Smart type turbine flowmeter

Abstract

A turbine flowmeter for smart metering the discharge of the liquid flow ingoing therein and recovering the head of the measured liquid flow outgoing therefrom, in which the ingoing liquid flow is converted by the ingoing liquid flow converting assembly to one of the substantial spiral pulsing liquid flow, further oncoming onto a turbine to force it rotate impulsively at a speed proportional to the rate of the liquid flow, converging the on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow outgoing from the turbine by the convergent nozzle, diverging the on-going spiral liquid pulsing flow by divergent nozzle, further the diverging on-going spiral liquid pulsing flow is pumped by screw type pump, converted by axial fluid convertor to one of the substantial axial pulsing liquid flow, which is stopped and accumulated in the liquid head recovering chamber of the fluid collector, in which the pressure surges, caused by one of the substantial hydraulic shocks produced by the axial pulsing liquid flow impinging upon the accumulated liquid, are applied for recovering the head of the liquid, further outgoing from turbine flowmeter; where the discharge of the liquid flow is metered by the liquid flow discharge smart metering assembly, in which the hermetic measuring rotor houses the circumferentially arranged inductive coreless coils, rotates synchronously with the turbine between the magnetic stators provided with circumferentially arranged magnets for producing the circumferentially arranged alternating magnetic fluxes, when the inductive coreless coils cross it, cause to induce the electric signals, which are measured to compute the operable data associated with the liquid flow discharge, further the wireless communications of the light type code Morse enable readable the operable data, and where the magnetic stators and the hermetic measuring rotor are operated in the throat between the convergent and divergent nozzles in a path of the measurable liquid flow. Thus, the overall design has improved accuracy, smart secured metrology, liquid head recovering feature, and simple construction.

Description

[0001] SMART TYPE TURBINE FLOWMETER

[0002] FIELD OF INVENTION

[0003] The present invention is directed to smart type apparatus for measuring a liquid flow discharge, and more specifically to turbine type liquid flowmeter.

[0004] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Water is such viable product delivered to water customers by the municipal or private water delivery systems usually on a cost per unit of volume basis, generally cost per cubic meter, m3. In these systems, a water meter is typically disposed in-line of fluid pipe between Supply and Customer property to measure the amount of water flowing from the supply pipe to the customer. In order to bill the customer for water usage, it is necessary to periodically read the meter to determine the amount of usage over a fixed period of time. This process is referred to in the industry as metering or meter reading, which must be arranged in accordance with legal metrology rules .

[0006] Thus, the invention relates to liquid flowmeter, in particular, water meter, (hereafter the words liquid and water are interchangeably) developed in accordance with legal metrology rules. There International and Nationals Legal Metrology Departments are, which define the following: . to enable economies to put in place effective legal metrology infrastructures that are mutually compatible and internationally recognized, for all areas for which governments take responsibility, such as those which facilitate trade, establish mutual confidence and harmonize the level of consumer protection worldwide”.

[0007] In other words if the municipal or private water delivery / accountable systems and their consumers have agreements on water consumption, where signed “cost per m3”, then water flowmeter should directly meter a m3of water, but not a velocity of ultrasound or whatever regarding to water flow in pipe. As well as a min / max water flow head (or pressure) must be provided in the water delivery systems . Generally, apparatus for measuring the liquid flow rate of the water utilities includes the communicating parts such as a convertor of the liquid flow into a measurable motion specifically of the rotating type in direct proportion to the liquid flow speed, a convertor of the measurable motion into measurable signal easy to digitize, specifically of the electrical signals type, which can be used for detecting the instantaneous flow and the total integrated flow, a convertor of the digitized signal into accountable data being readable to capture and transmit into the corresponding accounting system of the water delivery systems.

[0008] CN210981383U discloses a turbine type flowmeter, comprising a housing being provided with a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a measurement interface being fitted with a flow measurement device; a turbine, having a blades, rotatably disposed inside the housing for transmitting a rotational force to the flow measuring device; the first fluid director and the second fluid director are symmetrically arranged on two sides of the turbine for directing fluid to the turbine to rotate it and for directing fluid exiting a fluid outlet of said housing respectively .

[0009] Note that the turbine type flowmeter and impeller type flowmeter mean one has a rotation axis along a path of liquid flow, and another has it perpendicular therein .

[0010] US8279080 discloses a remote water meter for monitoring system. A mesh network-type transceiver unit is coupled to a water meter housing having a water counting mechanism inside to transmit water consumption information as well as other sensor information, such as backflow detection, water pressure, and water metrics (e.g., residual chlorine and temperature) to a central server system via a bridge device and a corresponding mesh network. Mechanical energy from the water flowing through the water meter housing is converted to electrical energy via an energy conversion unit .

[0011] Becker et al, Energy Autonomous Wireless Water Meter with Integrated Turbine Driven Energy Harvester, Journal of Physics: Conference Series 476 (2013) 012046, discloses a fully integrated wireless, energy-autonomous water metering system. The system is powered by an energy harvester, based on a water-driven turbine wheel that is directly coupled to an electromagnetic energy transducer. The power delivered by the generator is dependent on the amount of flowing water. Therefore, the power is commonly non-continuous, fluctuant, and unstable in the voltage amplitude. To be able to report the meter readings at all times, the system should have a battery rechargeable by the generator and energizing the system during the standing time.

[0012] US7504964B2 discloses apparatus for monitoring, comprising: a meter that monitors usage of a distribution system; an electronic data recorder that processes data from the meter; an external unit that controls the processing of data in the electronic data recorder with a communication protocol; and where the communication protocol comprises, an initialization signal, an interval identification signal that identifies a present reading cycle for the data from the meter with a unique signal width of the interval identification signal, where the unique signal width comprises a multiple of a signal cycle width, and a clock signal.

