Virtual flow calculation device, virtual flow calculation method, and virtual flow calculation program

Abstract

To provide a virtual flow rate computing apparatus, a virtual flow rate computing method, and a virtual flow rate computing program.SOLUTION: Provided is a virtual flow rate computing apparatus 100 including: an environment information storage unit which stores environment information indicating environment of a real space measured by a flow sensor which is provided in a sensor module 10 and may be at least one of a Coriolis flowmeter, an ultrasonic flowmeter, an electromagnetic flowmeter, and a vortex flowmeter; a physical property information storage unit which stores physical property information indicating physical properties of fluid to be measured; a simulation unit which executes a simulation related to measurement of the fluid in a virtual space, which reproduces the real space, by using the environment information and the physical property information; and a computing unit which computes a virtual flow rate, which is an estimate of an actual flow rate to be actually measured by the flow rate sensor, on the basis of a result of the simulation.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a virtual flow rate calculation device, a virtual flow rate calculation method, and a virtual flow rate calculation program.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes that "a flowmeter design support system is provided that improves the measurement accuracy of a differential pressure flowmeter and reduces the risk of an unacceptable error in the flow rate indication value occurring in an actual machine at the design stage." [Prior Art Document] [Patent Document] [Patent Document 1] JP 2020-144662 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2019-194424 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2012-132797 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2009-014726 A

Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first aspect of the present invention, a virtual flow rate calculation device is provided. The virtual flow rate calculation device includes an environmental information storage unit that stores environmental information indicating the environment of the real space in which the flow sensor is installed, a physical property information storage unit that stores physical property information indicating the physical properties of the fluid to be measured, a simulation unit that executes a simulation related to the measurement of the fluid on a virtual space that reproduces the real space using the environmental information and the physical property information, and a calculation unit that calculates a virtual flow rate obtained by estimating the actual flow rate actually measured by the flow sensor based on the simulated result.

[0004] The virtual flow rate calculation device may further include a diagnosis unit that diagnoses the flow sensor based on the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate.

[0005] In any of the virtual flow rate calculation devices, the diagnosis unit may issue an alert when the difference between the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate does not satisfy a predetermined criterion.

[0006] In any of the virtual flow rate calculation devices, the calculation unit may determine a process for calculating the virtual flow rate based on the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate during a period in which the operation of the flow rate sensor is regarded as normal.

[0007] Any of the virtual flow rate calculation devices may further include a simulation result storage unit that stores the simulated results, and the calculation unit may reuse at least a part of the stored results.

[0008] Any of the virtual flow rate calculation devices may further include a tendency identification unit that identifies the tendency of the virtual flow rate when at least one variable of the environmental information or the physical property information is changed.

[0009] Any of the virtual flow rate calculation devices may further include a notification unit that notifies information regarding the tendency to a sensor module including the flow rate sensor.

[0010] Any of the virtual flow rate calculation devices may further include a recommendation unit that determines a recommended flow rate sensor from among a plurality of the flow rate sensors based on the tendency for each flow rate sensor.

[0011] In any of the virtual flow rate calculation devices, the simulation unit may simulate at least any one of stress, fluid, electromagnetic field, or ultrasonic wave in the virtual space.

[0012] In any of the virtual flow rate calculation devices, the flow rate sensor may be at least any one of a Coriolis flow meter, an ultrasonic flow meter, an electromagnetic flow meter, or a vortex flow meter.

[0013] Any of the virtual flow rate calculation devices may be provided by a cloud server.

[0014] In a second aspect of the present invention, it provides a virtual flow rate calculation method. The virtual flow rate calculation method includes a computer storing environment information indicating the environment of the real space where the flow sensor is installed, storing physical property information indicating the physical properties of the fluid to be measured, using the environment information and the physical property information to execute a simulation related to the measurement of the fluid on a virtual space that reproduces the real space, and calculating a virtual flow rate that estimates the actual flow rate actually measured by the flow sensor based on the simulated result.

[0015] In a third aspect of the present invention, it provides a virtual flow rate calculation program. The virtual flow rate calculation program is executed by a computer, and causes the computer to function as an environment information storage unit that stores environment information indicating the environment of the real space where the flow sensor is installed, a physical property information storage unit that stores physical property information indicating the physical properties of the fluid to be measured, a simulation unit that executes a simulation related to the measurement of the fluid on a virtual space that reproduces the real space using the environment information and the physical property information, and a calculation unit that calculates a virtual flow rate that estimates the actual flow rate actually measured by the flow sensor based on the simulated result.

[0016] Note that the above summary of the invention does not list all the features of the present invention. Also, sub-combinations of these feature groups can also be inventions.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described through embodiments of the invention. However, the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Also, not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are essential for the solution means of the invention.

[0019] FIG. 1 shows an example of a block diagram of a virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment together with a sensor module 10. Note that these blocks are functionally separated functional blocks and do not necessarily match the actual device configuration. That is, in this figure, just because it is shown as one block, it does not necessarily have to be constituted by one device. Also, in this figure, just because they are shown as separate blocks, they do not necessarily have to be constituted by separate devices. The same applies to the block diagrams hereinafter.

[0020] The sensor module 10 is provided at various locations of the facility, measures the physical quantity to be measured, and transmits the measurement data to other devices. Such a facility may be, for example, a device (group) that manufactures products from raw materials. As an example, the facility may be a plant. Examples of plants include industrial plants such as chemical and bio plants, plants that manage and control wells and their surroundings in gas fields and oil fields, plants that manage and control power generation such as hydraulic, thermal, and nuclear power, plants that manage and control environmental power generation such as solar and wind power, and plants that manage and control water supply and sewerage, dams, etc. The sensor module 10 includes a flow rate sensor 20, a processing unit 30, and a sensor-side communication unit 40.

[0021] The flow rate sensor 20 is an instrument installed in the real space (e.g., pipes of a plant, etc.) that measures the amount of fluid (liquid, gas, vapor, powder, or a mixed phase state thereof) to be measured flowing through the pipeline per unit time. As such a flow rate sensor 20, various flow meters with different sensing principles can be mentioned according to various conditions such as the purpose of measurement, measurement location, type of fluid, or state of the fluid. As an example, the flow rate sensor 20 may be at least any one of a Coriolis flow meter, an ultrasonic flow meter, an electromagnetic flow meter, or a vortex flow meter.

[0022] A Coriolis flow meter is a flow meter that utilizes the Coriolis force, which is a physical phenomenon. When fluid passes through a flow tube operating at its resonant frequency, torsion occurs in the flow tube due to inertia, and a phase change occurs in the detection signals of vibration detection sensors attached to the inlet and outlet sides of the flow tube. In a Coriolis flow meter, for example, such a phase change is detected and multiplied by a coefficient to output the flow rate.

