SENSOR FOR MEASURING THE MASS FLOW RATE OF A FLOWABLE MEDIUM

Abstract

A mass flow measuring sensor includes: an oscillatable measuring tube bent in a tube plane; an oscillation exciter for exciting bending oscillations in a bending oscillation use-mode; two oscillation sensors for registering oscillations; a support system; and a measuring sensor housing; wherein the support system has support system oscillation modes, including elastic deformations of the support plate; wherein the support plate is cut to form a number of spirally shaped spring securements, via which the support plate is secured to the measuring sensor housing with oscillation degrees of freedom, whose eigenfrequencies are lower than a use-mode eigenfrequency of the bending oscillation use-mode, wherein the use-mode eigenfrequency is lower than the eigenfrequencies of the support system oscillation modes, wherein a calibration factor describes a proportionality between a mass flow through the measuring tube and a phase difference between oscillations of the measuring tube oscillating in the bending oscillation use-mode.

Claims

1-17. (canceled)

18. A vibronic measuring transducer for measuring mass flow of flowable medium, comprising: an oscillatable measuring tube configured to convey the medium therethrough, the measuring tube having an inlet side and an outlet side, wherein the measuring tube is bent in its rest position in a tube plane; a tube inlet section adjoining the inlet side of the measuring tube; a tube outlet section adjoining the outlet side of the measuring tube; at least one oscillation exciter configured to excite bending oscillations of the measuring tube in a bending oscillation use-mode; two oscillation sensors configured to register oscillations of the measuring tube; a support system including a support plate, an inlet-side securement body and an outlet-side securement body, the support system having support system oscillation modes comprising elastic deformations of the support plate; and a housing, wherein: the measuring tube is rigidly connected to the support plate via the inlet-side securement body and the outlet-side securement body and is bounded by the inlet-side and outlet-side securement bodies, the measuring tube is connectable to a pipeline via the tube inlet section and the tube outlet section, the tube inlet section and the tube outlet section are each connected rigidly with the housing; the support plate includes one or more spring securements, each spring securement formed in the support plate by at least one cut in the support plate, the support plate is resiliently secured relative to the housing via the one or more spring securements such that the support plate has three translation oscillation degrees of freedom and three rotation oscillation degrees of freedom, eigenfrequencies of oscillations of the support plate relative to the housing due to the translation oscillation degrees of freedom and the rotation oscillation degrees of freedom are lower than a use-mode eigenfrequency of the bending oscillation use-mode, the use-mode eigenfrequency is lower than the eigenfrequencies of the support system oscillation modes, the measuring tube has a substantially two-fold rotational symmetry relative to a symmetry axis extending perpendicularly to the tube plane, and a calibration factor describes in first approximation a proportionality between a mass flow through the measuring tube and a phase difference between oscillations of the measuring tube oscillating in the bending oscillation use-mode at the sites of the two oscillation sensors, wherein the oscillation sensors are positioned such that an angular velocity dependence of the calibration factor in case of rotations of the measuring transducer about a rotational axis, which extends perpendicular to the symmetry axis and perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the measuring transducer, has a minimum, or exceeds the minimum by no more than 20%.

19. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein the oscillation sensors are positioned such that the angular velocity dependence of the calibration factor in case of rotations of the measuring transducer about the rotational axis has a minimum, or exceeds the minimum by no more than 5%.

20. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein each of the one or more spring securements of the support plate is generally spiral-shaped.

21. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein the inlet-side and outlet-side securement bodies are each positioned such that the use-mode eigenfrequency has a frequency separation from a nearest eigenfrequency of another oscillatory mode of the measuring tube that is not less than a frequency separation limit value, wherein the frequency separation limit value amounts to at least 2% of the use-mode eigenfrequency.

22. The measuring transducer of claim 21, wherein the frequency separation limit value amounts to at least 8% of the use-mode eigenfrequency.

23. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein an evaluation function, which is proportional to the frequency separation and inversely proportional to the use-mode eigenfrequency and to the calibration factor, has a local or absolute maximum, wherein the securement bodies are positioned such that the evaluation function is lower than the value of the maximum by no more than 8%.

24. The measuring transducer of claim 23, wherein the securement bodies are positioned such that the evaluation function is lower than the value of the maximum by no more than 2%.

25. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein the bending oscillation use-mode is an F3 bending oscillation mode.

26. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein the eigenfrequencies of oscillations of the support plate relative to the housing due to the translation oscillation degrees of freedom and the rotation oscillation degrees of freedom are at most half of the use-mode eigenfrequency of the bending oscillation use-mode, and wherein the eigenfrequency of the support system amounts to at least twice the use-mode eigenfrequency.

27. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein the number of spring securements is 1, 2, 3 or 4.

28. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein the measuring tube is bent generally in an S-shape, wherein in the tube plane has a longitudinal direction with respect to which a measuring tube axis has at no point an angle of greater than 85.

