Ultrasonic flow sensor

Abstract

The utility model belongs to the field of sensors, and discloses an ultrasonic flow sensor which comprises a shell and an acoustic wedge, the shell is made of stainless steel, a containing cavity matched with the acoustic wedge is formed in the surface of the shell, the acoustic wedge is installed in the containing cavity, and a piezoelectric element is installed on the acoustic wedge and located in the containing cavity. The piezoelectric element is connected with a signal cable, a gap between the piezoelectric element and the shell is filled with a silica gel layer, a wire passing hole is formed in the shell, the signal cable extends to the outer side of the shell through the wire passing hole, and an anti-bending mechanism is arranged at the position, located at the wire passing hole, of the shell. According to the ultrasonic flow sensor in the scheme, through the design of the stainless steel shell, precise adaptive acoustic wedge installation, silica gel layer protection of the piezoelectric element, an anti-bending mechanism of the signal cable and the like, the overall performance of the sensor is improved, and the high-standard requirement of the modern industry for flow measuring equipment is met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the field of sensors, and more specifically, to an ultrasonic flow sensor. Background Art

[0002] Ultrasonic flow sensor is a kind of flow measurement device widely used in the industrial field. It measures the flow rate of fluid by transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals. This sensor is usually installed outside the pipeline and does not need to directly contact the fluid, so it will not interfere with the flow of the fluid and will not be affected by fluid corrosion or contamination.

[0003] With the improvement of industrial automation and process control requirements, higher requirements are placed on the accuracy, stability and reliability of flow sensors. Traditional ultrasonic flow sensors have some limitations in design, such as the large size and complex installation structure of ultrasonic flow sensors, which are not easy to assemble, and the lack of anti-bending mechanism at the connection of signal cables makes the cables easily damaged due to excessive bending during use. Utility Model Content

[0004] The utility model aims to solve the shortcomings in the prior art and proposes an ultrasonic flow sensor.

[0005] In order to solve the above problems, the utility model adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] An ultrasonic flow sensor, comprising a shell and an acoustic wedge, wherein the shell is made of stainless steel, a receiving cavity adapted to the acoustic wedge is provided on the surface of the shell, the acoustic wedge is installed in the receiving cavity, a piezoelectric element is installed on the acoustic wedge and in the receiving cavity, a signal cable is connected to the piezoelectric element, and a silicone layer is filled in the gap between the piezoelectric element and the shell;

[0007] The shell is provided with a wire hole, and the signal cable extends to the outside of the shell through the wire hole. An anti-bending mechanism is provided on the shell and located at the wire hole.

[0008] As a further description of the above technical solution: the shell material is stainless steel 304 or 316L or aluminum alloy, and the end surface of the sound wedge is elliptical.

[0009] As a further description of the above technical solution: an inclined surface is provided on the acoustic wedge and located in the accommodating cavity, and the piezoelectric element is installed on the inclined surface of the acoustic wedge.

[0010] As a further description of the above technical solution: the anti-bending mechanism includes a cable installation head, the signal cable is installed on the shell through the cable installation head, the cable installation head is threaded with a connector, the connector is fixedly connected to a spring tube, and the signal cable passes through the cable installation head, the connector and the spring tube.

[0011] As a further description of the above technical solution: a magnet is also provided on the surface of the shell.

[0012] As a further description of the above technical solution: the signal cable includes a cable housing and a shielding net arranged inside the cable housing, and the shielding net contains two twisted pair signal wires and a grounding wire.

[0013] As a further description of the above technical solution: the piezoelectric element is a piezoelectric ceramic chip.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of the present invention are:

[0015] 1. The ultrasonic flow sensor of this scheme adopts a stainless steel shell. The stainless steel shell can effectively resist the erosion of chemicals and water, and is suitable for long-term use in harsh industrial environments. The accommodating cavity opened on the surface of the shell is precisely matched with the acoustic wedge. On the one hand, it optimizes the overall structure of the ultrasonic sensor, making it small in size and easy to assemble. On the other hand, it can ensure that the acoustic wedge can be firmly installed in the shell, thereby ensuring the accurate transmission and reception of ultrasonic signals.

