Ultrasonic Flowmeter Transducer Frequency Shift for Broadband Signals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasonic flowmeters produce narrowband measurement signals due to identical vibration behavior of transmitter and receiver transducers, leading to evaluation difficulties and susceptibility to interference from electronic components and temperature dependence.
Innovation Solution
Incorporate mechanical vibration-influencing elements into at least one ultrasonic transducer to shift its natural frequencies relative to another, ensuring a coordinated relationship between the natural frequencies of both transducers to achieve a broadband measurement signal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If both ultrasonic transducers are designed with identical vibration behavior and natural frequencies, then the device structure is simple and manufacturing is easier, but the measurement signal becomes narrowband and difficult to evaluate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by intentionally designing the first and second transducers with different natural frequencies. The first transducer has a first natural frequency while the second transducer has a second natural frequency that is intentionally offset from the first. This asymmetric frequency design creates a broadband measurement signal that combines both frequency components, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and measurement signal quality.
2Measurement precision
If electronic components are used to generate additional natural frequencies in ultrasonic transducers, then the measurement signal bandwidth is increased, but the system becomes susceptible to interference and temperature dependence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electronic frequency generation with a mechanical solution. Instead of using electronic components to generate additional natural frequencies, the invention uses mechanical transducer design with different physical configurations. The first transducer has a first mechanical design producing a first natural frequency, while the second transducer has a different mechanical design producing a second natural frequency. This mechanical substitution eliminates the interference and temperature dependence issues associated with electronic components while achieving the desired broadband measurement signal.
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 broadband measurement signal is easier to process and less susceptible to interference, providing improved measurement accuracy and stability.
Implementation Method 1
a first transducer element (8) arranged in the first transducer housing (7) for generating and/or receiving ultrasonic signals
Implementation Method 2
the first transducer housing (7) and the second transducer housing (9) are designed to be at least partially mechanically oscillatable and to emit or transmit signals
Implementation Method 3
the mechanical vibration influencing element influences the vibration behavior of the first ultrasonic transducer in such a way that the natural frequencies of the first ultrasonic transducer are frequency-shifted relative to the natural frequencies of the second ultrasonic transducer
Implementation Method 4
a measurement signal characterizing the flow, which results from the transmitted ultrasonic signal passing through the first ultrasonic transducer and the second ultrasonic transducer
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
An ultrasonic flowmeter (1) for determining the flow rate of a medium is shown and described, comprising at least one pair of ultrasonic transducers (3) comprising a first ultrasonic transducer (4) and a second ultrasonic transducer (5), wherein the first ultrasonic transducer (4) and the second ultrasonic transducer (5) are configured for transmitting and/or receiving ultrasonic signals, wherein the first ultrasonic transducer (4) comprises a first transducer housing (7) and a first transducer element (8) arranged in the first transducer housing (7) for generating and/or receiving ultrasonic signals, wherein the second ultrasonic transducer (5) comprises a second transducer housing (9) and a second transducer element (10) arranged in the second transducer housing (9) for generating and/or receiving ultrasonic signals.wherein the first transducer housing (7) and the second transducer housing (9) are at least partially designed to be mechanically oscillatable and are at least partially excited to mechanical vibrations for signal emission and signal coupling, respectively, and with a control and evaluation unit (11) for controlling the ultrasonic transducers (4, 5) and for evaluating a measurement signal characterizing the flow rate, which is characterized in that at least the first ultrasonic transducer (4) has a first mechanical vibration control element (12) for influencing the vibration behavior of the first ultrasonic transducer (4) and that the mechanical vibration control element (12) influences the vibration behavior of the first ultrasonic transducer (4) in such a way that the natural frequencies of the first ultrasonic transducer (4) are frequency-shifted relative to the natural frequencies of the second ultrasonic transducer (5), such that the measurement signal characterizing the flow rate,the ultrasound signal resulting from the transmission of the ultrasound signal passing through the first ultrasound transducer (4) and the second ultrasound transducer (5) is broadband, in any case more broadband than after passing through only one of the ultrasound transducers (4, 5).