Flow Meter

4th generation Flow Meter

WO2015065187 (A1) 2015-05-07 Inventor MLJP Peters

Uploading a video of this flow meter on suddenly generated a lot of interest in this innovation. Because of this video, I received a lot of response from interested companies around the world. Companies I could never have reached otherwise. Judging by the many applications, there appears to be a high demand for a flow meter with these renewed properties.

The many comments on YouTube prompted me to develop and improve the second version by making new adjustments. One of the big differences is that the 3rd version flow meter does not have a cage construction.

Info Patents

US10094693B2

Advantages 4th generation Flow Meter

Due to its new construction, this flow meter is not sensitive to contaminated liquids. The gap between the blades determines the size of the dirt particles that are allowed to pass.
A distinctive feature of the measuring instrument is its high measuring accuracy in a variable range between 1 and 18 lmin with a less than 2% deviation. Repeat accuracy is less than 0.5% in this area.
Because of its new construction, the flow meter consists of only two parts and a ball.
This construction allows the liquid or the gas to flow in two directions without problems. The infrared measurement is in one direction, the direction in which the fluid is swirled by the worm and the ball is rotated by the swirl.
The flow meter can be mounted in any desired position. It is not sensitive to air bubbles in the conduit. Best position is vertical, the flow going upwards. This applies to all flow meters. Gravity causes the air bubbles to be naturally carried along with the flow.
The new construction allows for quick and easy assembly. The assembly can be done automatically. Due to this new development, the flow meter is very suitable as a mass-produced item for a variety of applications.
Because of this construction it should be possible to dose thicker fluids, like paint or gear oil SAE150 with Viscosity 43.000 CentiStokes. The temperature of the oil and the throughput speed are important.
Due to the construction of this flow meter, it is possible to adapt the specific gravity of the ball (plastic/metal) to the different types of fluids. The weight of the ball can be adjusted to the fluid viscosity for the best results.
By installing a metal housing, this flow meter can operate at a pressure of 100 bar or more.
Because of the open worm and open outlet, there is less pressure drop compared to other flow meters. The fluid flow is minimally impeded at the outlet of the flow meter.
Thanks to its advanced construction, the flow meter is easy to clean. If the flow meter is blocked by dirt particles that are too large for the flow meter to handle, the dirt/blockage can easily be removed by letting clean liquid flow through the flow meter in the opposite direction.
The flow meter is small and compact, making it easy to install.
The electronics that detect the bullet can be converted into three different systems: Infrared System, Infrared Reflection System, Inductive Proximity Sensor. This makes the flow meter even more widely applicable. The Infrared System is the most common and also the most inexpensive system.
Because of the infrared reflection system, the flow meter can be completely immersed in the liquid. Together with a metal housing, the flow meter is also suitable for explosive fluids.
With the Inductive Proximity Sensor, a metal ball can be detected in non-transparent liquids, such as paint, milk, oil or high viscosity liquids.
This latest ball-based flow meter is very suitable for pressurized liquids and liquids with gas bubbles, such as carbon dioxide in beer. This is a problem with plastic flow meters equipped with a rotor: whenever a gas bubble passes the rotor, due to the pressure in the pipeline, shortly rotates the rotor so fast that the shafts of the rotor may fuse into the bearings. This means that flow meters with a rotor are less suitable for systems like this.

Advantages 360° click system electronic housing

The plastic housing for the electronics can be placed in desired position as a 360º click system, unlike the cumbersome assembly between the pipes, as is required for flow meters with a fixed electronic connection.
The electronics housing can be turned 360º around the flow meter while the latter is in operation. The plug can be easily removed and fits in only one way.
The electronics housing can be clicked on or removed from the flow meter while it is running. Due to this construction there is no contact with the liquid, allowing these operations to be done in a sterile way.
The rotation of the ball is visible through the opening of the electronics housing, making it possible to easily find the cause of a malfunction.
For disposable systems in which only the flow meter is replaced, the electronics can be used over and over again. Because the electronics and flow meter are independent components, the flow meter and electronics are available separately. Reuse of the electronics is not only cost-effective but also environmentally friendly.