Flow Meter Self-Powered Temperature Compensation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional gas flow meters fail to accurately measure fluid mass due to varying temperature and pressure conditions, leading to incorrect billing, as they assume constant parameters, which is not always the case.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that utilize a self-sufficient position sensor to harness flow energy for measurement and storage, employing a mathematical approximation to calculate fluid mass without a processor, using a temperature sensor with low energy requirements and an analog/digital converter to account for temperature variations, and optionally pressure changes, allowing for accurate fluid mass determination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If conventional flow meters assume constant temperature and pressure parameters, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of operation is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to inaccurate fluid mass determination
Solution Approach 1:
The flow meter system performs self-measurement of temperature and pressure parameters using integrated sensors, eliminating the need for external measurement devices. The control unit automatically processes these measurements and applies corrections to the flow rate calculation, enabling the system to self-adjust and maintain measurement precision without increasing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts measurement parameters by incorporating real-time temperature and pressure data into the flow rate calculation. The control unit modifies the standard flow rate measurement by applying correction factors based on measured temperature and pressure deviations from reference conditions, thereby maintaining measurement precision under varying environmental conditions
2Measurement precision
If temperature compensation is implemented using general gas equation calculations, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to processor requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex mechanical calculation mechanisms with electronic computation. Instead of using mechanical devices to perform gas law calculations, the control unit uses electronic processing to automatically apply temperature and pressure corrections based on the general gas equation, simplifying the physical structure while maintaining computational accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit serves multiple functions: it controls the display unit, processes flow rate measurements, performs temperature compensation calculations, and manages communication with external devices. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate components into a single integrated unit, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining measurement precision
3Measurement precision
If external power supply is required for measurement and storage processes, then measurement precision can be maintained, but reliability deteriorates due to power availability concerns and tampering risks
Solution Approach 1:
The flow meter system generates its own operating energy from the kinetic energy of the flowing fluid itself. The measurement process harnesses the fluid's motion to power the sensors, control unit, and storage mechanisms, eliminating dependence on external power supplies and associated reliability issues
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an energy conversion mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the fluid flow and the electronic components. The kinetic energy of the fluid is converted into electrical or mechanical energy that powers the measurement and storage systems, creating a self-sustaining energy supply chain that improves reliability
4Ease of operation
If meter readings are taken at fixed intervals with non-resettable counters, then ease of operation is improved and tampering is prevented, but loss of information occurs due to inability to track intermediate consumption data
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary recording of consumption data at regular intervals and stores this information in memory. Before final billing calculations are made, all intermediate measurements are already captured and preserved, allowing for accurate determination of consumption during any specific time period without losing intermediate data
Solution Approach 2:
The measurement and storage system is divided into segments that can independently record and store data. The counter is segmented to allow both cumulative total recording and intermediate value storage, enabling the system to maintain tamper-proof cumulative counts while also preserving detailed intermediate consumption data for various time periods
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 accurate and tamper-proof measurement of fluid mass independently of external power, with the ability to update delivery volumes in real-time or at selectable intervals, ensuring precise billing and reducing manipulation risks.
Implementation Method 1
an excitation magnet system is provided, which, for example in bellows meters, either moves back and forth with the slides or is mounted on a rotor that is set in motion by the fluid flow to be measured via a crankshaft arrangement or the like
Implementation Method 2
it is necessary to measure the absolute temperature TM of the fluid at least at each measurement and to take this into account in the measurement calculation
Data Source
AI summary
The mass of a fluid flowing through a flow rate meter at a temperature which fluctuates within a given temperature range is determined by driving an exciter magnet system through the fluid at an exact correlation between the fluid volume flow and the movement path through which the exciter magnet system travels, generating, with the aid of a Wiegand wire and a coil surrounding said Wiegand wire, a measurement voltage pulse each time the exciter magnet system has traveled through a movement path corresponding to a unit volume of the fluid, charging, at each measurement time, a first energy store using electrical energy contained in each measurement voltage pulse and using said energy as operating energy for measuring the instantaneous temperature of the fluid, generating a temperature value as an integral multiple of the smallest resolvable temperature unit of measurement and an integral measured value comprising said temperature value and adding said temperature value to a sum of the previously determined measured values, said sum being contained in a nonvolatile memory, so as to form a continuous sum in the nonvolatile memory, and forwarding said continuous sum to a processor which can be supplied with external energy and which calculates the temperature-corrected delivery volume of the fluid from said continuous sum.