Vortex Flowmeter Vibration Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vortex flowmeters are sensitive to vibrations in the system, which can affect the quality of flow velocity measurement results, due to the reliance on pressure fluctuations from vortex streets.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating an inertial sensor, such as an acceleration sensor, directly attached to the vortex flowmeter's housing or circuit board to detect spurious vibrations, and using adaptive filtering techniques with parameters derived from inertial sensor signals to correct and enhance measurement accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If vortex flow measurement is based on pressure fluctuations from vortex streets, then flow velocity can be determined indirectly, but the measurement becomes sensitive to vibrations in the system
Solution Approach 1:
An inertial sensor is introduced as an intermediary device to detect vibrations separately from the vortex measurement signal. The inertial sensor acts as a mediator that captures the harmful vibration component, allowing the system to compensate for these vibrations and improve measurement precision without disrupting the vortex street formation
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by using the vibration detection signal from the inertial sensor to adjust or compensate for vibration-induced errors in the vortex measurement signal. The vibration information feeds back into the measurement processing to correct the flow velocity determination, thereby maintaining measurement precision despite the presence of vibrations
2Measurement precision
If an inertial sensor is added to detect spurious vibrations, then measurement quality improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inertial sensor serves multiple functions: it detects spurious vibrations, provides reference signals for compensation, and enables vibration characterization. This multi-functionality justifies the added device complexity by delivering comprehensive vibration management capabilities that significantly improve measurement quality across various operating conditions
3Reliability
If adaptive filtering with inertial sensor signals is used to remove vibrations, then measurement reliability improves, but processing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs dynamic adaptive filtering where filter parameters are adjusted in real-time based on the vibration characteristics detected by the inertial sensor. This dynamic adaptation allows the filter to maintain high measurement reliability under varying vibration conditions while optimizing processing efficiency by adjusting computational effort to match the actual disturbance level
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 solution effectively reduces the impact of spurious vibrations on measurement results, improving the quality and reliability of flow velocity measurements by filtering out interference and isolating clean vortex measurement signals.
Implementation Method 1
Inertial sensors are usually microelectromechanical systems and consist of angular rate, acceleration and magnetic sensors. They use mass inertia and/or the earth's magnetic field to measure movement, orientation and position.
Implementation Method 2
the processing of the vortex measurement signals being at least partially controlled by the evaluated measurement signals of the inertial sensor, the vortex measurement signals being processed in an adaptive filter
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 1c
AI summary
The device (1) has a sensor unit (6) for detecting a vortex-measurement signal produced by a baffler (4). An inertial sensor (7) detects spurious oscillations acting on the device. The inertial sensor is provided on a circuit board of a measuring- and evaluating unit (8) and fastened on a housing (3) and a measuring tube (2). The inertial sensor is provided as a micro-electromechanical system and consists of angular rate-, acceleration- and magnetic sensors. The baffler is arranged in a flow channel (5). An independent claim is also included for a method for operating a vortex flow rate measurement device.