Method for compensating for venturi effects on pressure sensors in moving water
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for measuring water depth using pressure sensors in flowing water fail to correct for water velocity, leading to inaccurate readings due to Venturi effects and Bernoulli effects.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that utilize an acoustic Doppler velocity meter and signal processor to determine a velocity-dependent offset, correcting water depth measurements by accounting for dynamic pressure and drag coefficients to compensate for Venturi effects on pressure sensors in moving water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If pressure sensor measurements are used in flowing water without velocity correction, then the measurement system remains simple, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to Venturi effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the pressure sensor and acoustic Doppler velocimeter into a single integrated measurement system. The velocity data from the Doppler velocimeter is used to calculate dynamic pressure, which then corrects the pressure sensor readings to compensate for Venturi effects. This merging approach improves measurement precision while avoiding the complexity of separate correction systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by continuously measuring water velocity with the acoustic Doppler velocimeter and using this information to dynamically correct the pressure sensor measurements. The calculated dynamic pressure based on measured velocity provides real-time feedback to compensate for flow-induced measurement errors, improving accuracy without requiring complex manual correction procedures.
2Measurement precision
If velocity measurement and correction are implemented, then measurement precision improves by compensating for dynamic pressure effects, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The acoustic Doppler velocimeter serves multiple functions: it measures water velocity for dynamic pressure calculation, and its data is used to correct pressure sensor readings. This multi-functionality approach improves measurement precision while minimizing added complexity, as a single device performs both velocity measurement and enables pressure correction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-correction by using its own velocity measurements to automatically compensate for dynamic pressure effects on the pressure sensor. The apparatus serves itself by generating the correction data internally through the Doppler velocimeter, eliminating the need for external correction systems or additional sensors.
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 approach provides accurate water depth measurements by compensating for the effects of water velocity, improving the precision of pressure sensor readings in flowing water environments.
Implementation Method 1
an acoustic Doppler velocity meter
Implementation Method 2
water flowing around a pressure sensor produces a Bernoulli effect that causes sensors to read incorrectly
Implementation Method 3
compensating for Venturi effects on the pressure sensor in the moving water
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
Apparatus for taking a water depth measurement using a probe, featuring a signal processor configured to receive signaling containing information about a water depth measurement determined from a pressure sensed by a pressure sensor contained in a probe immersed in flowing water, and also containing information about a velocity-dependent offset that is determined and depends on the velocity of the flowing water; and determining corresponding signaling containing information about a corrected water depth measurement of the flowing water by correcting the water depth measurement by the velocity-dependent offset in order to compensate for Venturi effects on the pressure sensor in the moving water.