MICRO MOTION, INC.

A method for proving or calibrating a first flow meter integrated into a common platform with a second flow meter is provided. The first flow meter comprises a first driver, a first flow tube, and a first meter electronics, and the second flow meter comprises a second driver, a second flow tube, and a second meter electronics. The method includes configuring the first flow meter to vibrate the first flow tube with a first driver voltage at a first default driver voltage amplitude using the first meter electronics, and configuring the second flow meter to vibrate the second flow tube with a second driver voltage at a second standby driver voltage amplitude using the second meter electronics.

A transducer assembly ( 300 ) for a vibrating meter having meter electronics ( 20 ) is provided. The transducer assembly ( 300 ) comprises a keeper portion ( 401 ) comprising a keeper plate ( 402 ). A magnet portion ( 301 ) comprises a coil bobbin ( 305 ) and a coil ( 309 ) wound around the coil bobbin ( 305 ). A magnet ( 313 ) is coupled to the coil bobbin ( 305 ). The keeper plate ( 402 ) is prevented from contacting the coil bobbin ( 305 ).

An electronics ( 100 ) configured to determine an input voltage to a galvanic isolation point of the electronics ( 100 ) is provided. The electronics ( 100 ) comprises an isolation transformer ( 120 ) configured to conduct a primary current (Ip) provided by an input voltage source ( 110 ), and provide a secondary voltage (Vs), the secondary voltage (Vs) being proportional to a primary voltage (Vp) induced by the primary current (Ip). The electronics ( 100 ) also comprises a peak detection circuit ( 130 ) coupled to the isolation transformer ( 120 ), the peak detection circuit ( 130 ) being configured to receive the secondary voltage (Vs) and, based on the secondary voltage (Vs), provide a signal that is proportional to the primary voltage (Vp).

Methods for operating a flowmeter diagnostic tool are provided that comprise interfacing the diagnostic tool with a flowmeter ( 5 ) sensor assembly ( 10 ). A base prover volume (BPV), a desired number of passes per run, and/or a maximum number of allowed runs may be input into the diagnostic tool. Flowmeter data is received. An estimated total prove time (TPT) necessary to pass a predetermined repeatability requirement, an estimated minimum number of runs needed to achieve the calculated TPT, and/or an estimated minimum BPV may be calculated. A standard deviation of the flowmeter sensor assembly flow rate (σ) is calculated, and the number of samples used to calculate a is determined. A meter-specific factor (MSF) is calculated.

A meter electronics ( 20 ) for detecting and identifying a change in a vibratory meter ( 5 ) is provided. The meter electronics ( 20 ) includes a processing system ( 202 ) including a storage system ( 204 ) configured to store a central tendency value of a meter verification parameter and dispersion value of the meter verification parameter. The processing system ( 202 ) is configured to obtain the central tendency value and the dispersion value from the storage system ( 204 ) and determine a probability based on the central tendency value and the dispersion value to detect if the central tendency value is different than a baseline value.

A vibrating meter ( 100 ) is provided being operable to determine at least one of a viscosity and a density of a fluid therein. The vibrating meter ( 100 ) comprises a driver ( 112 ), a vibrating element ( 104 ) vibratable by the driver ( 112 ), and operable to be in contact with the fluid. A vibrating sensor ( 114 ) is configured to detect a vibrational response of the vibrating element ( 104 ). Meter electronics ( 118 ) is configured to send an excitation signal to the driver ( 112 ) and to receive the vibrational response and is further configured to measure a first vibrational response point and a second vibrational response point of the vibrational response. The second vibrational response point is one of interpolated and extrapolated from other measured response points. The meter electronics ( 118 ) is further configured to calculate a Q of the vibrating element ( 104 ) using the first vibrational response point and the second vibrational response point.

A meter electronics ( 20 ) and a method for detecting and identifying a change in a vibratory meter ( 5 ) is provided. The meter electronics ( 20 ) includes an interface ( 201 ) configured to receive sensor signals ( 100 ) from a meter assembly ( 10 ) and provide information based on the sensor signals ( 100 ) and a processing system ( 202 ) communicatively coupled to the interface ( 201 ). The processing system ( 202 ) is configured to use the information to determine a first stiffness change ( 244 ) associated with a first location of a conduit ( 130, 130 ′) of the vibratory meter ( 5 ), determine a second stiffness change ( 254 ) associated with a second location of the conduit ( 130, 130 ′) of the vibratory meter ( 5 ), and determine a condition of the conduit ( 130, 130 ′) based on the first stiffness change and the second stiffness change.

A flowmeter ( 200 ) is provided having a flow inlet ( 210 ) and a flow outlet ( 210 ′). A first conduit ( 208 A) has an inlet leg ( 212 A) fluidly coupled to a central conduit portion ( 212 C), wherein the central conduit portion ( 212 C) is further fluidly coupled to an outlet leg ( 212 ′A). A second conduit ( 208 B) has an inlet leg ( 212 B) fluidly coupled to a central conduit portion ( 212 ′C), wherein the central conduit portion ( 212 ′C) is further fluidly coupled to an outlet leg ( 212 ′B). The flow inlet ( 210 ) is fluidly coupled to a first end of the first conduit ( 208 A) and a first end of the second conduit ( 208 B), and the flow outlet ( 210 ′) is fluidly coupled to a second end of the first conduit ( 208 A) and a second end of the second conduit ( 208 B). A manifold ( 206 ) is fluidly coupled to the inlet legs ( 212 A, 212 B) and the outlet legs ( 212 ′A, 212 ′B). A driver ( 214 ) is at least partially coupled to the manifold, wherein the driver ( 214 ) is operable to vibrate the first and second conduits ( 208 A, 208 B).

A flow meter coupling system ( 300 ) to reduce axial stress on a flow meter ( 302 ) comprising a first flow meter flange ( 314 a ) and a second flow meter flange ( 314 b ) is provided. The flow meter coupling system ( 300 ) comprises a first process fluid member ( 304 ) configured to be coupled to the first flow meter flange ( 314 a ) of the flow meter ( 302 ), a second process fluid member ( 306 ), and a second connector member ( 310 ) configured to be rigidly coupled to at least one of the second flow meter flange ( 314 b ) or the second process fluid member ( 306 ) and coupled to another of the second flow meter flange ( 314 b ) or the second process fluid member ( 306 ) in a manner that provides substantially no axial stress.

A flow meter includes a pair of ultrasonic transducers. Each transducer includes a housing, a piezoelectric crystal disposed within the housing, and a mini-horn array coupled to the housing. The mini-horn array, which may be formed via a 3D printing technique, includes an opening-free enclosure, a closed cavity inside the enclosure, and a plurality of horns enclosed within the closed cavity. The horns include a horn base portion adjacent to a proximal end surface of the cavity and a horn neck portion that extends from the base portion in a direction away from the piezoelectric crystal and towards a distal end surface of the cavity. The horn neck portions are separated by spaces within the cavity, wherein the spaces between the horn necks may be filled with powder.