Expansion Ring Sensor for Pipe Pressure Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pressure measurement systems are structurally complex and prone to faults due to the requirement of additional mechanical parts, which can compromise their accuracy and reliability, especially when measuring pressures in flowing media.
Innovation Solution
A non-invasive pressure measurement device featuring a deformed body with a weakened wall thickness, specifically an expansion ring sensor with a slot, which amplifies pressure-dependent changes in the slot width, allowing for accurate pressure measurement without invasive sensors, using various measurement principles such as length measurement, strain gauges, or capacitive methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If additional mechanical parts are used for pressure measurement, then measurement capability is improved, but device complexity and fault susceptibility increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the pressure measurement function directly into the pipe structure by integrating a sensor into a recess in the pipe wall, eliminating the need for separate mechanical measurement parts. The pipe wall itself becomes part of the measurement system through the recess-sensor integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a localized measurement zone by forming a recess in the pipe wall at a specific location, allowing the sensor to measure pressure at that particular point without requiring complex mechanical structures throughout the entire system.
2Measurement precision
If invasive sensors are used for pressure measurement, then measurement accuracy is improved, but the smooth inner surface of the flow body is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pipe wall by creating a recess that houses the sensor, allowing the sensor to be positioned within the pipe wall structure rather than protruding into the flow path. This segmentation maintains the smooth inner surface while enabling accurate pressure measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor is nested within the recess in the pipe wall, with the sensor being housed inside the pipe structure rather than extending into the flow. This nesting arrangement allows the sensor to measure pressure without disrupting the smooth inner surface of the pipe.
3Reliability
If the measuring body is made as an integral part of the media-carrying system, then reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The recess is formed in the pipe wall during the manufacturing process before the pipe is put into service, allowing the sensor to be integrated into the pipe structure in advance. This preliminary formation of the recess simplifies the overall manufacturing by combining the measurement feature with the pipe production.
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
The solution provides a reliable and accurate pressure measurement system that is less susceptible to faults, maintains smooth inner surfaces, and can be retrofitted into existing systems, suitable for both stationary and flowing media, with minimal temperature coefficient impact and adaptable to various flow channel shapes.
Implementation Method 1
a deformed body 1 with a weakened wall thickness, in particular an expansion ring sensor (1) with a slot (3), which amplifies pressure-dependent changes in the slot width
Implementation Method 2
the widening of the slot (3) takes place radially away from the inner tube (2) and/or in the longitudinal direction of the inner tube (2)
Data Source
AI summary
The invention proposes an apparatus for measuring the pressure of media in hollow bodies and a method for measuring the pressure of media in hollow bodies, wherein the measuring apparatus, which is not a membrane system, is a measuring body for detecting the pressure of arbitrary resting or flowing media in the form of a deformation body (1), the wall thickness of which in particular is reduced.