[0023] An ultrasonic flow meter is a flow meter that utilizes the propagation time difference of ultrasonic waves. When ultrasonic waves are alternately transmitted and received across the fluid in the pipeline obliquely, the ultrasonic waves are transmitted more slowly against the flow of the fluid and more quickly along the flow. In an ultrasonic flow meter, for example, the flow velocity is calculated using the difference in the propagation times of such two ultrasonic waves, corrected to the average flow velocity of the cross-section with a flow rate correction coefficient, and then multiplied by the cross-sectional area of the pipeline to output the flow rate.

[0024] An electromagnetic flowmeter is a flowmeter that utilizes Faraday's electromagnetic induction. When a magnetic field is created by an electromagnet and a conductive fluid passes through the magnetic field, an electromotive force proportional to the flow velocity is generated in a direction perpendicular to both the direction of the magnetic field and the direction of the fluid flow. In an electromagnetic flowmeter, for example, the magnitude of such an electromotive force is detected, and the flow rate is output by multiplying it by the cross-sectional area of the pipeline.

[0025] A vortex flowmeter is a flowmeter that utilizes Karman vortices. When there is a cylindrical obstacle (vortex generator) in the flowing fluid, Karman vortices are generated on the downstream side. At this time, there is a proportional relationship between the flow velocity of the fluid and the vortex frequency of the Karman vortices. In a vortex flowmeter, for example, the flow velocity is calculated using such a vortex frequency of the Karman vortices, and the flow rate is output by multiplying it by the cross-sectional area of the pipeline.

[0026] The flow sensor 20 may be, for example, at least any one of such a Coriolis flowmeter, ultrasonic flowmeter, electromagnetic flowmeter, or vortex flowmeter. Note that the sensor module 10 may further include another sensor (not shown) capable of measuring a physical quantity different from that of the flow sensor 20. For example, the sensor module 10 may further include other sensors such as a pressure gauge, thermometer, viscometer, pH meter, conductivity meter, or slurry concentration meter.

[0027] The processing unit 30 processes the output signals from the flow sensor 20 and other sensors. The processing unit 30 may supply the measurement data obtained by processing the output signals from the sensors to the sensor-side communication unit 40. Such measurement data may be data indicating at least the actual flow rate actually measured by the flow sensor 20.

[0028] The sensor-side communication unit 40 includes a communication stack (including the data link layer and application layer) and a communication driver (including the physical layer) for communicating with the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 in accordance with a communication protocol. The sensor-side communication unit 40 may transmit the measurement data supplied from the processing unit 30 to the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 via a network.

[0029] Generally, the flow sensor 20 is calibrated under standard operating conditions in a facility with traceability to national standards. As an example, the standard operating conditions are such as fluid = water, fluid temperature = normal temperature ±α, ambient temperature = normal temperature ±α, straight pipe lengths upstream and downstream = sufficiently long, and the like. When such a flow sensor 20 is installed in the actual space, since the operating conditions such as fluid type, fluid temperature, ambient temperature, or straight pipe lengths upstream and downstream are different from the standard operating conditions during calibration, a difference from the calibration value will occur.

[0030] Naturally, the supplier of the flow sensor 20 anticipates such differences in operating conditions and conducts design to reduce the influence of the operating environment and fluid physical properties to a certain level. However, when there are changes in the instrument due to long-term use or changes in the actual flow equipment, it is necessary to estimate the actual flow rate based on the output fluctuations and internal status information of the flow sensor 20 installed in the actual space. Also, for the soundness of the flow sensor 20, ultimately, it is necessary to perform recalibration in a facility with traceability to national standards.

[0031] Therefore, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment executes a simulation related to the measurement of a fluid in a virtual space assuming the operating conditions such as the operating environment and fluid physical properties of the flow sensor 20 installed in the actual space, and calculates a virtual flow rate for estimating the above-described actual flow rate based on the simulation result. The virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment includes an environment information storage unit 110, a physical property information storage unit 120, a device-side communication unit 130, a simulation unit 140, a calculation unit 150, and a diagnosis unit 160.

[0032] The environment information storage unit 110 stores environment information indicating the environment of the actual space where the flow sensor 20 is installed. For example, the environment information storage unit 110 may be a database, and may store the environment information obtained via user input, various memory devices, or a network so as to be accessible from the calculation unit 150.

[0033] The physical property information storage unit 120 stores physical property information indicating the physical properties of the fluid to be measured. For example, the physical property information storage unit 120 may be a database, and may store physical property information obtained via user input, various memory devices, or a network, etc., so that it can be accessed from the arithmetic unit 150.

[0034] The device-side communication unit 130 includes a communication stack and a communication driver for communicating with the sensor module 10 in accordance with a communication protocol. For example, the device-side communication unit 130 may communicate with the sensor module 10 via a network and obtain measurement data from the sensor module 10. As described above, such measurement data may be data indicating the actual flow rate actually measured by at least the flow rate sensor 20. The device-side communication unit 130 may supply the acquired measurement data to the diagnosis unit 160.

[0035] The simulation unit 140 performs a simulation related to the measurement of the fluid on a virtual space that reproduces the real space using the environmental information and the physical property information. For example, the simulation unit 140 may perform a simulation related to the measurement of the fluid on the virtual space using the environmental information stored in the environmental information storage unit 110 and the physical property information stored in the physical property information storage unit 120 according to an instruction from the arithmetic unit 150. The simulation unit 140 may supply the simulation result to the arithmetic unit 150.

[0036] The arithmetic unit 150 calculates a virtual flow rate that estimates the actual flow rate actually measured by the flow rate sensor 20 based on the simulated result. For example, the arithmetic unit 150 may obtain the simulation result from the simulation unit 140 and calculate a virtual flow rate that estimates the actual flow rate actually measured by the flow rate sensor 20 based on the simulation result. The arithmetic unit 150 may notify the diagnosis unit 160 of the calculated virtual flow rate.

[0037] The diagnostic unit 160 diagnoses the flow rate sensor 20 based on the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate. For example, the diagnostic unit 160 may diagnose the flow rate sensor 20 by comparing the actual flow rate indicated by the measurement data supplied from the device-side communication unit 130 with the virtual flow rate notified from the calculation unit 150.

[0038] The virtual flow rate calculation device 100 provided with such functional units may be a computer such as a PC (personal computer), a tablet computer, a smartphone, a workstation, a server computer, or a general-purpose computer, or may be a computer system to which a plurality of computers are connected. Such a computer system is also a computer in a broad sense. Further, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may be implemented by a virtual computer environment that can be executed one or more times within the computer. Alternatively, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may be a dedicated computer designed for calculating the virtual flow rate, or may be dedicated hardware realized by a dedicated circuit. Further, when it can be connected to the Internet, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may be realized by cloud computing. In particular, from the viewpoint of processing capacity and memory capacity, it is preferable that the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 is provided by a cloud server.

