Ultrasonic wave flowmeter

Abstract

The utility model discloses an ultrasonic wave flow meter which comprises an ultrasonic wave flow meter body, an adjustable positioning clamping seat, a pair of ultrasonic wave probes and a circuit board. The positioning clamping seat is used for clamping pipes of different sizes, the ultrasonic probe is used for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic signals, a booster circuit is arranged in the circuit board, the ultrasonic signals are effectively enhanced by improving the power supply voltage of the ultrasonic probe, and particularly, the ultrasonic probe can effectively penetrate through and obtain readable signals for thin-wall pipes, so that the ultrasonic probe is convenient to use. The circuit board is further provided with a voltage judgment value to be matched with the prompting lamp, so that a user can conveniently monitor whether the voltage is stable or not in real time, the reliability of a measurement result is ensured, the problem of signal attenuation when the thin-wall pipe is measured can be effectively solved, the measurement precision is improved, and the application range is expanded.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the technical field of fluid flow rate and velocity measurement, and in particular to an ultrasonic flow meter that enhances the pulse signal to improve detection accuracy. Background Technology

[0002] Existing ultrasonic flow meters are widely used in industrial production, environmental monitoring and other fields, but their measurement accuracy and applicability are still limited. These limitations are mainly due to the influence of various factors on the propagation of ultrasonic waves, as well as the design and installation of the sensor itself.

[0003] Signal attenuation is the primary challenge faced by existing ultrasonic flow meters. When ultrasonic waves propagate in a pipe, they are affected by factors such as pipe wall thickness, fluid characteristics (e.g., viscosity, density, temperature), pipe material, internal scaling, and air bubbles, resulting in absorption, scattering, and reflection, leading to signal strength attenuation. This signal attenuation is particularly severe when measuring high-viscosity, multiphase, or bubble-containing fluids. Furthermore, factors such as pipe curvature, vibration, and temperature changes can also interfere with ultrasonic propagation, further exacerbating signal attenuation.

[0004] Furthermore, sensor installation limitations are a significant factor affecting measurement accuracy. Therefore, the sensor's installation position, angle, and parallelism must be strictly controlled to ensure the ultrasonic beam accurately penetrates the fluid. Sensor installation is particularly challenging with small-diameter pipes and complex pipeline layouts. Additionally, pipe vibration and temperature variations can affect sensor stability, leading to measurement errors. Measuring minute flow rates presents another challenge. When measuring minute flow rates, background noise, electronic noise, and limited resolution can overwhelm the useful signal, reducing measurement accuracy and limiting the effectiveness of traditional signal processing algorithms in handling weak signals, making it difficult to accurately extract relevant information.

[0005] Therefore, developing a novel ultrasonic flow meter that can overcome the above limitations and has higher accuracy, a wider measurement range, and stronger adaptability has significant research value and application prospects. Utility Model Content

[0006] The main objective of this invention is to provide an ultrasonic flow meter, comprising: an ultrasonic flow meter having a positioning clamp at its bottom for clamping and fixing pipes, wherein a pair of ultrasonic probes are disposed inside the positioning clamp; and a circuit board disposed inside the ultrasonic flow meter and electrically connected to the ultrasonic probes, the circuit board also comprising a microcontroller unit, a boost unit, a voltage input unit, a voltage output unit, and an indicator light, wherein the microcontroller unit works in conjunction with the other units to acquire, process, and output ultrasonic signals, and monitors the system operating status through a preset voltage judgment value; when the input voltage is abnormal, the indicator light flashes to trigger an alarm, prompting the user to make corresponding adjustments.

[0007] Optionally, the wall thickness of the fixed pipe is less than 3 mm.

[0008] Optionally, the voltage input unit is adapted to an input voltage of 24V.

[0009] Optionally, the output voltage of this voltage output unit is 35V.

[0010] The main advantage of this invention is that the boosting unit in the ultrasonic flow meter can boost the input voltage through the microcontroller unit, thereby increasing the output voltage several times. The microcontroller unit is also equipped with a voltage judgment value and an indicator light to clearly indicate whether the voltage needs to be adjusted. Ultimately, this amplifies the ultrasonic waves emitted by the ultrasonic probe, thereby obtaining more accurate signals for fixed pipes with a wall thickness of less than 3 mm, thus improving the accuracy of the measurement. Attached Figure Description

[0011] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the present invention.

[0012] Figure 2 This is an exploded perspective view of the present invention.

[0013] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram from another perspective of the present invention.

[0014] Figure 4 This is a circuit diagram of the present invention.

[0015] Figure 5 This is a circuit diagram of the present invention for matching the boosted output voltage with the ultrasonic probe.

