MEASURING ROD FOR VERIFICATION OF A FLOWING MEDIUM IN A TUBE AND RESPECTIVE MEASURING ARRANGEMENTS

Abstract

A measuring rod (1) with a longitudinal axis (A) for insertion in the flow cross section of a tube and for the verification of a flowing medium in this tube having at least one first sender unit (2) for the transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal (3) and at least one first receiver unit (4) for receiving the first measuring signal, wherein the first sender unit (2) and the first receiver unit (4) define a measuring section, wherein the first sender unit (2) is arranged in such a manner that the first measuring signal (3) crosses the measuring section and wherein the first receiver unit (4) is arranged in such a manner that it, at least during operation without flow, receives the first measuring signal (3) after crossing the measuring section.

Claims

1. A measuring rod with a longitudinal axis for insertion in a flow cross section of a tube and for verification of a flowing medium in the tube, comprising: at least one first sender unit for transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal and at least one first receiver unit for receiving the first measuring signal, wherein the first sender unit and the first receiver unit define a measuring section, wherein the first sender unit is arranged in such a manner that the first measuring signal crosses the measuring section and wherein the first receiver unit is arranged in such a manner that, at least during operation without flow, the first receiver unit receives the first measuring signal after the first measuring signal crossing the measuring section.

2. The measuring rod (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first sender unit (2) and the first receiver unit (4) are arranged at a distance to one another in respect to the longitudinal axis (A).

3. The measuring rod (1) according to claim 1, wherein an electric contact of the first sender unit and the first receiver unit runs within the measuring rod.

4. The measuring rod (1) according claim 1, wherein that the sender unit and the receiver unit are located on the circumference of the measuring rod.

5. The measuring rod (1) according to claim 1, wherein the measuring rod has a recess extending along its longitudinal axis, wherein at least one longitudinal surface and two end faces are formed in the measuring rod by the recess and the measuring section is formed in the recess between the two end faces.

6. The measuring rod (1) according to claim 5, wherein a second longitudinal surface (22) is additionally formed by the recess (5) in the measuring rod (1), wherein the first longitudinal surface (19) and the second longitudinal surface (22) meet at a longitudinal edge (23) and comprise an angle.

7. The measuring rod (1) according to claim 5, wherein a third longitudinal surface is additionally formed by the recess in the measuring rod, and wherein the first longitudinal surface, the second longitudinal surface and the third longitudinal surface form a groove in the measuring rod.

8. The measuring rod (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one flow rectifier is provided for generating a rectified flow of the medium to be verified in the area of the measuring section.

9. The measuring rod (1) according to claim 8, wherein the flow rectifier is formed of at least two wing-shaped profile bodies, and wherein the wing-shaped profile bodies are arranged at least in the area of the measuring section.

10. The measuring rod (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one bluff body is provided, and wherein the bluff body is arranged before the measuring section in respect to a flow direction.

11. The measuring rod (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one pressure sensor, is provided, and wherein the at least one pressure sensor is arranged within the measuring section or after it in respect to a flow direction.

12. The measuring rod (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one protective ring is arranged between a tube-side end and the measuring section, wherein the protective ring annularly encompasses the circumference of the measuring rod and wherein the protective ring prevents a transgression of liquid from the tube-side end of the measuring section.

13. The measuring rod (1) according to claim 1, wherein at least one ceramic window is arranged in an area of the recess for coupling at least the first measuring signal in and/or out.

14. The measuring rod (1) according to claim 1, wherein, in the area of the recess, the measuring rod has at least one reflector that is arranged in such a manner that at least a first measuring signal is reflected toward the receiver unit after crossing through the measuring section.

15. The measuring rod according to claim 1, wherein at least one second sender unit is provided for transmission of a second acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal and at least one second receiver unit is provided for receiving the second measuring signal, wherein the second sender unit is arranged in such a manner that the second measuring signal crosses the measuring section, wherein the second receiver unit is arranged in such a manner that, at least during operation without flow, the second receiver unit receives the second measuring signal after crossing the measuring section and wherein the second sender unit and the second receiver unit are arranged behind the first sender unit in respect to a flow direction and behind the first receiver unit in respect to the flow direction.