29. The measuring transducer of claim 28, wherein the measuring tube includes, between the inlet-side and outlet-side securement bodies, two outer straight sections and a central straight section, which are connected by two arc-shaped sections, wherein the inlet-side and outlet-side securement bodies are each arranged at one of the outer straight sections, respectively.

30. The measuring transducer of claim 29, wherein, in each case, an angle bisector extends between a tube central axis of the central straight section and a tube central axis of one of the outer straight sections, wherein a coordinate system includes a z-axis extending in the tube plane perpendicular to the angle bisectors, wherein the axis of the two-fold rotational symmetry forms the x-axis, wherein an x-z-plane defined by the x-axis and the z-axis extends through the outer straight sections away from the securement bodies.

31. The measuring transducer of claim 29, wherein, in each case, an angle bisector extends between tube central axes of the central straight section and each of one of the outer straight sections, wherein the oscillation sensors are applied to the measuring tube, in each case, between an intersection of one of the angle bisectors with the measuring tube and a point on the corresponding outer straight section of the measuring tube that is removed by a radius of curvature of the corresponding arc-shaped section from a transition of the arc-shaped section to the corresponding outer straight section.

32. The measuring transducer of claim 29, wherein, in each case, an angle bisector extends between a tube central axis of the central straight section and a tube central axis of one of the outer straight sections, wherein a coordinate system is defined with a z-axis extending in the tube plane perpendicular to the angle bisectors, wherein the axis of the two-fold rotational symmetry defines an x-axis, wherein a y-axis extends parallel with the angle bisectors through the intersection of the x-axis and z-axis, wherein a characteristic base area of the measuring tube is defined by a rectangle whose sides extend in the z-direction through, in each case, an intersection of one of the angle bisectors with a tube axis of the corresponding arc-shaped section and extend in the y-direction through, in each case, a corresponding intersection of one of the inlet-side and outlet-side securement bodies with the tube axis of the measuring tube, wherein the ratio of the rectangular area to an inner diameter of the measuring tube is not more than 8000.

33. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein the tube inlet section and the tube outlet section contribute, relative to the translation oscillation degrees of freedom and the rotation oscillation degrees of freedom of the support plate relative to the housing, supplementally to the one or more spring securements, in each case, to a degree of freedom specific spring constant, wherein a contribution of the tube inlet section deviates from a corresponding contribution of the tube outlet section by, in each case, no more than 10% of the, in each case, lower contribution.

34. The measuring transducer of claim 33, wherein a shared contribution of the tube inlet section and the tube outlet section to the degree of freedom specific spring constants amounts to no more than 40%.

35. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein the tube inlet section and the tube outlet section have substantially the same tube cross section as the measuring tube and are manufactured as one piece with the measuring tube.

36. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein the eigenfrequencies of the translation oscillation degrees of freedom and rotation oscillation degrees of freedom of the support plate amount to not less than 70 Hz and/or no more than 400 Hz.

37. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein the at least one oscillation exciter is disposed at the center of the two-fold rotational symmetry, and wherein the at least one oscillation exciter is configured to excite bending oscillations perpendicular to the tube plane.

38. The measuring transducer of claim 18, wherein the measurement tube has an inner diameter of not more than 5 mm.

Description

[0048] The invention will now be explained based on the examples of embodiments presented in the drawing, the figures of which show as follows:

[0049] FIG. 1a a plan view of an example of an embodiment of a measuring transducer of the invention;

[0050] FIG. 1b a spatial illustration of an example of an embodiment of a measuring transducer of the invention;

[0051] FIG. 2a a graph of dependence of the calibration factor on the rotational speed as a function of sensor position;

[0052] FIG. 2b a graph concerning aspects of an evaluation function for positioning securement bodies;

[0053] FIG. 3 a detail view of a spirally shaped securement of a measuring transducer of the invention; and

[0054] FIG. 4 a detail view of an in-, or outlet, section of an example of an embodiment of a measuring transducer of the invention.

[0055] The measuring transducer 100 includes a measuring tube 10 with a first straight outer section 11, a second straight outer section 12 and a central straight section 13 as well as a first bent section 15 and a second bent section 16. The two straight outer sections 15, 16 are, in each case, connected by means of one of the bent sections 15, 16 with the central straight section 13. The measuring tube 10 is bounded by two securement bodies 21, 22, and secured by the latter to a bending-stiff support plate 30. Measuring tube 10 extends essentially in a tube plane parallel to the support plate 30. The measuring tube has a two-fold rotational symmetry about a symmetry axis, which extends perpendicularly to the tube plane through a point C2 centrally of the central measuring tube section. The measuring tube has an inner diameter of, for example, 5 mm or less. It is manufactured of a metal, especially stainless steel or titanium. Metal support plate 30 has a thickness of, for example, 5 mm. Support plate 30 includes four spiral shaped spring securements 31, 32, 33, 34, which are especially cut out by means of a laser, and which likewise have the two-fold rotational symmetry relative to one another and relative to the symmetry axis through the point C2. With securement bolts (not shown), which are secured in the centers of the spirally shaped spring securements, the support plate 30 is anchored to a housing plate 40 of a sensor housing.

