Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FLOW-MONITORING METHOD AND DEVICE
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a flow-monitoring method and device
for
measuring the flow of fluids through a conduit such as a pipeline or open
channel. More
particularly, the present invention relates to a method and device for
monitoring water or
liquid flow for metering purposes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is generally desirable for businesses and organizations supplying fluids
such as
water or other liquids through pipeline systems or channels to be able to
accurately and
cost effectively measure the quantities they provide to be able to charge
recipients of the
supplied fluids appropriately. More specifically, it is becoming increasingly
important to
quantify the amount of water provided to individuals and businesses through
supply
systems as the demand for water, a scarce resource, increases.
Many suppliers of luids through pipelines or channels or other supply systems
can readily
and easily quantify the rate of flow through a supply system. For example,
suppliers can
measure rate of flow by measuring the capacity of the application of the
supply system
(for example, by measuring the output of pumps or sprinkler heads).
Accordingly, if fluid
or liquid, the supplier can easily compute the total amount of fluid provided
to the
recipient if the rate of flow through the supply system is known. That is,
using the
formula:
rate of flow x duration of flow
a supplier can determine the total amount of fluid provided to the recipient.
The prior art provides various metering and flow-monitoring systems which
attempt to measure the total time the supply system is providing water or
fluid. However,
many of the prior art flow-monitoring systems are installed in larger sites
and are not
designed for or effective in measuring or metering small scale or individual
water or fluid
supply systems.
Further, many prior art systems require high upkeep, have high power
requirements, are not portable or have a high initial cost.
Another problem experienced by prior art flow-monitoring systems is that they
may come into contact with foreign material in open canals including silt,
algae and other
debris, especially in open canals. The foreign material makes conventional
metering of
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flows at diversion points and farm turnouts difficult and usually requires
very expensive
screening of the water. Many prior art systems therefore either require
expensive screening
or fail to work efficiently or at all as time passes and the collection of
foreign material
increases.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide an efficient and cost effective device
and
method for measuring fluid flow through a conduit that can operate in
environments with
or without foreign material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one
disadvantage of previous flow-monitoring methods and devices. In particular,
it is an
object of the present invention to provide a method and device which can be
cost
effectively installed and used for measuring small or individual fluid
supplies. A further
object of the present invention is to provide a device which operates
effectively
notwithstanding the presence of foreign material in the fluid supply.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and device
that is
inexpensive, durable, has lower power requirements and can be installed and
will operate
with minimum maintenance.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the present invention includes a
sensor system in fluid communication with the water or fluid for determining
when water
or fluid is being flowed through the pipeline or channel. The present
invention further
includes a counter system which communicates with the sensor system. The
counter
system is activated upon reception of a signal from the sensor system when the
sensor
system determines that water or fluid is being flowed through the pipeline or
channel.
Once activated, the counter system measures the length of time during which
the counter
system is activated.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to
those
ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of
specific
embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example
only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a flow-monitoring device in accordance with
the
present invention;
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Figure 2 is a side sectional view of a flou~monitoring device installed in a
pipeline
system in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 3 is an end view of a flow monitoring device installed in a pipeline
system
in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 4 is a perspective view of a vane for use in a pipeline system in
accordance
with the present invention;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of a vane in accordance with the present
invention;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a vane for use in an open channel in
accordance
with the present invention;
Figure 7 is a side view of a flow-monitoring device without a counter system
installed on a turnout gate leaf in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 8 is a side view of a flow monitoring device installed in a channel
with flow
in accordance with the present invention; and
Figure 9 is a schematic of a flow-monitoring method in accordance with the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Generally, the present invention provides a method and device for monitoring
the
flow of fluids through a pipeline 82, channel 83 or other supply or conduit
system. With
reference to Figure 1, a flow-monitoring device 100 includes a sensor system
70 and a
counter or metering system 11 which includes a memory (not shown), record-
making
means (not shown) and a clock or elapsed-time measuring means 4. The device
100 is
installed and positioned in a closed pipeline 82 oran open channel 83 such
that when fluid
is flowing through the pipeline 82 or channel 83, the sensor system 70 will be
in fluid
communication with the fluid supply. In general operation, when the fluid is
flowed
through the pipeline or the channel, the sensor system 70, in communication
with the
counter system 11, will activate the counter system 11. The counter system 11
records the
amount of time during which the counter system 11 is activated (which has the
effect of
metering the time during which the fluid is supplied or flowing through the
pipeline or
channel). This may be done by recording flow start and flow stop times and
calculating the
differential, or by counting elapsed time as it elapses, and recording the
time elapsed
during the "flow-on" state reported by the sensor system while activated by
the fluid's
flow. Once the supply of fluid through the system is restricted or stopped,
the sensor
system 70 detects that there is no more supply of fluid and deactivates the
counter system
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11. By simply registering or calculating the length of time the supply of
fluid was supplied
through the supply system, an operator, knowing the rate of flow of fluid
flowing through
the pipeline or channel, can quite easily calculate and measure the total
amount of fluid
provided through the pipeline 82 or channel 83 using the formula: rate of flow
x duration
of flow.