16. The measuring rod according to claim 1, wherein an evaluation unit is provided which is connected at least to the first receiver unit and wherein the evaluation unit is adapted to determine at least one of the amplitude, the phase, the intensity, the transit time of the measuring signal, and the cross correlation of the first and the second measuring signals.

17. A measuring arrangement, comprising: a tube and a measuring rod wherein the measuring rod is arranged at least partially within the tube and comprises: at least one first sender unit for transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal and at least one first receiver unit for receiving the first measuring signal, wherein the first sender unit and the first receiver unit define a measuring section, wherein the first sender unit is arranged in such a manner that the first measuring signal crosses the measuring section, wherein the first receiver unit is arranged in such a manner that, at least during operation without flow, and wherein the first receiver unit is positioned to receive the first measuring signal after the first measuring signal crossing the measuring section.

18. The Measuring arrangement according to claim 17, wherein the tube has a radius and the measuring rod extends into the tube no more than half of the radius.

19. Measuring arrangement according to claim 17, wherein a bluff body is provided, wherein the bluff body is arranged before the measuring rod in a flow direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a measuring rod according to the invention with a mounted sender unit and receiver unit,

[0045] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a measuring rod according to the invention with a recess defining the measuring section of the measuring rod,

[0046] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of a measuring rod according to the invention with a recess having an integrated vortex edge, the recess defining the measuring section of the measuring rod,

[0047] FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a measuring rod according to the invention with a recess,

[0048] FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view of a fifth embodiment of a measuring rod according to the invention with a recess and with flow rectifiers,

[0049] FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a sixth embodiment of a measuring rod according to the invention with a protective ring,

[0050] FIG. 7 is a schematic sectional view of a seventh embodiment of a measuring rod according to the invention with a bluff body,

[0051] FIG. 8 is a schematic sectional view of an eighth embodiment of a measuring rod according to the invention,

[0052] FIG. 9 is a schematic sectional view of a ninth embodiment of a measuring rod according to the invention with a reflector in the measuring section,

[0053] FIG. 10 is a schematic sectional view of a tenth embodiment of a measuring rod according to the invention with a double measuring section,

[0054] FIG. 11 is a schematic sectional view of a first embodiment of a measuring arrangement according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0055] A first embodiment of a measuring rod 1 according to the invention having a longitudinal axis A for insertion in the flow cross section of a tube and for verification of a flowing medium in this tube is shown in a three-dimensional view in FIG. 1. The measuring rod 1 has a first sender unit 2 for transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal and a first receiver unit 4 for receiving the first measuring signal 3, wherein the first sender unit 2 and the first receiver unit 4 are arranged at a distance from one another in respect to the longitudinal axis A. The sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 define a measuring section, which has the medium to be verified flowing through it during operation. The first sender unit 2 is thereby arranged in such a manner that the first measuring signal crosses the measuring section and the first receiver unit 4 is arranged in such a manner that it, at least during operation without flow, receives the first signal after crossing the measuring section. In the embodiment shown, the sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 are placed on the circumference of the measuring rod 1. Additionally, an electric contact of the sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 is provided, which runs within the measuring rod 1.

[0056] The illustrated first embodiment, in this respect, shows a measuring rod 1 for the verification of a flowing medium in a tube, which is particularly easy to handle and manufacture due to its design and which is particularly flexible, in particular can be used in combination with tubes having a large nominal diameter.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of a measuring rod 1 according to the invention in a three-dimensional view, wherein the measuring rod 1 has a first sender unit 2 for transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic signal and a first receiver device 4 for receiving the first measuring signal, wherein the sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 define a measuring section and wherein the sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 are arranged in such a manner that the measuring signal crosses the measuring section and, at least during operation without flow, is received by the receiving unit 4. Furthermore, the measuring rod 1 has a recess 5 extending along the longitudinal axis A, wherein at least one first, flat longitudinal surface 19 and two end faces 20, 21 are formed by the recess 5 in the measuring rod and the measuring section is formed in the recess 5 between the two end faces 20, 21.

[0058] Such a design of the measuring section has the advantage that at least the flow to be verified is rectified in the area of the measuring section by the flat longitudinal surface 19, whereby the verification of a medium is simplified due to the interaction of the medium with the measuring signal.

[0059] As a result, FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of a measuring rod 1 that can be particularly flexibly used, also in tubes having a large nominal diameter and that has improved characteristics in respect to the verification of a quickly flowing medium.

