THERMAL FLOWMETER

Abstract

Disclosed is an apparatus for determining a flow of a medium through a pipe, as well as a method for operating the apparatus. The apparatus comprises a heating element at least partially in thermal contact with the medium and which is heatable by means of a heating signal, and a first temperature sensor for registering a temperature of at least one component of the apparatus or the temperature of the medium. The heating element and the first temperature sensor are arranged outside of the pipe. The apparatus includes at least one coupling element, which is at least partially in thermal contact with the heating element, the first temperature sensor and/or a portion of the pipe or tube and serves to assure a thermal coupling between the heating element and the first temperature sensor and between the heating element and the medium.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring a volume flow, a mass flow, and/or a flow velocity of a flowable medium through a pipe or a tube, comprising: a heating element which is at least partially and/or at times in thermal contact with the medium and which is heatable by means of a heating signal; a first temperature sensor which serves for registering a temperature of at least one component of the apparatus or a temperature of the medium and which is operable at least at times by means of a first temperature signal; wherein the heating element and the first temperature sensor are arranged outside of an internal volume of the pipe or the tube flowed through by the medium, the apparatus further comprising: a first coupling element at least partially in thermal contact with the heating element, the first temperature sensor, and/or a portion of the pipe or the tube, wherein the first coupling element provides a thermal coupling between the heating element and the first temperature sensor and between the heating element and the medium, wherein the first coupling element is composed at least partially of a material with an anisotropic thermal conductivity.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first coupling element comprises an at least partially carbon containing material, graphite, or hexagonal boron nitride.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first coupling element is embodied in the form of a layer, a coating, a film, or a thin film.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, further comprising: a measuring tube which is integrateable into an existing pipeline, wherein at least the heating element, the first temperature sensor, and the first coupling element are arranged on or in a wall of the measuring tube.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the apparatus is embodied to be attachable externally onto the pipe or the tube.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first coupling element is arranged at least partially between the heating element and the first temperature sensor, in the medium far region of the first temperature sensor.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the heating element and the first temperature sensor are arranged next to one another essentially in a plane, and wherein the first coupling element is arranged between the medium and the first temperature sensor and the heating element.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first coupling element is arranged such that an imaginary connecting line between the first temperature sensor and the heating element has a predeterminable angle to a longitudinal axis through the pipe or the tube.

24. The apparatus as claims in claim 16, wherein a width and/or a thickness of the first coupling element along a length of the first coupling element are/is at least sectionally variable.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first coupling element is produced at least in a first portion of a first material and at least in a second portion different from the first portion of a second material.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the first coupling element is at least partially embodied and/or arranged in such a manner that, when the heating element is supplied with the heating signal, the first coupling element transports a first predeterminable amount of heat from the heating element to the first temperature sensor and a second predeterminable amount of heat from the heating element to the medium.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, further comprising: a second temperature sensor.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the first coupling element is at least partially embodied and/or arranged such that when the heating element is supplied with the heating signal, the first coupling element transports a third predeterminable amount of heat from the heating element to the second temperature sensor.

29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein at least a first portion of the first coupling element or a the first coupling element is arranged between the heating element and the first temperature sensor in the medium far region of the first temperature sensor, wherein at least the second temperature sensor is arranged next to the first temperature sensor and the heating element, and wherein at least a second portion of the first coupling element or a second coupling element is arranged between the medium and at least the second temperature sensor and is in thermal contact with the first temperature sensor and the heating element.

30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the heating element and the two temperature sensors are arranged next to one another along a shared connecting line, or wherein the heating element and the first temperature sensor are arranged along a first imaginary connecting line and the second temperature sensor and the heating element are arranged along a second imaginary connecting line, and wherein the first and the second connecting lines have a predeterminable angle between one another.

31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 27, further comprising: a second coupling element, wherein the first coupling element is at least partially embodied and/or arranged in such a manner that, when the heating element supplied with the heating signal, the first coupling element transports a first predeterminable amount of heat from the heating element to the first temperature sensor, and wherein the second coupling element is at least partially embodied and/or is arranged in such a manner that, when the heating element is supplied with the heating signal, the second coupling element transports a third predeterminable amount of heat from the heating element to the second temperature sensor.