[0039] Further, such a computer includes a memory that stores a virtual flow rate calculation program and a processor that executes the virtual flow rate calculation program, and when the processor executes the virtual flow rate calculation program, the functions as the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may be implemented. That is, a virtual flow rate calculation program may be provided that causes a computer to function as an environment information storage unit 110 that stores environment information indicating the environment of the actual space in which the flow rate sensor 20 is installed, a physical property information storage unit 120 that stores physical property information indicating the physical properties of the fluid to be measured, a simulation unit 140 that executes a simulation related to the measurement of the fluid on a virtual space that reproduces the actual space using the environment information and the physical property information, and a calculation unit 150 that calculates a virtual flow rate that estimates the actual flow rate actually measured by the flow rate sensor 20 based on the simulated result.

[0040] Figure 2 shows an example of a flowchart of a virtual flow rate calculation method executed by the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment. Each step in the virtual flow rate calculation method may be executed with a computer as the operating entity. However, in each step, it is only necessary that the computer be the operating entity as a whole, and cases where parts that are not the main part are executed by non-computers may be included.

[0041] In step S210, the computer stores environmental information. For example, the environmental information storage unit 110 may store environmental information indicating the environment of the real space where the flow rate sensor 20 is installed so as to be accessible from the calculation unit 150. At this time, as an example, the environmental information storage unit 110 may store information on the pipe attached outside the flow rate sensor 20 (straight pipe length, or the state of elbows on the upstream and downstream sides, etc.), information on the mounting gasket, information on the fluid (liquid type, concentration, presence or absence of multiphase, assumed temperature, or assumed pressure, etc.), or information on peripheral devices, etc. as environmental information. Note that a part of such environmental information, for example, pipe information, may be extracted from CAD (Computer Aided Design) data, aerial photography data, or the like.

[0042] Here, when the usage environment changes over time, the environmental information storage unit 110 may store measurement data by other sensors such as a pressure gauge, a thermometer, a viscometer, a pH meter, a conductivity meter, or a slurry concentration meter that are installed in the real space in the same manner as the flow rate sensor 20 as environmental information. Further, the environmental information storage unit 110 may store the measurement data by the flow rate sensor 20, that is, the actual flow rate itself actually measured by the flow rate sensor 20 as environmental information. In such a case, the environmental information storage unit 110 may assume that the data changes over time and store the measurement data in time series.

[0043] In step S220, the computer stores the physical property information. For example, the physical property information storage unit 120 may store physical property information indicating the physical properties of the fluid to be measured so as to be accessible from the calculation unit 150. At this time, as an example, the physical property information storage unit 120 may store information such as density, viscosity, conductivity, electrical resistivity, permittivity, or acoustic properties including the temperature-pressure characteristics of the fluid to be measured as the physical property information. In the above description, the case where the physical property information storage unit 120 stores only the physical property information indicating the physical properties of the fluid to be measured is shown as an example, but it is not limited thereto. The physical property information storage unit 120 may also store physical property information indicating the physical properties of various substances required for the simulation other than the fluid to be measured. At this time, the physical property information storage unit 120 may store various information (for example, the resistivity of metals and the temperature characteristics of mechanical physical properties) described in a so-called science yearbook or various basic physical property databases as the physical property information.

[0044] In step S230, the computer acquires the measurement data. For example, the device-side communication unit 130 may acquire the measurement data from the sensor module 10 via the network. As described above, such measurement data may be data indicating at least the actual flow rate actually measured by the flow rate sensor 20.

[0045] Note that at this time, the environment information storage unit 110 may update the environment information stored in step S210 by adding the acquired measurement data (measurement data by the flow rate sensor 20 and measurement data by other sensors) in time series.

[0046] In step S240, the computer executes a simulation. For example, the arithmetic unit 150 may access the environment information storage unit 110 to obtain environment information necessary for the simulation. Further, the arithmetic unit 150 may access the physical property information storage unit 120 to obtain physical property information necessary for the simulation. Note that such physical property information may include information indicating the physical properties of the fluid to be measured as described above, and may also include information indicating the physical properties of substances other than the fluid to be measured. Then, the arithmetic unit 150 may supply this information to the simulation unit 140 and instruct the execution of the simulation. In response to this, the simulation unit 140 may execute a simulation related to the measurement of the fluid on a virtual space that reproduces the real space, for example, on a digital twin, using the environment information and the physical property information.

[0047] As an example, the simulation unit 140 may execute the simulation using a known numerical analysis method such as the finite element method (FEM) or the finite difference method (FDM). At this time, the simulation unit 140 may simulate at least one of stress, fluid, electromagnetic field, or ultrasonic wave on the virtual space.

[0048] For example, in the stress simulation, the simulation unit 140 may simulate the vibration state applied to the flow rate sensor 20 transmitted through the pipe from a vibration source such as a pump. Further, the simulation unit 140 may simulate the fluid pressure applied to the flow rate sensor 20 based on information such as a pressure gauge or a level gauge. Further, the simulation unit 140 may simulate the stress distribution on the pipe due to bolt fastening between pipes or a stanchion or the like.

[0049] In addition, for example, in fluid simulation, the simulation unit 140 may input basic information such as the head of a pump, fluid, and pressure loss from the entire piping system, and simulate the flow velocity of the flowmeter portion used in the real space. In this case, by performing fluid simulation with a full model, a direct comparison between the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate becomes possible. The merit here is that it is possible to know the flow velocity distribution of the flowmeter cross-section that changes depending on the flow velocity and fluid viscosity. Although Coriolis flowmeters, ultrasonic flowmeters, electromagnetic flowmeters, and vortex flowmeters are easily affected by the flow velocity distribution, it becomes possible to estimate whether their outputs depend on the flow velocity distribution. On the other hand, when it is difficult in terms of the performance of the arithmetic unit to perform fluid simulation assuming the piping of the entire facility such as a plant, the simulation unit 140 may perform simulation by omitting some elements. In this case, a deviation may occur between the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate. Therefore, in such a case, the simulation unit 140 may use, as an initial value, the setpoint flow rate set by PID (Proportional Integral Differential) control on the control system used in a plant or the like, or may use, as an initial value, the actual flow rate value during a period regarded as normal operation. By partially performing fluid simulation, the simulation unit 140 can reduce the arithmetic load, but in this case, it will look at the difference from the value of the virtual flow rate and the value of the actual flow rate regarded as the normal operation state.

[0050] In addition, for example, in electromagnetic field simulation, the simulation unit 140 may give, as initial values, the applied current values of two coils provided in the flow sensor 20 and simulate the magnetic flux density distribution in the cross-section of the pipeline.

[0051] In addition, for example, in ultrasonic propagation simulation, the simulation unit 140 may simulate ultrasonic propagation time, attenuation of ultrasonic signals, etc. from fluid physical properties, parameters of plant piping, and environmental temperature.