[0016] The diagram is marked as follows:

[0017] 10. Ultrasonic flow meter

[0018] 11. Positioning clamp

[0019] 12. Ultrasonic probe

[0020] 20. Circuit Board

[0021] 21. Microcontroller Unit

[0022] 22. Boost Unit

[0023] 23. Indicator Light

[0024] 24. Voltage Input Unit

[0025] 25. Voltage Output Unit

[0026] 30. Voltage Judgment Value

[0027] 40. Fixed Pipes Detailed Implementation

[0028] Generally, according to this utility model, the preferred feasible embodiment, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, Figures 1-5 The detailed description enhances the understanding of this utility model. This utility model discloses an ultrasonic flow meter, comprising: an ultrasonic flow meter 10, which has a positioning clamp 11 at its bottom. The positioning clamp 11 is mainly used to clamp a fixed pipe 40. The positioning clamp 11 is also provided with a pair of ultrasonic probes 12. The positioning clamp 11 can also lock and replace the fixed pipe 40 according to the size of the fixed pipe 40, so it is not limited to a single size of fixed pipe 40.

[0029] A circuit board 20 is disposed inside the ultrasonic flow meter 10 and electrically connected to the ultrasonic probe 12. The circuit board 20 also includes: a microcontroller unit 21, a boost unit 22, a voltage input unit 24, a voltage output unit 25, and an indicator light 23. The microcontroller unit 21 can preset a voltage judgment value 30 for the circuit board 20. When the input voltage of the voltage input unit 24 is less than or equal to the voltage judgment value 30, the indicator light 23 will not operate. If the input voltage of the voltage input unit 24 is greater than the voltage judgment value 30, the indicator light 23 will be driven to flash to indicate voltage adjustment.

[0030] The aforementioned boost unit 22 uses a power IC, model LT8330ES6#TRPBF, manufactured by Analog Devices, Inc. (ADI). Its main architecture is designed to provide boost, inverting, and SEPIC applications. The input range is 3~40V, and the output voltage can be boosted up to 60V. By adjusting the circuit parameters, the boost range can be matched to the ultrasound probe 12 to enhance the ultrasound signal, ensuring stable signal acquisition even with fixed tubing 40 of varying wall thicknesses. When the boost unit 22 is operating, the voltage input unit 24 is adjusted to 24V, and the voltage output unit 25 is adjusted to 35V, providing power to the ultrasound probe 12.

[0031] The aforementioned measurement range for the wall thickness of the fixed pipe 40 is less than 3 mm. When the wall thickness is 1 mm and the ultrasonic signal is not enhanced, the signal read is approximately 0.24 Vpp; while when the ultrasonic signal is enhanced, the signal read is 2 Vpp.

[0032] When the wall thickness is 2 mm and the ultrasound signal is enhanced, the read signal is approximately 0.096 Vpp, but it is usually unreadable when it is less than 0.1 Vpp; however, when the ultrasound signal is enhanced, the read signal is 0.8 Vpp, which can enhance the signal to a readable state.

[0033] When the wall thickness increases to 3 mm and the ultrasonic signal is enhanced, the read signal is approximately 0.025 Vpp, which is still less than 0.1 Vpp and therefore unreadable. However, after enhancing the ultrasonic signal, the read signal is 0.2 Vpp, indicating that the signal has been enhanced to a readable state. It is clear that if the wall thickness continues to increase, even with enhanced signal, it will still be unreadable. Therefore, regarding the wall thickness and signal data of the fixed pipe 40, it can be seen that the thicker the wall, the weaker the ultrasonic penetration effect, exhibiting a linear decrease, and the thicker the wall, the worse the ultrasonic penetration effect.

[0034] In summary, the ultrasonic flow meter of this invention mainly solves the problem of ultrasonic signal attenuation in existing ultrasonic flow meters when the wall thickness of the fixed pipe 40 is thicker. Therefore, by adjusting the boost unit 22, the voltage input unit 24 and the voltage output unit 25 can be effectively limited within the range. In addition, a voltage judgment value 30 pre-input into the circuit board 20 drives the corresponding indicator light 23 to flash and remind, which can quickly ensure the stability of the signal amplification of the ultrasonic probe 12 in use.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic flow meter, characterized in that, The device includes: an ultrasonic flow meter (10) with a positioning clamp (11) at its bottom for clamping a fixed pipe (40), and a pair of ultrasonic probes (12) inside the positioning clamp (11); a circuit board (20) disposed inside the ultrasonic flow meter (10) and electrically connected to the ultrasonic probes (12); the circuit board (20) also includes: a microcontroller unit (21), a boost unit (22), a voltage input unit (24), a voltage output unit (25), and an indicator light (23). The microcontroller unit (21) works in conjunction with the other units to collect, process, and output ultrasonic signals, and monitors the system operating status through a preset voltage judgment value (30). When the input voltage is abnormal, the indicator light (23) is triggered to flash an alarm to prompt the user to make corresponding adjustments.

2. The ultrasonic flow meter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixed pipe (40) has a wall thickness of less than 3 mm.

3. The ultrasonic flow meter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The voltage input unit (24) is adapted to an input voltage of 24V.

4. The ultrasonic flow meter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The output voltage of the voltage output unit (25) is 35V.

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