Fluid flow meter, monitoring system comprising at least one such fluid flow meter and method for operating a fluid flow meter

Abstract

A fluid flow meter serves to determine the flow of a fluid, in particular in the form of gas, in a pipe, wherein the fluid flow meter is configured to generate a first measurement variable and at least a second measurement variable for the fluid and at least a first diagnostic parameter. The fluid flow meter comprises a diagnostic system that is configured to determine a first threshold value for the at least one first diagnostic parameter both based on the first measurement variable and based on the at least one second measurement variable and to output a first message to a higher-ranking control device when said first threshold value is reached.

Claims

1. A fluid flow meter to determine the flow of a fluid in a pipe, wherein the fluid flow meter is configured to generate a first measurement variable and at least a second measurement variable for the fluid and at least a first diagnostic parameter, wherein the fluid flow meter comprises a diagnostic system that is configured to determine a first threshold value for the at least one first diagnostic parameter both based on the first measurement variable and based on the at least one second measurement variable and to output a first message when said first threshold value is reached.

2. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the fluid is present in the form of gas.

3. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic system is configured to output the first message to a higher-ranking control device.

4. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic system is configured to determine a second threshold value for the at least one first diagnostic parameter, and to output a second message to the higher-ranking control device when said second threshold value is reached, wherein the first message is a warning message or a fault message and wherein the second message is a fault message or a warning message.

5. The fluid flow meter according to claim 4, wherein the at least one first diagnostic parameter is both based on the first measurement variable and based on the at least one second measurement variable.

6. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first measurement variable is a physical measurement value of the fluid or a variable derived from a physical measurement value.

7. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one second measurement variable is a physical measurement value of the fluid or a variable derived from a physical measurement value.

8. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the first measurement variable is selected from the following fluid properties: a) fluid flow rate; b) speed of sound in the fluid; or c) speed of sound in the fluid normalized to pressure and temperature.

9. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the second measurement variable is selected from the following fluid properties: a) fluid flow velocity; b) speed of sound in the fluid; or c) speed of sound in the fluid normalized to pressure and temperature, wherein the first and the second measurement variable comprise different fluid properties.

10. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first diagnostic parameter describes a measurement capability of the fluid flow meter or allows conclusions to be drawn about a measurement capability.

11. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the at least one first diagnostic parameter is a signal-to-noise ratio or a turbulence of the fluid.

12. The fluid flow meter according to claim 11, wherein the fluid flow meter comprises a measurement device that is configured to detect the first and the at least one second measurement variable, wherein the signal-to-noise ratio relates to the first and/or second measurement variable.

13. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic system comprises a memory unit in which a look-up table is stored, wherein the diagnostic system is configured to read out the first threshold value for the at least one first diagnostic parameter from the look-up table in dependence on the at least one first and second measurement variable.

14. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the diagnostic system comprises an AI module, wherein the AI module is configured to determine the first threshold value for the at least one first diagnostic parameter in dependence on the at least one first and second measurement variable.

15. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the fluid flow meter is configured to generate at least one second diagnostic parameter that is different from the first diagnostic parameter, wherein the diagnostic system is configured to determine a first threshold value for the at least one second diagnostic parameter both based on the first measurement parameter and based on the at least one second measurement parameter in order to output a first message to the higher-ranking control device when said first threshold value is reached.

16. The fluid flow meter according to claim 1, wherein the fluid flow meter comprises a measurement device having a first and a second transmission and reception unit, wherein the first transmission and reception unit is configured to generate and transmit a first ultrasonic signal and to receive a second ultrasonic signal and wherein the second transmission and reception unit is configured to generate and transmit the second ultrasonic signal and to receive the first ultrasonic signal, wherein the first and the second transmission and reception unit can be attached to the pipe offset both in the peripheral direction and in the axial direction, and wherein the measurement device is configured to determine the first and the second measurement variable.

17. The fluid flow meter according to claim 16, wherein the first transmission and reception unit is configured to transmit the first ultrasonic signal through the interior of the pipe to the second transmission and reception unit and wherein the second transmission and reception unit is configured to receive the first ultrasonic signal and wherein the second transmission and reception unit is configured to transmit the second ultrasonic signal through the interior of the pipe to the first transmission and reception unit and wherein the first transmission and reception unit is configured to receive the second ultrasonic signal.

18. The fluid flow meter according to claim 16, wherein the measurement device comprises at least one pressure sensor that is configured to measure the pressure of the fluid inside the pipe.

19. The fluid flow meter according to claim 16, wherein the measurement device comprises at least one temperature sensor that is configured to measure the temperature of the fluid inside the pipe.

20. A monitoring system comprising at least one fluid flow meter according to claim 1 and a control device, wherein the at least one fluid flow meter can be attached to at least one pipe and wherein the at least one fluid flow meter is configured to determine how much fluid flows through the pipe in a certain time and wherein the at least one fluid flow meter is configured to transmit the first message to the control device and wherein the control 10 device is configured to present the first message or a message derived therefrom visually and/or acoustically.

