Tapering Fluid Channel for Mass Flow Sensor Turbulence Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fluid conducting systems in internal combustion engines face challenges in accurately measuring air mass and volume flows due to turbulence and sensitivity to changes in air filter load states, which affect the precision of mass air flow meters.
Innovation Solution
A fluid conducting system with a housing and a sensor that includes a tapering fluid channel section upstream of the sensor, which accelerates and stabilizes the fluid flow, eliminating the need for a flow grid and reducing turbulence, allowing for precise and constant measurement of fluid mass and volume values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a grid or screen or aperture is used to reduce turbulences of the entire flow field, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to high manufacturing precision requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the complex flow control device (grid/screen/aperture) from the system. Instead of using these complicated structures to reduce turbulences, the patent allows the natural flow field to pass through the sensor, achieving turbulence reduction through sensor placement and signal processing rather than mechanical flow control structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the approach from modifying flow field parameters mechanically to using electronic signal processing parameters. By processing the noise signal digitally and electronically rather than trying to mechanically control the flow field, the system achieves measurement precision without the complexity of precision-manufactured flow control devices.
2Measurement precision
If a grid or screen or aperture is used to reduce turbulences, then measurement precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to high manufacturing precision requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the expensive flow control devices (grids, screens, apertures requiring high manufacturing precision) from the system. The measurement precision is achieved through alternative means that do not require these costly precision-manufactured components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces expensive, precision-manufactured flow control devices with simpler, more cost-effective alternatives that may be easier to manufacture and replace if needed, reducing overall manufacturing costs while maintaining measurement precision through electronic processing.
3Volume of moving object
If the measuring cross section surface of the mass air flow meter is significantly smaller than the channel cross section surface, then device compactness is improved, but measurement accuracy deteriorates due to velocity profile changes not detected by the sensor
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces feedback through electronic signal processing that compensates for the velocity profile changes. By processing the sensor signals electronically and using characteristic maps that account for velocity distribution, the system corrects for the mismatch between the small sensor cross-section and the larger channel cross-section, maintaining measurement accuracy despite the compact sensor size.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses characteristic maps and electronic signal processing as intermediaries between the small sensor and the large channel. These intermediaries translate and correct the sensor readings to account for the velocity profile variations across the channel cross-section, enabling accurate air mass measurement despite the size discrepancy.
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 system provides a robust and cost-effective solution for precise air mass measurement by stabilizing the fluid flow and reducing turbulence, enhancing measurement accuracy and reducing part costs.
Implementation Method 1
The fluid channel section comprises a cross section that is tapering from its inlet cross section for the fluid toward the sensor and accelerates at least a portion of the flowing fluid
Implementation Method 2
a sensor which is arranged in the housing or protruding from the exterior into the housing for measuring a mass flow and/or a volume flow of the fluid flowing in the housing
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid conducting system for transport of a fluid has a housing with an inlet for the fluid and an outlet for the fluid. A sensor is arranged in the housing or protrudes from an exterior into the housing and measures a mass flow or a volume flow of a fluid flow that is flowing through the housing from the inlet to the outlet. A filter element is arranged upstream of the sensor in the housing. A fluid channel section has an inlet cross section and an outlet cross section, wherein the fluid channel section is arranged upstream of and in front of the sensor and the outlet cross section adjoins the sensor. The fluid channel section has a tapering cross section tapering from the inlet cross section toward the sensor and accelerating at least a portion of the fluid flow and conducting the fluid flow to the sensor. The tapering cross section of the fluid channel section tapers constantly at least in an area of the outlet cross section in front of the sensor.