[0013] In prior art the flowmeter value is greatly influenced by liquid flow velocity, liquid flow behavior (laminar / turbulence flow; low / high consumption jets), e.g. because the slipping between in-flow and dry magnets coupling, when measuring the same water volume e.g. 1 m3(i.e. same consumption but different cost), disclosed in Competence’s Theorem: Solving Problems of Water Utilities, International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, 2018, 8(5), 104-112 https: / / www.econjournals.com / index.php / ijeep / article / view / 6760;

[0014] As well as, whatever flowmeter for measuring a liquid flow rate via measurable motion such as a rotation of the turbine is a hydraulic resistance decreasing a flow head or pressure of the liquid flow that requires to increase a hydraulic power of the water delivery systems (and water consumption cost) .

[0015] The liquid flowmeter is the functionally simple design task nested in more complex accounting task where the flowmeter structure cannot be allowed to become too complex. This is because in a typical applications in the water delivery systems, the flowmeter will be repeated so many times. The cost of each additional element in terms of money and space is therefore multiplied many times. It is therefore no simple matter to identify those functions that are sufficiently useful to justify their incorporation into the flowmeter. It is similarly no simple matter to implement those functions so that their incorporation is not realized at too high a cost. Prior art survey conclusion: the present flowmeters for home use are too expensive and sophisticated or do not meet legal metrology requirements.

[0016] Thus, municipal or private smart-type water delivery systems strongly need low-cost self- powered metering devices that are remotely readable and have legal metrology properties in the framework of a “Smart City” automatic regulation arrangement.

[0017] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0018] It is, hence, an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for measuring liquid flow and a method.

[0019] In accordance with the above object from a process point of view, there is provided a method of smart metering the discharge of the liquid flow, where a measuring means are disposed within the liquid flow and driven at a speed proportional to the rate of the liquid flow, including at least the following steps: (a) providing the measuring means housed in a hermetic measuring means housing mounted in path of the liquid flow; (b) driving the hermetic measuring means housing by the liquid flow at a speed proportional to the rate of the liquid flow; (c) inducting the measurable signals with parameters proportional to the rotational speed within the hermetic measuring means housing; (d) measuring the measurable signals within the hermetic measuring means housing; (e) processing the measurement to compute an operable data associated with the liquid flow discharge within the hermetic measuring means housing; (f) saving the operable data inside the hermetic measuring means housing; (g) enabling the readable the operable data from the hermetic measuring means housing;

[0020] The next object of the invention is the method, which further includes a step of adapting wireless communications to enable the readable said operable data;

[0021] The next object of the invention is the method further includes the step of adapting light type code Morse to enable the readable said operable data;

[0022] Another object of the invention is a method for measuring the discharge of the liquid flow ingoing therein, and recovering a head of the measured liquid flow outgoing therefrom, and including the following steps, (a) the ingoing liquid flow is converted to one of substantially spiral pulsing liquid flow oncoming onto a turbine; (b) the turbine is forced in response to the oncoming spiral pulsing liquid flow to impulsively rotate at a speed proportional to the rate of the spiral pulsing liquid flow; (c) the on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow outgoing from the turbine is converged; (d) the method of smart metering the discharge is applied for metering the discharge of the liquid flow proportional to the rate of the spiral pulsing liquid flow; (e) the on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow is diverged; (f) the on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow is converted to one of substantial axial pulsing liquid flow downstream of the diverging; (g) the axial pulsing liquid flow is stopped; (h) the stopped axial pulsing liquid flow is accumulated; (i) the pressure surges caused by one of the substantial hydraulic shock produced by the axial pulsing liquid flow impinging upon the accumulated liquid are applied for recovering the head of the liquid, further outgoing from turbine flowmeter;

[0023] The next object of the invention is the method including a step of pumping the ongoing spiral pulsing liquid flow downstream of the diverging, synchronously with the turbine's impulsive rotation;