[0052] In this way, the simulation unit 140 may simulate at least any one of stress, fluid, electromagnetic field, or ultrasonic wave, preferably a combination thereof, in the virtual space.

[0053] In step S250, the computer calculates a virtual flow rate. For example, the calculation unit 150 may calculate a virtual flow rate that estimates the actual flow rate measured by the flow rate sensor 20 based on the result simulated in step S240. Generally, the flow velocity distribution and fluid physical properties (such as fluid pressure, density, and viscosity) change depending on piping conditions, fluid conditions, and the like. However, according to the calculation unit 150, the virtual flow rate is calculated based on the simulation result using the environmental information and the object information. Thereby, the calculation unit 150 can calculate a virtual flow rate that more accurately estimates the actual flow rate by reflecting the actual use environment and fluid physical properties in the calculation. Details of the specific calculation of the virtual flow rate will be described later for each sensing principle of the flow meter.

[0054] Note that the calculation unit 150 may determine a process for calculating the virtual flow rate based on the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate during a period in which the operation of the flow rate sensor 20 is regarded as normal. More specifically, when there is a difference between the virtual flow rate calculated during the period in which the operation of the flow rate sensor 20 is regarded as normal during the installation in the actual space and the actual flow rate, the calculation unit 150 may multiply the virtual flow rate calculated with the ratio corresponding to the difference as a correction value and regard it as an initial result of the virtual flow rate. Thereby, for example, even when the flow rate sensor 20 includes an error over time, the calculation result of the virtual flow rate is adjusted to the actual flow rate at an initial stage without including an error over time such as immediately after the flow rate sensor 20 is attached to the actual space, and the virtual flow meter can be set with an initial value of the correct flow rate (a flow rate closer to the actual flow rate without including an error over time). Further, the calculation unit 150 may approximate the virtual flow rate to the actual flow rate by repeated calculation by adding calculation conditions for the virtual flow rate (for example, using the measured data of the ambient temperature in the actual space or setting the convergence value setting of the simulation to a smaller value). Further, when calculating the virtual flow rate based on the result of the fluid simulation, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the virtual flow rate based on the result of the fluid simulation with the actual flow rate, and repeat the procedure of calculating the virtual flow rate by the fluid simulation using a value closer to the actual flow rate, thereby calculating a virtual flow rate closer to the actual flow rate.

[0055] In step S260, the computer compares the actual flow rate with the virtual flow rate. For example, the diagnosis unit 160 may compare the actual flow rate indicated by the measurement data acquired in step S230 with the virtual flow rate calculated in step S250.

[0056] In step S270, the computer determines whether the difference meets the standard. For example, the diagnosis unit 160 may determine whether the difference between the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate meets a predetermined standard as a result of the comparison in step S260. If it is determined that the difference meets the standard (Yes) (for example, the difference is less than the threshold value), the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may return the process to step S230 and continue the flow. On the other hand, if it is determined that the difference does not meet the standard (No) (for example, the difference is greater than or equal to the threshold value), the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may proceed to step S280.

[0057] In step S280, the computer issues an alert. For example, the diagnosis unit 160 may display and output to the monitor that the difference does not meet the standard, or may output it by voice, or may output it by printing, or may output it by signal transmission. The diagnosis unit 160 may issue an alert in this way, for example, when the difference between the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate does not meet a predetermined standard. Thereby, the diagnosis unit 160 can diagnose the flow rate sensor 20 based on the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate.

[0058] Then, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 ends this flow. Note that the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 can perform these calculations and diagnoses dynamically. For example, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may continuously calculate the virtual flow rate and diagnose the flow rate sensor 20 at a period that is a multiple of the measurement period of the actual flow rate. Also, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may calculate the virtual flow rate and diagnose the flow rate sensor 20 at a timing specified by the user (for example, every hour, every day, or a timing depending on an event such as the start of operation). Further, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may calculate the virtual flow rate and diagnose the flow rate sensor 20 at a timing when the variation of the actual flow rate becomes a value specified by the user or the system (for example, 5% of the measurement span), or at a timing when the conditions input to the environmental information or the physical property information are changed, or at a timing when the change exceeds a value specified by the user or the system (for example, 5%).

[0059] As described using this flow, a computer stores environmental information indicating the environment of the real space in which the flow sensor 20 is installed, stores physical property information indicating the physical properties of the fluid to be measured, uses the environmental information and the physical property information to execute a simulation related to the measurement of the fluid on a virtual space that reproduces the real space, and calculates a virtual flow rate that estimates the actual flow rate actually measured by the flow sensor 20 based on the simulated result. A virtual flow rate calculation method may be provided. Hereinafter, the specific calculation of the virtual flow rate will be described in detail for each type of flow meter.

[0060] FIG. 3 shows an example of a block diagram of a virtual flow rate calculation device 100 that functions as a virtual Coriolis flow meter. The virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may function as a virtual Coriolis flow meter. When functioning as a virtual Coriolis flow meter, the simulation unit 140 may include, for example, a fluid simulation unit 141, a stress simulation unit 142, and an electromagnetic field simulation unit 143. And the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may estimate the output value of the Coriolis flow meter used in the real space using, for example, the fluid simulation unit 141, the stress simulation unit 142, and the electromagnetic field simulation unit 143.

[0061] More specifically, assuming that the coefficient, which is a function of structural feature quantities such as the shape of the flow tube and the position of the vibration detection sensor, is SK, and the phase time difference calculated from the phase difference between the vibrations generated on the upstream side and the downstream side of the flow tube is τ, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the virtual flow rate Q by the following formula. That is, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the virtual flow rate Q by the product of the coefficient SK and the phase time difference τ. Here, the phase time difference τ is the phase difference φ generated in the vibration detection sensor divided by the excitation vibration frequency fr of the oscillator. Therefore, the virtual flow rate Q can also be expressed as the product of the coefficient SK and the phase difference φ divided by the excitation vibration frequency fr.

Equation

[0062] At this time, in relation to the coefficient SK, the simulation unit 140 may execute stress simulation using the stress simulation unit 142. As an example, the stress simulation unit 142 may output the flow tube shape of the virtual Coriolis flowmeter with the 3D model of the flow tube - oscillator - vibration detection sensor under normal temperature and pressure, and the temperature and pressure obtained from the instruments in the real space as inputs. Further, the stress simulation unit 142 may output the resonance frequency and moment of inertia of the flow tube necessary for calculating the coefficient SK with the flow tube shape and Young's modulus under the same conditions as inputs.

[0063] Then, the calculation unit 150 may calculate characteristic quantities such as the natural angular frequency from the results of the stress simulation taking into account the temperature and pressure applied to the flow tube and the excitation force of the oscillator which is the power of the vibration of the flow tube, and calculate the coefficient SK by substituting the calculated characteristic quantities into a function with the previously derived characteristic quantities as variables.

