Ultrasonic Flow Meter Transducer Mounting Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasonic flow meters face challenges with vibration conduction and mounting accuracy issues, leading to decreased measuring accuracy due to reverberant noise and variable tightening torque, which affects the precision of fluid flow rate measurement.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic flow meter design featuring an ultrasonic transducer with an acoustic matching body and piezoelectric element fixed to a metal plate, an insulating damping member covering the metal plate, and a fixing member with an extended L-shaped portion that acts as a damper to prevent vibration conduction to the flow channel, ensuring accurate positioning and high measurement accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If vibration conduction suppressor is attached to ultrasonic transducer, then vibration suppression is improved, but mounting time and adjustment complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration conduction suppressor is integrated into a single-piece retainer structure that combines the vibration damping function with the mounting support function. The retainer includes a vibration conduction suppressor portion and a support portion formed as one integral component, eliminating the need for separate attachment steps and reducing mounting complexity while maintaining effective vibration suppression.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If vibration conduction suppressor is attached uniformly, then vibration suppression is improved, but mounting accuracy variation decreases performance
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer is designed with distinct functional portions: a vibration conduction suppressor portion that contacts the ultrasonic transducer case to damp vibrations, and a support portion that provides structural support and positioning. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function, ensuring consistent performance regardless of minor mounting variations.
3Ease of operation
If screw tightening torque varies, then ease of assembly is improved, but vibration conduction to flow channel increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer acts as an intermediary component between the ultrasonic transducer and the flow channel. It provides a compliant mounting interface that maintains consistent contact pressure through its flexible vibration conduction suppressor portion, preventing vibration transmission to the flow channel even when screw tightening torque varies during assembly.
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 effectively reduces vibration conduction and enhances mounting accuracy, resulting in a flow-rate measuring device capable of precise fluid flow rate measurements with improved productivity and reliability.
Implementation Method 1
piezoelectric element 64 is fixed to an inner wall face of top portion 60 of case 63
Implementation Method 2
vibration damper 65 is so disposed as to cover and stay in close contact with an outer periphery of sidewall 61 of case 63, to suppress vibrations of sidewall 61 attributed to vibrations of piezoelectric element 64
Implementation Method 3
vibration conduction suppressor 67 of retainer 66 is generally formed of a flexible material having high damping properties, and it holds case 63 in vibration free to mounting portion 69a of flow channel 69
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An ultrasonic flow meter comprises a flow channel (3) for a fluid to be measured to flow through, an ultrasonic transducer (5, 6) having an acoustic matching body (9c) and a piezoelectric element (9b) fixed to a metal plate (9a), an insulating damping member (11) which covers the metal plate (9a) except for the acoustic matching body (9c), a mounting portion (3b) provided in the flow channel (3), and a fixing member (13) that fixes the ultrasonic transducer (5, 6) to the mounting portion (3b), The fixing member (13) has a pressing portion (18) and an extended portion (12), and the ultrasonic transducer (5, 6) is fixed to the mounting portion (3b) by engaging a hole (16) disposed in the extended portion (12) with a hook (15) disposed on the mounting portion (3b). This structure reduces through-the-case conduction, and achieves the ultrasonic flow meter of high accuracy.