[0056] A spirally shaped spring securement 32 is shown in more detail in FIG. 3. The effective stiffness of the spirally shaped securement 32 results from the length of the spiral cut 321 as well as its width relative to the width of the remaining material of the support plate 30. In the center, the spirally shaped spring securement 32 includes a bore 322 to accommodate a securement bolt.

[0057] Because of the spirally shaped spring securements 31, 32, 33, 34, the support plate 30 has three translation oscillation degrees of freedom and three rotation oscillation degrees of freedom, whose eigenfrequencies are at least 70 Hz, in order to prevent resonant oscillations with vibrations of up to 50 Hz frequently arising in process facilities. In order not to degrade the soft suspension of the support plate achieved by the spirally shaped spring securements 31, 32, 33, 34, the measuring tube is connectable to a pipeline via a sufficiently soft tube inlet section 18 and a sufficiently soft tube outlet section 19. The housing includes a first and second housing securements 41, 42, which are solidly connected with the housing plate 40, and where the tube inlet section 18 and the tube outlet section 19 are secured, in order to suppress a transmitting of oscillations of the pipeline to the measuring tube via the tube inlet section 18 and the tube outlet section 19. The translation- and rotation oscillation degrees of freedom of the support plate 20 have, in each case, eigenfrequencies f.sub.i, which are proportional to the square root of a quotient of a spring constant k.sub.i and an inertial term m.sub.i, thus, f.sub.i(k.sub.i/m.sub.i).sup.1/2. The tube inlet section 18 and the tube outlet section contribute in total no more than 10% to their neighboring spring constants k.sub.i. The illustrations in FIG. 1 of the tube inlet section 18 and the tube outlet section 19 are essentially schematic. FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of a tube outlet section 119, in the case of which by additional tube length and arcs the stiffness and therewith the contribution to the spring constants is reduced. The tube inlet section is correspondingly, symmetrically embodied.

[0058] As further shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b, the measuring transducer 100 includes for registering the oscillations of the measuring tube a first electrodynamic oscillation sensor 51 and a second electrodynamic oscillation sensor 52. For ascertaining optimal sensor position, the angular velocity dependence of the calibration factor Calf for rotations around the y axis shown in FIG. 1a was considered for the different oscillation sensor positions shown in FIG. 1b with a to f. The consideration occurred using numerical simulation. The results of this are shown in FIG. 2a. This study showed a minimum dependence, thus, an optimum, at the position d at the transition between the bent section and the outer straight section. Arranged directly bordering this transition are the oscillation sensors 51, 52, here, in each case, on one of the two straight outer sections 11, 12. The parts of the oscillation sensors oscillating with the measuring tube have, additionally, a principal axis of inertia, which aligns with the measuring tube axis at the site of their mounting.

[0059] For exciting bending oscillations, the measuring transducer includes an electrodynamic exciter 53, which is arranged in the center C2 of the two-fold rotational symmetry and acts in the direction of the symmetry axis.

[0060] The center C2 is origin of a coordinate system for description of further aspects of the invention. The measuring tube lies in a y-z-plane, wherein the y axis extends in parallel with the angle bisectors w1, w2, each of which extends between a tube axis of the straight outer sections 11, 12 and the tube axis of the central straight section 13. The z axis extends perpendicularly to the y axis in the tube plane and defines a longitudinal axis of the measuring transducer 100. When the longitudinal axis is arranged vertically, the measuring transducer is optimally emptiable. The inclination of the straight sections is then equal to half the angle between a tube axis of the straight outer sections 11, 12 and the tube axis of the central straight section 13. In the case of a preferred example of an embodiment of the invention, this inclination amounts to 7.

[0061] For positioning the securement bodies 21, 22, reference is now made to FIG. 2b, which shows an evaluation function and its components. For building the evaluation function, firstly, the eigenfrequencies of oscillation modes of the measuring tube are ascertained for different securement body positions by means of numerical simulation. The result is shown here for bending oscillation use-mode F3 and the bending oscillation modes F31 and F3+1 neighboring as regards the eigenfrequencies. Furthermore, a calibration factor Calf:=(dm/dt)/d is ascertained for the different securement body positions by means of numerical simulation. This calibration factor describes the relationship between a mass flow rate and the flow dependent phase difference between the sensor signals of the oscillation sensors. The evaluation function is then calculated as the quotient of the minimum frequency separation between the bending oscillation use-mode and a neighboring oscillatory mode and the calibration factor Calf. An optimal position of the securement body, in the case of which the evaluation function has a maximum, serves for orientation for the actual positioning of the securement body. A deviation from the optimal position can be accepted, when thereby the value of the evaluation function is subceeded by no more than 2%. In the illustrated example of an embodiment, the position of the securement body 21, 22 is so fixed by means of the evaluation function that the z axis of the measuring tube intersects the outer straight sections 11, 12 of the measuring tube spaced from the securement bodies 21, 22. As a result, a disturbance insensitive measuring transducer with a compactly arranged measuring tube is implemented, which is also not disturbed by accelerated reference systems.