In one embodiment, the counter system 11 and the sensor system 70 are
integrated
in one system. In another embodiment, the counter system 11 and sensor system
70 are in
operative communication through the use of wire means or wireless means for
allowing an
operator to place the counter system 11 in a more convenient location, remote
from the
sensor system 70.
In one embodiment the sensor system 70 includes a vane 1 which protrudes into
the pipeline or channel or other conduit. The vane 1 is pivotable between two
positions,
namely an activated position and a default deactivated position. The vane 1
further
includes a magnet 15 as best shown in Figure 6. When water or liquid is
supplied through
the pipeline or channel, the vane 1 is forced to pivot into the activated
position, as shown
by the dotted lines in Figure 2, at which time the magnet activates the
counter system 11.
When water or liquid is no longer supplied, the vane 1 reverts to the default
disengaged
position thereby removing the magnet from the vicinity of the counter system
11 resulting
in the counter system 11 being turned off. A worker skilled in the art will
appreciate that
the vane 1 may be composed of any suitable flexible or rigid material for use
within in a
pipeline or channel including metal, plastic, rubber or composite materials.
Although a worker skilled in the art will also appreciate that the vane 1 may
be
formed in various shapes, in a preferred embodiment the vane 1 is shaped as
shown in
Figure 4 (pipeline installation) and Figure 6 (open channel installation).
More specifically,
the vane 1 is an elongate member having a bend 1 a. The bend 1 a is placed
within the
housing 7 of the sensor system 70. The vane 1 is positioned such that a
minimum amount
of flow will move the vane 1 into an activated position. The end of the vane 1
after the
bend la (referred to as the bend end lb) which protrudes into the pipeline or
channel has a
rounded surface to prevent foreign material from lodging on the vane 1 or
otherwise
preventing the vane 1 from operating. In a further embodiment in a pipeline
installation,
bend end lb may be curved such that when the vane 1 is in the activated
position it
corresponds to the interior curvature of the pipeline and is, accordingly,
exposed to
minimum flow to reduce exposure to foreign material.
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In one embodiment, the device 100 includes a switch 2 which is normally open
and
which is magnetically activated when the vane 1 pivots about pivot shaft 16
into the
activated position which places the magnet 15 in the proximity of the switch 2
thereby
closing an electrical circuit. The switch 2, once activated, activates the
counter system 11
for recording the amount of time during which the counter system 11 is
activated (which
in turn meters the length of time water or liquid is supplied through the
pipeline or
channel). In a further embodiment, the switch 2 is a magnetically activated
double throw
switch or Reed Switch.
In another embodiment, the counter system 11 cannot be reset, to prevent
tampering of the counter system 11, especially by individuals who are having
their wat
fluid supply metered. The counter system 11 may include a cover plate 13 for
covering the
clock 4 for preventing tampering. In another embodiment, the sensor system 70,
the
counter system 11 or both systems are installed in a tamper-proof or
tampe~evident way
to ensure that the counter system's rendered data is reliable and to indicate
when the data
may not be reliable as a result of the counter system 11 being tampered with.
In a more
specific embodiment for use with a pipeline, security tape is wrapped around
the counter
system 11 and a rod or other protrusion 10 welded to the pipeline to ensure
that any
attempt to tamper with the counter system 11 is readily recognized. In a more
specific
embodiment for use with an open channel, the counter system 11 may be mounted
or
located in a remote and inaccessible location.
