Fluid flow measuring device

Claim 2

Means for gathering data from which the flow rate of a flowing fluid in an inclined closed wall conduit open to atmospheric pressure caN be continuously determined after the velocity profile of the conduit has been calibrated for the velocity at almost any depth taking into account the surface characteristics thereof and the size, shape and inclination of the conduit at the location where the data is to be gathered and the fluid that is flowing, including gas supply means having a gas outlet, gas control means for establishing a predetermined condition of the gas at the outlet of the gas supply means, conduit means having an inlet end connected to the gas supply outlet and an open outlet end including means for maintaining said outlet end immersed at a predetermined position adjacent to the bottom of the flowing fluid in the conduit so that gas from said gas supply means can flow through said conduit means and escape into the flowing fluid out the immersed open end thereof and is affected by the depth of the fluid thereabove, and means connected to said conduit means for indicating a condition of the gas therein, the indications produced by said gas condition indicating means varying in response primarily only to the depth of the fluid at the immersed open end of the conduit means.

Claim 3

The means defined in claim 1 wherein said means for establishing a predetermined condition of the gas include gas flow regulator means, and said gas condition indicating means include means responsive to the gas pressure in the conduit means.

Claim 4

The means defined in claim 1 wherein said means for establishing a predetermined condition of the gas include gas pressure regulator means, and said gas condition indicating means include means responsive to the flow rate of the gas in the conduit means.

Claim 5

The means defined in claim 1 including second conduit means bypassing said gas control means, and valve means to control communication through the second conduit means to selectively communicate the gas supply means and the aforesaid conduit means, said valve means being movable from a closed position preventing communication through said second conduit means and an open position in which gas is caused to pass directly from the gas supply means into the said conduit means bypassing said control means.

Claim 6

The means defined in claim 4 including timer means to control the operation of the valve means.

Claim 7

The means defined in claim 4 including means responsive to the occurrence of a pressure condition of the gas in the conduit means in excess of the predetermined established condition, said last named means including means for opening the valve means whenever said excess pressure condition exists.

Claim 8

Means for gathering data from which the depth and velocity of a flowing fluid in an inclined conduit under atmospheric conditions can be determined after the velocity profile of the conduit has been calibrated for the velocity at almost any depth taking into account the surface characteristics thereof and the size, shape and inclination of the conduit at the location where the data is to be gathered and the fluid that is flowing, including gas supply means having an outlet thereto, means at the outlet of the gas supply means for establishing a predetermined condition of the gas thereat, first and second conduits each having an inlet end connection to be supplied gas at said predetermined condition and an outlet end, means for maintaining the outlet ends of said conduits immersed at predetermined positions in the flowing fluid so that gas from said gas supply means flows through said conduits and escapes into the flowing fluid out the immersed open ends thereof, said first and second immersed conduit ends being positioned in the flowing fluid at locations such that the gas flowing out the first outlet end is affected by the depth and velocity of the fluid thereat, and the second outlet end is primarily affected only by the depth of the fluid thereat, and other means connected to said first and second conduits for indicating respective conditions of the gas therein, the respective indications produced having known relAtionships with the depth and velocity of the fluid at the respective immersed open ends of the said conduits.

Claim 9

Means for gathering data from which the depth and velocity of a flowing fluid in an inclined conduit under atmospheric conditions can be determined after the velocity profile of the conduit has been calibrated for the velocity at almost any depth taking into account the surface characteristics thereof and the size, shape and inclination of the conduit at the location where the data is to be gathered and the fluid that is flowing, including gas supply means having an outlet thereto, means at the outlet of the gas supply means for establishing a predetermined condition of the gas thereat, first and second conduits each having an inlet end connection to be supplied gas at said predetermined condition and an outlet end, means for maintaining the outlet ends of said conduits immersed at predetermined positions in the flowing fluid so that gas from said gas supply means flows through said conduits and escapes into the flowing fluid out the immersed open ends thereof, said first and second immersed conduit ends being positioned in the flowing fluid at locations such that the gas flowing out the first outlet end is affected by the depth and velocity of the fluid thereat, and the second outlet end is primarily affected only by the depth of the fluid thereat, and other means connected to said first and second conduits for indicating respective conditions of the gas therein, the respective indications produced having known relAtionships with the depth and velocity of the fluid at the respective immersed open ends of the said conduits.

