Flow Meter Body Portion With Pre-Recorded Calibration Data
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flow meters require cumbersome recalibration and removal for sensor swaps, leading to variability in measurements and difficulties in adjusting flow rate calculations due to differences between sensor units, especially when performing adjustments in locations without necessary calibration devices.
Innovation Solution
A flow meter adjusting method that records unique adjustment data, such as branch flow ratio data, associated with the body portion's identification information, allowing for quick and easy adjustments by attaching and configuring the fluid measuring portion without removing it from the pipe, using a detachable fluid measuring portion that adjusts the measuring process based on pre-recorded data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional flow meters use approximation formulas for calibration curves, then flow rate measurement is achieved, but sensor unit variability causes measurement errors and requires cumbersome unit-by-unit adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The flow meter is divided into a body portion (fixed in the pipe) and a detachable fluid measuring portion (containing the sensor). This segmentation allows the sensor to be replaced without removing the entire flow meter from the pipe, enabling easy sensor swaps while maintaining measurement accuracy through pre-stored calibration data in the body portion.
Solution Approach 2:
Calibration data and approximation formulas are pre-calculated and stored in the body portion during manufacturing or initial setup. When a sensor is replaced, the system automatically retrieves the appropriate pre-stored calibration data, eliminating the need for on-site recalibration and complex unit-by-unit adjustments.
2Measurement precision
If flow meters require removal and recalibration when sensors are changed, then measurement accuracy can be maintained, but installation time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the flow meter into a body portion remaining in the pipe and a detachable fluid measuring portion containing the sensor, the system enables sensor replacement without removing the entire assembly. This maintains measurement accuracy through pre-stored calibration data while dramatically improving installation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The body portion automatically provides calibration data and measurement calculations without requiring external calibration equipment or manual recalibration operations. The system serves itself by retrieving appropriate calibration parameters automatically when sensors are replaced, eliminating the need for specialized recalibration devices.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional flow meters use fixed calibration curves, then manufacturing is simplified, but adaptability to different pipe configurations and sensor units is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The body portion is designed as a universal component that can be used with different pipe configurations and sensor types. It stores multiple calibration data sets corresponding to different pipe configurations, allowing the same body portion to adapt to various applications without requiring custom manufacturing for each configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple calibration data sets for different pipe configurations are pre-calculated and stored in the body portion during manufacturing. This preliminary preparation allows the system to quickly adapt to different pipe configurations by simply selecting the appropriate pre-stored data, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while achieving high adaptability.
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
Enables rapid and simple flow meter adjustments at the installation location, allowing for accurate flow rate measurements without the need for recalibration devices, facilitating easy swapping of fluid measuring portions and maintaining measurement accuracy across different sensor units and pipe configurations.
Implementation Method 1
A thermal flow rate sensor for detecting a thermal shift that depends on the flow of the fluid to be measured is provided in the branch flow path
Data Source
AI summary
A body section having a main channel through which a fluid to be measured flows and sections for shunting the fluid to be measured from the main channel, and a fluid measuring section provided removably from the body section and measuring the flow rate of the fluid to be measured flowing through the main channel based on the detection results of the fluid to be measured introduced from the shunting section. The fluid measuring section is fixed to the body section and shunt ratio data, i.e. the adjustment data about measurement processing inherent to the constitution of the body section, is registered in the fluid measuring section before adjusting measurement processing.