In addition to providing a tamper-proof housing, the present invention may
also
include an external housing 17 designed to ensure that the counter system 11
is protected
from environmental elements. The external housing may be insulated from the
sensor
system 70 using plate 8 and urethane potting 9 as best shown in Figure 2 to
ensure that the
system is waterproof. Housing 7 may be connected to half coupling 6 also shown
in Figure
2 for further ensuring the waterproof and tamperproof features of the present
invention.
In other embodiments, the counter system 11 may provide additional functions.
For
example, the counter system 11 may record the times when the sensor system 70
was
activated (that is, when water or fluid was being provided through the
delivery system). In
still another embodiment, the clock 4 may monitor the time during which the
counter
system 11 is activated. In a further embodiment, the clock 4 has a low power
requirement
and may operate using batteries 3 as a power supply.
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In one embodiment as shown in Figure 2 the counter system 11 includes a
capacitor 5 to condition the power with some clocks 4.
In one embodiment designed to reduce the device's power requirements, the
sensor
system 70 turns the counter system 11 on and off and the counter system 11
only records
when the counter system 11 is turned on. A worker skilled in the art will
appreciate that in
this embodiment, the power required to operate the counter system 11 is
minimal since
power is only required when water or liquid is provided through the pipeline
or channel.
Accordingly, the use of batteries 3 as a power supply may be sufficient to
operate the
flow-monitoring device 100 for a number of years.
In another embodiment, the sensor system 70 continually provides an activated
or
deactivated signal to the counter system 11 thereby allowing the counter
system 11 to
determine if the counter system 11 should be recording flow through the supply
system.
In some circumstances, the device 100 may be installed in a remote location or
in a
location that is difficult to access. In these circumstances, the device 100
may include a
transmitting or transceiving unit (not shown) for remotely providing
measurements
recorded by the counter system 11. In another embodiment, the transmitting or
transceiving unit may be incorporated with the counter system 11. In yet
another
embodiment, the sensor system 70 may include a transmitting or transceiving
unit for
activating the counter system 11 which may be more conveniently placed, as
shown in
Figure 8.
In one embodiment, the present invention is installed in a pipeline or channel
for
individual metering. A specific example of individual metering is measuring
the quantity
of water supplied to agricultural irrigators. The present invention may be
installed at a
turnout gate 18 as shown in Figure 7 thereby allowing the supplier to
accurately infer the
amount of water used by an individual irrigator, who would be assumed to have
used
water at a flow rate optimal to his particular irrigation devices. Water usage
patterns of the
irrigator may then be inferred by using time-based measurement of flow-on
versus flow-
off, rather than more complex flow rate or volumetric measurements.
In one embodiment, the flow-monitoring device is installed horizontally in an
open
canal as shown in Figure 7 to prevent tampering and to make the flow-
monitoring device
100 impervious to foreign matter. In this embodiment, the vane 1 may be
protected by a
hood or shroud 19. The device may include an NPT nipple 20 for installing the
device
through the turnout gate 18.
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In any of the embodiments described above, the battery 3 may be of any type
known to those skilled in the art, including disposable or rechargeable
batteries of varying
voltages. The battery may be recharged by a mechanical generator powered by
the fluid
flow, or by solar panel, wind-mail or similar external energy sources.
One method of measuring flow in a pipeline or in a channel using the device
100 is
shown in Figure 9. More specifically, once the flow-monitoring device 100 is
properly
installed, the device 100 is in a standby mode. When water or liquid is
subsequently
provided through the pipeline or channel, the vane 1 is moved into an
activated position
thereby activating the sensor system 70 (more specifically when magnet 15
activates
switch 2) which in turn activates the counter system 11. Counter system 11
then records
the duration during which the counter system 11 is turned on or measures and
records "on"
and "off' flow state change times and calculates elapsed time "on". When the
flow
through the pipeline or channel stops, the vane 1 reverts to a default
disengaged position
thereby causing the sensor system 70 to turn off the counter system 11 and
resetting device
100 to standby mode.
A worker skilled in the art will appreciate that the device is capable of
measuring
any fluid flowing through a conduit. That is, while the fluid may be water or
some other
type of liquid flowing through a pipeline or channel, the fluid may also be
gas, slurry or a
combination of fluids which are capable of flowing through a pipeline, channel
or other
conduit.
The above-described embodiments of the present invention are intended to be
examples only. Alterations, modifications and variations may be effected to
the particular
embodiments by those of skill in the art without departing from the scope of
the invention,
which is defined solely by the claims appended hereto.
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