[0060] FIG. 3 shows a further, third embodiment of a measuring rod 1 according to the invention having a longitudinal axis A in a three-dimensional view. the measuring rod 1 comprises a first sender unit 2 and a first receiver unit 4, which define a measuring section, wherein the first sender unit 2 is arranged in such a manner that the first measuring signal crosses the measuring section and wherein the first receiver unit 4 is such that it, during operation without flow, receives the first measuring signal after crossing the measuring section. Furthermore, the measuring rod 1 has a recess 5 extending along its longitudinal axis A, wherein a first longitudinal surface 19 and two end faces 20, 21 are formed by the recess 5 in the measuring rod 1 and the measuring section is formed in the recess 5 between the two end faces 20, 21. Additionally, a second longitudinal surface 22 is formed by the recess 5, wherein the first longitudinal surface 19 and the second longitudinal surface 22 meet at a longitudinal edge 23 and form an angle.

[0061] During operation, the illustrated measuring rod 1 is preferably inserted into the flow cross section of a tube in such a manner that the second longitudinal surface 22 is arranged before the measuring section in respect to flow direction. Then, the second longitudinal surface 22 creates a vortex signature of the flowing medium within the measuring section, whereby the verification of the medium, as is also described in the scope of the following embodiments, is simplified.

[0062] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a measuring rod 1 for the verification of a quickly flowing medium in a tube. The measuring rod 1 has a first sender unit 2 for transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal 3 and a first receiver unit 4 for receiving the first measuring signal 3. The sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 are integrated in the measuring rod 1 in the shown embodiment. Additionally, the measuring rod 1 has a recess 5 extending along the longitudinal axis, wherein a first longitudinal surface 19 and two end faces 20, 21 are formed by the recess 5, and wherein a measuring section is formed in the recess 5 between the two end faces. During operation of the measuring rod, the medium to be verified flows through the measuring section. The first sender unit 2 is arranged in such a manner that the first measuring signal 3 crosses the measuring section and the first receiver signal 4 is arranged in such a manner that it, at least in operation without flow, receives the first measuring signal 3 after it crosses the measuring section.

[0063] Additionally, a first evaluation unit 6 is connected to the first receiver unit 4. If a quickly flowing medium is present within the measuring section, then the interaction of the measuring signal with the medium causes a measurable effect, which is detected by the receiver unit 4 and determined by the evaluation unit 6. For example, the interaction of a medium with an electromagnetic measuring signal 3 of the medium causes a phase shift depending on the permittivity of the medium and/or a damping of the amplitude. Alternatively, if the measuring signal 3 is designed as an acoustic signal, in particular as an ultrasound signal, the medium can be verified in that the receiver unit 4 receives an ultrasound signal during operation without flow, whereas, in the presence of a quickly flowing medium, the measuring signal 3 does not reach the receiver unit 4 due to the high speed of the medium, whereby the detected signal is interrupted.

[0064] As a result, FIG. 4 shows an advantageous embodiment of a measuring rod 1 that provides a reliable verification of a quickly flowing medium and that can be particularly easily inserted into tubes having different nominal diameters due to its design.

[0065] FIG. 5 shows a sectional view of a fifth embodiment of a measuring rod 1, comprising a first sender unit 2 for transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal 3 and a first receiver unit 4 for receiving the first measuring signal, wherein the sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 are integrated in the measuring rod 1. A first longitudinal surface 19 and two end faces 20, 21 are formed by the recess 5, wherein the measuring section is formed in the recess between the two end faces 20, 21, the medium to be verified flowing through said measuring section during operation. Additionally, an evaluation unit 6 is provided, which is connected to the receiver unit 4 and which is also integrated in the measuring rod 1.

[0066] Furthermore, the illustrated measuring rod 1 has a flow rectifier in the form of two wing-shaped profile bodies 7, which are arranged in the area of the measuring section, so that they cause a rectified flow of the medium to be verified in the area of the measuring section during operation.

[0067] A rectified flow has the advantage that the effect verified due to the interaction of the medium with the measuring signal 3 is subject to fewer fluctuations caused by chance turbulences. The verification of a flowing medium takes place with particularly high reliability according to this embodiment.