[0064] Also, in relation to the phase time difference τ, the simulation unit 140 may execute a coupled simulation using the fluid simulation unit 141, the stress simulation unit 142, and the electromagnetic field simulation unit 143. Then, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the phase difference φ generated in the vibration detection sensor from the results of the coupled simulation, and calculate the phase time difference τ by dividing this by the excitation vibration frequency fr of the oscillator.

[0065] FIG. 4 shows an example of a block diagram of a virtual flow rate calculation device 100 that functions as a virtual ultrasonic flowmeter. The virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may function as a virtual ultrasonic flowmeter. When functioning as a virtual ultrasonic flowmeter, the simulation unit 140 may include, for example, a fluid simulation unit 141 and an ultrasonic propagation simulation unit 144. And the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may estimate the output value of the ultrasonic flowmeter used in the real space using, for example, the fluid simulation unit 141 and the ultrasonic propagation simulation unit 144.

[0066] More specifically, when the angle between the measurement tube axis and the ultrasonic propagation axis is θ, the distance that the ultrasonic wave propagates is L, the propagation time for the ultrasonic wave to propagate from the upstream side to the downstream side is t1, and the propagation time for the ultrasonic wave to propagate from the downstream side to the upstream side is t2, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the flow velocity v according to the following formula. That is, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the flow velocity v using a function of the reciprocal difference (frequency difference) of the propagation times.

Number

[0067] And when the flow rate correction coefficient is k and the cross-sectional area of the pipeline is A, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the virtual flow rate Q according to the following formula. That is, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the virtual flow rate by multiplying the cross-sectional area A of the pipeline after correcting the flow velocity v to the average flow velocity of the cross-section where the fluid flows with the flow rate correction coefficient k.

Number

[0068] At this time, in relation to the propagation times t1 and t2, the simulation unit 140 may execute a fluid simulation using the fluid simulation unit 141. As an example, the fluid simulation unit 141 may calculate the three-dimensional flow velocity distribution in the measurement tube in consideration of the upstream and downstream straight pipe lengths, the upstream and downstream elbows, and the fluid viscosity, etc. At this time, the actual flow rate (flow velocity) output value of the flow rate sensor 20 instrumented in the real space may be used if necessary.

[0069] In addition, the simulation unit 140 may execute an ultrasonic propagation simulation using the ultrasonic propagation simulation unit 144. As an example, the ultrasonic propagation simulation unit 144 may calculate the propagation times in the upstream-to-downstream direction and the downstream-to-upstream direction at the upstream and downstream sensor mounting positions when the flow rate is zero for the ultrasonic wave radiated from the piezoelectric element. And the ultrasonic propagation simulation unit 144 may simulate the propagation of the ultrasonic wave by calculating the propagation time in consideration of pipeline parameters such as pipeline wall thickness and scale and temperature (ambient temperature, fluid temperature).

[0070] Then, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the propagation time t1 from the upstream side to the downstream side and the propagation time t2 from the downstream side to the upstream side by performing a coupled analysis based on the three-dimensional flow velocity distribution in the measurement pipe and the propagation time based on the simulation result of ultrasonic wave propagation. Through the coupled analysis, the propagation times t1 and t2, which combine the three-dimensional flow velocity distribution calculated by the fluid simulation with the propagation time calculated by the ultrasonic wave propagation simulation, can be calculated.

[0071] FIG. 5 shows an example of a block diagram of a virtual flow rate calculation device 100 that functions as a virtual electromagnetic flowmeter. The virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may function as a virtual electromagnetic flowmeter. When functioning as a virtual electromagnetic flowmeter, the simulation unit 140 may include, for example, a fluid simulation unit 141 and an electromagnetic field simulation unit 143. Then, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may estimate the output value of the electromagnetic flowmeter used in the real space using, for example, the fluid simulation unit 141 and the electromagnetic field simulation unit 143.

[0072] More specifically, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the electromotive force e generated at the electrodes by the following formula. That is, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the electromotive force e by multiplying and integrating the weighting function w, the magnetic flux density B, and the flow velocity v.

Equation

[0073] Then, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the virtual flow rate Q by the following formula. That is, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the virtual flow rate Q using the calculated electromotive force e, the inner diameter D of the pipe, and the constant K.

Equation

[0074] Here, in relation to the magnetic flux density B, the simulation unit 140 may execute an electromagnetic field simulation using the electromagnetic field simulation unit 143. As an example, the electromagnetic field simulation unit 143 may input the dimensions of the coil and magnetic material of the electromagnetic flowmeter and the physical property values of the magnetic material to calculate the magnetic flux density distribution in the measurement pipe. At this time, regarding the magnetic flux density, the actually measured magnetic flux density distribution in the measurement pipe may be held as a database. When there is no design information such as the coil, the dimensions of the magnetic material, or the physical property values of the magnetic material of other manufacturers' products, this method can be used to handle the situation.

[0075] Also, in relation to the flow velocity v, the simulation unit 140 may execute a fluid simulation using the fluid simulation unit 141. As an example, the fluid simulation unit 141 may calculate the flow velocity distribution at the cross-section of the measurement pipe line, taking into account the upstream and downstream straight pipe lengths, the upstream and downstream elbows, and the fluid viscosity, etc. At this time, if necessary, the actual flow rate (flow velocity) output value of the flow rate sensor 20 instrumented in the real space may be used.

[0076] Note that the weighting function w is a function of the electric field (magnetic flux density × flow velocity) generated at each point in the measurement pipe line and the distance between the electrodes. For example, the weighting function described in JIS B 7554 or a weighting function based on the electrode shape and arrangement position may be used.

[0077] Then, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the electromotive force e generated at the electrodes by multiplying the electric field (magnetic flux density B × flow velocity v) generated at each point in the measurement pipe line by the weighting function w and integrating. At this time, since there are cases where the material physical properties, etc. have a certain width, a certain coefficient may be multiplied by the calculated electromotive force e.

[0078] FIG. 6 shows an example of a block diagram of a virtual flow rate calculation device 100 that functions as a virtual vortex flow meter. The virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may function as a virtual vortex flow meter. When functioning as a virtual vortex flow meter, the simulation unit 140 may include, for example, a fluid simulation unit 141. And the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 may estimate the output value of the vortex flow meter used in the real space using, for example, the fluid simulation unit 141.

[0079] More specifically, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the virtual flow rate Q by the following formula. That is, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the virtual flow rate Q by multiplying the vortex frequency f by the pipe cross-sectional area A and the width d of the vortex generator and dividing by the Strouhal number St. Note that the Strouhal number St is a dimensionless number determined by the shape and dimensions of the vortex generator.

