Methods of measurement signal acquisition from the rotational flow meter for frequency analysis

¹ Gdańsk University of Technology, Faculty of Electrical and Control Engineering, 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland
² Rzeszów University of Technology, Faculty of Electrical and Computer Engineering, 35-959 Rzeszów, Poland
³ AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geology, Geophysics and Environmental Protection, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
⁴ AGH University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Physics and Applied Computer Science, 30-059 Kraków, Poland

^* Corresponding author: dariusz.swisulski@pg.gda.pl

Published online: 12 May 2017

Abstract

One of the simplest and commonly used instruments for measuring the flow of homogeneous substances is the rotational flow meter. The main part of such a device is a rotor (vane or screw) rotating at a speed which is the function of the fluid or gas flow rate. A pulse signal with a frequency proportional to the speed of the rotor is obtained at the sensor output. For measurements in dynamic conditions, a variable interval between pulses prohibits the analysis of the measuring signal. Therefore, the authors of the article developed a method involving the determination of measured values on the basis of the last inter-pulse interval preceding the moment designated by the timing generator. For larger changes of the measured value at a predetermined time, the value can be determined by means of extrapolation of the two adjacent interpulse ranges, assuming a linear change in the flow. The proposed methods allow analysis which requires constant spacing between measurements, allowing for an analysis of the dynamics of changes in the test flow, eg. using a Fourier transform. To present the advantages of these methods simulations of flow measurement were carried out with a DRH-1140 rotor flow meter from the company Kobold.