A vortex flowmeter includes a flow tube having a first end and a second end. A shedder bar is disposed within the flow tube between the first end and the second end. The shedder bar is configured to generate vortices in fluid flowing through the flow tube. At least one sensor is operably coupled to an external surface of the flow tube and is configured to detect individual deformations of the flow tube resulting from vortices inside the flow tube.

There is provided a Karman vortex flowmeter including: a body inside which a flow passage and a Karman vortex generation column are formed; and a flow rate measurement unit that measures Karman vortexes generated by the Karman vortex generation column to thereby obtain a flow rate of a fluid, in which the flow rate measurement unit includes: a piezoelectric element; a piezoelectric element holder that is attached to the body so that the piezoelectric element is arranged in a flow passage; and a thin film part that is formed of a material with higher corrosion resistance than an electrode of the piezoelectric element, the piezoelectric element holder houses the piezoelectric element in a state where the piezoelectric element is sandwiched by a pair of plate-shaped parts integrally formed by a resin material, and in which the thin film part is arranged between the plate-shaped parts and the electrode.

A sensor assembly comprises a deformation body with two oppositely lying surfaces and an outer edge segment as well as a sensor blade extending from the surface out to a distal end. Furthermore, the sensor assembly comprises a protective apparatus for protection of the deformation body from pressure surges exerted against its surface and/or for protection of the deformation body from abrupt changes of temperature on its surface, The protective apparatus includes, adjoining the edge segment of the deformation body, at least one plate, which extends radially inwardly in the direction of the sensor blade in such a manner that, between plate and deformation body, a cavity is formed, formed, which accommodates a region of the sensor blade adjoining the surface of the deformation body and remote from the distal end of the sensor blade, and that a gap is formed between the plate and sensor blade. A A sensor formed by means of such a sensor assembly as well as a transducer element coupled therewith and serving for generating a sensor signal representing movements of the sensor blade changing as a function of time and/or deformations of the membrane changing as a function of time, and a measuring system formed by means of the sensor and a measuring electronics connected therewith can be used for registering pressure fluctuations in a flowing fluid, such as, for instance, steam having, at least at times, a temperature of 400 C and/or, at least at times, a pressure of greater than 140 bar, for instance, in order to measure flow parameters of the fluid.

Sensor device and method for determining the parameters of fluid flow with a sensor, including an oblong element, extending into fluid flow, fixed mechanically to the body of the sensor device with a flexible link in one end, and a mechanically connected vibration sensor and a data acquisition module connected electrically to the vibration sensor and positioned in the body, which is set to determine the frequency response curve of oscillation caused by liquid flow in the cylindrical element, and to derive the speed and type of fluid flow from the measured frequency response curve.

A flow of air induces vibration of a tip of an airflow sensor. A cantilever coupled to the tip vibrates as the tip is displaced, and a piezoelectric element associated with the cantilever generates an electrical signal in response to mechanical stress or strain induced by vibration of the cantilever. A control element that is in communication with the piezoelectric element of the cantilever receives the electrical signal and derives at least one parameter indicative of the flow of air sensed by the sensor. The control element communicates or otherwise transmits an output signal that is indicative of the parameter to an output device to display sensor data to a user as desired.

A vortex flowmeter for measuring a flow rate of a fluid has a flowtube and a bluff body positioned in the flowtube for shedding vortices in the fluid when the fluid flows through the flowtube. A sensor is positioned to detect the vortices. A cleaning port is positioned to allow a stream of fluid to be directed into the flowtube through the cleaning port toward the sensor for cleaning material away from the sensor. A method of cleaning the vortex flowmeter includes injecting a fluid into the vortex flowmeter toward the sensor through the cleaning port.

A superficial flow sensor may include a substrate; a thin film with a self-rolled portion, a stationary portion, and a free ribbon portion; an embedded strain gauge circuit; and at least one contact pad. According to some aspects, the self-rolled portion may deform under external forces, and the embedded strain gauge circuit may detect the deformation of the self-rolled portion. A method for manufacturing the sensor may include growing silicon oxide films on both sides of a silicon wafer; opening an adhesive region on the upper film using at least one of: photolithography and silicon dioxide etching; forming a layer of porous silicon on the adhesive region; spin coating a first layer of polyimide on the upper layer of the wafer; heat curing the first polyimide layer; coating a layer of metal atop the first polyimide layer; spin coating a second layer of polyimide on the metal layer; heat curing the second polyimide layer; coating strain gauge elements atop the resultant structure; spin coating a third layer of polyimide on the strain gauge elements; dicing the silicon wafer into a plurality of dies and cutting a notch in each of the plurality of dies; and releasing the free ribbon portion and the self-rolled portion of the resultant sensor.

Vibration-based flowmeters are useable in inaccessible nuclear reactor spaces. Flowmeters include an extension that blocks fluid flow in a path and a detector that detects vibrations caused by vortex shedding in the fluid flow around the extension. The detected frequency of the vibrations determines the flow rate. A Strouhal number may be used to calculate the flow speed using extension surface diameter and detected vortex shedding frequency. Several extensions may cover a range of frequencies and flow speeds. Pipe-organ-type flowmeters include a passage with an opening constricted, and subsequent widening section. An extension and outlet that create turbulence in the flow at the outlet create a standing wave and vibration in the extension and/or entire flowmeter. A flow rate of the fluid through the flowmeter can be calculated using length of the passage and/or known properties of the fluid. Multiple, flowmeters of customized physical properties and types are useable together.

A measurement system includes: a pipe insertable into the course of a pipeline; a bluff body arranged in the pipe and configured to generate vortices having a shedding frequency dependent on an instantaneous flow velocity of a fluid such that a K?rm?n vortex street is formed in the fluid flowing downstream of the bluff body; a vortex sensor arranged downstream of the bluff body, having a resonance frequency and configured to effect mechanical oscillations as to provide a vortex sensor signal including a first component representing oscillations of the vortex sensor with the shedding frequency and a second component representing the mechanical resonance frequency of the vortex sensor; and converter electronics for evaluating the vortex sensor signal and configured to determine whether and/or to what extent the fluid contains foreign substances and/or is a single- or multi-phase substance based on the first and second components of the vortex sensor signal.

Flow meters may include a body defining a fluid channel therein. At least one structure may be positioned within the fluid channel, and fixed relative to the body, that is shaped and positioned to produce a flow-induced vibration that varies according to a rate of fluid flow through the fluid channel. A method of measuring a fluid flow rate may include directing a fluid over a first structure located in a first channel, and producing a first flow-induced vibration that varies according to a rate of fluid flow in a first channel with the first structure. The method may further include measuring the vibration of a remote structure coupled to the first channel, and determining the rate of fluid flow in the first channel from the measured vibration.