Vibration Flow Meter Indirect Transducer Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow measurement devices for aggressive or abrasive media require frequent replacement, leading to high costs due to direct coupling of excitation and reception units with the measuring tube, which serves both as a guide and oscillator, limiting their durability and cost-effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
The apparatus separates the guiding unit and carrying unit, with the guiding unit made of flexible materials like synthetic fabrics and the carrying unit optimized for oscillation production, allowing indirect mechanical coupling of transducer units, enabling the guiding unit to be cost-effective and easily replaceable while maintaining efficient oscillation transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the measuring unit is directly coupled with the transducer elements, then the oscillation transmission is efficient, but the measuring unit cannot be easily replaced and maintenance costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the measuring unit into separate components: a guiding unit (flow tube) and a carrying unit (oscillator), which are mechanically coupled but can be independently replaced. This segmentation allows the guiding unit to be replaced without replacing the entire measuring unit, reducing maintenance costs while maintaining measurement reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediate coupling mechanism between the guiding unit and carrying unit, allowing indirect mechanical coupling of transducer elements to the guiding unit. This intermediary structure enables easy replacement of the guiding unit while maintaining the oscillation transmission path through the carrying unit.
2Ease of manufacture
If the measuring unit serves both as guide and oscillator, then the device structure is simple, but the guiding unit cannot be made from renewable or cost-effective materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the guiding function and oscillation function into different units, allowing the guiding unit to be manufactured from cost-effective or renewable materials while the carrying unit maintains the oscillation functionality. This segmentation enables independent optimization of each component for its specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies different material properties to different parts of the system: the guiding unit can use flexible, cost-effective, or renewable materials optimized for fluid guidance, while the carrying unit uses materials optimized for oscillation production and transducer coupling. Each part has localized quality matched to its function.
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 separation allows for durable, cost-effective monitoring of flow parameters by decoupling the guiding and oscillation functions, enabling the use of renewable materials and reducing maintenance costs, especially in aggressive or abrasive media environments.
Implementation Method 1
at least one exciter transducer element is provided, which, based on an exciter signal, excites the measuring unit to mechanical oscillations
Implementation Method 2
at least one receiver transducer element is provided, which receives mechanical oscillations of the measuring unit as a received signal
Implementation Method 3
The flow parameter is, in such case, especially measured via the Coriolis measuring principle
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring of at least one flow parameter of a medium, wherein the medium flows through a measuring unit, wherein at least one exciter transducer element is provided, which, based on an exciter signal, excites the measuring unit to mechanical oscillations, and wherein at least one receiver transducer element is provided, which receives mechanical oscillations of the measuring unit as a received signal. The measuring unit has at least one guiding unit and one carrying unit, the medium flows through the guiding unit, the guiding unit and the carrying unit are mechanically coupled with one another, the receiver transducer element and the exciter transducer element are mechanically coupled with the carrying unit, and the receiver transducer element and the exciter transducer element are mechanically coupled indirectly via the carrying unit with the guiding unit.