DEVICE AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING THE FLOW VELOCITY OF A FLUID IN A HOLLOW BODY

Abstract

A device and a method for determining the flow velocity of a fluid in a hollow body, including at least one disturbance device disposed in the hollow body and at least one sensor for identifying disturbances that are induced in the flow by the disturbance device, which is disposed at a certain distance downstream in the direction of flow from the disturbance device, wherein the disturbance device includes means for generating changeable disturbances in the fluid flow.

Claims

1. A device for determining the flow velocity of a fluid, comprising: a hollow body through which a fluid can flow; at least one disturbance device disposed in the hollow body, the at least one disturbance device being configured to generate changeable disturbances in the fluid flow; and at least one sensor for identifying disturbances that are induced in the fluid flow by the at least one disturbance device, wherein the at least one sensor is disposed at a distance downstream in a direction of the fluid flow from the at least one disturbance device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one disturbance device comprises a baffle body.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the baffle body comprises at least one disturbing element protruding into the fluid flow to generate a disturbing surface area, which is changeable.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the at least one disturbing element is extendable out of the baffle body transversely to the direction of the fluid flow.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the baffle body, which receives the at least one disturbing element, is streamlined.

6. The device of claim 3, wherein the baffle body further comprises the at least one sensor for identifying disturbances, and the at least one sensor is disposed at a distance from the at least one disturbing element in the direction of the fluid flow.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the baffle body comprises at least one wing-like disturbing element that is configured to swung-out against the direction of fluid flow.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one disturbance device comprises a recess in a wall of the hollow body and a displacement body that is movably disposed inside the recess in the wall.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the displacement body is formed as a piston.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein a piston head of the piston is disposed at a distance from a lateral hollow body wall in the recess.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the piston disposed in the recess is movable parallel to a center longitudinal axis of the hollow body.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the piston disposed in the recess is movable transversely to a center longitudinal axis of the hollow body.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one disturbance device comprises at least one disturbing element disposed on a wall of the hollow body and the at least one disturbing element is introduced into the fluid flow transversely to a center longitudinal axis of the hollow body.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the at least one disturbing element is introduced into the fluid flow in a continuously adjustable manner.

15. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one disturbing element is introduced into the fluid flow in a continuously adjustable manner.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor for identifying disturbances is selected from the group consisting of a pressure sensor and a piezoceramic sensor.

17. A method for determining the flow velocity of a fluid, comprising: providing a device according to claim 1; generating a disturbance in the fluid flow by the at least one disturbance device; identifying the disturbance by the at least one sensor, determining a time period between the generation of the disturbance and the identification of the disturbance; and determining a flow velocity of the fluid flow for the distance between the at least one disturbance device and the at least one sensor based on the time period.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the disturbance device is inducing at least one impulse or one impulse sequence in the fluid flow.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the at least one impulse or the at least one impulse sequence is generated by a piezo-element.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein a frequency of the individual at least one impulses or a frequency of the impulse sequences is controllable.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In the following, the disclosure will be described in more detail based on the drawings.

[0018] FIG. 1A is a schematic of a sectional view of a first variant of a first embodiment for determining the flow velocity in a hollow body;

[0019] FIG. 1B is a schematic of a second variant of the first embodiment according to

[0020] FIG. 1A;

[0021] FIG. 1C is a schematic of a third variant of the first embodiment according to

[0022] FIG. 1A;

[0023] FIG. 2 is a schematic of a a sectional view of a second embodiment for determining the flow velocity in a hollow body;

[0024] FIG. 3A is a schematic of a first variant of the device according to FIGS. 1 and 2 as a third embodiment;

[0025] FIG. 3B is a schematic of a second variant of the device according to FIGS. 1 and 2 as a third embodiment;

[0026] FIG. 4 is a schematic of a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a device for determining the flow velocity in a hollow body;

[0027] FIG. 5 is a schematic of a fifth embodiment, in which both the disturbance device and the sensor comprise a piezoelement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0028] In FIG. 1A to FIG. 5 the schematically shown hollow body is labeled 1.

[0029] The disturbance device 10 is located inside the hollow body 1 according to FIG. 1A (1st variant). The disturbance device 10 includes the disturbance body 11, wherein the disturbance body 11 comprises respectively one disturbing element 13 on its upper and lower side in the area of its nose 12, which faces the flow (arrow 3). The disturbing element 13 can be continuously extended or swung out of the baffle body 11 transversely to the center longitudinal axis 14, wherein the surface area facing the flow depends on the current extension length. In this respect, the size of the surface area influences the size of the disturbance generated in the fluid, e.g. in the form of an impulse or an impulse sequence.

