Embodiments of methods and apparatus for close formation flight are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of sensing three dimensional (3D) airflow by an aircraft includes: collecting measurements characterizing airflow near the aircraft; analyzing the collected measurements; creating, by a processor, a computer model predicting one or more 3D airflow patterns parameter values based on the analyzing; obtaining one or more additional measurements characterizing airflow near an aircraft of the plurality of aircraft, and evaluating an error between an airflow parameter value predicted by the computer model and the one or more additional measurement.

A system for measuring gas flow generally including a passive acoustic wave generator disposed in a gas flow stream to passively generate an audio signal through vortex shedding, a sound capturing instrument disposed outside the gas stream to produce an electrical signal representative of the acoustic signal, a temperature sensor to obtain temperature measurements indicative of the temperature of the gas flow stream and a control system for determining the gas flow, such as velocity or flow rate, as a function of the acquired acoustic and temperature measurements. The acoustic wave generator includes a corrugated flow channel whose geometric design is so tuned to generate an acoustic emission whose frequency signature varies as a function of the gas flow velocity. The control system may acquires time-domain acoustic data, and process that data to obtain a frequency-domain representation from which gas velocity or gas flow rate can be determined.

Vortex sensor amplitude information may be used to validate that a vortex signal being measured corresponds to an actual fluid flow and is not noise. The estimated amplitude of a sinusoidal vortex signal is used as a secondary means to determine the fluid flow based on vortex sensor characteristics. The original amplitude of the sinusoidal vortex signal is determined from a clipped voltage amplitude sinusoidal signal. The estimated velocity of the fluid in a pipe based on the original amplitude of the sinusoidal vortex signal is compared to the measured velocity of the fluid based on vortex velocity frequency. If the two determined velocities do not reasonably agree, the measured vortex signal is not a valid flow signal and adaptive filters are adjusted to reduce the effects of noise.

Vortex sensor amplitude information may be used to validate that a vortex signal being measured corresponds to an actual fluid flow and is not noise. The estimated amplitude of a sinusoidal vortex signal is used as a secondary means to determine the fluid flow based on vortex sensor characteristics. The original amplitude of the sinusoidal vortex signal is determined from a clipped voltage amplitude sinusoidal signal. The estimated velocity of the fluid in a pipe based on the original amplitude of the sinusoidal vortex signal is compared to the measured velocity of the fluid based on vortex velocity frequency. If the two determined velocities do not reasonably agree, the measured vortex signal is not a valid flow signal and adaptive filters are adjusted to reduce the effects of noise.

Provided is a diagnostic apparatus, including a diagnostic unit configured to diagnose a condition of a vortex flowmeter using a determination result of a magnitude of a signal component of each of at least one target detection signal among the at least one detection signal detected by the vortex flowmeter having a vortex generator and a detection unit configured to detect at least one detection signal according to a vortex generated by the vortex generator, or a magnitude of a signal component of at least one of combined signals configured to linearly combine two or more of the at least one detection signal.

A flow meter for measuring the flow velocity of a fluid includes a measurement tube that is axially bounded by at least one flange end and that forms a measurement space that can be flowed through by the fluid. At least one baffle is provided for generating interference in the flow, wherein the baffle is arranged in the measurement space. A detector for detecting the interference is arranged downstream of the baffle. An insertion element is introduced into the measurement tube and has a base portion. The base portion is arranged in the flange end. The insertion element has brackets that adjoin the base portion and that project into the measurement space, with the baffle being formed and its position in the measurement space being held between the brackets.

A transducer apparatus comprises a deformation body as well as, positioned on the deformation body and connected therewith by material bonding, a radio sensor having a surface facing away from the deformation body. The radio sensor is adapted to receive free-space electromagnetic waves and to convert them into acoustic surface waves propagating along the surface facing away from the deformation body, or to convert acoustic surface waves propagating along the surface into free-space electromagnetic waves. Additionally, the deformation body is adapted as a function of a mechanical force acting thereon, and/or as a function of a temperature change, to be at least partially deformed, in such a manner that at least the surface of the radio sensor facing away from the deformation body experiences a shape change influencing a propagation of acoustic surface waves propagating along the surface. A measuring system formed by means of such a transducer apparatus comprises additionally a measuring electronics electrically coupled with the transducer apparatus and adapted to generate at least one electrical driver signal feeding and/or activating the transducer apparatus and to couple such into the transducer apparatus, and to receive and to evaluate a measurement signal delivered from the transducer apparatus.

A field device includes: a casing portion that has an amplifier shield chamber into which an analog signal transfer portion transferring an analog signal output from a detector is able to be inserted; a signal conversion portion that is disposed inside the amplifier shield chamber, the signal conversion portion being configured to convert the analog signal into a digital signal; and a first connector that is disposed inside the amplifier shield chamber, the first connector being configured to connect the analog signal transfer portion and the signal conversion portion to each other in an attachable/detachable manner.

A field device case is a metal field device case where a lead-in part for drawing a cable including an outer shield is provided on a tubular circumferential wall. The field device case includes: a first inner surface which is formed away from an opening end surface of the field device case in an axial direction orthogonal to the opening end surface; a second inner surface which is formed farther away from the opening end surface than the first inner surface in the axial direction; and a cable fixing member which is fixed to the first inner surface and allows the outer shield of the cable drawn by the lead-in part to be in contact with the second inner surface.

A field device case is a metal field device case where a lead-in part for drawing a cable including an outer shield is provided on a tubular circumferential wall. The field device case includes: a first inner surface which is formed away from an opening end surface of the field device case in an axial direction orthogonal to the opening end surface; a second inner surface which is formed farther away from the opening end surface than the first inner surface in the axial direction; and a cable fixing member which is fixed to the first inner surface and allows the outer shield of the cable drawn by the lead-in part to be in contact with the second inner surface.