US3802271A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of acoustically analyzing particles in a fluid
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-05-04
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Granted: 1974-04-09
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Expires: 1991-05-04
Abstract
Abstract A method for acoustically analyzing particles in a fluid whereby plural frequency sound waves are generated by a sound sending transducer over a certain frequency range and then transferred through the fluid with the particles to be analyzed and also through the fluid without the particles to a sound receiving transducer. The phase relationship of the two sound waves at each frequency is compared to establish the maximum phase shifts from which the fractional weight of the particles, their size, and the number of particles per unit of volume can be determined. When there are several sizes of particles, the maximum phase shifts for different sizes are integrated to obtain a total particle fractional weight. Also, a non-sinusoidal wave form can be used, such as a square wave, to provide the required frequency range.
Inventors
- 👤 P Bertelson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:57
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/22; G01N15/00; G01N15/02; G01N29/02; G01N29/024; G01N29/30; G01N29/34; G01N29/348; G01N2291/00; G01N2291/01; G01N2291/012; G01N2291/015; G01N2291/02; G01N2291/024; G01N2291/02408; G01N2291/02416; G01N2291/028; G01N2291/02818; G01N2291/10; G01N2291/103
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
The method of analyzing particles of a certain mass density in a fluid of a certain viscosity, porosity and mass density comprising the steps of generating sound wave energy having plural frequency characteristics, transmitting the sound wave energy through the fluid with the particles and also through a fluid without the particles, sensing the sound wave energy transmitted through both the fluid with the particles and the fluid without the particles and developing corresponding signal quantities, comparing the fluid with the particles signal quantity with the fluid without the particles signal quantity to determine the maximum phased difference therebetween and the frequency characteristic at which the maximum phase difference occurs, and determining from the maximum phase difference and the frequency characteristic at which the maximum phase difference occurs data relative to the particles in accordance with a certain scheme.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
139 words
The method of analyzing particles of a certain mass density in a fluid of a certain viscosity, porosity and mass density comprising the steps of generating sound wave energy having plural frequency characteristics, transmitting the sound wave energy through the fluid with the particles and also through a fluid without the particles, sensing the sound wave energy transmitted through both the fluid with the particles and the fluid without the particles and developing corresponding signal quantities, comparing the fluid with the particles signal quantity with the fluid without the particles signal quantity to determine the maximum phased difference therebetween and the frequency characteristic at which the maximum phase difference occurs, and determining from the maximum phase difference and the frequency characteristic at which the maximum phase difference occurs data relative to the particles in accordance with a certain scheme.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method as described in Claim 1, wherein the sound wave energy generating step is carried out by generating the sound wave energy at each of a plurality of frequencies over a frequency range having a predetermined minimum frequency and a predetermined maximum frequency.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
96 words
The method as described in Claim 2, wherein the determining step includes determining the number of particles N in the fluid per unit of volume in accordance with the equation, N Beta max p Rho f/18 pi Rho s(2 Rho s omega / Mu ) 3/2 where Beta max is the maximum phase difference, p is the porosity of the fluid, Rho f is the mass density of the fluid, Rho s is the mass density of the particles, Mu is the fluid viscosity, and omega is the frequency at which the maximum phase shift occurred.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method as described in claim 2, wherein the determining step is carried out by integrating the maximum phase shifts over the predetermined frequency range to determine the total particle weight fraction for the fluid with the particles.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as described in claim 1, wherein the determining step includes determining the mass of the dense particles per unit mass of the fluid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as described in Claim 5, wherein the mass of the dense particles per unit mass of the fluid or the fractional weight f is determined according to the equation f 2 Beta max, where Beta max is the maximum phase shift.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method as described in Claim 1, wherein the determining step includes determining the number of the particles in the fluid per unit of volume.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
57 words
The method as described in Claim 1, wherein the transmitting step is carried out by tranferring the sound wave energy through an enclosure through which the fluid containing the particles passes and to a sound receiver and by transferring the sound wave energy external of the enclosure through fluid without the particles and to another sound receiver.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method as described in Claim 1 wherein the transmitting step is carried out by transferring the sound wave energy through a passageway containing the fluid with the particles to a sound receiver and transferring the sound wave energy through an isolating enclosure positioned within the passageway and arranged so as to contain the fluid without the particles.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method as described in Claim 1, wherein the sound wave energy generating step is carried out by generating multi-frequency component non-sinusOidal sound waves and the sensing step is carried out by sensing the pressures imposed on a sound receiver by the sound waves transferred through the fluid with the particles and the sound waves transferred through the fluid without the particles so as to develop the signal quantities.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as described in Claim 10, wherein the determining step includes determining the fractional weight f in accordance with the equation,
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as described in Claim 10, wherein the determining step includes determining the fractional weight f in accordance with the equation,
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method as described in Claim 1, wherein the determining step includes determining the diameter of the particles.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method as described in Claim 13, wherein the diameter D of the particles is determined in accordance with the equation, D 6 ( Mu /2 Rho s omega ) 1/2 where Mu is the viscosity of the fluid, Rho s is the mass density of the particles and omega is the frequency at which the maximum phase shift occurred.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as described in Claim 1, wherein the determining step includes determining the diameter of the particles, the number of the particles in the fluid per unit of volume, and the mass of dense particles per unit of mass of the fluid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-04-08 | 1977-10-08 | 1978-04-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-04-08 | 1981-10-08 | 1982-04-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-04-08 | 1985-10-08 | 1986-04-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |