MEASURING TUBE ARRANGEMENT AND CARRIER UNIT OF A MEASURING DEVICE FOR DETECTING A MASS THROUGHFLOW, A VISCOSITY, A DENSITY, AND/OR A VARIABLE DERIVED THEREFROM, OF A FLOWABLE MEDIUM

Abstract

A measuring tube arrangement of a measuring device for detecting a mass flow rate of a flowable medium includes: two measuring tubes for conducting the medium, wherein the measuring tubes each have an inlet and an outlet, wherein the measuring tubes are bent at least once between the inlet and outlet; a coupler arrangement for mechanically coupling the two measuring tubes, wherein the coupler arrangement has at least two coupler elements, wherein one coupler element is arranged at the inlet, and one coupler element is arranged at the outlet; two magnet arrangements, each having at least two magnets, arranged on the measuring tubes, wherein precisely one magnet arrangement is arranged on one measuring tube; and a connecting body configured to mechanically detachably connect the measuring tube arrangement to a carrier unit, wherein the connecting body is connected to the inlet and to the outlet of the respective measuring tubes.

Claims

1-21. (canceled)

22. A measuring tube arrangement of a measuring device for detecting a mass flow rate, a viscosity, a density, and/or a variable derived therefrom, of a flowable medium, the measuring tube arrangement comprising: two measuring tubes, which extend parallel to each other, configured to conduct the flowable medium therethrough, wherein each measuring tube includes an inlet having an inlet direction and an outlet having an outlet direction, and wherein each measuring tube is bent at least once between the inlet and the outlet; a coupler arrangement configured to mechanically couple the two measuring tubes, the coupler arrangement including at least two coupler elements, wherein one coupler element of the at least two coupler elements is disposed at the inlet, and wherein one coupler element of the at least two coupler elements is disposed at the outlet; two magnet arrangements arranged on the two measuring tubes, wherein precisely one magnet arrangement is arranged on one measuring tube of the two measuring tubes, and wherein each magnet arrangement includes at least two magnets; and a connecting body configured to mechanically detachably connect the measuring tube arrangement to a carrier unit, wherein the connecting body is connected to each inlet and each outlet of the respective measuring tubes.

23. The measuring tube arrangement of claim 22, wherein the inlet direction and the outlet direction are oriented oppositely.

24. The measuring tube arrangement of claim 22, wherein each measuring tube includes two legs whose respective longitudinal axes extend parallel to each other.

25. The measuring tube arrangement of claim 24, wherein each measuring tube includes a longitudinal plane that divides the respective measuring tube into two sides, wherein each longitudinal axis of the corresponding leg of the corresponding measuring tube extends in the respective longitudinal plane, and wherein the magnet arrangements are disposed on the sides, facing away from each other, of the measuring tubes.

26. The measuring tube arrangement of claim 24, wherein the at least two magnets of each magnet arrangement are disposed exclusively in a partial volume delimited by two parallel reference planes and an outer surface of one of the two measuring tubes, wherein the reference planes extend parallel to a longitudinal plane extending through the two longitudinal axes of the legs of the respective measuring tube, and wherein the reference planes contact the outer surface.

27. The measuring tube arrangement of claim 22, wherein each measuring tube comprises a measuring tube body having a wall thickness of less than 1 millimeter.

28. The measuring tube arrangement of claim 22, wherein each measuring tube includes at least one at least partially planar attachment surface, wherein at least one magnet of the at least two magnets of the magnet arrangement is disposed on the at least one attachment surface.

29. The measuring tube arrangement of claim 22, wherein the connecting body includes planar mounting surfaces configured to enable mechanically detachable installation of the measuring tube arrangement into a carrier unit in a position defined by the mounting surfaces.

30. A measuring tube system, comprising: a measuring tube arrangement according to claim 22; and a hose system and/or plastic tube system configured to enable flow measurement in automated industrial or laboratory installations, wherein the measuring tube arrangement is connected to the hose system and/or plastic tube system and is configured to measure at least one of a flow rate, a volumetric flow rate, and the mass flow rate of the flowable medium.