32. A method for operating an apparatus for determining and/or monitoring a volume flow, a mass flow, and/or a flow velocity of a flowable medium through a pipe or tube, comprising: providing the apparatus, the apparatus including: a heating element which is at least partially and/or at times in thermal contact with the medium and which is heatable by means of a heating signal; and a first temperature sensor which serves for registering a temperature of at least one component of the apparatus or a temperature of the medium, and which is operable at least at times by means of a first temperature signal; wherein the heating element and the first temperature sensor are arranged outside of an internal volume of the pipe or the tube flowed through by the medium, the apparatus further comprising: a first coupling element at least partially in thermal contact with the heating element, the first temperature sensor, and/or a portion of the pipe or the tube, wherein the first coupling element provides a thermal coupling between the heating element and the first temperature sensor and between the heating element and the medium, and wherein the first coupling element is composed at least partially of a material with an anisotropic thermal conductivity; heating by means of a heating signal the heating element; operating the first temperature sensor by means of a first temperature signal; and ascertaining information concerning the volume flow, the mass flow, the flow velocity, and/or a temperature of the medium.

33. The method as claimed in claim 32, wherein the apparatus further includes a second temperature sensor, the method further comprising: operating the second temperature sensor by means of a second temperature signal.

Description

[0050] The invention will now be explained in greater detail based on the appended drawing, the figures of which show as follows:

[0051] FIG. 1 a schematic view of a clamp-on flowmeter of the invention having a heating element and a single temperature sensor arranged next to the heating element,

[0052] FIG. 2 a schematic view of a clamp-on flowmeter of the invention having a heating element and a single temperature sensor arranged between the heating element and pipe,

[0053] FIG. 3 various embodiments of a flowmeter of the invention having a heating element and a first temperature sensor arranged next to the heating element,

[0054] FIG. 4 various embodiments of a flowmeter of the invention having a heating element and two temperature sensors, and

[0055] FIG. 5 a schematic view of heating power and flowing amounts of heat for illustrating the measuring principle underlying the present invention.

[0056] In the figures, equal features are provided with equal reference characters.

[0057] FIG. 1 shows a thermal flowmeter 1 having a coupling element 3, a heating element 4 and a first temperature sensor 5, which measuring device 1 is mounted on a wall W of a pipe 2, through which medium M flows in the direction indicated by the arrow. For mounting the apparatus 1 on the pipe, different variants are possible. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the measuring device 1 is embodied as a clamp-on measuring device, which can be mounted externally on the tube 2. For this, all securement options well known to those skilled in the art can be used and fall within the scope of the present invention. In another embodiment (not shown), the heating element 4, the first temperature sensor 5 and the coupling element 3 are integrated into a measuring tube, which, in turn, can be connected into an existing pipeline. In such case, the coupling element 3, the heating element 4 and the first temperature sensor 5 can also be integrated into the wall of the measuring tube. In each case, the apparatus 1 is designed in such a manner that the sensor unit, thus, at least the heating element 3 and the first temperature sensor 4, do not contact the process. This means that the heating element and the first temperature sensor (as well as, in given cases present, other temperature sensors 8) are arranged outside of the internal volume V of the tube 2 flowed through by the medium M. They terminate thus, at least essentially, flushly with an inner wall of the tube 2, or are in the wall W or placed on the outer wall of the tube 2.

[0058] The heating element 4 is arranged next to the first temperature sensor 5. Both the heating element 4 as well as also the first temperature sensor 5 are, furthermore, arranged on the coupling element 3 and are by means of the coupling element 3 in thermal contact with one another and with the medium M.

[0059] In other embodiments of the present invention, the device can also have a plurality of heating elements 4, a plurality of temperature sensors 5,8 and/or a plurality of coupling elements 3.

[0060] Connection wires 6 connect the heating element 4 and the first temperature sensor 5 with an electronics unit 7, which serves for signal registration, evaluation and feeding. It is to be noted here that the number of connection wires 6 can vary from embodiment to embodiment. Also, the electronics unit 7 is, in each case, adapted to the embodiment of the measuring device 1.

[0061] The coupling element 3 places the heating element 4 at least partially and/or at times in thermal contact with the medium M. In ongoing operation for determining flow or flow velocity, the heating element 4 can, for example, be heated with a variable heating power P to a predeterminable temperature T or with a constant heating power P to have a variable temperature T. Fundamentally, there occurs, thus, a heat exchange between the measuring device 1 and the medium M, or a heat movement, or a heat flux, from the heating element 4 to the medium M. In such case, the thermal contact resistance between the heating element 4 and the flowing medium M changes as a function of the flow velocity v.