Equation

[0080] Here, in relation to the vortex frequency f, the simulation unit 140 may perform a fluid simulation using the fluid simulation unit 141. As an example, the fluid simulation unit 141 may input the physical property values of the fluid, the shape of the vortex rod, and the piping conditions (such as straight pipe length and step) to simulate the state of vortex generation in the measurement pipe. At this time, the actual flow rate (flow velocity) output value of the flow sensor 20 instrumented in the real space may be used if necessary.

[0081] In addition, the simulation unit 140 may calculate the pressure distribution and temperature distribution in the measurement pipe using the fluid simulation unit 141. And the calculation unit 150 may correct the virtual flow rate Q with respect to the calculated pressure and temperature distributions in the measurement pipe, for example, especially when the measurement fluid is a gas.

[0082] The virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment can function as at least any one of a virtual Coriolis flow meter, a virtual ultrasonic flow meter, a virtual electromagnetic flow meter, or a virtual vortex flow meter in this way, for example.

[0083] In the prior art, external environmental factors such as the flow in the flow meter section and piping vibration in the user's usage environment were not assumed, and the flow meter output was not simulated in real time. Also, in flow measurement, the influence of the flow velocity distribution in the measurement pipe changes depending on the usage environment, and the fluid physical properties themselves also change depending on the multiphase state, and these affect the measurement accuracy. However, it was extremely difficult to estimate the actual flow rate of the flow meter output considering these factors.

[0084] In contrast, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment executes a simulation related to the measurement of a fluid in a virtual space assuming usage conditions such as the usage environment and fluid physical properties of the flow sensor 20 installed in the real space, and calculates a virtual flow rate based on the simulation result. Thereby, according to the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to accurately estimate the actual flow rate measured by the flow sensor 20 in accordance with the actual usage environment and usage situation such as fluid physical properties of the user. Therefore, according to the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to support the operation of the flow measurement of the flow sensor 20 installed in the real space and affected by usage conditions, and ultimately lead to the stable operation of the instrumentation system.

[0085] Also, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment may diagnose the flow sensor 20 based on the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate. At this time, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment may issue an alert when the difference between the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate does not satisfy the standard. Thereby, according to the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment, depending on whether the calculated virtual flow rate is the intended value in light of the actual flow rate, it is possible to diagnose whether the flow sensor 20 itself is functioning correctly or whether the flow sensor 20 is correctly installed, and when an abnormality is suspected (there is a possibility that something unexpected is happening to the flow sensor 20), the user can be informed to that effect.

[0086] In addition, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment may determine the processing in the calculation unit 150 based on the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate during a period in which the operation of the flow rate sensor 20 is regarded as normal. Thereby, according to the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to learn the algorithm of the calculation process so that the calculated virtual flow rate approaches the actual flow rate during the normal period.

[0087] In addition, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment functions as at least one of a virtual Coriolis flow meter, a virtual ultrasonic flow meter, a virtual electromagnetic flow meter, or a virtual vortex flow meter based on the result of a coupled simulation composed of at least any one of a stress simulation, a fluid simulation, an electromagnetic field simulation, or an ultrasonic simulation executed in a virtual space, preferably a combination thereof. Thereby, according to the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment, since the virtual flow rate is calculated based on various simulation results, it is possible to calculate the virtual flow rate in accordance with the sensing principle of the flow meter with high accuracy.

[0088] Here, in order to estimate the flow meter output in consideration of the influence of the use environment and the multiphase state, a high-speed calculation unit and a large-capacity memory are required, but it has been extremely difficult to provide these inside the flow meter. On the other hand, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment may be provided by a cloud server. Thereby, according to the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to remove constraints such as the processing capacity, memory capacity, and power consumption of the processor mounted on the flow meter in the real space. Therefore, according to the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the present embodiment, by increasing the data amount and the degree of freedom of calculation, it is possible to obtain a flow rate output that incorporates various instrumentation conditions of the flow meter.

[0089] FIG. 7 shows an example of a block diagram of the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the first modification example, together with the sensor module 10. In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 executes a simulation each time it calculates a virtual flow rate is shown. However, in this modification example, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 reuses at least a part of the simulation results.

[0090] The virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to this modification example further includes a simulation result storage unit 710. In this modification example, the simulation unit 140 adds the result of the simulation to the calculation unit 150 and supplies it to the simulation result storage unit 710.

[0091] The simulation result storage unit 710 stores the simulated result. For example, the simulation result storage unit 710 may be a database, and may store the result simulated by the simulation unit 140 so that it can be accessed from the calculation unit 150.

[0092] The calculation unit 150 may access the simulation result storage unit 710 to obtain the stored result. Then, when calculating the virtual flow rate, the calculation unit 150 may reuse at least a part of the stored result.

[0093] The virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to this modification example may store the simulation results executed in the past and reuse at least a part of the simulation results. According to the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to this modification example, since the calculated results are stored once, it is not necessary to resimulate under the conditions that have already been executed, so the calculation load can be reduced, and analysis taking into account a plurality of conditions by the learning calculation module (AI analysis) becomes possible. Further, according to the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to this modification example, it is not always necessary to perform a full-model simulation including stress, fluid, electromagnetic field, and ultrasonic propagation simulation in real time every time. By storing simulation results under various conditions in advance and obtaining simulation results regressively from the stored results, the amount of calculation executed in real time can be significantly reduced.

[0094] FIG. 8 shows an example of a block diagram of the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to the second modification example together with the sensor module 10. In the above-described embodiment, the case where the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 diagnoses the flow rate sensor 20 based on the virtual flow rate is shown as an example. However, in this modification example, the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 identifies the variation tendency of the virtual flow rate.

[0095] The virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to this modification example further includes a tendency identification unit 810, a notification unit 820, and a recommendation unit 830.

[0096] For example, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the virtual flow rate when at least one variable of the environmental information or the object information is changed. As an example, the calculation unit 150 may calculate the virtual flow rate when the fluid temperature is changed in the range of ±10°C. The calculation unit 150 may supply the virtual flow rate calculated under different conditions in this way, together with the conditions when the virtual flow rate is calculated, to the tendency identification unit 810.

[0097] Based on the information supplied from the arithmetic unit 150, the tendency specifying unit 810 can obtain the tendency between the variable that has been varied (for example, the fluid temperature) and the virtual flow rate. For example, in this way, the tendency specifying unit 810 can specify the tendency of the virtual flow rate when at least one variable among the environmental information or the object property information is varied.

