Polygonal Pipe Section for Ultrasound Flow Meter Accuracy
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasound flow meters face inaccuracies in measuring fluid flow in small pipes due to physical constraints, such as insufficient transducer placement and interference from transducer ports, which affect the accuracy of flow rate measurements.
Innovation Solution
A device with a polygonal pipe section having an even number of walls (4-16) and shallow transducer ports, allowing for accurate placement and operation of ultrasound transducers, which emit and receive ultrasonic beams to calculate fluid flow rates, even in pipes with diameters of 150 mm or less.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the effective internal diameter of the pipe is reduced, then the device can measure smaller pipes, but the number of transducers must be reduced due to physical constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe cross-section is divided into multiple walls (4-16), with transducers distributed across different walls. This segmentation allows sufficient transducer placement even in small pipes by utilizing the perimeter space efficiently, maintaining measurement accuracy while accommodating reduced pipe diameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a circular pipe cross-section to a polygonal cross-section with multiple walls. This dimensional change in the pipe geometry allows transducers to be positioned on different wall surfaces, effectively utilizing the available space and maintaining adequate transducer count and distribution in small pipes.
2Ease of manufacture
If transducer ports are used in circular pipes, then transducers can be mounted, but the ports interfere with ultrasound beam propagation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the curved surface of a circular pipe with flat planar wall surfaces in a polygonal pipe. This allows transducers to be mounted flush against flat surfaces without requiring deep ports, eliminating the interference that deep ports cause to ultrasound beam propagation while maintaining easy transducer mounting.
3Shape
If the pipe has circular cross-section, then transducer ports become deeper near the walls due to curvature, but this increases interference with beam propagation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention eliminates the curved surface of circular pipes by using flat wall surfaces in a polygonal pipe cross-section. This removes the geometric cause of deep transducer ports near the walls, thereby eliminating the associated interference with ultrasound beam propagation while maintaining effective transducer mounting.
4Measurement precision
If beam path length is increased by bouncing the beam along the pipe, then measurement accuracy improves, but the reflected beam is sprayed by the pipe surface in small diameter pipes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the curved inner surface of small diameter circular pipes with flat wall surfaces in a polygonal pipe. This eliminates the surface geometry that causes beam spray upon reflection, ensuring stable and reliable beam reflection for accurate measurements while maintaining adequate beam path length.
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
This configuration enhances measurement accuracy by minimizing transducer port interference and maintaining consistent beam path lengths across the pipe, providing precise fluid flow rate calculations.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of ultrasound transducers, wherein each ultrasound transducer comprises an emitter and receiver, each ultrasound transducer arranged on the walls of the pipe section and generating a signal when the transducers emit ultrasound through any fluid flowing in the pipe section and/or receive said ultrasound
Implementation Method 2
The velocity V of the fluid is given by the following equation: V=(L/2cosα).(1/tba-1/tab) wherein L is the distance between the two transducers on opposing walls of the pipe, ΔT is the difference between the time the ultrasonic beams tool to travel between the two transducers in both directions
Data Source
AI summary
An invention relates to a device for measuring fluid flow in a pipe, in particular a device using ultrasound transducers for measuring fluid flow in a pipe, and a method for measuring fluid flow in a pipe using said device.