Method and a device for determining the mass flow rate and the presence or absence of a liquid flowing in a pipe
US11555724B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 9, 2019 |
| Grant date | Jan 17, 2023 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 9, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01F1/74
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A device (1) for determining the mass flow rate of milk turbulently flowing with air in a pipe (2) in pulsed milk slugs comprises sampling a signal from a microphone (8) of the device (1) indicative of sonic signals produced by the milk flow. The sampled signals are read by a microprocessor (15) which applies a Fast Fourier Transform to the sampled signal to produce the frequency domain of the sampled signal. The microprocessor (15) is configured to compute the average energy value of the sampled signal in the frequency bandwidth of 6 kHz to 15 kHz during consecutive monitoring periods. The average energy values are inserted into a calibration equation, which may be a power law equation, a polynomial equation, a logarithmic equation or any other such suitable equation in order to convert the average energy value to a mass flow rate of the milk flowing through the pipe 2 during that predefined monitoring period. The total mass flow of milk flowing through the pipeline (2) during a period from T1 to T2 is determined by integrating the determined mass flow rate of the milk from the time T1 to the time T2. Disengagement of a milking cluster from the teats of an animal as a result of ki…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.