[0068] A sectional view of a further, sixth embodiment of a measuring rod 1 is illustrated in FIG. 6, comprising a first sender unit 2 for transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal 3 and a first receiver unit 4 for receiving the first measuring signal 3, wherein the sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 are integrated in the measuring rod 1. A first longitudinal surface 19 and two end faces 20, 21 are formed by a recess 5, wherein the measuring section is formed in the recess 5 between the two end faces 20, 21, the medium to be verified flowing through said measuring section during operation. Additionally, an evaluation unit 6 is provided, which is connected to the receiver unit 4 and which is also integrated in the measuring rod 1. Furthermore, wing-shaped profile bodies 7 are arranged in the area of the measuring section, which cause a rectified flow in the area of the measuring section during operation.

[0069] Additionally, the measuring rod 1 illustrated in FIG. 6 has a protective ring 8 arranged between the tube-side end and the measuring section of the measuring rod 1, wherein the protective ring 8 annularly encompasses the circumference of the measuring rod 1 and wherein the protective ring 8 prevents a transgression of liquid from the tube-side end of the measuring section. Such an embodiment is particularly advantageous when the measuring rod 1 is used for the verification of media, which at least partially have a liquid. During operation, the protective ring protects the measuring section from liquid running off on the inner wall of the tube.

[0070] A further, particularly advantageous embodiment of the measuring rod 1 according to the invention is shown in a sectional view in FIG. 7. As described above, the measuring rod 1 in FIG. 7 also has a first sender unit 2 for transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal 3 and a first receiver unit 4 for receiving the first measuring signal 3, wherein the sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 are integrated in the measuring rod 1. The first longitudinal surface 19 and two end faces 20, 21 are formed by a recess 5, wherein the measuring section is formed in the recess 5 between the two end faces 20, 21, the medium to be verified flowing through said measuring section during operation. An evaluation unit 6 is also provided, which is connected to the receiver unit 4 and which is integrated in the measuring rod 1. Furthermore, wing-shaped profile bodies 7 are arranged in the area of the measuring section, which cause rectified flow of the medium in the area of the measuring section.

[0071] Additionally, the measuring rod illustrated in FIG. 7 has a bluff body 16, which is arranged before the measuring section in respect to flow direction. During operation, the medium to be verified forms vortices behind the bluff body within the measuring section, which can be detected by means of the measuring signal 3. Thereby, in particular the combination of the wing-shaped profile bodies 7 with the bluff body 16 create a vortex signature that can be detected with a particularly high reliability.

[0072] In a further embodiment, the bluff body 16 is an active bluff body, which is deflected by a respective activation, in particular is excited to oscillations, so that a certain vortex signature is specifically generated.

[0073] If the measuring signal 3 is an electromagnetic signal, for example a radar or microwave signal, the verification of the vortex signature is based on the effect that pressure fluctuations are present within the vortex, which affect the permittivity and, in this respect, for example, cause a phase change of the radar or microwave signals, which is detected by the receiver unit 4 and determined by the evaluation unit 6. Accordingly, the verifiable effect of interaction between the medium and the measuring signal is clearly intensified by the presence of the vortex signature. Thereby, the vortex signature emerges particularly clearly in the shown embodiment, since the bluff body 16 is arranged within the wing-shaped profile bodies 7, i.e., is located in the area of the rectified flow generated during operation. Additionally, the vortex signature can also be detected by means of acoustic ultrasound signals, since the pressure or speed fluctuations prevailing within the vortex change the phasing of the acoustic measuring signal, so that, as a result, a phase-modulated measuring signal is created.

[0074] FIG. 8 shows a sectional view of an eighth embodiment of a measuring rod 1 according to the invention having a first sender unit 2 for transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal 3 and a first receiver unit 4 for receiving the first measuring signal 3, wherein the sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 are integrated in the measuring rod 1. Additionally, an evaluation unit 6 is provided that is connected to the receiver unit and that is also integrated in the measuring rod 1. A ceramic window 9 is arranged between the sender unit 2 and the recess 5 for coupling the measuring signal 3 into the measuring section. The coupling in of the measuring signal is carried out, in particular, with low loss. A ceramic window 9 is also arranged between the recess 5 and the receiver unit 4, whereby the measuring signal 3 can be particularly efficiently, i.e. low-loss, coupled out.