31. The measuring tube system claim 30, wherein the measuring tube arrangement and the hose system and/or plastic tube system are disposed in a container configured to maintain a sterility of the measuring tube arrangement and of the hose system and/or plastic tube system until the container is opened, wherein the measuring tube system is sterilized by at least one of radiation sterilization, hot steam sterilization, and gas sterilization, wherein the radiation sterilization includes gamma radiation sterilization or electron beam sterilization.

32. The measuring tube system claim 30, wherein at least one process monitoring unit is connected to the hose system and/or plastic tube system, wherein the at least one process monitoring unit comprises at least one of: a pressure measuring transducer; a temperature sensor; a scale; a pH sensor; a density sensor; a flow meter for determining a mass flow rate, a volumetric flow and/or a flow rate; a flow switch; a fill-level sensor; a conductivity sensor; a concentration sensor; an oxygen sensor; and a turbidity sensor.

33. A carrier unit of a measuring device for detecting a mass flow rate, a viscosity, a density, and/or a variable derived therefrom, of a flowable medium, the carrier unit comprising: a carrier unit body configured to enable mounting a measuring tube arrangement according to claim 22, wherein the carrier unit body includes a receptacle for the measuring tube arrangement, and wherein the carrier unit body includes at least two opposing side surfaces that bound the receptacle transversely to a longitudinal direction of the measuring tube arrangement or to a longitudinal direction of the carrier unit body; at least one vibration exciter configured to excite the measuring tube arrangement to vibrate, wherein the at least one vibration exciter is disposed on one of the opposing side surfaces; and at least two vibration sensors configured to detect deflections of vibrations of the measuring tube arrangement, wherein the at least two vibration sensors are disposed on the opposing side surfaces, and wherein the at least two vibration sensors are arranged at an offset from the at least one vibration exciter in the longitudinal direction.

34. The carrier unit of claim 33, wherein each vibration sensor comprises two coil devices that are disposed at an offset from each other in the longitudinal direction of the carrier unit body.

35. The carrier unit of claim 33, wherein the at least one vibration exciter and the at least two vibration sensors each comprise at least one coil device, wherein the coil devices are respectively disposed in a depression in the carrier unit body.

36. The carrier unit of claim 35, wherein each coil device comprises at least one printed circuit board coil.

37. The carrier unit of claim 33, wherein the carrier unit body includes an end face in which the receptacle is disposed, wherein the end face is configured as a bearing surface for the connecting body of the measuring tube arrangement.

38. The carrier unit of claim 37, wherein, at the end face, a fixing device is disposed, which is configured to effect a non-positive connection between the connecting body of the measuring tube arrangement and the carrier unit body, wherein the non-positive connection is effected via a force action of the fixing device on the connecting body in a longitudinal direction of the receptacle.

39. The carrier unit of claim 33, wherein each of the at least two opposing side surfaces includes a guide extending perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the receptacle, the guide configured to effect a positive connection between the connecting body of the measuring tube arrangement and carrier unit body.

40. A measuring device for detecting a mass flow rate, a viscosity, a density, and/or a variable derived therefrom, of a flowable medium, the measuring device comprising: a measuring tube arrangement according to claim 22; a carrier unit, comprising: a carrier unit body configured to enable mounting the measuring tube arrangement, wherein the carrier unit body includes a receptacle for the measuring tube arrangement, wherein the carrier unit body includes at least two opposing side surfaces that bound the receptacle transversely to a longitudinal direction of the measuring tube arrangement or to a longitudinal direction of the carrier unit body; at least one vibration exciter configured to excite the measuring tube arrangement to vibrate, wherein the at least one vibration exciter is disposed on one of the opposing side surfaces; and at least two vibration sensors configured to detect deflections of vibrations of the measuring tube arrangement, wherein the at least two vibration sensors are disposed on the opposing side surfaces, and wherein the at least two vibration sensors are arranged at an offset from the at least one vibration exciter in the longitudinal direction, wherein the measuring tube arrangement is disposed in the receptacle of the carrier unit and mechanically detachably connected to the carrier unit; and a measuring and/or operating circuit configured to operate the at least two vibration sensors and the at least one vibration exciter, the measuring and/or operating circuit connected thereto, wherein the electronic measuring and/or operating circuit is further configured to determine and provide at least one of mass flow rate measurement values, viscosity values, density measurement values, temperature measurement values, diagnostic measurement values, and values of a variable derived therefrom the preceding values.