[0062] The coupling element 3 effects both a thermal coupling of the heating element 4 and the first temperature sensor 5 as well as also a thermal coupling to the medium M. Especially, the coupling element 3 assures that a first predeterminable amount of heat flows from the heating element 4 to the first temperature sensor 5 and a second predeterminable amount of heat from the heating element 4 to the medium M. A heat flow out-going from the heating element 4 can be influenced by means of the coupling element 3, with targeting, especially relative to the propagation directions of amounts of heat and to the dividing of an amount of heat into different directions. The coupling element can be suitably embodied and arranged for determining the amounts of heat, which flow from the heating element 4 to the first temperature sensor 5 and to the medium, respectively. Examples of possible embodiments are shown in the following figures. Preferably, the coupling element 3 is composed of a material having a high thermal conductivity, for example, a metal. However, also graphite or other materials can be used.

[0063] The first temperature sensor 5 can, on the one hand, be used for determining and/or monitoring flow and/or flow velocity. Additionally or alternatively, the temperature T of the medium M can be ascertained with the first temperature sensor.

[0064] A second possible embodiment of a measuring device 1 of the invention is shown in FIG. 2. As in FIG. 1, this is, by way of example, a clamp-on measuring device. Also in this case, the apparatus 1 is securable to the pipe 2 with all securing means known to those skilled in the art. Also, a corresponding embodiment using a separate measuring tube (not shown) can be implemented.

[0065] In contrast with FIG. 1, the first temperature sensor 5 and the heating element 4 are arranged on top of one another in FIG. 2. The temperature sensor 5 is placed against a wall W of the pipe 2.

[0066] Located on the pipe 2 far side of the first temperature sensor 5 is the coupling element 3, followed by the heating element 4. In another embodiment (not shown), furthermore, a second coupling element can be arranged between the first temperature sensor 5 and the wall W of the pipe 2. In the shown embodiment, the cross sectional area of the heating element 4 and the coupling element 5 are essentially equally large. However in other embodiments, the heating element 4 and the coupling element 3 can also be dimensioned differently.

[0067] Connection wires 6 and electronics unit 7 are not shown in FIG. 2. Operation of the heating element 4 and first temperature sensor 5, e.g. their feeding with suitable heating signal and temperature signal, respectively, occurs analogously to FIG. 1.

[0068] For the embodiment of the coupling element 3 and for the arrangement of the heating element 4 and the first temperature sensor 5 relative to the coupling element 3 and to the pipe or tube 2, numerous variants are possible and fall within the scope of the present invention. Without intending to limit the scope of the invention, different possible variants for an apparatus of the invention are shown by way of example in the following.

[0069] FIG. 3 shows various embodiments for an apparatus having a heating element 4 and a first temperature sensor 5. Shown in FIG. 3a are the heating element 4 and the adjoining first temperature sensor 5 both positioned on the coupling element 3, which, in turn, is mounted on the wall W of the pipe or tube 2. The imaginary connecting line a extending between the heating element 4 and the first temperature sensor 5, for example, a connecting line a extending through the center points or borders of the heating element 4 and the first temperature sensor 5, extends in parallel with the longitudinal axis through the pipe or tube 2 and in parallel with the flow direction of the medium M. Of course, the sequence of the heating element 4 and the first temperature sensor 5 in parallel with the flow direction can be different in different embodiments. It is, thus, possible to arrange the first temperature sensor 5 in the flow direction either before or after the heating element 4. Furthermore, other geometric forms are possible for coupling element 3 and likewise fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, the coupling element 3 can also be embodied to be oval, circular, or even triangular.

[0070] The embodiment of FIG. 3b differs from that of FIG. 3a in that the connecting line a has an angle of, for instance, 45 from the longitudinal axis through the tube 2. In the case of the variant of FIG. 3c, the angle between the connecting line and the longitudinal axis L amounts to 90. It is to be noted here that, in the context of the present invention, also other values are possible for the angle between the connecting line a and the longitudinal axis L. The thermal coupling between the coupling element 3 and the medium 2 as well as between the heating element 4 and the first temperature sensor 5 can, with targeting, be set and adapted by choice of the angle between the connecting line and the longitudinal axis L.

[0071] However, also other are measures possible for adapting the thermal coupling. For example, the coupling element 3 can be embodied in such a manner that its width b is variable along the length l of the coupling element. For this, a continuous variation of the width b provides an option, such as shown in FIG. 3d, or even a stepped variation of the width b (not shown).

[0072] Another possible measure for selecting and/or setting the thermal coupling is to manufacture the coupling element 3 at least in a first portion 3.1 from a first material and at least in a second portion 3.2 different from the first portion 3.1 from a second material, such as shown by way of example in FIG. 3e.

