second preset ratio threshold is set to 65%, and the second signal amplitude is 40% and the second signal-to-noise ratio is 20%, then if the second signal amplitude is not greater than the second preset amplitude threshold and the second signal-to-noise ratio is not greater than the preset ratio threshold, it indicates that the transducer is malfunctioning. In this example, the control panel diagram of the controller can be as follows: Figure 8c As shown, Figure 8c The "Transducer Abnormality" displayed is the judgment result, and Figure 8c The second signal amplitude is shown in the form of a progress bar and the number "40%", and the second signal-to-noise ratio is shown in the form of a progress bar and the number "20%".

[0177] By using this embodiment, the comparison between the second signal index of the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer and the second preset index threshold can be used to more objectively and accurately determine whether a transducer is faulty, thereby further improving the accuracy of fault detection for clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters.

[0178] The transducer self-test method one and transducer self-test method two provided in the embodiments of this application have been described above by way of example. Although the specific execution steps of the transducer self-test method one and transducer self-test method two provided in the embodiments of this application are different, the noise during the propagation process of both the ultrasonic signal detected by a pair of transducers during mutual ultrasonic signal transmission in transducer self-test method one (i.e., the first ultrasonic signal) and the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer during receiving its own ultrasonic signal in transducer self-test method two (i.e., the second ultrasonic signal) can be ignored. Even if there is noise, it should only be some background noise. Therefore, the controller can determine whether the transducer is faulty based on the first ultrasonic signal or the second ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer. In other words, transducer self-test method one and transducer self-test method two are based on the same principle to improve the accuracy of fault detection of transducers in clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters.

[0179] Corresponding to the above Figure 1 The transducer self-testing method shown in the embodiment is further illustrated in this application embodiment, which also provides a transducer self-testing device for a clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter. This device is applied to the controller of the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, which further includes at least one pair of transducers. (See also...) Figure 9 The device includes:

[0180] The first driving module 901 is used to respond to a first self-test command input for any pair of transducers and drive the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command to emit ultrasonic signals to each other; wherein, the first self-test command is input when the mutual emission surfaces of the pair of transducers are in contact with each other and coated with coupling agent.

[0181] The first judgment module 902 is used to determine whether there is a fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command based on the ultrasonic signals detected during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command, and to display the judgment result.

[0182] In one possible embodiment, the device further includes:

[0183] The display module is used to respond to the self-test start command and display prompt information. The prompt information is used to prompt: first apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of a pair of transducers, then attach the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers to each other, and then input the first self-test command for the pair of transducers.

[0184] In one possible embodiment, a prompt message is displayed, including:

[0185] Display the first prompt message, which is used to prompt the application of coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of a pair of transducers;

[0186] In response to the confirmation command input for the first prompt information, a second prompt information is displayed, which prompts the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers to be brought into contact with each other;

[0187] In response to a confirmation command input for the second prompt message, a third prompt message is displayed, which prompts for input of a first self-test command for the pair of transducers.

[0188] In one possible embodiment, determining whether a fault exists in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command is based on the ultrasonic signals detected during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command includes:

[0189] Acquire a first signal index of the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals; the first signal index includes: a first signal amplitude, and / or, a first signal-to-noise ratio;

[0190] If the first signal indicator is greater than the first preset indicator threshold, it is determined that there is no fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command.

[0191] If the first signal indicator is not greater than the first preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command is faulty.

[0192] In one possible embodiment, the determination result is displayed, including:

[0193] The judgment results and the first signal indicator are displayed simultaneously.

[0194] In one possible embodiment, the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter includes multiple pairs of transducers, and the device further includes:

[0195] The identification display module is used to display the transducer pair identification for each pair of transducers;

[0196] The identification module is used to identify the transducer identifier selected by the selection instruction in response to the selection instruction, and use it as the target transducer pair identifier; and to determine the pair of transducers represented by the target transducer pair identifier as the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test instruction.

[0197] Corresponding to the above Figure 7 The transducer self-testing method shown in the second embodiment is further illustrated in this application embodiment, which also provides a transducer self-testing device for a clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter. This device is applied to the controller of the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, which further includes at least one pair of transducers. (See also...) Figure 10 The device includes:

[0198] The second driving module 1001 is used to respond to a second self-test command input to any one of the transducers, drive the transducer targeted by the second self-test command to emit an ultrasonic signal and receive the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself.

[0199] The second judgment module 1002 is used to determine whether a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty based on the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer during the reception of the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself, and to display the judgment result.

[0200] In one possible embodiment, determining whether a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty based on the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer during the reception of its own emitted ultrasonic signal includes:

[0201] Acquire a second signal index of the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer targeted by the second self-test command during the reception of the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself; the second signal index includes: second signal amplitude, and / or, second signal-to-noise ratio;

[0202] If the second signal indicator is greater than the second preset indicator threshold, it is determined that there is no fault in the transducer targeted by the second self-test command.