41. The measuring device of claim 41, wherein the at least two vibration sensors of the carrier unit are offset in a longitudinal direction of the receptacle, each including a coil device, wherein the measuring and/or operating circuit is configured to determine at which coil device a detected magnetic field is greatest, and to use measurement values from the determined coil device to determine the mass flow rate, the viscosity, the density, and/or the variable derived therefrom, of the flowable medium.

42. The measuring device of claim 40, wherein the connecting body of the measuring tube arrangement seats on a bearing surface of the carrier unit body, wherein the bearing surface has a normal having a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the receptacle, wherein the carrier unit body includes a fixing device configured to connect the connecting body of the measurement tube arrangement non-positively to the carrier unit body, wherein the non-positive connection is effected by a force action in the direction of the longitudinal direction of the receptacle.

Description

[0066] The invention is explained in greater detail with reference to the following figures. The following are shown:

[0067] FIG. 1: an embodiment of the measuring tube arrangement according to the invention;

[0068] FIG. 2: an embodiment of the measuring device according to the invention;

[0069] FIG. 3: a perspective view of an embodiment of the carrier unit according to the invention and a measuring tube arrangement;

[0070] FIG. 4: an embodiment of the measuring tube system according to the invention;

[0071] FIG. 5: a close-up view of an embodiment of the coupler arrangement;

[0072] FIG. 6: a measuring tube arrangement which is inserted into a receptacle of a carrier unit; and

[0073] FIG. 7: a close-up view of an embodiment of the magnet holder with attached magnets.

[0074] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the measuring tube arrangement 4 according to the invention. The measuring tube arrangement 4 is suitable for being replaceably inserted into a measuring device. For this purpose, only individual components of the vibration exciter and of the vibration sensors, in this case the respective magnet arrangements 9.1, 9.2, are attached to the measuring tube arrangement 4. The further components are arranged in a carrier unit (not depicted), in particular in the receptacle, which is suitable for receiving the measuring tube arrangement 4. The measuring tube arrangement 4 comprises two bent measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2 which run in parallel to one another and are connected to one another via a coupler arrangement 1 consisting of four coupler elements 6, and via a connecting body 5. Two coupler elements 6.1 are connected in an integrally bonded manner in the inlet 20, and two coupler elements 6.2 are connected in an integrally bonded manner in the outlet of the respective measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2. A flow divider which has a process connection for connecting to a hose system and/or plastic tube system is respectively arranged in the inlet 20 and in 21. The measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2 are shaped such that the flow direction, represented by two arrows, in the inlet 20 is oriented oppositely to the flow direction in the outlet 21. According to a further embodiment, a flow divider body can be provided instead of two separate flow dividers, which flow divider body is slid onto the inlet 20 and outlet 21 and also contributes to decoupling the measuring tube arrangement 4 from the environment after installation in the carrier unit. The individual coupler elements 6 are plate-shaped and are in one or two parts. The coupler elements may respectively completely or only partially encompass the measuring tubes. The measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2 are U-shaped, i.e., they respectively have two legs which run substantially in parallel to one another and are connected via a bent partial segment. A magnet arrangement 9.1, 9.2 is arranged on each measuring tube 3.1, 3.2. In the bent partial segment, a magnet 10.1 of the magnet arrangement 9.1 is arranged and forms a component of the vibration exciter. A magnet 10.2 which forms a part of the vibration exciter is respectively attached in the respective legs. The magnets 10 are attached to attachment surfaces 14. In the embodiment, the attachment surfaces 14 are located on the respective measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2.

[0075] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the measuring device 2 according to the invention. A measuring tube arrangement 4 is partially inserted into a receptacle 23 of a carrier unit 16. An arrow indicates the insertion direction. In the embodiment, the latter runs perpendicularly to a longitudinal direction of the receptacle 23. According to a further advantageous embodiment (not depicted), the carrier unit 16 has a measuring and/or operating circuit 29 which is connected to the vibration exciters and vibration sensors, in particular to the respective coil systems, and is configured to generate and/or detect a temporally alternating magnetic field.

