Variable-Area Flowmeter for Wide-Range Flow Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flowmeters struggle to accurately measure a wide range of flow rates in a single device without causing significant pressure loss, especially in applications like hydrocarbon fluid handling, where multiple flowmeters in parallel are needed to manage varying flow rates, leading to complexity and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A flowmeter with a variably modulated conduit that adjusts its cross-sectional area using fluid-actuated bladders, inflatable tubes, or pivotable walls to maintain a desired fluid velocity and differential pressure, allowing for accurate flow measurement across a wide range of rates without excessive pressure loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single flowmeter with fixed conduit cross-section is used, then device complexity is reduced, but the ability to accurately measure a wide range of flow rates is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit cross-sectional area is made dynamically adjustable through actuators that can modify the flow path area in real-time. This allows the flowmeter to adapt to varying flow rates by changing the effective measurement area, enabling accurate measurements across a wide range of flow conditions without requiring multiple fixed flowmeters.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical parameter of conduit cross-sectional area is changed to optimize measurements for different flow rates. By varying this geometric parameter, the flowmeter can maintain appropriate flow velocities and pressure drops across its entire operating range, improving measurement accuracy for both low and high flow conditions.
2Measurement precision
If the conduit cross-sectional area is reduced to increase fluid velocity for accurate measurement, then measurement precision is improved, but pressure loss increases
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit cross-sectional area is dynamically adjusted based on the current flow rate to maintain optimal flow velocity for measurement accuracy. At low flow rates, the area is reduced to increase velocity and improve measurement precision. At high flow rates, the area is increased to reduce pressure loss while maintaining sufficient velocity for accurate measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The cross-sectional area parameter is varied to optimize the balance between measurement precision and pressure loss. By changing this parameter in response to flow conditions, the system achieves accurate measurements across a wide flow range without excessive pressure drops that would occur with a fixed small-area conduit.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple flowmeters are used in parallel to handle varying flow rates, then adaptability to different flow rates is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
A single flowmeter is designed to perform multiple measurement functions across a wide range of flow rates by incorporating adjustable conduit cross-sectional area. This eliminates the need for multiple specialized flowmeters, reducing system complexity, installation requirements, and operational complexity while maintaining the ability to accurately measure both low and high flow rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The flowmeter incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities that allow one device to replace multiple fixed flowmeters. By actively modifying the conduit cross-sectional area, the single flowmeter can adapt to different flow conditions, providing the versatility of multiple flowmeters in one integrated system.
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
Enables accurate flow measurement across a wide range of flow rates in a single flowmeter, reducing complexity and costs by maintaining a consistent fluid velocity and minimizing pressure loss, thus improving operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a magnet and an opposing drive coil have received great success in the flowmeter industry. An alternating current is passed to the drive coil for vibrating the conduit(s) at a desired conduit amplitude and frequency
Implementation Method 2
the pickoffs can use the motion provided by the driver to induce a voltage
Implementation Method 3
a flowmeter having a sensor assembly connected to meter electronics. The sensor assembly comprises at least one driver and at least one pickoff, comprising a variably modulated conduit configured to change a flow area therein
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
A flowmeter (5) is provided having a sensor assembly (10) connected to meter electronics (20), wherein the sensor assembly (10) comprises at least one driver (104) and at least one pickoff (105) and a variably modulated conduit (300) configured to change a flow area (304) therein.