[0075] A ninth embodiment of a measuring rod 1 according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 9, which has a first sender unit 2 for transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal 3 and a first receiver unit 4 for receiving the first measuring signal 3, wherein the sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 are integrated in the measuring rod 1. A first longitudinal surface 19 and two end faces 20, 21 are formed by a recess 5, wherein the measuring section is formed in the recess 5 between the two end faces 20, 21, the medium to be verified flowing through said measuring section during operation. Additionally, an evaluation unit 6 is provided that is connected to the receiver unit 4 and is also integrated in the measuring rod 1. As opposed to the above embodiments, the sender unit 2 is designed in such a manner that it is simultaneously used as a receiver unit 4. A reflector 10 is arranged on the side of the measuring section opposite the sender unit 2, the reflector reflecting the first measuring signal 3 toward the receiver unit 4 during operation after it crosses the measuring section. This embodiment has the advantage that it is particularly simply designed. Furthermore, the effect of the interaction of the flowing medium with the measuring signal 3 is intensified due to the longer interaction section, so that a particularly reliable verification of the flowing medium is possible.

[0076] FIG. 10 shows a sectional view of a tenth embodiment of a measuring rod 1 comprising a first sender unit 2 for transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal 3 and a receiver unit 4 for receiving the first measuring signal 3, wherein the sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 are integrated in the measuring rod 1. A first longitudinal surface 10 and two end faces 20, 21 are formed by a recess 5, wherein the measuring section is formed in the recess 5 between the two end faces 20, 21, the medium to be verified flowing through said measuring section during operation. Wing-shaped profile bodies 7 are arranged in the area of the measuring section and create a rectified flow in the area of the measuring section during operation. Additionally, the illustrated measuring rod 1 has a bluff body 16 that is arranged before the measuring section in respect to flow direction and, during operation, creates a vortex signature of the flowing medium in the area of the measuring section.

[0077] Furthermore, the illustrated measuring rod 1 has a second sender unit 12 and a second receiver unit 14, which are arranged behind the first sender unit 2 and behind the first receiver unit 4 in respect to flow direction. Additionally, an evaluation unit 6 is provided that is connected to the first receiver unit 4 and the second receiver unit 14 and is also integrated in the measuring rod 1. The vortex signature created by the bluff body 16 during operation passes through both the first measuring signal 3 as well as the second measuring signal 13. In addition to the verification of the presence of the flowing medium, information about its flow speed can also be obtained with the help of the cross correlation method, by means of which the measured measuring signals 3 and 13 are compared to one another in view of their agreement.

[0078] Consequently, this embodiment provides a measuring rod 1, with which a particularly exact and effective verification of a quickly flowing medium is possible.

[0079] FIG. 11 shows a sectional view of a first embodiment of a measuring arrangement 18 according to the invention. The measuring arrangement 18 comprises a tube 15 and one embodiment of a measuring rod 1 according to the invention, wherein the measuring rod 1 is arranged on the tube 15 in such a manner that the measuring rod 1 extends into the tube 15 at less than half the radius.

[0080] The measuring rod 1 has a first sender unit 2 for transmission of a first acoustic or electromagnetic measuring signal 3 and a first receiver unit 4 for receiving the first measuring signal 3, wherein the sender unit 2 and the receiver unit 4 are integrated in the measuring rod 1. A first longitudinal surface 19 and two end faces 20, 21 are formed by a recess 5, wherein the measuring section is formed in the recess 5 between the end faces 20, 21, the medium to be verified flowing through said measuring section during operation. Additionally, an evaluation unit 6 is provided that is connected to the receiver unit 4 and is also integrated in the measuring rod 1. Wing-shaped profile bodies 7 are arranged in the area of the measuring section and, during operation, create a rectified flow in the area of the measuring section.

[0081] A bluff body 16 is arranged before the measuring rod 1, which creates a vortex signature of the medium to be verified in the area of the measuring section during operation, whereby the verification of a quickly flowing medium can be clearly improved.

[0082] Furthermore, the measuring rod 1 has a pressure sensor 11, which is arranged behind the measuring section in respect to flow direction and which, during operation, detects the pressure fluctuations of the medium to be verified generated by the vortex signature.

[0083] As a result, the illustrated embodiment provides a measuring arrangement 18 that is particularly suitable for the verification of a quickly flowing medium.