[0024] Another object of the invention is a turbine flowmeter for smart metering a discharge of the liquid flow ingoing therein and recovering a head of the measured liquid flow outgoing therefrom, the turbine flowmeter includes: (a) an ingoing liquid flow converting assembly, including a fluid receiver provided with a fluid inlet and a liquid receiving chamber, a compressible vessel operable within the liquid receiving chamber, a spiral fluid convertor provided with a plurality of the circumferentially arranged airfoil axial-to-spiral guides operable with the ingoing liquid flow and pulsing liquid extruded out of the compressive vessel volume, and a liquid merging space in which the ingoing liquid flow and pulsing liquid, each passed via the spiral fluid converter, are merged to one of substantial spiral pulsing liquid flow, further oncoming onto a turbine; (b) the turbine, which includes a plurality of the airfoil blades are axially circumferentially disposed between an exterior rim and one or more interior rims, the turbine is forced to impulsively rotate at a speed proportional to the spiral pulsing liquid flow impinging upon the plurality of the airfoil blades, the turbine is mounted on the upstream end of the rotatable shaft, and rotates within the turbine housing rim; (c) a liquid flow discharge smart metering assembly, including: a hermetic measuring rotor mounted on the rotatable shaft to synchronously rotate with the turbine, the rotor hermetically houses: i. a circumferentially arranged inductive coreless coils inducing electric signals in response to crossing circumferentially arranged alternating magnetic fluxes, a microcontroller means for processing the electric signals to compute and save an operable data associated with the liquid flow discharge, a wireless communications means to enable readable the operable data, the hermetic measuring rotor is provided with a rotor housing rim to rotate within, the hermetic measuring rotor and the rotor housing rim are each transparent for the wireless communications; ii. a first magnetic stator and a second magnetic stator disposed upstream and downstream of the hermetic measuring rotor rotating therebetween respectively, in which the first and second magnetic stators are each, from the hermetic measuring rotor faced side, provided with circumferentially arranged magnets for producing the circumferentially arranged alternating magnetic fluxes, when the inductive coreless coils cross thereof, cause to induce the electric signals, the first magnetic stator is, from the opposite side, shaped with a convergent nozzle to converge the on-going spiral liquid flow downstream of the turbine, the second magnetic stator is from the opposite side shaped with a divergent nozzle, to diverge the on-going spiral liquid flow downstream of the smart metering assembly, therein the hermetic measuring rotor is operated in the throat of the convergent and divergent nozzles; (d) a liquid flow head recovering assembly, including: i. an axial flow convertor, including a plurality of the airfoil spiral-to-axial guides are axially circumferentially disposed between an exterior rim and one or more interior rims to convert said on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow, downstream of said divergent nozzle, to one of substantial axial pulsing liquid flow; ii. a fluid collector including a liquid head recovering chamber and fluid outlet for outgoing liquid therefrom, in which the liquid head recovering chamber stops the axial pulsing liquid flow and accumulates it, in which the pressure surges, caused by one of the substantially hydraulic shocks produced by the axial pulsing liquid flow impinging upon said accumulated liquid, are applied for recovering the head of the liquid, further outgoing from the turbine flowmeter;

[0025] The next object of the invention is the turbine flowmeter, further including a screw-type pump disposed downstream of the divergent nozzle and upstream of the axial flow convertor to pump the on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow to the liquid head recovering chamber via the axial flow convertor, the screw type pump is mounted on downstream end of the rotatable shaft to synchronously rotate with the turbine, the screw type pump is provided with a pump housing rim to rotate within; The next object of the invention is the turbine flowmeter, in which the rotatable shaft includes the hollow chambers, wherein the turbine, the hermetic measuring rotor and the screw type pump mounted thereon are provided with a buoyancy in a path of the liquid flow within the turbine flowmeter;

[0026] Next object of the invention is the turbine flowmeter, in which the spiral fluid convertor and the axial fluid convertor are each provided with centric bearing means whereby the rotatable shaft is supported;

[0027] Next object of the invention is the turbine flowmeter, in which the wireless communications means includes a communications means of the light type code Morse;

[0028] Next object of the invention is the turbine flowmeter, in which the liquid receiver, exterior rim of the spiral fluid convertor, turbine housing rim, first magnetic stator, hermetic measuring rotor housing rim, second magnetic stator, pump housing rim, exterior rim of said axial fluid convertor and fluid collector are sequentially circumferentially one to other coupled to be the turbine flowmeter hermetic housing.

[0029] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] Fig. 1 is an overall view of a turbine flowmeter;

[0031] Figs. 2a and 2b are the isometric exploded view of the turbine flowmeter;

[0032] Figs. 3 is a processing diagram of the method for measuring liquid flow in accordance to the invention;

[0033] Fig. 4 is the isometric partial view of the ingoing liquid flow converting assembly for liquid pulsing;

[0034] Figs. 5a and 5b are an isometric view of a spiral fluid convertor and pulsing liquid compressible vessel;

[0035] Fig. 6 is the detailed view of the turbine part of the rotatable operational part of the turbine flowmeter;

[0036] Fig. 7 is a front view of the turbine means; Fig. 8 is one of embodiments of the turbine airfoil blades and spiral fluid convertor airfoil guides;

[0037] Fig. 9 is the axial view of the measuring operational part of the turbine flowmeter;

[0038] Fig. 10 is a hermetic measuring rotor with rotatable shaft;

[0039] Fig. 11 is a printed circuit board assembly of the measuring circuitry of the turbine flowmeter;

[0040] Figs. 12a and 12b are the isometric view of the magnetic stators with convergent / divergent nozzles and magnets arrangement;

[0041] Fig. 13 is the detailed view of the liquid flow head recovering components;

[0042] Fig. 14 is a front view of the pump means;

[0043] Fig. 15 is one of embodiments of the airfoil spiral-to-axial guides for converting the spiral liquid flow to be axial liquid flow;

[0044] Fig. 16 is a schematic diagram of the smart metering circuit of the turbine flowmeter.

[0045] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The following description is intended to convey a thorough understanding of the embodiments described by providing a number of specific embodiments and details involving systems and methods for remote water meter monitoring. It should be appreciated, however, that the present invention is not limited to these specific embodiments and details, which are exemplary only. It is further understood that one possessing ordinary skill in the art, in light of known systems and methods, would appreciate the use of the invention for its intended purposes and benefits in any number of alternative embodiments, depending upon specific design and other needs.

[0047] It should be noted that the terms “rotating impulsively” relate to mechanical components as turbine, rotor and pump, and “pulsing liquid flow” relates to the liquid flow behavior, further such terms as "Laval nozzle", and therein the converging-diverging nozzles, throat, spiral pulsing liquid flow and / or axial pulsing liquid flow described are used for distinguishing between similar processes of the variable acceleration or opposite behavior; it should be understood that the data so used may be interchanged under appropriate circumstances such that embodiments of the application described herein may be used. Furthermore, the terms "comprises, “comprising," “include”, “including” and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, system, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of steps or elements is not necessarily limited to those steps or elements expressly listed, but may include other steps or elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0048] The terms "mounted," "disposed," "provided," "connected," and "sleeved” or collected and accumulated are to be construed broadly. For example, it may be a fixed connection, a removable connection, or a unitary construction; can be a mechanical connection or bearing or hydraulic bearing; may be directly connected, or indirectly connected through intervening media, or maybe in internal communication between two devices, elements, or components. The specific meaning of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific situations by those skilled in the art.