[0203] If the second signal indicator is not greater than the second preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty.

[0204] In one possible embodiment, the determination result is displayed, including:

[0205] The judgment results and the second signal indicator are displayed simultaneously.

[0206] This application also provides an electronic device, such as... Figure 11 As shown, it includes:

[0207] Memory 1101 is used to store computer programs;

[0208] When processor 1102 executes the program stored in memory 1101, it performs the following steps:

[0209] In response to a first self-test command input for any pair of transducers, the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command are driven to emit ultrasonic signals to each other; wherein, the first self-test command is input when the mutual emission surfaces of the pair of transducers are in contact with each other and coated with coupling agent.

[0210] Based on the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals, determine whether there is a fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command, and display the determination result.

[0211] Alternatively, perform the following steps:

[0212] In response to a second self-test command input to any one of the transducers, the transducer targeted by the second self-test command is driven to emit an ultrasonic signal and receive the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself.

[0213] Based on the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer targeted by the second self-test command during the reception of its own emitted ultrasonic signal, determine whether the transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty, and display the determination result.

[0214] Furthermore, the aforementioned electronic device may also include a communication bus and / or a communication interface, with the processor 1102, the communication interface, and the memory 1101 communicating with each other via the communication bus.

[0215] The communication bus mentioned in the above electronic devices can be a Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) bus or an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) bus, etc. This communication bus can be divided into address bus, data bus, control bus, etc. For ease of illustration, only one thick line is used to represent it in the diagram, but this does not mean that there is only one bus or one type of bus.

[0216] The communication interface is used for communication between the aforementioned electronic devices and other devices.

[0217] The memory may include random access memory (RAM) or non-volatile memory (NVM), such as at least one disk storage device. Optionally, the memory may also be at least one storage device located remotely from the aforementioned processor.

[0218] The processors mentioned above can be general-purpose processors, including central processing units (CPUs), network processors (NPs), etc.; they can also be digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic devices, or discrete hardware components.

[0219] In another embodiment provided in this application, a computer-readable storage medium is also provided, which stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the transducer self-test method for any of the above-described clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters.

[0220] In another embodiment provided in this application, a computer program product containing instructions is also provided, which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to execute the transducer self-test method of any of the external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters in the above embodiments.

[0221] In the above embodiments, implementation can be achieved entirely or partially through software, hardware, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented using software, it can be implemented entirely or partially in the form of a computer program product. The computer program product includes one or more computer instructions. When the computer program instructions are loaded and executed on a computer, all or part of the processes or functions described in the embodiments of this application are generated. The computer can be a general-purpose computer, a special-purpose computer, a computer network, or other programmable device. The computer instructions can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium or transmitted from one computer-readable storage medium to another. For example, the computer instructions can be transmitted from one website, computer, server, or data center to another website, computer, server, or data center via wired (e.g., coaxial cable, fiber optic, digital subscriber line (DSL)) or wireless (e.g., infrared, wireless, microwave, etc.) means. The computer-readable storage medium can be any available medium that a computer can access or a data storage device such as a server or data center that integrates one or more available media. The available medium can be a magnetic medium (e.g., floppy disk, hard disk, magnetic tape), an optical medium (e.g., DVD), or a solid-state drive (SSD), etc.

[0222] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0223] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a related manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the embodiments of apparatus, electronic devices, computer-readable storage media, and computer program products containing instructions are basically similar to the method embodiments, and therefore the descriptions are relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions of the method embodiments.

[0224] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application are included within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A transducer self-testing method for an external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, characterized in that, A controller applied to the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter further comprising at least one pair of transducers, the method comprising: In response to a first self-test command input for any pair of transducers, the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command are driven to emit ultrasonic signals to each other; wherein, the first self-test command is input when the mutual emission surfaces of the pair of transducers are in contact with each other and coated with coupling agent. Based on the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals, determine whether there is a fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command, and display the determination result.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: In response to the self-test start command, a prompt message is displayed, which prompts: first apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of a pair of transducers, then attach the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers to each other, and then input the first self-test command for the pair of transducers.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The displayed prompt information includes: Display a first prompt message, which prompts you to apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of a pair of transducers; In response to the confirmation command input for the first prompt information, a second prompt information is displayed, which prompts the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers to be brought into contact with each other; In response to the confirmation command input for the second prompt information, a third prompt information is displayed, which prompts the input of a first self-test command for the pair of transducers.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether a fault exists in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command based on the ultrasonic signals detected during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command includes: The first signal index is obtained from the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals; the first signal index includes: first signal amplitude, and / or, first signal-to-noise ratio; If the first signal indicator is greater than the first preset indicator threshold, it is determined that there is no fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command. If the first signal indicator is not greater than the first preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command is faulty.