[0076] The carrier unit 16 has a carrier unit body 22 in which the receptacle 23 is located. The connecting body 5 of the measuring tube arrangement 4 has mounting surfaces 26 which serve to arrange the measuring tube arrangement 4 in a predetermined position in the carrier unit 16. According to the depicted embodiment, the perpendicular of the mounting surface 26 points perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the measuring tube arrangement 4. According to a further advantageous embodiment, the perpendicular of the mounting surface 26 points in the direction of the longitudinal direction of the measuring tube arrangement 4. The surface of the carrier unit body 22 in contact with the mounting surface 26 of the connecting body 5 is the bearing surface 27.

[0077] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the carrier unit 16 according to the invention and of the measuring tube arrangements 4. The carrier unit 16 has two side surfaces 24.1, 24.2 which are oriented in parallel to one another and delimit the receptacle 23 transversely to the longitudinal direction of the receptacle. The coil devices 25.1, 25.2 of the vibration sensors 8.1, 8.2 and the coil device 25.3 of the vibration exciter 7 are arranged in the side surfaces 24.1, 24.2. The coil devices 25.1, 25.2 are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the receptacle with respect to the coil device 25.3. All three coil devices 25.1, 25.2, 25.3 are located in one coil plane. Furthermore, the three coil devices 25.1, 25.2, 25.3 are designed as a plate coil and embedded into the side surface 24.1. At the side surface 24.2, three coil devices are arranged substantially opposite the three coil devices 25.1, 25.2, 25.3. A respective guide 28 which extends perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the receptacle 23 and in parallel to the coil plane is incorporated into the two side surfaces 24.1, 24.2. According to the depicted embodiment, the receptacle extends over two end faces of the receptacle 23. This enables an insertion of the measuring tube arrangement 4 perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the measuring tube arrangement 4. According to a further advantageous embodiment, the receptacle extends exclusively over one end face. In this case, the measuring tube arrangement 4 is to be inserted into the carrier unit 16 in the longitudinal direction of the measuring tube arrangement 4.

[0078] The depicted measuring tube arrangement 4 has two bent measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2 which respectively comprise a measuring tube body 13.1, 13.2 which is formed from a material which comprises a metal, a ceramic, a plastic, and/or a glass. A longitudinal plane, in which the longitudinal axes of the legs 11.1, 11.2 run, divides the respective measuring tube 3.1, 3.2 into two sides 12.1, 12.2. The magnet arrangements 9.1, 9.2 are attached to the sides 12.2 facing away. The depicted measuring tube arrangement 4 differs from the measuring tube arrangement 4 of FIG. 1 in that no process connection and/or flow divider is arranged in the inlet and outlet. Plastic flow dividers are known which are integrated into the hose system and/or plastic tube system to be attached to the measuring tube arrangement 4.

[0079] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the measuring tube system 31 according to the invention. A measuring tube arrangement 4 is connected via the process connections to a hose system and/or plastic tube system 17. A process monitoring unit 19 is integrated in the hose system and/or plastic tube system 17. The hose system and/or plastic tube system 17 has a bioprocess bag 33 and a connection element 32 with which the measuring tube system 31 may be connected to a process line. The entire measuring tube system 31 is located in a container 18.

[0080] In this case, the container 18 is a sterilization bag which is suitable for sterilization methods based on ionizing radiation.

[0081] FIG. 5 shows a close-up view of an embodiment of the coupler arrangement 1 with three coupler elements 6 which, in the inlet region or outlet region, are arranged between two measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2 running in parallel, and connect them to one another. The respective coupler elements 6 are plate-shaped and respectively have two openings through which a respective one of the two measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2 runs. The coupler elements 6 encompass the measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2 only to such an extent that the coupler elements 6 do not exceed a first reference plane delimiting the measuring tubes 3.1 perpendicularly to the flow direction and do not exceed a second reference plane delimiting the measuring tubes 3.2 perpendicularly to the flow direction. A longitudinal plane of the measuring tube arrangement in which the longitudinal axes of the measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2 also lie intersects the reference plane perpendicularly. Such an embodiment avoids projecting coupler elements 6, which may collide with the carrier body itself or other parts of the arrangement upon insertion of the measuring tube arrangement into the carrier unit. The coupler elements 6 are integrally connected to the measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2, in particular by a soldered connection.

