A vortex flow meter is within a flow conduit. The vortex flow meter includes a housing defining a flow passage substantially in-line with the flow conduit. An actuable buff body is within the flow passage. A sensor is downstream of the actuable buff body and is attached to the housing. The sensor is configured to detect vortex shedding. A controller is configured to send a drive signal to an oscillator to oscillate the buff body. The controller is configured to receive a vortex stream from the sensor. The vortex stream is indicative of vortexes shed by the buff body within a fluid. The controller is configured to determine a flow velocity responsive to the received vortex stream.

A flow meter for measuring the flow rate of a fluid, with a measuring tube that forms a measurement chamber through which the fluid can flow and with at least one bluff body that is disposed in the measurement chamber and wherein, additionally, a measuring body, which can be displaced due to the formation of vortices at the bluff body, is disposed downstream of the bluff body in the measurement chamber. The flow meter has at least one protrusion protruding into the measurement chamber and is formed upstream of the bluff body at an inner wall delimiting the measurement chamber.

The fluid sensing device including a sensitive part, at least one obstacle, and a sensor. The sensitive part includes a flexible portion extending in a second direction substantially orthogonal to a first direction or fluid flow direction. The at least one obstacle extends in the second direction and is located in spaced relation to, and upstream of, the flexible portion. A collision of the fluid with the at least one obstacle generates vortexes in the fluid alternately on opposite sides in a third direction relative to the at least one obstacle, so that one or more of the vortexes collide with the flexible portion so as to distort at least part of the flexible portion. The third direction is substantially orthogonal to the first and second directions. The sensor includes at least one sensing part to detect the distortion of the flexible portion as a flow of the fluid.

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.

A marine outboard motor is provided with an internal combustion engine comprising an engine block defining at least one cylinder, an air intake configured to deliver a flow of air to the at least one cylinder; and an air intake duct forming part of an air intake path for delivering the flow of air to the air intake. The engine further includes a flow sensing arrangement located in the air intake duct and comprising a flow meter configured to generate a signal indicative of a flow rate of the flow of air through the air intake duct, and a bluff body located in the air intake duct upstream of the flow meter, wherein the flow meter is a vortex shedding flow meter.

A vortex flowmeter includes a flow tube configured to receive a flow of process fluid in a first direction. A bluff body is disposed within the flow tube between a first end and a second end. The bluff body is configured to generate vortices in the flow of process fluid. A plurality of sensors are disposed within the bluff body configured to detect deformations within the bluff body resulting from the vortices acting on the bluff body.

In a sensor assembly, a deformation body has two oppositely lying surfaces, an outer edge segment and a sensor blade extending from a surface outward. A protective apparatus protects the deformation body from pressure surges or abrupt changes of temperature on its surface. The protective apparatus includes at least one plate, extending radially inwardly so that a cavity is formed, which accommodates a region of the sensor blade adjoining the deformation body and remote from the distal end of the sensor blade, forming a gap between the plate and sensor blade. A sensor formed by the sensor assembly and a transducer element coupled therewith can be used for registering pressure fluctuations in a flowing fluid, such as steam having a temperature of 400 C and/or, a pressure of greater than 140 bar in order to measure flow parameters of the fluid.

Ultrasonic measurements are made of a multiphase fluid (oil, water and gas) in pipe or conduits with high values of gas content in the multiphase fluid. Ultrasonic transceivers are positioned around the pipe wall in acoustic contact with the fluid system. The fluid flow is caused to move in a vortex or swirling flow with vortex inducing elements located in the pipe upstream of the transceivers, forcing the gas phase to a cylindrical area at the center of multiphase flow in the pipe, with water and oil multiphase fluid components forming an outer annular flow. Measures of cross sectional composition of the gas portion of multiphase fluid are provided based on the reflected waves from the interface. Tomographic images of the relative presence and position of the three fluid phases are also formed.

The tube is used to conduct a fluid flowing through the tube in a specified flow direction and for this purpose comprises a tube wall (110), which encloses a lumen (100*) of the tube, and an interference body (120), which is arranged within the tube but is nevertheless connected to the tube wall at an inner face of the tube wall facing the lumen. In the tube according to the invention, the tube wall has a maximum wall thickness (s.sub.max) of more than 1 mm and at least two mutually spaced sub-segments (100-1, 100-2) with a respective wall thickness (s.sub.110-1, s.sub.110-2) that deviates from said maximum wall thickness (smax), wherein the sub-segment (100-1) is positioned upstream of the interference body (120) in the flow direction, and the sub-segment (100-2) is positioned downstream of the sub-segment (100-1) in the flow direction.

A marine outboard motor is provided with an internal combustion engine comprising an engine block defining at least one cylinder, an air intake configured to deliver a flow of air to the at least one cylinder; and an air intake duct forming part of an air intake path for delivering the flow of air to the air intake. The engine further includes a flow sensing arrangement located in the air intake duct and comprising a flow meter configured to generate a signal indicative of a flow rate of the flow of air through the air intake duct, and a bluff body located in the air intake duct upstream of the flow meter, wherein the flow meter is a vortex shedding flow meter.