US 12,264,952 B2
Ultrasonic fuel flow measuring systems and methods
James Ryan Reepmeyer, Cincinnati, OH (US); Cameron Roy Nott, Fairfield, OH (US); Emad Andarawis Andarawis, Ballston Lake, NY (US); and Kirk Dennis Wallace, Glenville, NY (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Evendale, OH (US)
Filed by General Electric Company, Schenectady, NY (US)
Filed on Apr. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/732,960.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/182,382, filed on Apr. 30, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2022/0357190 A1, Nov. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. G01F 1/667 (2022.01); F01D 21/00 (2006.01); G01F 1/66 (2022.01); G01F 25/10 (2022.01); G01N 29/036 (2006.01); G01N 29/34 (2006.01); G01N 29/42 (2006.01); G01N 29/44 (2006.01)
CPC G01F 1/667 (2013.01) [F01D 21/003 (2013.01); G01F 1/66 (2013.01); G01F 1/662 (2013.01); G01F 25/10 (2022.01); G01N 29/036 (2013.01); G01N 29/348 (2013.01); G01N 29/42 (2013.01); G01N 29/4418 (2013.01); F05D 2270/306 (2013.01); F05D 2270/71 (2013.01); F05D 2270/80 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
exciting a first transducer of a fuel flow sensor assembly at one or more first excitation frequencies so that the first transducer directs one or more first ultrasonic signals through a medium flowing through a conduit;
determining, at one or more frequencies of the one or more first excitation frequencies, an amplitude for the one or more first ultrasonic signals received at a second transducer of the fuel flow sensor assembly and/or the amplitude of the one or more first ultrasonic signals reverberated back to and received by the first transducer; and
determining one or both of:
i) a first amplitude response transfer function associated with the fuel flow sensor assembly based at least in part on the amplitude of the one or more first ultrasonic signals received at the second transducer; and
ii) a third amplitude response transfer function associated with the fuel flow sensor assembly based at least in part on the amplitude of the one or more first ultrasonic signals reverberated back to and received by the first transducer;
wherein the first transducer and the second transducer are positioned within the conduit along a flowpath for the medium defined by the conduit.