Acoustic Transducer Polygon Arrangement for Flow Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flow measurement methods using acoustic transducers are inaccurate due to turbulence, which is not fully addressed by existing solutions that require costly installations or additional straight pipe runs to minimize turbulence effects.
Innovation Solution
The arrangement of acoustic transducers in a regular polygon configuration, particularly a square, with measurement planes parallel to the tubular cavity, and additional transducers oriented to define intersecting acoustic paths, along with a logic application using system identification, to account for swirl and turbulence effects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional acoustic transducer arrangement is used, then the device complexity is low, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to turbulence and swirl effects
Solution Approach 1:
The measurement is segmented into multiple independent acoustic paths (at least three paths) that sample different regions of the flow. Each path provides independent velocity data that, when combined, enables calculation of mean flow velocity while compensating for turbulence and swirl. This segmentation allows the system to overcome the limitations of single-path measurements without requiring a completely different measurement approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from conventional single-plane measurement to multi-plane three-dimensional measurement. Acoustic paths are arranged to traverse different planes within the pipe, with at least one path not lying in the same plane as others. This dimensional expansion enables the system to capture flow characteristics in multiple spatial dimensions, allowing compensation for swirl and turbulence effects that planar arrangements cannot detect.
2Measurement precision
If straight pipe runs are installed to minimize turbulence, then the measurement precision improves, but the ease of manufacture and installation deteriorates due to space requirements and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The multi-path acoustic transducer arrangement is designed to compensate for turbulence and swirl effects directly at the measurement location, eliminating the need for preliminary actions such as installing long straight pipe runs upstream. The system's geometric configuration and signal processing inherently compensate for flow disturbances, allowing accurate measurements to be taken in situ without requiring extended preparation or installation space.
3Measurement precision
If additional acoustic paths are added to improve accuracy, then the measurement precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each acoustic transducer in the multi-path arrangement serves multiple functions: it participates in multiple different acoustic paths, provides velocity data for mean flow calculation, and contributes to swirl compensation. This multi-functionality reduces the overall system complexity compared to having dedicated single-purpose sensors, as each transducer unit performs several measurement roles simultaneously through its participation in multiple acoustic paths.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration provides accurate flow measurements by compensating for swirl and turbulence, offering both improved accuracy and simpler construction compared to existing methods.
Implementation Method 1
Each of the transducers sends signals along, and receives signals from, the acoustic path. From the output of these transducers the transit time of these signals in each direction along the acoustic path can be determined.
Data Source
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
An arrangement 5 of acoustic transducers (7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 11a, 11b,11c, 11d, 13a, 13b, 13c, 13d) for a flow meter. The flow meter is for measuring the rate at which fluid is flowing. The arrangement includes a respective transducer set (7, 9, 11, 13) for each edge of a notional regular polygon NRP. The transducer sets are associated with a tubular cavity for carrying the fluid. Each of the transducer sets respectively includes two acoustic transducers oriented to define an acoustic path lying in a measurement plane MP7 of the respective set, and another two acoustic transducers oriented to define another acoustic path lying in the measurement plane of the respective set. The transducers sets are positioned so that, in cross-section normal to the tubular cavity, the measurement plane of each respective transducer set is coincident with a respective edge of the notional regular polygon.