[0030] The disturbance device 10 with the baffle body 11 includes the sensor 15, disposed at a distance (distance X) from the disturbing element 13, for identifying disturbances generated by the disturbing elements, and here more specifically vortices. Thus, when the flow conditions are known, the volumetric flow rate per unit of time can be determined using the time difference between the generation of the vortices by the disturbing elements at the one end of the baffle body 11 of the disturbance device 10 and the distance X between the disturbing elements 13 and the sensor 15, as well as the cross-section of the hollow body.

[0031] FIG. 1B shows, as a second variant, an embodiment, in which the disturbing element 13 is periodically displaceable transversely to the center longitudinal axis 14, in order to form vortices, which can then be detected by the sensor 15. The disturbance can be generated by an impulse or an impulse sequence.

[0032] FIG. 1C shows, as a third variant, an embodiment, in which the disturbing element 13 is moved back and forth in a similar way to a fin.

[0033] In the following, the same reference numbers refer to the same objects.

[0034] FIG. 2 shows a disturbance device 20 with a baffle body 21, wherein the baffle body comprises wing-like disturbing elements 23 at its one end. namely at the end facing away from the flow, which can be swung out against the direction of flow (arrow 27). The sensor 25 for detecting the disturbances in the fluid generated by the disturbing elements is located at a distance (distance X) from the end of the baffle body 21. The sensor 25 is held by a streamlined support 26, which is disposed in the hollow body 1.

[0035] FIG. 3A shows, in a first variant, a disturbance device 30 disposed in the wall of the hollow body 1, wherein the disturbance device 30 comprises a recess 32 disposed in the wall of the hollow body inside which a piston 34 is movable, as a disturbing element, parallel to the center longitudinal axis 14 of the hollow body. In this respect, the piston head 34a is disposed in the recess 32 at a distance from the lateral hollow body wall. The upper side of the piston head 34a closes the inner wall of the hollow body 1. With this embodiment it is possible to generate a targeted agitation of the fluid at the circumference of the hollow body, which induces disturbances in the fluid flowing through the hollow body, for example in the form of vortices, which can be detected by the sensor 35 disposed in the wall of the hollow body at the distance X from the piston 34. In addition, several disturbance devices, ideally evenly distributed in the circumferential direction, can be used, provided asymmetric flows are present.

[0036] FIG. 3B shows, as a second variant, how vortices can be generated by a movement of the disturbing element 13 in the wall of the hollow body in the transverse direction to the center longitudinal axis 14, which are then detected by the sensor 15 in the wall of the hollow body. Disturbances in the fluid flow can also be generated as fluid impulses or as fluid impulse sequences by the movement or movements.

[0037] FIG. 4 differs from the previous figures only in that at least one disturbing element, which can be extended into the volume flow transversely to the center longitudinal axis of the hollow body, is disposed on the wall of the hollow body. Here too, the extension of the disturbing element 43 transversely to the center longitudinal axis 14 of the hollow body induces disturbances in the fluid flow, which can be detected by the sensor 45 in the wall of the hollow body. The sensor is disposed at a distance (distance X) from the disturbing element 43 in the wall of the hollow body.

[0038] FIG. 5 shows a disturbance device 50 with a baffle body 51, which holds a piezo-element 52. A sensor 55, which is also equipped with a piezo-element 52, in order to detect the disturbances induced in the fluid by the disturbance device 50 by way of the piezo-element 52, is located at a distance from the baffle body 51 with the piezo-element 52. The sensor 55 is also disposed at a distance (distance X) from the baffle body 51.

[0039] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present disclosure without departing from the scope of this disclosure. It is to be understood that the detailed description of the present disclosure are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the disclosure. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit embodiments to the precise form disclosed.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0040] 1 hollow body [0041] 10 disturbance device [0042] 11 baffle body [0043] 12 nose [0044] 13 disturbing element [0045] 14 center longitudinal axis [0046] 15 sensor [0047] 20 disturbance device [0048] 21 baffle body [0049] 23 wing-like disturbing element [0050] 25 sensor [0051] 26 streamlined support [0052] 27 arrow [0053] 30 disturbance device [0054] 32 recess [0055] 34 piston [0056] 34a piston head [0057] 35 sensor [0058] 43 disturbing element [0059] 45 sensor [0060] 51 baffle body [0061] 55 sensor