21. A method for operating a fluid flow meter that is configured to determine the flow of a fluid in a pipe, wherein the method comprises the following method steps: generating a first measurement variable and at least a second measurement variable for the fluid and generating at least a first diagnostic parameter; determining a first threshold value for the at least one first diagnostic parameter based on the first measurement variable and based on the at least one second measurement variable; outputting a first message to a higher-ranking control device when the first threshold value is reached.

Description

[0027] The invention will be described purely by way of example with reference to the drawings in the following. There are shown:

[0028] FIGS. 1, 2: various embodiments of a monitoring system comprising a fluid flow meter and a control device;

[0029] FIG. 3: an embodiment that explains how a first and a second threshold value for a first diagnostic parameter is determined in dependence on a first measurement variable and a second measurement variable; and

[0030] FIG. 4: a method for operating a fluid flow meter.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a monitoring system 100 comprising a fluid flow meter 1 and a control device 50. The fluid flow meter 1 is attached to a pipe 2 through which a fluid 3 flows. The monitoring system 100 can naturally comprise a plurality of fluid flow meters 1 that are attached to different positions of the same pipe 2 or to different pipes 2. The fluid flow meter 1 is configured to determine how much fluid 3 flows through the pipe 2 in a certain time. The fluid 3 is in particular (natural) gas. The fluid 3 can also be hydrogen or a mixture of natural gas and hydrogen.

[0032] The fluid flow meter 1 is configured to generate a first message and to transmit it to the control device 50. The first message is in particular generated and transmitted to the control device 50 when, for example, diagnostic values, such as the accuracy with which the fluid flow meter 1 measures the flow of the fluid 3 through the pipe 2, decrease, in particular fall below a first threshold value 4a.

[0033] The control device 50 comprises an output unit 51, in particular in the form of a screen. The at least one first message or a message derived therefrom can be visually (and/or acoustically) presented on this output unit 51. In addition or as an alternative thereto, the first message or a message derived therefrom can be transmitted to a connected control device via digital interfaces. The output unit 51 can also be a web server that provides data that can be accessed from a computer, a tablet or a smartphone. One fluid flow meter 1 or a plurality of fluid flow meters 1 can be connected to the control device 50.

[0034] The fluid flow meter 1 is configured to generate a first measurement variable 5a, a second measurement variable 5b and at least one first diagnostic parameter 6 (see FIG. 3). The first and/or second measurement variable 5a, 5b is preferably a physical measurement value, such as a fluid flow rate or a speed of sound in the fluid 3, or a variable derived from a physical measurement value, such as a speed of sound in the fluid 3 normalized to pressure and temperature. The at least one first diagnostic parameter 6 can, for example, be a signal-to-noise ratio or a turbulence of the fluid 3. The at least one first diagnostic parameter 6 therefore allows conclusions to be drawn about a measurement accuracy of the fluid flow meter 1 or describes such a measurement accuracy.

[0035] The fluid flow meter 1 furthermore comprises a diagnostic system 7 that is configured to determine a first threshold value 4a for the at least one first diagnostic parameter 6 both based on the first measurement variable 5a and based on the at least one second measurement variable 5b and to output a first message to the higher-ranking control device 50 when said first threshold value 4a is reached. The first message is preferably a warning message. However, it can also be a fault message. The diagnostic system 7 is preferably furthermore configured to determine a second threshold value 4b (FIG. 3) for the at least one first diagnostic parameter 6 based on the first measurement variable 5a and the second measurement variable 5b and to output a second message to the higher-ranking control device 50 when said second threshold value 4b is reached. The second message is a warning message.

[0036] The fluid flow meter 1 furthermore comprises a measurement device 8 that is configured to detect the first and the at least one second measurement variable 5a, 5b. The signal-to-noise ratio can in this respect refer to the first and/or second measurement variable 5a, 5b.

[0037] The measurement device 8 comprises a first transmission and reception unit 9a and a second transmission and reception unit 9b. The first transmission and reception unit 9a is configured to generate and transmit a first ultrasonic signal 10a and to receive a second ultrasonic signal 10b. The second transmission and reception unit 9b is configured to generate and transmit the second ultrasonic signal 10b and to receive the first ultrasonic signal 10a. The first and the second transmission and reception unit 9a, 9b are in this respect arranged at the pipe 2 offset both in the peripheral direction and in the axial direction. The measurement device 8 is configured, for example, to determine the first and the second measurement variable 5a, 5b via the first and second transmission and reception units 9a, 9b. The first and second transmission and reception units 9a, 9b are naturally configured to transmit the first and second ultrasonic signals 10a, 10b through the fluid 3.

[0038] The first transmission and reception unit 9a is configured to transmit the first ultrasonic signal 10a through the interior of the pipe 2 to the second transmission and reception unit 9b, wherein the second transmission and reception unit 9b is configured to receive the first ultrasonic signal 10a and to transmit the second ultrasonic signal 10b through the interior of the pipe 2 to the first transmission and reception unit 9a. The first transmission and reception unit 9a is in turn configured to receive the second ultrasonic signal 10b. The first and second transmission and reception units 9a, 9b are in particular arranged relative to one another such that there is visual contact between the first and second transmission and reception units 9a, 9b inside the pipe 2.