[0049] It should be noted that the term “smart metering” relates to legal metrology methods for measuring and computing the operational data associated with the liquid flow discharge and communicating it to accounting system of the water distribution utilities.

[0050] Reference is now made to Fig 1, illustrates the overall invention presenting the turbine flowmeter for smart metering a discharge of the liquid flow ingoing therein and recovering a head of the measured liquid flow outgoing therefrom. The turbine flowmeter 10 (hereafter, called flowmeter) is installed in-line of fluid pipe (not shown).

[0051] The turbine type flowmeters generally convert the liquid flow axially oncoming upon turbine, in particular, turbine blades, into the turbine rotation at a speed proportional to the liquid flow rate, therefor to be measured, and further for computing operable data associated with the liquid discharge.

[0052] Fig. 2a and 2b illustrate the overall invention in the detailed exploded drawings, in which marked as 101 is a fluid inlet through which the liquid from the fluid pipe enters an ingoing liquid flow converting assembly, including a fluid receiver 100 of the half-sphere type with a liquid receiving chamber 102, a compressible vessel (e.g., the compressible bellow 230, hereafter referred to as the compressible vessel or one of its embodiments as the compressible bellow) generating the pulsing liquid. This vessel is mounted inside the liquid receiving chamber 102 to open and close said fluid inlet 101 by the ingoing liquid. A ring canal, also marked as 102, is formed around the compressible bellow for liquid to enter via the fluid inlet. Downstream of the liquid receiving chamber 102 is a spiral fluid converter 200, which is coupled with the liquid receiver 100 and provided with airfoil axial-to-spiral guides 206. The liquid extruded out the compressible bellow by the ingoing liquid flow and the ingoing liquid flowed via fluid inlet and ring canal, together passing the spiral liquid fluid convertor are merged in the liquid merging space 207 in a spiral pulsing liquid flow oncoming onto the turbine 320, which rotates within the turbine housing rim 310. The turbine 320 and turbine housing rim 310 are combined to form the turbine means 300. Downstream of the turbine means 300 is a liquid flow discharge smart metering assembly, including a first magnetic stator 400 and a second magnetic stator 410. Each stator is equipped with circumferentially arranged magnets that generate circumferential alternating magnetic fluxes. The hermetic measuring rotor 500, which houses circumferentially arranged inductive coreless coils (disclosed below), rotates synchronously with the turbine 320 mounted on the rotatable shaft (disclosed below). The first magnetic stator, located upstream, is shaped with a convergent nozzle, from the opposite side, (signed as 401 in Fig. 7, and shown in detail in Fig. 12a) to converge the ongoing spiral liquid flow outgoing from the turbine 320. The second magnetic stator, located downstream, is shaped with a divergent nozzle, from the opposite side, (signed as 411 in Fig. 13, and shown in detail in Fig. 12a) to diverge the on-going spiral liquid flow downstream of the smart metering assembly. The convergent nozzle 401 , the divergent nozzle 411, and the throat space in which the hermetic measuring rotor 500 rotates, together form a liquid flow geometry similar to the known Eaval nozzle. In Eaval nozzle geometry, the divergent nozzle is longer than the convergent nozzle. To reduce this length, a pump 620 of the applicable screw type is applied downstream of the divergent nozzle. The pump 620 is mounted on the downstream end of the rotatable shaft, rotating synchronously with the turbine 320 and the hermetic measuring rotor 500 mounted thereon, as well. The pump 620 rotates within the pump housing rim 610, and together, the pump 620 and pump housing rim 610 is combined to form the pump means 600. Downstream of the pump means 600 is an axial flow converter 210, which includes circumferentially arranged airfoil spiral-to-axial guides 216 to convert the liquid, downstream of the divergent nozzle 411 and pump 620, to one of the substantial axial pulsing liquid flow. Downstream of the axial fluid converter 210 is a fluid collector 110 of the half-sphere type, which includes a liquid head recovering chamber 112 and fluid outlet 111 for the outgoing liquid. The divergent nozzle 411, the pump means 600, the axial fluid converter 210, the liquid flow head recovering assembly, and the fluid collector 110 are combined to form the liquid flow head recovering assembly.

[0053] As shown in Figs. 2a and 2b, the flowmeter has the static parts are axially assembled in closed structure, in which the flowmeter 10 does not require any additional housing. Each of the static circumferential parts of the flowmeter, shown in Fig. 2a, 2b has circumferential ring grooves, signed as “o” to set within a corresponding O-ring for sealing therebetween in the hermetic assembling. As well as each of the static circumferential parts is circumferentially precisely positioned one to other by pins, signed as “p”.

[0054] The operational part of the turbine flowmeter 10 is the synchronously rotating the turbine 320, the hermetic measuring rotor 500, and the pump 620 mounted on one rotatable shaft. As described below, the rotatable shaft represents the shaft assembly with the upstream turbine end and downstream pump end, and middle part of the hermetic measuring rotor, the rotatable shaft has the hollow chambers providing a buoyancy of the operational part rotating in a path of the liquid flow.