[0016] 2. In order to protect the piezoelectric element and improve its working stability, this solution fills the gap between the piezoelectric element and the shell with a silicone layer. The silicone layer not only provides excellent waterproof effect, but also protects the piezoelectric element from physical damage and environmental influences, thereby extending the service life of the sensor.

[0017] 3. In order to further protect the signal cable from mechanical damage, this solution also provides an anti-bending mechanism on the shell to prevent the cable from being damaged due to excessive bending during use, thereby ensuring the reliability and stability of signal transmission.

[0018] In summary: The ultrasonic flow sensor of this solution improves the overall performance of the sensor and meets the high standards of modern industry for flow measurement equipment by adopting designs such as a stainless steel housing, a precisely adapted acoustic wedge installation, a silicone layer protection for the piezoelectric element, and an anti-bending mechanism for the signal cable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 It is a structural schematic diagram of the utility model;

[0020] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the anti-bending mechanism of the utility model;

[0021] Figure 3 It is a structural schematic diagram of the sound wedge of the utility model.

[0022] Description of the numbers in the figure:

[0023] 1. Shell; 2. Acoustic wedge; 3. Accommodating cavity; 4. Piezoelectric element; 5. Signal cable; 51. Cable housing; 52. Shielding net; 53. Twisted pair signal line; 54. Grounding wire; 6. Silicone layer; 7. Wire hole; 8. Anti-bending mechanism; 81. Cable installation head; 82. Connector; 83. Spring tube; 9. Magnet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the utility model in conjunction with the drawings in the embodiments of the utility model; it is obvious that the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the utility model, rather than all the embodiments, and all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field based on the embodiments of the utility model without making creative work are within the scope of protection of the utility model.

[0025] See also Figure 1-3 An ultrasonic flow sensor includes a shell 1 and an acoustic wedge 2. The shell 1 is made of stainless steel or aluminum alloy. The stainless steel is preferably 304 or 316L, which can provide good corrosion resistance and is suitable for use in harsh industrial environments. It can resist erosion by chemicals and water.

[0026] The surface of the shell 1 is provided with a accommodating cavity 3 adapted to the acoustic wedge 2, the acoustic wedge 2 is installed in the accommodating cavity 3, a piezoelectric element 4 is installed on the acoustic wedge 2 and in the accommodating cavity 3, a signal cable 5 is connected to the piezoelectric element 4, and the gap between the piezoelectric element 4 and the shell 1 is filled with a silicone layer 6 to protect the piezoelectric element 4 from physical damage and environmental influences, thereby having an excellent waterproof effect and extending the service life of the sensor.

[0027] A wire hole 7 is provided on the shell 1, and the signal cable 5 extends to the outside of the shell 1 through the wire hole 7. An anti-bending mechanism 8 is provided on the shell 1 and located at the wire hole 7 to protect the signal cable 5 from being damaged due to bending during use, thereby ensuring the reliability of signal transmission.

[0028] The end face of the acoustic wedge 2 is elliptical, which is convenient for installation and positioning. An inclined surface is provided on the acoustic wedge 2 and located in the accommodating cavity 3, and the inclined surface has an angle of 25-55°. The piezoelectric element 4 is installed on the inclined surface of the acoustic wedge 2, which ensures the installation of the acoustic wedge 2 and the piezoelectric element 4 on the one hand, and avoids strong mutual echo when the ultrasonic wave propagates in the pipe and the fluid on the other hand.