[0098] Here, among the environmental information or the object property information, there are variables that are insensitive to the virtual flow rate, and there are also variables that have a certain tendency (for example, a monotonic increase, a monotonic decrease, or a tendency according to a function, etc.). When a variable having a certain tendency is discovered, the tendency specifying unit 810 may supply information regarding the tendency to the notification unit 820. At this time, for example, the tendency specifying unit 810 derives a plurality of curves obtained by approximating (for example, linear approximation, exponential approximation, logarithmic approximation, polynomial approximation, and power approximation, etc.) the data of the scatter diagram of the variable and the virtual flow rate into various types, and selects the curve with the largest square of the correlation coefficient (the closer to 1, the stronger the correlation, and the closer to 0, the weaker the correlation) between the data of the scatter diagram and each curve as the approximation curve. Further, the tendency specifying unit 810 may formulate the selected approximation curve and calculate a correction function from the mathematical formula. The tendency specifying unit 810 may supply information indicating such an approximation curve or a correction function to the notification unit 820 as information regarding the tendency.

[0099] Then, the notification unit 820 may notify the sensor module 10 of the information regarding the tendency via the device-side communication unit 130. For example, in this way, the notification unit 820 can notify the sensor module 10 equipped with the flow rate sensor 20 of the information regarding the tendency.

[0100] Therefore, in this modification example, the sensor module 10 may further include a tendency characteristic storage unit 50. The tendency characteristic storage unit 50 may store the information regarding the tendency notified from the virtual flow rate calculation device 100 as a tendency characteristic. Then, the processing unit 30 may signal-process the output signal from the sensor based on the tendency characteristic stored in the tendency characteristic storage unit 50. As an example, the processing unit 30 may perform correction processing on the output signal from the sensor using the correction function stored in the tendency characteristic storage unit 50.

[0101] In addition, when there are a plurality of flow sensors 20 for which virtual flow rates are to be calculated, the tendency specifying unit 810 can also specify the tendency of the virtual flow rate when at least one variable is varied, for each flow sensor 20. Note that such a plurality of flow sensors 20 may be those in which at least either the supplier or the sensing principle is different from each other. In such a case, the tendency specifying unit 810 may supply information regarding each tendency specified for each flow sensor 20 to the recommendation unit 830.

[0102] Then, the recommendation unit 830 may determine the flow sensor 20 to be recommended from among the plurality of flow sensors 20 based on the tendency for each flow sensor 20. For example, the recommendation unit 830 may compare the magnitudes of the variations in the virtual flow rate with respect to one or a plurality of selected variables (for example, temperature, viscosity, or Reynolds number, etc.) among the plurality of flow sensors 20, and determine the flow sensor 20 with the smallest variation as the flow sensor 20 to be recommended. The virtual flow rate calculation device 100 according to this modification example can, for example, compare the variation characteristics of a plurality of flow sensors 20 of various types by various suppliers in this way, and recommend the most suitable flow sensor 20 in the usage environment to the user.

[0103] Various embodiments of the present invention may be described with reference to flowcharts and block diagrams, where the blocks may represent (1) stages of a process in which operations are performed or (2) sections of an apparatus that have the role of performing operations. Particular stages and sections may be implemented by dedicated circuits, programmable circuits supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium, and / or processors supplied with computer-readable instructions stored on a computer-readable medium. The dedicated circuits may include digital and / or analog hardware circuits, including integrated circuits (ICs) and / or discrete circuits. The programmable circuits may include reconfigurable hardware circuits including memory elements such as logical AND, logical OR, logical XOR, logical NAND, logical NOR, and other logical operations, flip-flops, registers, field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), programmable logic arrays (PLAs), etc.

[0104] A computer-readable medium may include any tangible device capable of storing instructions executable by an appropriate device, such that a computer-readable medium having instructions stored therein comprises an article of manufacture that can be executed to create means for performing the operations specified in a flowchart or block diagram. Examples of computer-readable media may include electronic storage media, magnetic storage media, optical storage media, electromagnetic storage media, semiconductor storage media, etc. More specific examples of computer-readable media may include floppy (registered trademark) disks, diskettes, hard disks, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or flash memory), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), static random access memory (SRAM), compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile disk (DVD), Blu-ray (RTM) disk, memory stick, integrated circuit card, etc.

[0105] Computer-readable instructions may include any combination of one or more programming languages, including assembly instructions, instruction set architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions, machine-dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions, state-setting data, or source code or object code written in object-oriented programming languages such as Smalltalk®, JAVA®, C++, and conventional procedural programming languages such as the "C" programming language or similar programming languages.

[0106] Computer-readable instructions may be provided to the processor or programmable circuitry of a general-purpose computer, special-purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus locally or via a wide area network (WAN) such as a local area network (LAN), the Internet, etc., and executed to create means for performing the operations specified in a flowchart or block diagram. Examples of processors include computer processors, processing units, microprocessors, digital signal processors, controllers, microcontrollers, etc.

[0107] FIG. 9 shows an example of a computer 9900 in which multiple aspects of the present invention may be embodied in whole or in part. Programs installed on the computer 9900 can cause the computer 9900 to function as an operation associated with the apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention or as one or more sections of the apparatus, or to execute the operation or the one or more sections, and / or can cause the computer 9900 to execute a process according to an embodiment of the present invention or a stage of the process. Such a program may be executed by the CPU 9912 to cause the computer 9900 to perform specific operations associated with some or all of the blocks of the flowcharts and block diagrams described herein.

[0108] The computer 9900 according to this embodiment includes a CPU 9912, a RAM 9914, a graphic controller 9916, and a display device 9918, which are interconnected by a host controller 9910. The computer 9900 also includes input / output units such as a communication interface 9922, a hard disk drive 9924, a DVD drive 9926, and an IC card drive, which are connected to the host controller 9910 via an input / output controller 9920. The computer also includes legacy input / output units such as a ROM 9930 and a keyboard 9942, which are connected to the input / output controller 9920 via an input / output chip 9940.

[0109] The CPU 9912 operates according to programs stored in the ROM 9930 and the RAM 9914, thereby controlling each unit. The graphic controller 9916 acquires image data generated by the CPU 9912 in a frame buffer or the like provided in the RAM 9914 or in itself, and causes the image data to be displayed on the display device 9918.

[0110] The communication interface 9922 communicates with other electronic devices via a network. The hard disk drive 9924 stores programs and data used by the CPU 9912 in the computer 9900. The DVD drive 9926 reads a program or data from a DVD-ROM 9901 and provides the program or data to the hard disk drive 9924 via the RAM 9914. The IC card drive reads programs and data from an IC card and / or writes programs and data to an IC card.

[0111] The ROM 9930 stores therein a boot program or the like executed by the computer 9900 at activation, and / or a program dependent on the hardware of the computer 9900. The input / output chip 9940 may also be connected to the input / output controller 9920 via various input / output units through a parallel port, a serial port, a keyboard port, a mouse port, etc.

[0112] The program is provided by a computer-readable medium such as a DVD-ROM 9901 or an IC card. The program is read from the computer-readable medium, installed in the hard disk drive 9924, the RAM 9914, or the ROM 9930 which are also examples of computer-readable media, and executed by the CPU 9912. The information processing described in these programs is read by the computer 9900, bringing about the cooperation between the programs and the various types of hardware resources described above. The apparatus or method may be configured by realizing the operation or processing of information according to the use of the computer 9900.