[0055] Reference is now made to Fig. 3 schematically illustrating the turbine flowmeter based process for measuring a liquid flow ingoing therein, and with recovering a liquid flow head of the measured liquid flow outgoing therefrom, which in accordance with the invention includes a sequence of the processes, where process “a” is a converting the ingoing liquid flow 1001 via fluid inlet 1000 in pulsing liquid 1003 extruded out of the compressible vessel 230 and a liquid flowing via ring channel 1002, which passing via airfoil guides of the spiral fluid convertor, signed as process “b”, are merged in the liquid merging space 207 to be one of the substantial spiral pulsing liquid flow 1004 oncoming onto the turbine 320, and enforcing it to impulsively rotate 1005, shown as process “c”; downstream of the turbine 320 the spiral pulsing liquid flow incomes 1006 to convergent nozzle 401 ; further the liquid flow, which remains to be the spiral pulsing liquid flow passes 1008 via divergent nozzle 411 ; in the throat between the converging and diverging processes is the throat, wherein the hermetic measuring rotor 500 rotates between the magnetic stators 400 and 410, synchronously with the turbine 320, to generate electric signals 1007, process d, proportional at speed of the turbine rotation; process “e” is a processing the electric signals 1007 to compute and save the operable data associated with liquid flow discharge 1014; process ”f” is a providing the operable data to be readable 1015 and communicable 1016 e.g. to accounting system of the water utilities or water distribution service; process “g” is a recovering the head of the measured liquid flow, by its diverging 1008 via divergent nozzle 411, pumping 1010 via pump 620 rotating 1009 synchronously with turbine 320, converting by the axial fluid converter 1011 to be one of the substantial axial pulsing liquid flow 1012, accumulating 1013 in the liquid head recovering chamber 112, and further applying the pressure surges caused by one of the substantially hydraulic shocks produced by the axial pulsing liquid flow 1012 impinging upon the accumulated liquid 1013, for recovering the head of the liquid, further outgoing from turbine flowmeter.

[0056] The mentioned processes are discussed below in greater details with binding to apparatus in according to the invention.

[0057] Figs. 4, 5a and 5b disclose a convertor of the ingoing liquid flow in one of the substantial spiral pulsing liquid flow 1004 further oncoming onto the turbine 320, and which includes a fluid receiver 100 provided with fluid inlet 101 (there not shown) and liquid receiving chamber 102 of the half-sphere type and compressible bellow 230 mounted in the liquid receiving chamber 102; there the compressible chamber 103 and ring canal 102 are formed. The compressible bellow is one of the embodiments of the compressible open-base closed-vertex cone type vessel, where valve closed-side 233 of smaller diameter operates with the fluid inlet 101 to- open and close it, and open-side of larger diameter, shown in Fig. 5a, where signed as 231 is the sleeve type open-side, 232 is the cone body of the compressible bellow, and 233 is the valve type closed-side.

[0058] Figs. 5a and 5b illustrate the spiral liquid convertor 200 having an exterior rim 205, and one or more interior rims, herein 204, 203; there signed as 202 is a centric bearing for supporting the upstream turbine end 321 of the rotatable shaft, shown in Figs. 7, 10. The airfoil axial-to-spiral guides are disposed between the rims of the spiral liquid convertor, where the exterior guides are operated with liquid ingoing via fluid inlet 101, ring canal 102, and interior blades are operated with pulsing liquid extruded out compressible chamber 103. In Fig. 5a, signed as 201 is the sleeve coupled with sleeve type open-side 231 of the compressible bellow. The working principle of the spiral pulsing liquid flow converter is as follows:

[0059] When, for example, the consumer tap is in the closed state, the liquid does not flow because the fluid inlet 101 is also closed by the compressible bellow valve 233. The pressure at the fluid inlet 101 and fluid outlet 111 is the same. When the consumer opens the tap, the pressure at the tap falls to atmospheric pressure and then decreases further towards the turbine flowmeter. The liquid starts to flow. At the moment the liquid flow starts, the pressure difference before and after the flowmeter is not yet enough to open the closed compressible bellow valve 233. However, within milliseconds, the high pressure before the fluid inlet 101 and the low pressure in the throat of the convergent-divergent nozzles will create a pressure difference that is enough to rapidly open the compressible bellow valve 233. When the valveside of the compressible bellow is opened by the ingoing liquid flow, the compressible chamber 103 is compressed, extruding the liquid out of volume 103 via the open-side and the interior blades of the spiral fluid converter 200, causing one of the substantial hydraulic shock to be generated. Furthermore, the pulse of the liquid extruded out the volume 103 and the ingoing liquid flow via the fluid inlet 101, ring canal 102, and the exterior blades of the spiral fluid converter 200 are merged in the liquid merging space 207, shown in Fig. 7, thereby forming the spiral pulsing liquid flow, which then proceeds to the turbine 320 positioned downstream. Reference is now made back to Fig, 5a disclosing the next feature of the compressible vessel of the cone type 230. In accordance with principle of Pascal’s law about fluid pressure transferring - “...that a pressure change at any point in a confined incompressible fluid is transmitted throughout the fluid such that the same change occurs everywhere...

[0060] The compressible bellow represents a vessel filled by the liquid, and thus, compressible bellow 230 transfers the pressure of the ingoing liquid flow acting on the surface of the valve -closed side 233 to the open-side thereof, i.e. a smaller force of the ingoing liquid flow is converted in larger force of the pulsing liquid extruded out of the compressible chamber 103 for overcoming as start as operational moments of inertia of the turbine 320 rotation.

[0061] Further the compressible bellow 230 to behave like to a ball bobbing on fountain of the ingoing liquid providing the pulsing behavior of the liquid flow. It is well-known, the spiral component of the merged spiral pulsing liquid flow enforces the liquid mass to rotate in merging liquid space 207 upstream of the turbine, in which the rotating liquid mass has a higher pressure in the rotating circuit, which provides higher moment of the rotation for the turbine 320.

