Importance

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Abstract

An improved ultrasonic vortex fluid flowmeter (10) includes a sensor housing (12) having a slip-on yoke portion which removably mates with a bluff body conduit connector (14) permanently installed in a fluid conduit to be monitored. An ultrasonic transmitter (22) and receiver (24) are respectively positioned within the legs of the yoke so as pass an ultrasonic wave through vortices (42) shed by the fluid as it flows by a bluff body (36). The slip-on yoke eliminates both the need to shut down fluid flow during meter servicing, and the potential for external contaminants entering the fluid. Control and processing circuitry (100) is disposed within a remotely located circuit housing (38) to improve overall isolation of the sensor from the fluid conduit being monitored. An Exclusive Or gate (44) is used in combination with an optimal phase range detecting means (108) for triggering a 90 degree phase shift whenever the phase difference between the transmitted wave and the received wave approaches 0 or 180 degrees.

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First Claim