[0082] FIG. 6 shows a measuring tube arrangement 4 which is inserted into a receptacle 23 of a carrier unit 16. The depicted carrier unit 16 has an end face 35 in which are arranged the receptacle 23 and the bearing surface 27 for the connecting body 5 of the measuring tube arrangement 4. Unlike the embodiment of the carrier unit 16 depicted in FIG. 3, the receptacle 23 extends exclusively on an end face 35 of the carrier unit 16; the receptacle 23 moreover has no guide. Instead, the receptacle 23 has a recess 36 which also comprises the bearing surface 27 and is formed substantially complementary to the connecting body 5 of the measuring tube arrangement 4. The measuring tube arrangement 4 is inserted into the receptacle 23 of the carrier unit 16 via a movement directed in the longitudinal direction of the measuring tube arrangement 4. In the installed state, the mounting surface of the measuring tube arrangement 4 is in contact with the bearing surface 27 of the carrier unit 16.

[0083] The depicted embodiment of the measuring tube arrangement 4 has measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2 respectively having a measuring tube outer surface, wherein the respective measuring tube outer surface is delimited by two reference planes which run in parallel to one another and are tangent to the measuring tube outer surfaces in the inlet region and in the outlet region. A magnet of the vibration exciter or of the vibration sensor is attached exclusively to the respective measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2 in such a way that it does not exceed the two reference planes.

[0084] FIG. 7 shows a close-up view of an embodiment of a magnet holder 37, arranged in the bent partial segment of the measuring tube 3.1, 3.2, with attached magnets 10. The magnet holder 37 is integrally connected to the respective measuring tube 3.1, 3.2. The magnet 10 is not connected directly to the measuring tube 3.1, 3.2 but rather is connected via the magnet holder 37 to which the magnet 10 is integrally connected. The magnet holder 37 is preferably made of a non-magnetic material.

[0085] The two measuring tubes 3.1, 3.2 forming a measuring tube arrangement respectively have an outer surface 39. In the inlet region and outlet region, two reference planes 38.1, 38.2 running in parallel to one another are tangent to the outer surface of the measuring tube 3.1, 3.2. A longitudinal plane intersecting the longitudinal axis of the measuring tube in the inlet region and the longitudinal axis of the measuring tube in the outlet region runs in parallel to the two reference planes 38.1, 38.2. The two reference planes 38.1, 38.2 delimit a region in which the magnet carrier 37 with the attached magnet 10 may be located. Projecting components of the measuring tube arrangement 4 are thus avoided, which leads to a secure mounting of the measuring tube arrangement 4 in the carrier unit.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0086] Coupler arrangement 1 [0087] Measuring device 2 [0088] Measuring tube 3 [0089] Measuring tube arrangement 4 [0090] Connecting body 5 [0091] Coupler element 6 [0092] Vibration exciter 7 [0093] Vibration sensor 8 [0094] Magnet arrangement 9 [0095] Magnet 10 [0096] Leg 11 [0097] Side 12 [0098] Measuring tube body 13 [0099] Attachment surface 14 [0100] Measuring and/or operating circuit 15 [0101] Carrier unit 16 [0102] Hose system and/or plastic tube system 17 [0103] Container 18 [0104] Process monitoring unit 19 [0105] Inlet 20 [0106] Outlet 21 [0107] Carrier unit body 22 [0108] Receptacle 23 [0109] Side surface 24 [0110] Coil device 25 [0111] Mounting surface 26 [0112] Bearing surface 27 [0113] Guide 28 [0114] Measuring and/or operating circuit 29 [0115] Process connection 30 [0116] Measuring tube system 31 [0117] Connection element 32 [0118] Bioprocess bag 33 [0119] Magnet holder 34 [0120] End face 35 [0121] Recess 36 [0122] Magnet holder 37 [0123] Reference plane 38 [0124] Outer surface 39