[0062] The various implementations such as e.g. geometry, sizing, shaping, material, various protective, mounting elements etc. related to the components of the ingoing liquid flow converting assembly for providing the optimal spiral pulsed liquid flow for turbine rotation, the compressible vessel, and the spiral fluid convertor are in a scope of the present invention.

[0063] Reference is now made to Fig. 6 disclosing the working principle of the turbine 320, which referring to Fig. 7 rotates within the turbine housing rim 310 with a gap 330 providing a hydraulic type bearing (shown illustratively). The turbine 320 is provided with exterior rim 324 and one or more interior rims 322, 323 for the turbine airfoil blades disposing therebetween; the centric means 321 provides to mount the turbine 320 on the turbine upstream end 510 of the rotatable shaft, which in turn, is supported by the centric bearing 202 of the spiral fluid converter 200.

[0064] Back to Fig. 6, the turbine 320 is disposed between the liquid merging space 207 and convergent nozzle 401 shaped in the first magnetic stator 400. The external rim of the spiral fluid converter 200, the turbine housing rim 310, and first magnetic stator 400 form a part of the flowmeter housing, in which the turbine rotates in path of the liquid flow.

[0065] The hollow chamber 550 inside the rotatable shaft 510 provides a buoyancy feature for the turbine 320, where the turbine becomes a part of the liquid mass; thus the turbine (and further disclosed hermetic measuring rotor and screw type pump mounted on the rotatable shaft) becomes such energy storage of the rotating therewith liquid as known flywheel, and hence, the turbine rotation speed to be measured, reflects the energy of the liquid flow. Despite on the axial rate of the liquid flow may be low, the rotation rate thereof is higher to provide qualified and precise measurements of the liquid flow discharge.

[0066] There the convergent nozzle 401 supports the pressure difference for on-going spiral liquid flow outgoing from the turbine.

[0067] The various implementations of the turbine and coupled therewith convergent nozzle are in a scope of the present invention. Fig. 8 discloses one of the embodiments of the airfoil blades of the turbine 340 and axial-to- spiral guides 206 of the spiral fluid converter 200 related to aforesaid optimal spiral pulsing liquid flow, which provides the optimal attack angle to the turbine blades of the oncoming spiral pulsing liquid flow; there signed as 1004 is the spiral pulsing liquid flow impinges upon the turbine blade 340, and 1005 is a direction of the turbine 320 rotation. For industrial implementation the turbine blades of this shape are performed as axially integrated two halfairfoil blades 340.1 and 340.2 of the axially integrated e.g. the corresponding two half-turbines, which, in turn, applicable to implement the spiral fluid converter 200 and axial fluid converter 210, disclosed below.

[0068] The various implementations of the airfoil blades related to the turbine and axial-to-spiral guides of the spiral fluid converter are in a scope of the present invention.

[0069] Fig. 9 illustrates the exploded drawing of the liquid flow discharge smart metering assembly, which in preferred embodiment presents an electric generator with magnetic stators 400 and 410 and hermetic measuring rotor 500 rotating therebetween. The magnetic stators 400 and 410 are included to be the static parts of the flowmeter 10. The rotor 500, shown in Figs. 10 is included into rotatable operational part of the flowmeter 10. There signed as 402 and 412 are shown the circumferentially arranged magnets, are each 403 installed into the protecting bushes 404 respectively, as shown in Fig. 12b; the magnets 402 and 412 are directed for producing circumferential alternating axial magnetic fluxes.

[0070] Fig. 10 illustrates one of embodiments of the hermetic measuring rotor 500 aggregated with rotatable shaft having the upstream turbine end 510 to be coupled with turbine 320 and the downstream pump end 511 to be coupled with the pump 620 (provisionally shown in Fig. 9) via positioning means 540 and 541, where the turbine 320, the hermetic measuring rotor 500 and the pump 620 mounted on the rotatable shaft become one operational part rotating synchronously with each other. Each end of the rotatable shaft has a hermetic hollow chambers signed as 550 and 551, which, with hermetic hollow housing 520 of the rotor 500 provide the rotor 500, turbine 320 and pump 620 to have a buoyancy in the liquid, i.e. to be a part of the liquid mass.

[0071] The hermetic hollow housing 520 of the rotor 500 houses the measuring means 530 shown illustratively in Fig. 11, which includes the circumferentially disposed inductive coils 532 of the coreless type, which when rotor 500 rotates between the magnetic stators 400 and 410, cause the circumferentially disposed inductive coils 532 to cross said circumferential alternating axial magnetic fluxes and produce the electric signals with frequency and voltage proportional at a speed of the turbine 320 rotation, which is proportional, in turn, to the liquid flow rate; the microcontroller means (not shown) disposed on the printed circuit board 531 to process the electric signals, to compute and save the operable data associated with the liquid flow discharge; there on the printed circuit board 531 is installed the wireless communications means to enable readable the operable data for accounting system of the water utilities.

[0072] In according to the invention the light type code Morse wireless communications is applied to enable readable the operable data. For that, the hermetic hollow housing 520 and the rotor housing rim 70 (shown in Fig. 1) is performed by transparent silicone with corresponding hardness, no less 60...80 shore.

[0073] Figs. 12a and 2b illustrate one of embodiments of the magnetic stators 400 and 410, are each performed to be universally used interchangeably as the first / second magnetic stator, convergent / divergent nozzles, and part of the flowmeter housing.

