Prover Self Testing Using Unidirectional Piston and Bypass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing provers for calibrating flow meters are complex and costly, with mechanical issues related to piston release and return, and require bulky designs, making them inefficient for accurate fluid flow measurement.
Innovation Solution
A unidirectional captive displacement prover using a rod with a poppet valve and motor-driven pulleys to control piston movement within a cylinder, employing limit switches, linear encoders, or lasers for precise position and translation measurement, allowing for self-testing and validation of flow meter accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If complex reverser valves are used to reverse piston direction, then the prover can perform bi-directional testing, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the complex reverser valve mechanism from the prover system. By using a unidirectional piston that only moves in one direction (from upstream to downstream), the invention removes the need for bi-directional control mechanisms, thereby simplifying the overall device structure while maintaining calibration functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the piston move bi-directionally through complex valve mechanisms, the invention inverts the approach by using a unidirectional piston movement combined with a bypass system. The fluid can flow in reverse through the bypass, while the piston maintains simple unidirectional motion, effectively solving the bi-directional testing need without bi-directional mechanical complexity.
2Ease of operation
If devices are added to retract and restrain the piston, then the piston can be controlled in unidirectional flow, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The piston is designed to be automatically restrained at the downstream end by the prover housing structure itself, rather than requiring separate active restraint devices. The piston naturally stops when it reaches the end of its travel path, and the bypass mechanism automatically directs fluid flow without requiring active control devices for piston restraint.
3Ease of operation
If poppet valves are used to bypass piston flow, then the piston can be restrained in upstream position, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the need for complex poppet valves and cable assemblies that were previously used to control piston positioning. The piston is simply held in place by the prover housing structure at the upstream position, and the bypass mechanism uses straightforward flow control without requiring intricate valve systems.
4Ease of operation
If complex motor, clutch and cable assemblies are used, then the piston can be restrained and released, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent completely removes the complex motor, clutch, and cable assembly from the piston release mechanism. Instead, the piston is restrained passively by the prover housing structure and can be released through a simplified mechanism that does not require intricate mechanical components, significantly reducing manufacturing complexity and cost.
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 enables efficient and accurate calibration of flow meters by simplifying the mechanical design, reducing costs, and providing precise measurements of fluid flow and volume, ensuring validation and error detection for improved accuracy over time.
Implementation Method 1
movement of the piston in response to the flow of fluid into the cylinder through the inlet
Implementation Method 2
A pair of motor driven pulleys are used to wind thereupon a pair of belts having their ends secured to a shuttle fixedly attached to the rod. Upon actuation of the motor driving the pair of pulleys, the belts are wound thereupon to draw the rod and piston toward the inlet.
Implementation Method 3
The force exerted by the rod upon the poppet valve and the piston opens the poppet valve to permit fluid flow therethrough.
Data Source
AI summary
A prover includes a piston supporting rod extending longitudinally through a cylinder, which cylinder receives and discharges a fluid to measure the volume and flow rate of the fluid by translation of the piston from the fluid receiving end to the fluid discharging end. Motive means includes at least one element for drawing the rod and piston toward the fluid receiving end of the cylinder. Travel of the piston in the direction from the fluid receiving end to the fluid discharging end of the cylinder is sensed at discrete locations to provide an indication of the quantity of fluid therebetween and the related flow rate. Each of a plurality of switches, linear encoder or laser detector provides position sensing signals reflective of the volume and rate of fluid flowing in the cylinder. These signals, representative of this volume and flow rate, are compared with preset parameters to determine the degree of equivalence. Thereby, self testing and validation occurs.