Sensor For Estimating Material Volume Passing Through A Pipe

[Robert L Cochran]

Is there a sensor that can estimate the volume of a material that is
passing through a pipe without actually being in contact with the pipe?
I would say about a 7-8 inch diameter pipe made of flexible rubber-like
material which is opaque (you can't see through it.) The pipe would be
pressurized -- the material transported through it has to be pumped. The
sensor would operate at distances of up to 100 feet away from the pipe
of interest.

Thanks

Bob Cochran

[c f]

So, just to be clear:

1) You want to measure the flow rate of some type of material (fluid? granular solid? metallic?)

2) Your sensor needs to be located up to 100 feet from the flowing material you would like to sense

3) There is no way to observe the flowing material optically


I'm pretty sure the answer is no. The proper way to do this would probably be to insert a flow sensor in-line in the pipe, and then read it wirelessly from a distance.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NYCResistor:Microcontrollers" group.
To post to this group, send email to nycresistormicrocontrollers@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to nycresistormicrocontrollers+unsub...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nycresistormicrocontrollers?hl=en.

[Kevin Anthony]

If the material was a slurry, you could probably measure it using vibration.  If it was metallic, using a modified hall effect sensor

Kevin
Please excuse brevity, sent from phone

To post to this group, send email to nycresistormi...@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to nycresistormicrocon...@googlegroups.com.

[Bryon Connolly]

Without being able to be in contact with the pipe the only solutions I
can see would be to take diameter measurements (via camera type device
and/or other measuring tools).  This would allow you to derive the
pressure and then the volume of material passing through, but of
course this would require an accurate optical measuring device, as
well as some non-trival calculations (including taking into account
tempurature effects on the pipe and material, and a bunch of other
variables).

The other option would be to obtain information from the work the pump
is doing.  Either directly, if you have access, or indirectly.  For
example if you had some detailed information on the equiptment in a
pumping station you may be able to estimate the amount of material
being moved by measuring the building's power consumption.

[Rolan]

There are non-contact ultrasonic/doppler flow meters commonly used in
manufacturing controls, but it needs to be close to (clamped to the
outside of) the pipe. I'm pretty sure placing the sensor 100 feet away
isn't going to cut it. If acceptable, maybe you could connect the
sensor to a transmitter and send the data to the distant receiver.

~Rolan

[Bryon]

[Darcy Whyte]

Perhaps tell us more
You've left quite a bit of it open

[Robert L Cochran]

Thanks for all the responses! I was on a ship being refueled from a
barge. I wondered how I can estimate the amount of fuel being brought
aboard the ship, without actually walking right into a cloud of fuel
vapor by getting near the pipe. If the pipe burst, I wanted to be well
away from it. When back on land, I realized there are networks of pipes
right under my feet transporting water, sewage, gas, and who knows what
else. It would be interesting to be able to query a pipe with some type
of sensor to discover

how much of a material is passing through a point in a pipe (using some
unit of flow...I'm not sure what. Gallons?)

the direction of flow

...perhaps be able to identify the material being pumped in some way
(water, sewage, gasoline, etc)

...perhaps be able to assess the physical condition of the pipe

I may not be able to see the pipe at first, or if I can, contact it. I
might not want to contact the pipe.

Thanks

Bob

> nycresistormi...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:nycresistormi...@googlegroups.com>.

> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to

> nycresistormicrocon...@googlegroups.com
> <mailto:nycresistormicrocontrollers%2Bunsu...@googlegroups.com>.

> For more options, visit this group at
> http://groups.google.com/group/nycresistormicrocontrollers?hl=en.
>
>

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> Groups "NYCResistor:Microcontrollers" group.
> To post to this group, send email to

> nycresistormi...@googlegroups.com.

> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to

> nycresistormicrocon...@googlegroups.com.

[c f]

For a ship, you could measure the elevation of the deck from the water's surface before and after refueling, and then, if you know the boat's dimensions (and the density/weight of the fuel), you could estimate how much fuel was brought on-board by how much water was displaced. I think a generic solution is probably not possible.

   nycresistormicrocontrollers@googlegroups.com

   <mailto:nycresistormicrocontroll...@googlegroups.com>.

   To unsubscribe from this group, send email to

   nycresistormicrocontrollers+unsub...@googlegroups.com

   <mailto:nycresistormicrocontrollers%2Bunsubscribe@googlegroups.com>.

   For more options, visit this group at
   http://groups.google.com/group/nycresistormicrocontrollers?hl=en.


--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NYCResistor:Microcontrollers" group.

To post to this group, send email to nycresistormicrocontrollers@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to nycresistormicrocontrollers+unsub...@googlegroups.com.

For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nycresistormicrocontrollers?hl=en.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NYCResistor:Microcontrollers" group.

To post to this group, send email to nycresistormicrocontrollers@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to nycresistormicrocontrollers+unsub...@googlegroups.com.