METERING APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF DETERMINING A CHARACTERISTIC OF A FLUID FLOWING THROUGH A PIPE

摘要

A metering apparatus for determining a characteristic of a fluid, such as the volumetric flow rate, flowing through a non-linear section of a pipe is disclosed having a first strain gauge mountable to the non-linear section of the pipe offset from the bending neutral axis of the non-linear section of the pipe, to detect a bending force on the non-linear section of the pipe induced by the inertia of the fluid flowing through the pipe. A second strain gauge is mountable to the pipe disposed on the bending neutral axis of the non-linear section of the pipe, to detect at least one of the hoop strains, longitudinal strains and radial strains imparted on the pipe by the pressure of the fluid flowing through the pipe. A controller is configured to determine the mass flow rate of fluid flowing through the pipe based on the bending force determined by the first strain gauge and the at least one of the hoop strains, longitudinal strains and radial strains determined by the second strain gauge.

主权项

1. A metering apparatus for determining a characteristic of a fluid flowing through a non-linear section of a pipe, the metering apparatus comprising:
a first strain gauge mountable to the non-linear section of the pipe offset from the bending neutral axis of the non-linear section of the pipe, configured to detect a strain indicative of a bending force on the non-linear section of the pipe induced by the inertia of the fluid flowing through the pipe, a second strain gauge mountable to the pipe on the bending neutral axis of non-linear section of the pipe, configured to detect at least one of the hoop strains, longitudinal strains and radial strains imparted on the pipe by the pressure of the fluid flowing through the pipe, a controller configured to determine the mass flow rate of fluid flowing through the pipe based on the bending force determined by the first strain gauge and the at least one of the hoop strains, longitudinal strains and radial strains determined by the second strain gauge.