Claim 10

The means defined in claim 7 wherein said means to maintain the immersed conduit ends at predetermined positions in the flowing fluid include a weighted assembly through which portions of the immersed conduits extend, said weighted assembly including means to facilitate lateral movement of the immersed conduits to maintain a proper position thereof with respect to the bottom of the flowing fluid.

Claim 11

The means defined in claim 7 wherein the immersed open end of said second conduit is maintained adjacent to the bottom of the flowing fluid.

Claim 12

The means defined in claim 7 wherein the immersed open end of said second conduit is facing downstream in the flowing fluid.

Claim 13

The means defined in claim 7 wherein the immersed open end of said second conduit faces substantially perpendicular to the direction of flow of the flowing fluid.

Claim 14

The means defined in claim 7 wherein the immersed open end of said first conduit is maintained a predetermined distance above the bottom of the flowing fluid and faces in a generally upstream direction.

Claim 15

The means defined in claim 12 wherein the immersed open ends of the said first and second conduits are maintained at a similar predetermined distance above the bottom of the flow.

Claim 16

The means defined in claim 13 including means forming a knife edge adjacent to said immersed upstream facing conduit open end.

Claim 17

The means defined in claim 7 wherein the said open conduit ends are formed by associated orifice forming means.

Claim 20

The device defined in claim 16 wherein said immersed tube end is positioned in the flow facing downstream, said predetermined condition to which said other means respond being dependent primarily only on the depth of the fluid above the immersed open end of said tube.

Claim 21

The device defined in claim 16 including a second tube having an open end immersed in the flow facing upstream, means for maintaining a predetermined condition of gas flow from said source through said second tube, and means connected to said second tube for responding to a predetermined condition of the gas therein, said predetermined condition of the gas in said second tube being dependent in part on the velocity of the flow at the said immersed open end thereof.

Claim 22

The device defined in claim 16 wherein said means for maintaining a predetermined condition of the gas flowing from said source include flow regulator means.

Claim 23

The device defined in claim 16 wherein the means for maintaining a predetermined condition of the gas flowing from the source include gas pressure regulator means.

Claim 24

Means for obtaining data from which the depth, velocity and volume flow characteristics of a flowing fluid stream in an inclined flow channel under atmospheric conditions can be determined after the velocity profile of the conduit has been calibrated for the velocity at almost any depth taking into account the surface characteristics thereof and the size, shape and inclination of the conduit at the location where the data is to be gathered and the fluid that is flowing, comprising means for monitoring the flowing fluid to obtain data from which the depth, velocity and volume flow characteristics can be monitored and determined, said last named means including a pair of tubular members having means at one end of each forming an open outlet, means connected to the opposite ends of said pair of tubular members for introducing therein a supply of a gas at a predetermined condition such that the gas will pass through the tubular members and out the open outlets thereof, means for positioning the open outlets of said tubular members in the flowing fluid such that one of said open outlets is faced in a direction in the flowing fluid to be affected substantially by the velocity of the flowing fluid thereat, the open outlet of said other tubular member being positioned in the flowing fluid adjacent to the bottom thereof to be affected substantially only by the depth of the fluid thereabove, and means associated with each of said tubular members for responding to a condition of the gas flowing therein, said last named means including means for producing indications representing respectively the velocity and depth characteristics of the flowing fluid at the said open outlets.

Claim 25

Means for obtaining data from which the depth, velocity and volume flow characteristics of a flowing fluid stream in an inclined flow channel under atmospheric conditions can be determined after the velocity profile of the conduit has been calibrated for the velocity at almost any depth taking into account the surface characteristics thereof and the size, shape and inclination of the conduit at the location where the data is to be gathered and the fluid that is flowing, comprising means for monitoring the flowing fluid to obtain data from which the depth, velocity and volume flow characteristics can be monitored and determined, said last named means including a pair of tubular members having means at one end of each forming an open outlet, means connected to the opposite ends of said pair of tubular members for introducing therein a supply of a gas at a predetermined condition such that the gas will pass through the tubular members and out the open outlets thereof, means for positioning the open outlets of said tubular members in the flowing fluid such that one of said open outlets is faced in a direction in the flowing fluid to be affected substantially by the velocity of the flowing fluid thereat, the open outlet of said other tubular member being positioned in the flowing fluid adjacent to the bottom thereof to be affected substantially only by the depth of the fluid thereabove, and means associated with each of said tubular members for responding to a condition of the gas flowing therein, said last named means including means for producing indications representing respectively the velocity and depth characteristics of the flowing fluid at the said open outlets.