A reference volume for use with pressure change flow rate measurement apparatus has an internal structure comprising elements with cross section and length comparable to the cross section and length of adjacent interstitial fluid regions. The reference volume may have one or more heat conduction elements exterior to and in good thermal contact with a corrosion resistant material that defines the internal fluid holding region.

A self-correcting pressure-based mass flow control apparatus includes outlet pressure sensing to enable correction for non-ideal operating conditions. Further the mass flow control apparatus having a fluid pathway, a shutoff valve in the fluid pathway, a reference volume in the fluid pathway, a first pressure measuring sensor in fluid communication with the reference volume, a first temperature measuring sensor providing a temperature signal indicative of the fluid temperature within the reference volume, a proportional valve in the fluid pathway, and a second pressure measuring sensor in fluid communication with the fluid pathway.

A system comprises a flow restrictor connected to a fluid flow path and located upstream from a chamber. The flow restrictor comprises an adjustable flow restriction aperture defined by the flow path region between a first element and a second element of the flow restrictor, and a drive unit configured to adjust the relative positions of the first element, second element or both to modify the fluid flow path across the aperture. The first or second element provides a curved boundary in the aperture flow path to form a converging region, a region of closest approach and a diverging region, within the flow path. Flow rate may be determined using a reference volume upstream from the flow restrictor.

A method for improving flowmeter (5) reliability is provided. The flowmeter (5) has at least one flow tube (130, 130), at least one pickoff sensor (170L, 170R) attached to the flow tube (130, 130), at least one driver (180L, 180R) attached to the flow tube (130, 130), and meter electronics (20) in communication with the at least one pickoff sensor (170L, 170R) and driver (180L, 180R). The method includes the steps of vibrating at least one flow tube (130, 130) in a drive mode vibration with the at least one driver (180L, 180R), and receiving a sensor signal based on a vibrational response to the drive mode vibration from the at least one pickoff sensor (170L, 170R). At least one flow variable is calculated. A pickoff sensor voltage is measured, and it is determined whether the pickoff sensor voltage is below a predetermined voltage threshold (304). The at least one flow variable is corrected during periods wherein the pickoff sensor voltage is below the predetermined voltage threshold (304).

A grain paddle for a clean grain elevator of a combine harvester. The paddle includes a substantially rigid body with a planar portion having ends disposed distal and proximal to an elevator chain of the combine harvester. Some paddle embodiments include an angled end adjacent the proximal end of the planar portion. Some paddle embodiments include an angled end adjacent to the distal end of the planar portion. Some paddle embodiments include sloped lateral edges.

A method of monitoring a set of meters that are connected to a common remote processor device, the method comprising both first steps performed in each meter for: acquiring primary measurements of a magnitude representative of the occurrence of an anomaly; selecting pertinent measurements from the primary measurements, the pertinent measurements satisfying a pertinence criterion; regularly transmitting the pertinent measurements to the remote processor device; and second steps performed in the remote processor device, for: comparing, for each meter, the pertinent measurements with a detection threshold common to all of the meters of the set of meters in order to attempt detecting an anomaly associated with said meter; and adjusting the detection threshold dynamically as a function of the percentage of meters detected as being associated with an anomaly.

A grain paddle for a clean grain elevator of a combine harvester. The paddle includes a substantially rigid body with a planar portion having ends disposed distal and proximal to an elevator chain of the combine harvester. Some paddle embodiments include an angled end adjacent the proximal end of the planar portion. Some paddle embodiments include an angled end adjacent to the distal end of the planar portion. Some paddle embodiments include sloped lateral edges.

Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a obtaining a first plurality of signals associated with a fluid flow in a pipe, processing, by a processor, the first plurality of signals to obtain a first plot of power associated with first vortices in the fluid flow and a flow rate of the fluid flow in the pipe over a first flow rate range, determining, by the processor, that a maximum value of the power in the first plot corresponds to a maximum value of the flow rate included in the first flow rate range or that the power is increasing as a function of the flow rate towards an end of the first plot, and based on said determining, multiplying, by the processor, values of the first flow rate range to obtain a second flow rate range.

A grain paddle for a clean grain elevator of a combine harvester. The paddle includes a substantially rigid body with a planar portion having ends disposed distal and proximal to an elevator chain of the combine harvester. Some paddle embodiments include an angled end adjacent the proximal end of the planar portion. Some paddle embodiments include an angled end adjacent to the distal end of the planar portion. Some paddle embodiments include sloped lateral edges.

A fluid meter has a first communication interface and is connected to the cut-off unit having a communication interface. If the fluid flow rate remains greater than a first predetermined flowrate threshold for at least a first predetermined duration, to detect that there is a leak of fluid and to transmit an internal command frame incorporating a closing command to the communication interface of the cut-off unit. Following closing of the electromechanical valve, to acquire a first external command frame incorporating an opening command produced by the cut-off unit following manual action on an actuator member of the cut-off unit, to produce an internal command frame incorporating the opening command, and to transmit said internal command frame via the first communication interface to the communication interface of the cut-off unit in order to reopen the electromechanical valve.