Ultrasonic Flow Meter Accuracy via Database Calibration

Solution Overview

Problem

Ultrasonic flow meters face accuracy issues with asymmetric and non-fully developed flows due to incomplete acoustic path coverage, which cannot be adequately addressed by increasing the number of transducers without escalating costs and size.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a database of flow profiles and an arrangement of transducers to derive feature maps, compare with stored data, and apply weighting functions for calibration, allowing for improved accuracy without increasing the number of transducers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If the number of transducers is increased to improve measurement accuracy for asymmetric and non-fully developed flows, then the accuracy is improved, but the manufacturing cost and device size increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidnumber of transducers

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing flow profile data in a database before actual measurement. The system uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate various flow conditions and stores the corresponding flow profiles. During measurement, the actual flow profile is compared with stored profiles to determine calibration factors, eliminating the need to increase transducer数量 to capture flow profile variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses copying by creating a digital replica of flow profiles through CFD simulation and storing them in a database. Instead of physically increasing transducers to capture flow profile details, the system creates virtual copies of flow profiles from simulations and uses these copies for calibration, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy without increasing hardware complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Measurement precision

If the number of transducers is increased to improve measurement accuracy, then the accuracy is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoidmanufacturing cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing flow profile data in a database before actual measurement. The system uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate various flow conditions and stores the corresponding flow profiles. During measurement, the actual flow profile is compared with stored profiles to determine calibration factors, eliminating the need to increase transducer数量 to capture flow profile variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses copying by creating a digital replica of flow profiles through CFD simulation and storing them in a database. Instead of physically increasing transducers to capture flow profile details, the system creates virtual copies of flow profiles from simulations and uses these copies for calibration, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy without increasing hardware complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If the number of transducers is increased to improve measurement accuracy, then the accuracy is improved, but the device size increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemeasurement accuracyVSAvoiddevice size

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-calculating and storing flow profile data in a database before actual measurement. The system uses computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to simulate various flow conditions and stores the corresponding flow profiles. During measurement, the actual flow profile is compared with stored profiles to determine calibration factors, eliminating the need to increase transducer数量 to capture flow profile variations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses copying by creating a digital replica of flow profiles through CFD simulation and storing them in a database. Instead of physically increasing transducers to capture flow profile details, the system creates virtual copies of flow profiles from simulations and uses these copies for calibration, thereby maintaining measurement accuracy without increasing hardware complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

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

Enhances the accuracy of ultrasonic flow meters for asymmetric and non-fully developed flows while reducing costs and maintaining a compact design.

Implementation Method 1

measuring the flow in a flow field using a plurality of transducers wherein in between every two transducers there exists an acoustic path which indicates the flow speed of the flow between the two transducers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAcoustic wave propagation: Sound

Data Source

PatentUS11287303B2Flow rate measuring method

Publication Date: 2022.03.29 NAT CHIAO TUNG UNIV

AI summary

The present invention relates to a flow rate measuring method comprising: establishing a database which includes a plurality of flow profiles; measuring the flow in a flow field using a plurality of transducers wherein in between every two transducers there exists an acoustic path which indicates the flow speed of the flow between the two transducers, and a feature map can be derived from the flow speeds; comparing the feature map with the database; selecting a matching flow profile from the flow profiles wherein the matching flow profile has a plurality of weighting functions corresponding to the acoustic paths; and calibrating the flow speed using the weighting functions.