[0073] Yet another possible measure by way of example is to vary the thickness d of the coupling element along the longitudinal axis L, such as illustrated in FIGS. 3f and 3g. In FIG. 3f, the thickness d increases from a value d.sub.1 continuously to a value d.sub.2, while in FIG. 3g the thickness varies stepwise and the coupling element 3 has a thickness d.sub.1 in a first portion and a thickness d.sub.2 in a second portion.

[0074] Besides the described measures, numerous other options are possible for selecting and/or setting the thermal coupling provided by coupling element 3 and fall likewise within the scope of the present invention. Also, various measures are combinable with one another to the extent desired. Also, corresponding measures for an embodiment of the apparatus 1 are possible, such as it is shown in FIG. 2.

[0075] Another preferred embodiment for a flowmeter 1 of the invention is shown in FIG. 4. Here the apparatus 1 includes, besides the coupling element 3, the heating element 4 and the first temperature sensor 5, an additional temperature sensor 8. A first predeterminable amount of heat is transported from the heating element 4 to the first temperature sensor 5, while a second predeterminable amount of heat flows from the heating element 4 to the medium M and a third predeterminable amount of heat from the heating element 4 to the second temperature sensor 8. Likewise such as in the case of the preceding figures, a corresponding apparatus 1 can be embodied both as a clamp-on measuring device 1 or as one having a separate measuring tube. The possibilities are likewise many, such as in the case of FIGS. 1 and 2. Solely the second temperature sensor 8 needs to be supplemented, wherein also for this again numerous options are available.

[0076] The variants shown in FIG. 4 in this regard are correspondingly to be viewed by way of example, as in the case of FIG. 3. The present invention is not limited to the illustrated variants. Shown in FIG. 4a are the heating element 4 and the first 5 and second 8 temperature sensors mounted next to one another on the coupling element 3 along a shared imaginary connecting line a. The coupling element 3 is, in turn, mounted on the wall W of the pipe or tube 2. In contrast with FIG. 4a, in FIG. 4b, the heating element 4 is arranged between the two temperature sensors 5 and 8.

[0077] Shown in FIG. 4c are the first temperature sensor 5, the coupling element 3.3 and the heating element 4 embodied analogously to the variant of FIG. 2. In contrast with FIG. 2, the heating element 4, the coupling element 3.3 and the first temperature sensor 5 are, however, not directly mounted on the wall W of the pipe or tube 2, but, instead, with interpositioning of the additional coupling element 3. The coupling elements 3 and 3.3 can be of the same material, or of different materials. In addition to the heating element 4, coupling element 3.3 and first temperature sensor 5, a second temperature sensor 8 is provided, which is likewise located on the coupling element 3. In another embodiment (not shown), the two temperature sensors 5,8 and the heating element 4 can all be arranged on one another, especially on top of one another. The coupling element 3 is then placed between at least two of the components. However, also a plurality of coupling elements 3 can be used, which can, for example, be placed between, in each case, two components.

[0078] For selecting and setting the thermal coupling provided by means of the coupling element 3 in the case of the two temperature sensors 5,8, also numerous other measures are possible. For example, the shape and/or dimensioning of the coupling element 3, or the relative arrangement of the heating element 4 and the two temperature sensors 5,8 can be suitably selected. Thus, the coupling element 3 of FIG. 4d is rectangularly embodied here in the form of a square, while in FIG. 4e it is U-shaped, in FIG. 4f T-shaped, and in FIG. 4g V-shaped. In the case of all these embodiments of the shape of the coupling element, the heating element 4 and the first temperature sensor 5 are positioned along a first imaginary connecting line a.sub.1 and the second temperature sensor 8 and the heating element 4 along a second imaginary connecting line (a.sub.2), wherein a suitable angle can be set between the two connection lines a1 and a2. This arrangement is similar to the arrangements shown in FIGS. 3b and 3c for the case of a single, first temperature sensor 5.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 4h, in contrast, the apparatus 1 includes a first coupling element 3.4 and a second coupling element 3.5. Coupling elements 3.4 and 3.5 adjoin one another and the heating element 4 is positioned at an interface between the two coupling elements 3.4 and 3.5 in such a manner that it is in thermal contact both with the first 3.4 as well as also with the second coupling element 3.5. By supplying the heating element 4 with the heating signal, a first predeterminable amount of heat is transported by means of the first coupling element 3.4 from the heating element 4 to the first temperature sensor 5 and a third predeterminable amount of heat is transported from the heating element 4 to the second temperature sensor 8. A transport of heat from the heating element 4 to the medium M takes place by means of the two coupling elements 3.4 and 3.5.

