The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 18, 2012
Filed:
Nov. 18, 2009
Kai Hencken, Loerrach, DE;
Hans-werner Schwiderski, Noerten-Hardenberg, DE;
Harald Grothey, Goettingen, DE;
Daniel Schrag, Lufingen, CH;
Kai Hencken, Loerrach, DE;
Hans-Werner Schwiderski, Noerten-Hardenberg, DE;
Harald Grothey, Goettingen, DE;
Daniel Schrag, Lufingen, CH;
ABB Technology AG, Zurich, CH;
Abstract
A method is disclosed for operating a flowmeter, such as an inductive flowmeter, in which a medium flows through a measuring tube, and an arrangement of electrodes are conductively connected to the medium. To determine a filling level in a simple and reliable manner, at least four electrodes are arranged in the measuring tube essentially in a half-circumferential region based on a cross section through the measuring tube. When at least one signal is fed in at one of the electrodes or at one of the electrode pairs, an electrical current is measured at an electrode or between an electrode pair. An electrical voltage is measured between at least one other electrode pair or with respect to a common connection to ground. When comparing measurements with two different electrode combinations, different voltage and current values are related to infer a diagnosis, such as a filling level in the tube, and/or an electrode coating, and/or an oblique installation, and/or a sedimentation at a bottom of the tube. The diagnosis can be used to correct a flow rate.