[0113] For example, when communication is executed between the computer 9900 and an external device, the CPU 9912 may execute a communication program loaded in the RAM 9914 and instruct the communication interface 9922 to perform communication processing based on the processing described in the communication program. The communication interface 9922 reads the transmission data stored in the transmission buffer processing area provided in a recording medium such as the RAM 9914, the hard disk drive 9924, the DVD-ROM 9901, or the IC card under the control of the CPU 9912, transmits the read transmission data to the network, or writes the received data received from the network to the reception buffer processing area or the like provided on the recording medium.

[0114] Further, the CPU 9912 may cause all or necessary portions of files or databases stored in external recording media such as a hard disk drive 9924, a DVD drive 9926 (DVD-ROM 9901), an IC card, etc. to be read into the RAM 9914, and execute various types of processing on the data on the RAM 9914. The CPU 9912 then writes back the processed data to the external recording media.

[0115] Various types of information such as various types of programs, data, tables, and databases may be stored in the recording media and may undergo information processing. The CPU 9912 may perform various types of processing on the data read from the RAM 9914, including various types of operations, information processing, conditional judgment, conditional branching, unconditional branching, search / replacement of information, etc. described throughout this disclosure and specified by the instruction sequence of the program, and write back the results to the RAM 9914. Also, the CPU 9912 may search for information in files, databases, etc. within the recording media. For example, when a plurality of entries each having an attribute value of a first attribute associated with an attribute value of a second attribute are stored in the recording media, the CPU 9912 searches for an entry that matches the condition where the attribute value of the first attribute is specified from among the plurality of entries, reads the attribute value of the second attribute stored within the entry, and thereby may obtain the attribute value of the second attribute associated with the first attribute that satisfies a predetermined condition.

[0116] The programs or software modules described above may be stored on a computer-readable medium on or near the computer 9900. Also, a recording medium such as a hard disk or RAM provided within a server system connected to a dedicated communication network or the Internet can be used as a computer-readable medium, thereby providing the program to the computer 9900 via the network.

[0117] As described above, the present invention has been described using embodiments, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the scope described in the above embodiments. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes or improvements can be made to the above embodiments. It is clear from the description of the claims that forms with such changes or improvements can also be included in the technical scope of the present invention.

[0118] It should be noted that the execution order of each process such as operations, procedures, steps, and stages in the apparatus, system, program, and method shown in the claims, the specification, and the drawings is not explicitly stated as "earlier" or "preceding" etc., and can be realized in any order unless the output of the previous process is used in the subsequent process. Regarding the operation flow in the claims, the specification, and the drawings, even if it is described using "first," "next," etc. for convenience, it does not mean that it is essential to implement in this order.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0119] 10 Sensor module 20 Flow sensor 30 Processing unit 40 Sensor-side communication unit 50 Trend characteristic storage unit 100 Virtual flow rate calculation device 110 Environment information storage unit 120 Physical property information storage unit 130 Device-side communication unit 140 Simulation unit 141 Fluid simulation unit 142 Stress simulation unit 143 Electromagnetic field simulation unit 144 Ultrasonic propagation simulation unit 150 Calculation unit 160 Diagnosis unit 710 Simulation result storage unit 810 Trend identification unit 820 Notification unit 830 Recommendation unit 9900 Computer 9901 DVD-ROM 9910 Host Controller 9912 CPU 9914 RAM 9916 Graphics Controller 9918 Display Device 9920 Input / Output Controller 9922 Communication Interface 9924 Hard Disk Drive 9926 DVD Drive 9930 ROM 9940 Input / Output Chip 9942 Keyboard

Claims

1. An environmental information storage unit that stores environmental information indicating the environment of the real space in which the flow sensor is installed; A physical property information storage unit that stores physical property information indicating the physical properties of the fluid to be measured; A simulation unit that performs a simulation related to the measurement of the fluid on a virtual space that reproduces the real space by using the environmental information and the physical property information; An arithmetic unit that calculates a virtual flow rate obtained by estimating the actual flow rate actually measured by the flow sensor based on the simulated result; A virtual flow rate calculation device comprising:

2. The virtual flow rate calculation device according to claim 1, further comprising a diagnosis unit that diagnoses the flow sensor based on the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate.

3. The virtual flow rate calculation device according to claim 2, wherein the diagnosis unit issues an alert when a difference between the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate does not satisfy a predetermined criterion.

4. The virtual flow rate calculation device according to claim 1, wherein the arithmetic unit determines a process for calculating the virtual flow rate based on the actual flow rate and the virtual flow rate during a period in which the operation of the flow sensor is regarded as normal.

5. The virtual flow rate calculation device according to claim 1, further comprising a simulation result storage unit that stores the simulated result, wherein the arithmetic unit reuses at least a part of the stored result.

6. The virtual flow rate calculation device according to claim 1, further comprising a tendency identification unit that identifies a tendency of the virtual flow rate when at least one variable of the environmental information or the physical property information is varied.

7. The virtual flow rate calculation device according to claim 6, further comprising a notification unit that notifies information regarding the tendency to a sensor module including the flow sensor.

8. The virtual flow rate calculation device according to claim 6, further comprising a recommendation unit that determines a recommended flow sensor from among a plurality of the flow sensors based on the tendency for each flow sensor.

9. The virtual flow rate calculation device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the simulation unit simulates at least any one of stress, fluid, electromagnetic field, or ultrasonic wave on the virtual space.

10. The virtual flow rate calculation device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the flow sensor is at least any one of a Coriolis flow meter, an ultrasonic flow meter, an electromagnetic flow meter, or a vortex flow meter.

11. The virtual flow rate calculation device according to any one of claims 1 to 8 provided by a cloud server.

12. A computer stores environmental information indicating the environment of the real space where the flow sensor is installed; stores physical property information indicating the physical properties of the fluid to be measured; uses the environmental information and the physical property information to execute a simulation related to the measurement of the fluid on a virtual space that reproduces the real space; calculates a virtual flow rate that estimates the actual flow rate actually measured by the flow sensor based on the simulated result; A virtual flow rate calculation method comprising:

13. Executed by a computer, the computer is caused to function as an environmental information storage unit that stores environmental information indicating the environment of the real space where the flow sensor is installed; a physical property information storage unit that stores physical property information indicating the physical properties of the fluid to be measured; a simulation unit that executes a simulation related to the measurement of the fluid on a virtual space that reproduces the real space using the environmental information and the physical property information; a calculation unit that calculates a virtual flow rate that estimates the actual flow rate actually measured by the flow sensor based on the simulated result; A virtual flow rate calculation program.

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