[0080] Further examples of possible measures similar to the cases of FIGS. 3f and 3g vary the thickness d of the coupling element 3 along the longitudinal axis L, such as shown by FIGS. 4i, 4k and 4l. Same as shown in FIG. 3, the thickness d can be varied continuously or stepwise.

[0081] As also in the case of an embodiment having a single, first temperature sensor 5, the different variants shown in FIG. 4 can be combined with one another to the extent desired. Also, variants shown in FIG. 3 can be applied analogously to the case of an apparatus 1 with two temperature sensors 5,8, such as shown in FIG. 4, and vice versa. It is noted, furthermore, that the options shown in FIG. 4 are not exclusive. Rather, numerous other examples can be considered, which likewise fall within the scope of the present invention.

[0082] Finally a schematic view of the measuring principle underlying the present invention is shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5a shows an apparatus of the invention such as shown in FIG. 2a, together with the amounts of heat Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2. By supplying the first temperature sensor 5 with a heating signal P, the second predeterminable amount of heat Q.sub.2 flows from the heating element 4 to the medium M, and the first predeterminable amount of heat Q.sub.1 from the heating element 4 to the first temperature sensor 5. The sizes of the predeterminable amounts of heat Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2 depend, in such case, on the geometric embodiments of the apparatus 1, the utilized materials, on the pipe or tube 2 and also on the medium M and its flow velocity v.

[0083] FIG. 5b shows a schematic view of a heating signal P in the form of rectangular pulses (solid line), as well as the second predeterminable amount of heat Q.sub.2 for two different flow velocities v.sub.1 (dotted line) and v.sub.2 (dashed line) of the medium M, in each case, as a function of time t. The heating signal P is always constant for the duration of the pulses. It is to be noted that the heating signal P shown here is by way of example. In other embodiments, the heating signal P can, for example, be sinusoidal, trapezoidally shaped or even sawtooth shaped. The temperature T of the medium is the same for the two flow velocities v.sub.1 and v.sub.2 and is constant with time. v.sub.1 is greater than v.sub.2. The predeterminable amounts of heat Q.sub.1 and Q.sub.2, or their fractions of the total amount of heat Q.sub.tot=Q.sub.1+Q.sub.2, depend on the flow velocity v of the medium M. If, for example, the flow velocity v increases from the lower value v.sub.2 to the greater value v.sub.t, then Q.sub.2 increases, since more heat is transported from the heating element 4 to the medium M. Correspondingly, the second predeterminable amount of heat Q.sub.1 lessens. As a consequence, a lower temperature T is measured by means of the first temperature sensor 5, wherein the temperature change T of the temperature measured by means of the first temperature sensor 5 is proportional to the change of flow velocity v of the medium M.

[0084] This relationship is shown yet again in FIG. 5c based on a schematic view of the first predeterminable amount of heat Q.sub.1 and the first flow velocity v.sub.1 (dotted line) and the second flow velocity v.sub.2 (dashed line), each as a function of time t. If, for example, the flow velocity v increases from the lower value v.sub.2 to the greater value v.sub.1, then Q.sub.1 lessens, since more heat is transported from the heating element 4 to the medium M. As a consequence, a lower temperature T is measured by means of the first temperature sensor 5, such as already described in connection with FIG. 5b.

[0085] The temperature T measured by means of the first temperature sensor 5 is, in principle, a measure for the first predeterminable amount of heat Q.sub.1. Again, the temperature T of the medium M is constant, so that an influence of a variable temperature of the medium T on the variables measured by means of the apparatus 1 can be excluded. Of course, the described relationships of the principle hold also for the case of a variable temperature of the medium T. Likewise, analogous considerations hold for the case, in which at least a second temperature sensor 8 is provided.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0086] 1 flowmeter [0087] 2 pipe or tube [0088] 3, 3.1-3.5 coupling element [0089] 4 heating element [0090] 5 first temperature sensor [0091] 6 connection wires [0092] 7 electronics unit [0093] 8 second temperature sensor [0094] M medium [0095] W wall of the tube [0096] V internal volume of the pipe or tube [0097] T temperature of the medium [0098] v, v.sub.1, v.sub.2 flow velocity [0099] a Imaginary connecting line between heating element and [0100] temperature sensor [0101] L longitudinal axis through the pipe or tube [0102] l length of the coupling element [0103] b, b.sub.1-b.sub.2 width of the coupling element [0104] d, d.sub.1-d.sub.3 thickness of the coupling element [0105] Q, Q.sub.1, Q.sub.2, Q.sub.tot amounts of heat [0106] P heating signal