Rotary Flow Meter with Magnetic Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Rotary flow meters experience pulsation due to uneven volume and pressure increments between the teeth of the rotors, which existing solutions only partially address, leading to operational interference.
Innovation Solution
A rotary flow meter design featuring three-toothed double helical gear rotors with specific displacement angles and a wrap angle, synchronized by an external module to prevent rotor contact, forming temporary measurement chambers with a defined volume, and made from electrically conductive plastic using 3D printing technology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rotors are designed to contact each other during rotation, then the contact factor increases and rotor synchronization is maintained, but pulsation is generated due to uneven volume and pressure increments between the teeth
Solution Approach 1:
A magnetic coupling mechanism acts as an intermediary to transmit rotational motion between the drive rotor and driven rotor without direct physical contact. The magnetic field couples the two rotors, maintaining synchronization while eliminating the harmful effects of mechanical contact that cause pulsation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical contact-based rotor synchronization with a magnetic field-based coupling system. This substitution eliminates mechanical friction and impact forces between rotor teeth, thereby eliminating pulsation while maintaining reliable rotor synchronization.
2Loss of energy
If the rotor profile is optimized to reduce mutual pressure between rotor surfaces, then energy transfer between rotors is reduced, but complete elimination of pulsation is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical contact between rotors with magnetic coupling, completely eliminating the energy transfer and pressure interactions that cause pulsation. This fundamental substitution achieves complete pulsation elimination rather than partial reduction.
3Force
If three-toothed rotors with double helical gear shape are used with specific displacement angles, then internal axial force balance is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves axial force balance by carefully selecting specific geometric parameters of the double helical gear rotors, including the displacement angle of tooth tops and the wrap angle. By optimizing these parameters, the design balances axial forces while maintaining manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The double helical gear shape with asymmetric tooth displacement creates balanced axial forces. The asymmetric geometry of the helical teeth, when properly configured, generates equal and opposite axial force components that cancel each other out, achieving force balance.
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 design completely eliminates pulsation and achieves internal axial force balance between the rotors, ensuring accurate gas flow measurement without interference, while allowing precise reproduction of rotor shapes and safe electrostatic discharge.
Implementation Method 1
the rotors are adapted not to contact each other and which are synchronised via an external module synchronising the rotation of the rotors
Implementation Method 2
forming temporary measurement chambers having a strictly defined volume, formed between the outer surfaces of the rotors and the inner surface of the body
Implementation Method 3
the rotors and the body of the flow meter being made of an electrically conductive plastic
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a rotary flow meter for measuring gas flow, comprising a pair of three-toothed rotors, each of which has the shape of a double helical gear, wherein the first rotor is a mirror reflection of the second rotor, and the rotors are adapted to rotate in opposite directions; moreover, the flow meter comprises a body sealing the rotors adapted to form temporary measurement chambers having a strictly defined volume, formed between the outer surfaces of the rotors and the inner surface of the body. The rotary flow meter according to the invention is characterised by the rotors adapted not to contact each other and which are synchronised via an external module synchronising the rotation of the rotors.