Flow Measurement Branch with Pressure Boosting and Viscosity Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow measurement systems face challenges in achieving accurate flow rate and viscosity determination across various nominal diameters without incurring high pressure loss, especially when dealing with high viscosity media, which can compromise lubrication efficiency in marine engine applications.
Innovation Solution
A measuring system with a pressure increasing unit and temperature control system, featuring a pump section, non-return valves, and a heating element, which adjusts pressure and viscosity to optimize flow properties, allowing for precise measurement with small nominal widths without excessive pressure drop.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a small nominal diameter measuring device is used to achieve high measurement accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The line branch is divided into multiple sections: a first section with a small nominal diameter measuring device for accurate measurement, and a second section with a larger nominal diameter for reduced pressure loss. This segmentation allows the system to benefit from both high measurement precision and low pressure loss by separating the measurement function from the transport function.
2Measurement precision
If a small nominal diameter measuring device is used to achieve high measurement accuracy, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The measuring device with small nominal diameter serves multiple functions: it provides accurate flow rate measurement and simultaneously acts as a flow conditioning element that prepares the medium for subsequent measurement of other parameters. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
3Productivity
If pressure is increased to maintain flow rate with high viscosity media, then flow rate is maintained, but pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the physical parameters of the medium by controlling its temperature. By heating high viscosity media to reduce viscosity, the medium becomes easier to pump, allowing maintenance of flow rate with lower pressure loss. The temperature control unit monitors and adjusts temperature to optimize the balance between flow rate and pressure loss.
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 system enables accurate flow rate and viscosity monitoring with reduced viscosity and pressure loss, ensuring reliable lubrication and meeting specified accuracy requirements, even with high viscosity media, by heating the medium and increasing pressure, thus supporting applications like marine engine lubrication.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element (12), at least one first temperature measuring device (13) and a control/evaluation unit (14) connected to the heating element (12) and the first temperature measuring device (13)
Implementation Method 2
a pump (8) arranged in a pump section (7) of the first branch of the line (2)
Implementation Method 3
a first check valve (9a) arranged in a first section (10a) of the first branch of the line (2) parallel to the pump section (7), which is open when a first predetermined setpoint pressure (p1) is reached and only allows flow in a direction opposite to the predetermined flow direction (DR)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2a~3
AI summary
The invention relates to a measuring system (1), comprising: a first line branch (2), through which a medium (3) flows in a defined flow direction (DR); a measuring device (4), which is arranged in the first line branch (2) and through which the medium (3) flows, for determining and/or monitoring the flow and/or the viscosity of the medium (3), the measuring device (4) having a defined nominal size (NW); and a preparation system (5), which is arranged in the first line branch (2) before the measuring device (4) in the defined flow direction (DR), having a pressure-increasing unit (6) designed to increase the pressure of the medium (3) in the first line branch (2), said pressure-increasing unit comprising: a pump (8), which is arranged in a pump section (7) of the first line branch (2); and a first nonreturn valve (9a), which is arranged in a first section (10) of the first line branch (2) parallel to the pump section (7), flow through the first nonreturn valve (9a) being possible when a first defined target pressure (p1) is reached and only in a direction opposite the defined flow direction (DR); and having a temperature control unit (11) designed to control the temperature of the medium (3) in the first line branch (2), said temperature control unit comprising: at least one heating element (12); at least one first temperature-measuring device (13, ...); and a control/evaluation unit (14) connected to the heating element (12) and to the first temperature-measuring device (13).