[0074] Fig. 13 representatively illustrates in greater details one of the embodiments of the liquid flow head recovering assembly.

[0075] The idea of the turbine flowmeter with the recovering the liquid flow head is in three stages: a first - to increase the energy of the liquid flow by converting it to the spiral pulsing liquid flow, a second - to amplify it by converging / diverging, and a three - to convert the on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow to axial pulsing liquid flow and further stop it before outgoing.

[0076] The liquid flow head recovering assembly includes the sequentially operates divergent nozzle 411, the axial fluid convertor 210, and fluid collector 110 provided with liquid head recovering chamber 112 and fluid outlet 111. There signed as 620 is a screw type pump mounted on rotatable shaft to synchronously rotate with turbine 320; the pump 620 is rotated within the pump housing means 610 of the pump means 600, shown in detail in Fig. 14.

[0077] The pump 620 is such active element in order to amplify the liquid flow pressure downstream, and due it the length of the divergent nozzle might be decreased to convergent nozzle length providing technological effectiveness of the universal magnetic stators 400 and 410 producing. The axial fluid convertor 210 includes a plurality of the airfoil spiral-to-axial guides 216 disposed between the exterior rim 215 and one or more interior rims 213, 214, shown in Fig. 5b, which are mirrored the airfoil guides of the fluid spiral convertor 200 disclosed above.

[0078] The working principle of the liquid flow head recovering is as follows:

[0079] In accordance to the principle of the liquid flow continuity, the spiral pulsing liquid flow remains along the turbine flowmeter.

[0080] The divergent nozzle 411 supports the spiral pulsing liquid flow, as well as, increasing a pressure thereof; the screw type pump 620 downstream of the divergent nozzle rotates impulsively as well, synchronously with turbine 320 and supports as spiral as pulsing components of the liquid flow; the axial fluid convertor 210 converts the on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow to one of the substantial axial pulsing liquid flow 1012 being the axial liquid jets with enough high pressure due to pump 620; the axial liquid jets impinge upon liquid accumulated in the liquid head recovering chamber 112, producing therein one of the substantial hydraulic shocks with liquid pressure surges. The kinetic energy of the axial pulsing liquid jets is transformed in potential energy of the liquid outgoing from the liquid head recovering chamber 112.

[0081] The various implementations of said liquid flow head recovering assembly are in a scope of the present invention.

[0082] Fig. 16 illustrates a schematic circuit of the method of the smart metering the discharge of the liquid flow, where a measuring means are disposed within the liquid flow and driven at a speed proportional to the rate of the liquid flow, embodied in the turbine flowmeter 10 (shown in Fig. 9) in accordance with the invention.

[0083] An electric signals from inductive coils 20 are received by controller 40. Numeral 30 refers to a rechargeable battery energizing controller 40. Battery 30 is rechargeable via electricity generated in inductive coils 20. The electric signals generated in response to rotation of the rotor 500 by the liquid flow to be meters is digitized in converter 41 and processed by metering means 42 which are configured for calculating a simultaneous flow rate and accumulating fluid consumption. The obtained data are stored in memory 43. Communication unit 50 provides an access to the data stored in memory 43. According to one embodiment of the present invention, communication unit 50 is a pulse light source configured for transmitting the obtained data in a coded manner, for example, by Morse code. The transmitted data can be visually decoded by a user or by the corresponding transceiver means 60 for further communicating to e.g. municipal or private water accountable systems. The pulse light source for transmitting the obtained data in a coded manner, for example, by Morse code is provided via transparent part of the flowmeter housing 70.

[0084] According to one embodiment of the present invention the data communications of the flowmeter to water accounting systems is performed via smartphone -based application 60.

[0085] Thus, the method of smart metering the discharge of the liquid flow, the turbine based method for metering the liquid flow discharge with recovering a head of the measured liquid flow and turbine flowmeter therefor has been provided, in which overcomes related to legal metrology and losses of liquid pressure / head during the measurement are solved.

