Fiber optic flow sensing device and method
US7466399B2 · kind B2 · utility
6Cited by
7References
13Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 25, 2005 |
| Grant date | Dec 16, 2008 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 24, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01F1/712
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
The invention provides an optical flow meter for measuring fluid flow through a pipe which obviates the need for the flow to be seeded with foreign particles. The meter comprises a fiber optic Sagnac interferometer with optical path crossing the flowing fluid. The interferometer measures velocity of the fluid by measuring the phase difference between the two beams propagating in the optical path in opposite directions. Light, which is deflected by the fluid, is collected by optical means at both sides of the optical path for calculation, the scintillating statistics and compensation for light intensity.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.