Digital fluid flow rate measurement or control system
USRE29383E · kind E · reissue
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 31, 1977 |
| Grant date | Sep 6, 1977 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 31, 1997 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC —)General
Abstract
A plurality of individually actuatable, value weighted digital bistable valve elements in parallel interconnect a fluid source to a fluid receiver. A linear relationship is preferably maintained between the resultant fluid flow rate from the source to the receiver and the product of a flow rate determinative fluid parameter times the sum of the weighted values of the digital valve elements in the open state. The fluid parameter is sensed, the states of the digital valve elements are controlled, and a flow rate representative signal is derived from the states of the valve elements and the fluid parameter. If the fluid is liquid, the parameter is the square root of the pressure difference across the valve elements, in the absence of cavitating venturis, and is the square root of the difference between the upstream pressure and the vapor pressure of the liquid in the presence of cavitating venturis. If the fluid is gas, the parameter is the source pressure divided by the square root of the source temperature. For measurement, the states of the digital valve elements are controlled to maintain the value of the fluid parameter constant. For control the states of the digital valve elemen…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.