An acoustical non-contact levitation system and method for eliciting the deformation response of biological samples, coupled with the data analysis to yield quantitative measures of established time-dependent viscoelastic material properties. Embodiments allow for measurement to occur in near-real-time by way of a computer. In use, a biological sample is placed in an acoustic levitator, where it is induced to oscillate, such that material properties of the sample can be observed and analyzed by way of a camera and/or photodiode.

Systems and techniques are described making use of a vibratory transducer and a reflector spaced from the vibratory transducer to form a cavity for receiving a fluid between the vibratory transducer and the reflector, wherein the vibratory transducer is vibrated to generate a wave in the cavity, which propagates through fluid in the cavity from a surface of the vibratory transducer and is being reflected by the reflector to generate a counter-propagating wave in the cavity. Based on the wave generated at the vibratory transducer and the counter-propagating wave generated at the reflector in combination, an indication of the energy returned to the vibratory transducer by the reflector is determined. One or more material properties of the fluid are determined based on the determined indication of the energy returned to the vibratory transducer.

A system features an acoustic sensor configured to mount on a wall of a mixing drum, sense an acoustic characteristic of a mixture of a slurry, including concrete, contained in a mixing drum when rotating, and provide acoustic sensor signaling containing information about the acoustic characteristic sensed; and a signal processor configured to receive the acoustic sensor signaling, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a slump characteristic of the mixture of concrete contained in the mixing drum, based upon the signaling received.

Disclosed is a method for determining and/or monitoring at least two different process variables of a medium, wherein a sensor unit is excited to vibrate mechanically by means of an excitation signal, the mechanical vibrations are received from the sensor unit and are converted into a first reception signal, the sensor unit emits a transmission signal and receives a second reception signal, and a first process variable is determined on the basis of the first reception signal and a second process variable is determined on the basis of the second reception signal. Disclosed also is an apparatus configured to carry out a method according to the invention.

A system features an acoustic sensor configured to mount on a wall of a mixing drum, sense an acoustic characteristic of a mixture of a slurry, including concrete, contained in a mixing drum when rotating, and provide acoustic sensor signaling containing information about the acoustic characteristic sensed; and a signal processor configured to receive the acoustic sensor signaling, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a slump characteristic of the mixture of concrete contained in the mixing drum, based upon the signaling received.

A system features an acoustic sensor configured to mount on a wall of a mixing drum, sense an acoustic characteristic of a mixture of a slurry, including concrete, contained in a mixing drum when rotating, and provide acoustic sensor signaling containing information about the acoustic characteristic sensed; and a signal processor configured to receive the acoustic sensor signaling, and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a slump characteristic of the mixture of concrete contained in the mixing drum, based upon the signaling received.

This disclosure relates generally to a method and system for determining viscosity information of fluids. The present disclosure utilizes an intensity modulated continuous wave (CW) laser diode-based PA sensing method to obtain a continuous wave photoacoustic (CWPA) spectra. Through this CWPA spectra, a full width half maximum (FWHM) and a spectral area is determined to obtain the information about the viscosity of fluids. Although, the CWPA based sensing technique is used for distinguishing different types of abnormalities in tissues, so far it is not used for measuring viscosity which is an important thermo-physical property. The viscosity information of the fluids from the normalized Gaussian fitted CWPA spectra is based on a viscosity feature computed from a FWHM, and a spectral area. The viscosity feature improves the good of fit parameter (R.sup.2) significantly to 0.98 as compared to the traditional only FWHM based viscosity determination for which R.sup.2 is 0.91.

Multiphase flowmeters and related methods are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a flowmeter and a fluid conduit to provide a flow path for a fluid relative to the flowmeter. The example apparatus includes a sensor coupled to the fluid conduit to generate data indicative of at least one of a presence, an absence, or a mass flow rate of solids in the fluid during flow of the fluid through the fluid conduit. The example apparatus includes a processor. The sensor is to be communicatively coupled to the processor. The processor is to selectively determine flow rates for one or more phases of the fluid based on data generated by the flowmeter and a first algorithmic mode or a second algorithmic mode selected based on the sensor data.

A system and method for determining a physical parameter of a fluid in a pipe includes performing a numerical vibration simulation of the section of the pipe resulting in a computed Eigen-frequency range of computed maxima; inducing a first vibration and acquiring first maxima in an amplitude-frequency diagram; selecting a first hoop mode maximum and inducing a second vibration to acquire second maxima with a second frequency. Using a vibration mode analysis, a second hoop mode maximum is selected and the physical parameter of the fluid is derived from a difference between the first hoop mode maximum and the second hoop mode maximum.

A method for evaluating Dry Eye Disease (“DED”) in a human or animal subject is provided. Thread thinning dynamics of a tear sample of the subject are determined using an acoustically-driven microfluidic extensional rheometry instrument. At least one physical parameter value of the tear sample is calculated based at least in part on the determined thread thinning dynamics. DED is evaluated based at least in part on the at least one calculated physical parameter value of the tear sample. A device for evaluating Dry Eye Disease (DED) in a human or animal subject is also provided. The device includes an acoustically-driven microfluidic extensional rheometry instrument and a processing device configured to evaluate DED based at least in part on the calculated at least one physical parameter value of the tear sample.