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that, The display of the judgment result includes: The judgment result and the first signal indicator are displayed simultaneously.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter includes multiple pairs of transducers, and the method further includes: Display the transducer pair identifier for each pair of transducers; In response to a selection command, the transducer identifier selected by the selection command is identified as a target transducer pair identifier; and the pair of transducers represented by the target transducer pair identifier is determined as the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command.

7. A transducer self-testing method for an external clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, characterized in that, A controller applied to the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter further comprising at least one pair of transducers, the method comprising: In response to a second self-test command input to any one of the transducers, the transducer targeted by the second self-test command is driven to emit an ultrasonic signal and receive the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself. Based on the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer targeted by the second self-test command during the reception of its own emitted ultrasonic signal, determine whether the transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty, and display the determination result.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that, The step of determining whether a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty based on the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer during the reception of its own emitted ultrasonic signal includes: The second signal index is obtained from the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer targeted by the second self-test command during the reception of the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself; the second signal index includes: second signal amplitude, and / or, second signal-to-noise ratio; If the second signal indicator is greater than the second preset indicator threshold, it is determined that there is no fault in the transducer targeted by the second self-test command. If the second signal indicator is not greater than the second preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The display of the judgment result includes: The judgment result and the second signal indicator are displayed simultaneously.

10. A transducer self-testing device for an external clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter, characterized in that, A controller for the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter further comprising at least one pair of transducers, the device comprising: The first driving module is configured to respond to a first self-test command input for any pair of transducers and drive the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command to emit ultrasonic signals to each other; wherein the first self-test command is input when the mutual emission surfaces of the pair of transducers are in contact with each other and coated with coupling agent. The first judgment module is used to determine whether there is a fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command based on the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals, and to display the judgment result.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that, The device further includes: The display module is used to display prompt information in response to the self-test start command. The prompt information is used to prompt: first apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of a pair of transducers, then attach the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers to each other, and then input the first self-test command for the pair of transducers. The displayed prompt information includes: Display a first prompt message, which prompts you to apply coupling agent to the mutual reflective surfaces of a pair of transducers; In response to the confirmation command input for the first prompt information, a second prompt information is displayed, which prompts the mutual reflective surfaces of the pair of transducers to be brought into contact with each other; In response to a confirmation command input for the second prompt information, a third prompt information is displayed, which prompts for input of a first self-test command for the pair of transducers; The step of determining whether a fault exists in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command based on the ultrasonic signals detected during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command includes: The first signal index is obtained from the ultrasonic signals detected by the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command during the mutual emission of ultrasonic signals; the first signal index includes: first signal amplitude, and / or, first signal-to-noise ratio; If the first signal indicator is greater than the first preset indicator threshold, it is determined that there is no fault in the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command. If the first signal indicator is not greater than the first preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test command is faulty. The display of the judgment result includes: Simultaneously display the judgment result and the first signal indicator; The clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter includes multiple pairs of transducers, and the device further includes: The identification display module is used to display the transducer pair identification for each pair of transducers; The identification module is used to identify the transducer identifier selected by the selection instruction in response to the selection instruction, as the target transducer pair identifier; and to determine the pair of transducers represented by the target transducer pair identifier as the pair of transducers targeted by the first self-test instruction.

12. A transducer self-testing device for an external clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter, characterized in that, A controller for the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter, the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter further comprising at least one pair of transducers, the device comprising: The second driving module is used to respond to a second self-test command input to any one of the transducers, drive the transducer targeted by the second self-test command to emit an ultrasonic signal and receive the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself. The second judgment module is used to determine whether a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty based on the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer during the reception of the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself, and to display the judgment result.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that, The step of determining whether a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty based on the ultrasonic signal detected by the transducer during the reception of its own emitted ultrasonic signal includes: The second signal index is obtained from the ultrasonic signal detected by a transducer targeted by the second self-test command during the reception of the ultrasonic signal emitted by itself; the second signal index includes: second signal amplitude, and / or, second signal-to-noise ratio; If the second signal indicator is greater than the second preset indicator threshold, it is determined that there is no fault in the transducer targeted by the second self-test command. If the second signal indicator is not greater than the second preset indicator threshold, then it is determined that a transducer targeted by the second self-test command is faulty. The display of the judgment result includes: The judgment result and the second signal indicator are displayed simultaneously.

14. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: Memory, used to store computer programs; A processor, when executing a program stored in memory, implements the method of any one of claims 1-6 or 7-9.

15. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that, The computer-readable storage medium stores a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the method described in any one of claims 1-6 or 7-9.

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