[0039] The first and/or second transmission and reception unit 9a ,9b can be at least partly arranged in the housing of the fluid flow meter 1. The first and/or second transmission and reception unit 9a, 9b can also be arranged spaced apart from the housing of the fluid flow meter 1 and can be connected to the fluid flow meter 1 via a corresponding data link (analog and/or digital). The same can also apply to the pressure sensor 11 and/or the temperature sensor 12.

[0040] In FIG. 1, the diagnostic system 7 is arranged within the housing of the fluid flow meter 1.

[0041] The measurement device 8 preferably also comprises a pressure sensor 11 that is configured to measure the pressure of the fluid 3 inside the pipe 2. In addition or alternatively, the measurement device 8 also comprises at least one temperature sensor 12 that is configured to measure the temperature of the fluid 3 inside the pipe 2.

[0042] The diagnostic system 7 further preferably also comprises a memory unit 13. A look-up table is stored in the memory unit 13. The diagnostic system 7 is configured to read out the first threshold value 4a for the at least one first diagnostic parameter 6 from the look-up table in dependence on the at least one first and second measurement variable 5a, 5b.

[0043] A further embodiment of the monitoring system 100 comprising the fluid flow meter 1 and the control device 50 is shown in FIG. 2. The differences from the embodiment from FIG. 1 are described below. The diagnostic system 7 is arranged spaced apart from the housing of the fluid flow meter 1 in which the measurement device 8 is arranged. For example, the diagnostic system 7 can be arranged at the location of the control device 50. In this embodiment, a data communication takes place from the measurement device 8 to the diagnostic system 7. Furthermore, a data communication takes place from the diagnostic system 7 to the control device 50. It is preferably a case of a digital interface here. The diagnostic system 7 furthermore comprises an AI module 14. The AI module 14 is configured to determine the first threshold value 4a for the at least one first diagnostic parameter 6 in dependence on the at least one first and second measurement variable 5a, 5b.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment that explains how a first and second threshold value 4a, 4b for the first diagnostic parameter 6 is determined in dependence on a first measurement variable 5a and a second measurement variable 5b. In this case, the first measurement variable 5a is the fluid flow rate. The second measurement variable 5b is the speed of sound in the fluid 3. The first diagnostic parameter 6 is determined for different pairings of the first measurement variable 5a and the second measurement variable 5b. Furthermore, the first threshold value 4a (solid line) and the second threshold value 4b (dashed line) are determined based on the first measurement variable 5a and the second measurement variable 5b. If the first or second threshold value 4a, 4b is reached or fallen below by the first diagnostic parameter 6 (signal-to-noise ratio too small), the respective first and/or second message is generated and transmitted to the higher-ranking control device 50. This information regarding the first and second threshold values 4a, 4b can be stored in a look-up table. The look-up table can thus comprise a two-dimensional or multidimensional table for the first measurement variable 5a and the second measurement variable 5b. For each column that corresponds to a value for the first measurement variable 5a and the second measurement variable 5b, a corresponding first threshold value 4a and a corresponding second threshold value (optional) 4b are stored in the look-up table. If the generated first diagnostic parameter 7 exceeds the corresponding threshold value 4a, 4b, the corresponding first or second message is generated and output to the higher-ranking control device 50.

[0045] It is shown that the first threshold value 4a and the second threshold value 4b are selected differently in dependence on different first and second measurement variables 5a, 5b. A spacing between the first threshold value 4a and the second threshold value 4b also differs for different first and second measurement variables 5a, 5b.

[0046] In the event that the diagnostic system 7 also generates a second diagnostic parameter, a corresponding look-up table can likewise be used, wherein the types for the first measurement variable 5a and the second measurement variable 5b are selected differently.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a method for operating the fluid flow meter 1. In a first method step S.sub.1, the first measurement variable 5a and the at least one second measurement variable 5b are generated for the fluid 3. A first diagnostic parameter 6 is furthermore generated. In a second method step S.sub.2, a first threshold value 4a for the at least one first diagnostic parameter 6 is determined based on the first measurement variable 5a and based on the at least one second measurement variable 5b. In a third method step S.sub.3, the first message is output to the higher-ranking control device 50 when the first threshold value 4a is reached by the first diagnostic parameter 6 that is in particular continuously newly generated.

[0048] The invention is not restricted to the embodiments described. Within the scope of the invention, all the described and/or drawn features can be combined with one another as desired.

TABLE-US-00001 Reference numeral list fluid flow meter 1 pipe 2 fluid 3 first threshold value 4a second threshold value 4b first measurement variable 5a second measurement variable 5b first diagnostic parameter 6 diagnostic system 7 measurement device 8 first transmission and reception unit 9a second transmission and reception unit 9b first ultrasonic signal 10a second ultrasonic signal 10b pressure sensor 11 temperature sensor 12 memory unit 13 AI module 14 control device 50 output unit 51 monitoring system 100 method steps S.sub.1, S.sub.2, S.sub.3