Coriolis Flow Sensor Resilient Mounting Vibration Isolation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Coriolis flow sensors face issues with vibration interference between adjacent instruments and sensitivity to external vibrations, leading to inaccurate measurements, especially when placed on non-rigid surfaces or in close proximity to other sensors.
Innovation Solution
The Coriolis flow sensor employs a resiliently mounted Coriolis tube connected to a balancing member, with internal excitation means connected to the tube fixation means, and optical detectors placed between the tube and the fixation means to reduce vibration transfer and sensitivity, ensuring the tube oscillates in counter-phase with the balancing member and minimizing external vibration influence.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If Coriolis flow sensors are placed close to one another, then space utilization is improved, but vibration interference between instruments increases causing measurement inaccuracies
Solution Approach 1:
A resilient mounting system acts as an intermediary between the Coriolis tube assembly and the housing, isolating vibrations. The resilient means (springs or dampers) absorbs and attenuates vibrational energy, preventing transmission between adjacent sensors while allowing the sensors to be placed in close proximity.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient mounting system uses flexible elements (springs, elastomeric materials, or thin film dampers) to create a compliant connection between the tube assembly and housing. This flexible connection decouples the mechanical vibrations between adjacent sensors, enabling dense packaging without vibration interference.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the flow sensor is placed on a non-rigid surface, then installation flexibility is improved, but sensitivity to external vibrations increases causing zero-point shifts
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient mounting system serves as a mediator that decouples the sensor assembly from the housing and external environment. It allows the sensor to be installed on various surfaces including non-rigid ones, while the resilient elements filter out external vibrations and prevent them from affecting the measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The resilient mounting elements provide beforehand cushioning by absorbing and damping external vibrations before they can reach the Coriolis tube. This preemptive vibration isolation protects the sensitive measurement system from zero-point shifts and measurement errors caused by external vibrations.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the tube is rigidly fixed to the housing, then structural stability is improved, but vibration transfer to and from the housing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The resilient mounting system acts as an intermediary that provides both structural support and vibration isolation. It maintains the tube assembly in a stable, fixed position relative to the housing while simultaneously attenuating vibrational energy transfer in both directions (from tube to housing and from housing to tube).
Solution Approach 2:
Flexible resilient elements (springs, elastomeric mounts, or thin film dampers) replace rigid fixation. These flexible components provide the necessary structural support to hold the tube assembly in place while their compliant nature prevents rigid mechanical coupling that would transmit vibrations.
4Power
If excitation means are connected to the housing, then excitation efficiency is improved, but forces are exerted on the housing during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The excitation means are extracted from the housing structure and integrated directly into the tube fixation means. This removes the source of excitatory forces from the housing, preventing force transmission to the housing while maintaining efficient excitation of the Coriolis tube through direct mechanical coupling at the tube ends.
Solution Approach 2:
The excitation means are merged with the tube fixation means into a single integrated assembly. This combination allows the excitation mechanism to be positioned directly at the tube ends, improving excitation efficiency through direct coupling while the entire assembly moves together, preventing forces from being exerted on the housing.
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 significantly reduces the transfer of vibrations between instruments and improves measurement accuracy by attenuating vibrations, resulting in more precise flow measurements with reduced interference from external and internal vibrations.
Implementation Method 1
the assembly of the balancing member and the tube is resiliently arranged with respect to the housing
Implementation Method 2
the assembly of the balancing member and the tube is resiliently arranged with respect to the housing
Implementation Method 3
The excitation system (exciter) brings the tube into vibration. For this purpose, one or several forces or torques are applied to portions of the tube
Implementation Method 4
The vibration frequency is almost always a natural frequency of the tube so that a maximum amplitude can be achieved with a minimum energy input
Implementation Method 5
The detection system usually detects the displacements of one or several points of the tube as a function of time
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
A Coriolis flow sensor comprising a loop-shaped Coriolis tube mounted in a housing with two ends lying next to one another, said ends being fixed in a fixation means, while the portion of the tube located between said ends lies free from the housing, which flow sensor comprises excitation means for causing the tube to oscillate about an excitation axis as well as detection means for detecting displacements of portions of the tube during operation. The tube is connected through the fixation means to a balancing member, the assembly of the balancing member and the tube being resiliently arranged with respect to the housing, while the excitation means are arranged to rotate the tube and the balancing member with counter-phase about the excitation axis.