[0029] like Figure 2As shown, the anti-bending mechanism 8 includes a cable installation head 81, through which the signal cable 5 is installed on the housing 1, a connector 82 is threadedly connected to the cable installation head 81, and a spring tube 83 is fixedly connected to the connector 82, so that the signal cable 5 passes through the cable installation head 81, the connector 82 and the spring tube 83. The spring tube 83 can absorb and buffer the impact of external force on the signal cable 5, prevent the cable from being damaged due to excessive bending or mechanical stress, and ensure the reliability of signal transmission.

[0030] like Figure 2 As shown, the signal cable 5 includes a cable housing 51 and a shielding net 52 disposed inside the cable housing 51, and the shielding net 52 contains two twisted pair signal lines 53 and a grounding wire 54. The shielding net 52 can effectively block external electromagnetic interference (EMI) and high-frequency noise, protect the signal line from interference, and ensure that the transmitted signal is clear and correct. The design of the twisted pair signal line 53 helps to reduce crosstalk between signal lines, because the twisted pair lines can offset each other's electromagnetic fields, thereby reducing mutual interference between signals. The grounding wire 54 is used to ground the metal shell, which helps to release static electricity and external interference, further protect the signal from interference, and ensure the safe operation of the equipment.

[0031] It should be noted that the piezoelectric element 4 is a piezoelectric ceramic chip, which is very suitable for use in ultrasonic flow sensors due to its advantages such as high sensitivity, stability, durability, fast response, cost-effectiveness, easy integration and wide-band response, so as to achieve accurate and reliable flow measurement. A magnet 9 is also provided on the surface of the housing 1 to facilitate the ultrasonic flow sensor to be adsorbed on the pipe to be measured. In addition, the acoustic wedge 2, the piezoelectric element 4 and the signal cable 5 are all made of high temperature resistant materials to ensure that the ultrasonic flow sensor can work stably and reliably in a high temperature environment.

[0032] The above is only a preferred specific implementation of the utility model; however, the protection scope of the utility model is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field can make equivalent replacements or changes according to the technical solution and improved ideas of the utility model within the technical scope disclosed by the utility model, which should be included in the protection scope of the utility model.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic flow sensor, comprising a housing (1) and an acoustic wedge (2), characterized in that: The shell (1) is made of stainless steel, a receiving cavity (3) adapted to the acoustic wedge (2) is provided on the surface of the shell (1), the acoustic wedge (2) is installed in the receiving cavity (3), a piezoelectric element (4) is installed on the acoustic wedge (2) and in the receiving cavity (3), a signal cable (5) is connected to the piezoelectric element (4), and a silicone layer (6) is filled in the gap between the piezoelectric element (4) and the shell (1); The housing (1) is provided with a wire hole (7), the signal cable (5) passes through the wire hole (7) and extends to the outside of the housing (1), and an anti-bending mechanism (8) is provided on the housing (1) and located at the wire hole (7).

2. An ultrasonic flow sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shell (1) is made of stainless steel 304 or 316L or aluminum alloy, and the end surface of the acoustic wedge (2) is elliptical.

3. The ultrasonic flow sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: An inclined surface is provided on the acoustic wedge (2) and located in the accommodating cavity (3), and the piezoelectric element (4) is installed on the inclined surface of the acoustic wedge (2).

4. The ultrasonic flow sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anti-bending mechanism (8) comprises a cable installation head (81), the signal cable (5) is installed on the housing (1) via the cable installation head (81), a connector (82) is threadedly connected to the cable installation head (81), a spring tube (83) is fixedly connected to the connector (82), and the signal cable (5) passes through the cable installation head (81), the connector (82) and the spring tube (83).

5. The ultrasonic flow sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: A magnet (9) is also provided on the surface of the housing (1).

6. The ultrasonic flow sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The signal cable (5) comprises a cable housing (51) and a shielding net (52) arranged inside the cable housing (51), wherein the shielding net (52) contains two twisted pair signal wires (53) and a grounding wire (54).

7. The ultrasonic flow sensor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The piezoelectric element (4) is a piezoelectric ceramic chip.

Images