Density meter for slurry

Abstract

A density meter for slurry which is transported through a pipe, the density meter including: a pipe part; flexible pipe couplings arranged on either end of the pipe part; a force sensor for measuring a force in the direction of the at least one degree of freedom between the pipe part and a fixed point; an accelerometer arranged on the pipe part for measuring the accelerations of the pipe part in the direction of the at least one degree of freedom; and computing means for computing the density of the slurry in the pipe part on the basis of the volume of the pipe part, the force measured by the force sensor and the acceleration measured by the accelerometer.

Claims

1. A density meter for slurry which is transported through a pipe, the density meter comprising: a pipe part; flexible pipe couplings arranged on either end of the pipe part for coupling the pipe part to a feed pipe and a discharge pipe, which pipe couplings impart to the pipe part at least one degree of freedom relative to the feed pipe and the discharge pipe; a force sensor for measuring a force in a direction of the at least one degree of freedom between the pipe part and a fixed point; an accelerometer arranged on the pipe part for measuring the accelerations of the pipe part in the direction of the at least one degree of freedom; and computing means for computing a density of the slurry in the pipe part on the basis of a volume of the pipe part, the force measured by the force sensor and the acceleration measured by the accelerometer.

2. The density meter as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a support for supporting the pipe part on a ground surface, wherein the force sensor is arranged between the support and the pipe part.

3. The density meter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support comprises a linear guide for guiding the pipe part in the measuring direction of the force sensor.

4. The density meter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the support supports on at least one of the feed pipe and the discharge pipe.

5. The density meter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pipe couplings comprise a flexible connecting sleeve.

6. A combination comprising a density meter as claim 1, a feed pipe, a discharge pipe and a ground surface, wherein the pipe part of the density meter is arranged with one pipe coupling on the feed pipe and is arranged with the other pipe coupling on the discharge pipe, and wherein the force sensor is arranged between the pipe part and the ground surface.

7. The density meter as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixed point is a floor.

8. The density meter as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support supports on at least one of the feed pipe and the discharge pipe.

9. The density meter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the pipe couplings comprise a flexible connecting sleeve.

10. The density meter as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pipe couplings comprise a flexible connecting sleeve.

11. The density meter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the pipe couplings comprise a flexible connecting sleeve.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features of the invention are further elucidated with reference to the accompanying drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of a first embodiment of a combination according to the invention.

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of a second embodiment of a combination according to the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) A first embodiment of a combination 1 according to the invention is shown in FIG. 1. Combination 1 has a feed pipe 2, a pipe part 3 and a discharge pipe 4. Pipe part 3 is connected on either side via flexible rubber sleeves 5, 6 to feed pipe 2 and discharge pipe 4. The flexible sleeves 5, 6 ensure that slurry from feed pipe 2 can flow via pipe part 3 to discharge pipe 4 while pipe part 3 can move freely in radial direction.

(5) Pipe part 3 is supported by a two-part support 7, 8 on a ground surface 9, such as for instance a concrete floor or ground. Supports 7, 8 slide telescopically into each other, whereby the movement of pipe part 3 is limited to a single degree of freedom, and this in vertical direction.

(6) Arranged between first support part 7 and second support part 8 is a force sensor 10 which measures the force exerted between pipe part 3 and ground surface 9.

(7) Further provided on first support part 7 is an accelerometer 11 which measures the absolute accelerations of pipe part 3 in the direction of the degree of freedom.

(8) Using the formula F=ma computer unit 12 can easily compute the mass of pipe part 3 including the slurry flowing therethrough. Using the internal volume of pipe part 3 and the net mass of pipe part 3 it is then possible to compute the density of the slurry flowing through pipe part 3. This density can for instance be displayed on a screen 13 and/or be used in a further control, for instance of a dredging process or a mining industry process. Depending on the flexibility of sleeves 5, 6, it may be that at least a part of the internal volume of sleeves 5, 6 has to be taken into account in the calculation, since this part can affect the force measurement.

(9) Shown in FIG. 2 is a second embodiment 20 of a combination according to the invention which partially corresponds to the embodiment 1 according to FIG. 1. The same components are therefore designated with the same reference numerals.

(10) In this embodiment 20 the pipe part 3 is suspended from a portal 21 which supports on feed pipe 2 and discharge pipe 4. First support part 7 and second support part 8 here ensure that the degree of freedom is once again limited to the vertical direction, and moreover that pipe part 3 is suspended in neutral position coaxially with feed pipe 2 and discharge pipe 4.

(11) In this embodiment 20 the force sensor 10 will also measure the force exerted between portal 21 and pipe part 3, and accelerometer 11 will measure the acceleration in vertical direction, whereby computer unit 12 can compute the density of the slurry.