Vane for use in monitoring the flow of a fluid, and method of manufacturing this vane.

摘要

A flowmeter has a vane which is caused to vibrate at one of its resonant frequencies and a flexure standing wave set up along it. Two piezoelectric sensors are used to monitor characteristics of the standing wave and hence the mass flow rate of a fluid flowing past the vane along a pipe.

The vane comprises a ceramic planar member (1) on which a conductive ceramic ink is laid down to form tracks (10 and 11). The ink also bonds a ceramic piezoelectric transducer (4) to the member (1) to drive and maintain it in vibration. A non-conductive layer (14) is laid down on the surface of the member (1) covering the conductive tracks (10 and 11) surrounding the transducer (4). A metal layer (13) forms the external surface of the vane and acts as a ground plane for the transducer (4).