Coriolis Flow Meter Connection Plate with Selectable Resistors
Solution Overview
Problem
The production of Coriolis mass flow meters is costly and time-consuming due to the need for multiple connection plates tailored to different drivers and certification for use in potentially explosive areas, which restricts the flexibility of driver circuits and increases certification efforts.
Innovation Solution
A Coriolis mass flow meter with a connection plate featuring parallel-connected resistors that can be activated or deactivated to set current intensity, allowing the same connection plate to be used for different drivers, ensuring intrinsic safety and compliance with standards for use in explosive environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple connection plates tailored to different drivers are used, then each driver can be optimized for specific applications, but production costs and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal connection plate design that can accommodate multiple different drivers through integrated circuitry. The connection plate includes multiple driver circuits that can be selectively activated, allowing a single connection plate to serve multiple driver types rather than requiring separate specialized plates for each driver variant.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple driver circuits and their associated control functionality into a single integrated connection plate. By merging what would traditionally be separate connection plates into one unified component, the system reduces the total number of parts while maintaining the ability to support different driver configurations through internal circuit selection.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple connection plates tailored to different drivers are used, then each driver configuration can be optimized, but certification efforts and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The universal connection plate undergoes a single certification process that validates its ability to safely operate multiple driver types. Once certified, the same connection plate can be used across different applications with various drivers, eliminating the need for repeated certification efforts for each driver variant and significantly reducing time consumption.
3Adaptability or versatility
If drivers are operated with different currents, then each driver can be optimized for its specific application, but manufacturing effort and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The connection plate incorporates dynamically selectable circuit configurations that allow the current delivery characteristics to be changed based on which driver circuit is activated. The system can switch between different current profiles, resistance values, and circuit topologies electronically rather than requiring physical manufacturing changes, enabling current optimization for different drivers without increasing manufacturing complexity.
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 solution reduces production costs and certification efforts by enabling the same connection plate to be used for various drivers, ensuring intrinsic safety and compliance with standards, thereby simplifying the production and certification process while maintaining explosion safety.
Implementation Method 1
a driver, such as an electromagnetic coil, that sets the measuring tube into resonant vibrations
Implementation Method 2
a driver, such as an electromagnetic coil
Implementation Method 3
at least one resistor that can be activated or deactivated to set a specific current in the circuit
Implementation Method 4
a first sensor and a second sensor, which are positioned offset from each other along the measuring tube along the direction of flow of the medium and detect the vibrations of the measuring tube. The sensors are also designed as electromagnetic transducers
Implementation Method 5
By setting the measuring tube into resonant vibrations, the measuring medium flowing through the tube is subjected to Coriolis forces. These forces, in turn, lead to a phase shift in the vibrations of the measuring tube
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a Coriolis mass flow meter (1) comprising at least one measuring tube (4) through which a measuring medium can be passed, a driver (D) which sets the measuring tube (4) into resonant vibrations, a first sensor (S1) and a second sensor (S2) which are arranged offset from each other along a flow direction (a) of the measuring medium on the measuring tube (4) and which detect the vibrations of the measuring tube (4), and a connection plate (11) for electrically connecting a circuit (12) of the driver (D) to a voltage source (7), wherein at least one parallel-connected resistor (RI-RVI) is provided on the connection plate (11) in the circuit (12) of the driver (D), which can be activated or deactivated to set a specific current in the circuit (12).The invention further relates to a method for adjusting the current in a circuit (12) of a driver (D) of a Coriolis mass flow meter (1), in particular according to one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of: selecting at least one suitable resistor (RI-RVI) from a plurality of resistors (RI-RVI) connected in parallel in the circuit (12) of the driver (D), activating the selected resistor or resistors (RI-RVI) and/or deactivating the unselected resistor or resistors (RI-RVI).