[0086] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and it should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, many variations and modifications can be made without departing from the inventive concept, and these should also be considered as within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of smart metering the discharge of the liquid flow, where a measuring means is disposed within said liquid flow and driven at a speed proportional to the rate of said liquid flow, comprising at least the following steps: a. providing said measuring means housed in a hermetic measuring means housing mounted in path of said liquid flow; b. driving said hermetic measuring means housing by said liquid flow at a speed proportional to the rate of said liquid flow; c. inducting the measurable signals with parameters proportional to said speed within said hermetic measuring means housing; d. measuring said measurable signals by said measuring means within said hermetic measuring means housing; e. processing said measurement to compute operable data associated with said liquid flow discharge by said measuring means within said hermetic measuring means housing; f. saving said operable data within said hermetic measuring means housing; g. enabling the readable said operable data from said hermetic measuring means housing;2. The method as in claim 1, wherein said step (g) further comprising the step of adapting wireless communications to enable the readable said operable data;3. The method as in claim 2, further comprising the step of adapting light type code Morse to enable the readable said operable data;4. A turbine flowmeter based method for metering the discharge of the liquid flow ingoing therein, and recovering a head of the measured liquid flow outgoing therefrom, comprising at least the following steps:a. converting said ingoing liquid flow to one of the substantial spiral pulsing liquid flow oncoming onto a turbine; b. forcing said turbine in response to said oncoming spiral pulsing liquid flow to impulsively rotate at a speed proportional to the rate of said spiral pulsing liquid flow; c. converging an on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow outgoing from said turbine; d. applying the method of claim 1 for metering the discharge of the liquid flow proportional to said rate of said spiral pulsing liquid flow; e. diverging the on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow; f. converting said on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow to one of substantial axial pulsing liquid flow downstream of said diverging; g. stopping said axial pulsing liquid flow; h. accumulating the liquid of said axial pulsing liquid stopped therefor; i. applying the pressure surges caused by one of the substantial hydraulic shock produced by said axial pulsing liquid flow impinged upon said accumulated liquid, to recover a head of the liquid, further outgoing from the turbine flowmeter;5. The method as in claim 4, comprising the step of pumping said on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow downstream of said diverging synchronously with said turbine impulsive rotation;6. A turbine flowmeter for smart metering the discharge of the liquid flow ingoing therein and recovering a head of the measured liquid flow outgoing therefrom, comprising at least a. an ingoing liquid flow converting assembly, including i. a fluid receiver, including a fluid inlet and liquid receiving chamber; ii. a compressible vessel of cone open-base and closed-vertex type, said compressible vessel by said vertex mounted within said liquid receiving chamber to open and close said fluid inlet by compressing and uncompressing it by the flow of said ingoing liquid, thereinaround said compressive vessel a ring canal is formed for said ingoing liquid flow; iii. a spiral fluid convertor, including the airfoil axial-to-spiral guides are axially circumferentially disposed between an exterior rim and one or more interior rims, where the exterior axial-to-spiral airfoil guides and the interior airfoil axial-to-spiral guides are defined, wherein said exterior rim is circumferentially hermetically coupled with said liquid receiving chamber, wherein said exterior axial-to-spiral guides convert the ingoing liquid flow to a spiral liquid flow, said interior axial-to-spiral guides convert said pulsing liquid to a spiral pulsing liquid; iv. a liquid merging space, wherein said spiral liquid flow and said spiral pulsing liquid are merged to one of the substantial spiral pulsing liquid flow, further oncoming onto a turbine to force it to rotate impulsively; b. a turbine, including a plurality of the airfoil blades are axially circumferentially disposed between an exterior rim and one or more interior rims, wherein said turbine is forced to impulsively rotate at a speed proportional to the rate of said spiral pulsing liquid flow impinging upon said plurality of the airfoil blades, said turbine is mounted on the upstream end of a rotatable shaft to transfer said impulsive rotation thereto, said turbine is provided with a turbine housing rim to rotate within; c. a liquid flow discharge smart metering assembly, including i. a hermetic measuring rotor, said hermetic measuring rotor is mounted on said rotatable shaft to rotate synchronously with said turbine, said rotor hermetically houses: a circumferentially arranged inductive coreless coils inducing electric signals in response to crossing circumferentially arranged alternating magnetic fluxes;a microcontroller means for processing said electric signals to compute and save operable data associated with said liquid flow discharge; a wireless communications means to enable the readable said operable data, said hermetic measuring rotor is provided with a rotor housing rim to rotate within, said hermetic measuring rotor and said rotor housing rim are both transparent for said wireless communications; ii. a first magnetic stator and a second magnetic stator disposed upstream and downstream of said hermetic measuring rotor rotating therebetween respectively, wherein said first and second magnetic stators, from side faced said hermetic measuring rotor, are each provided with circumferentially arranged magnets for producing said circumferentially arranged alternating magnetic fluxes, when said inductive coreless coils cross thereof, cause to induce said electric signal, said first magnetic stator is shaped with a convergent nozzle, from the opposite side, to converge the on-going spiral liquid flow outgoing from said turbine; said second magnetic stator is shaped with a divergent nozzle, from the opposite side, to diverge the on-going spiral liquid flow downstream of said smart metering assembly, therein said hermetic measuring rotor is operated in the throat of said convergent and divergent nozzles; d. a liquid flow head recovering assembly, including i. an axial flow convertor, including a plurality of the airfoil spiral-to-axial guides are axially circumferentially disposed between an exterior rim and one or more interior rims to convert said on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow, downstream of said divergent nozzle, to one of the substantial axial pulsing liquid flow; ii. a fluid collector, including a liquid head recovering chamber and fluid outlet for outgoing liquid therefrom, wherein said liquid head recovering chamber stops said axial pulsing liquid flow and accumulates it, whereinthe pressure surges, caused by one of the substantial hydraulic shocks produced by said axial pulsing liquid flow impinging upon said accumulated liquid, are applied for recovering a head of the liquid, further outgoing from the turbine flowmeter;7. A turbine flowmeter as in claim 6, further comprising a screw type pump disposed downstream of said divergent nozzle and upstream of said axial flow convertor to pump said on-going spiral pulsing liquid flow to said liquid head recovering chamber via said axial flow convertor, said screw type pump is mounted on the downstream end of said rotatable shaft to synchronously rotate with said turbine; said screw type pump is provided with a pump housing rim to rotate within;8. A turbine flowmeter as in claim 6, wherein said rotatable shaft includes the hollow chambers, wherein said turbine, said hermetic measuring rotor and said screw type pump mounted thereon are provided with a buoyancy in a path of the liquid flow within said turbine flowmeter;9. A turbine flowmeter as in claim 8, wherein said spiral fluid convertor and axial fluid convertor are each provided with centric bearing means whereby said rotatable shaft is supported;10. A turbine flowmeter as in claim 6, wherein said wireless communications means includes a communications means of the light type code Morse;11. A turbine flowmeter as in claim 6, wherein said liquid receiver, exterior rim of said spiral fluid convertor, turbine housing rim, first magnetic stator, measuring rotor housing rim, second magnetic stator, pump housing rim, exterior rim of said axial fluid convertor and fluid collector are sequentially circumferentially one to other coupled to be the turbine flowmeter hermetic housing.

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