Patent US3577158A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3577158A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Mass flow rate measuring utilizing the scattering cross section of a material for fast neutrons
Assignee: Industrial Nucleonics Corp
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Filing: 1969-01-07
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Granted: 1971-05-04
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Expires: 1989-01-07
Abstract
Abstract Measuring mass flow rate of a fluid material having a high scattering cross section for fast high energy neutrons by radiating the material with such neutrons which are slowed to lower energy thermal neutrons and detecting the thermal neutrons downstream to effect a determination therefrom of the mass flow rate. For a more accurate determination of the mass flow rate, a second thermal neutron detector downstream has its output compared to the first detector output. Further, a gamma source and detector is employed to derive the density of the material and to obtain the velocity thereof by division of the mass flow by the density.
Inventors
- 👤 Linus K Hahn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 13:48
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N23/00; G01N23/02; G01N23/06; G01N23/09; G01F; G01F1/00; G01F1/704; G01F1/7042; G01F1/76; G01F1/78; G01N23/12; G01T; G01T3/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
123 words
Apparatus for measuring the mass flow rate of a fluid material subject to varying velocity and having a high scattering cross section for neutrons having an energy higher than thermal neutrons, the apparatus comprising: means disposed adjacent one point in the flow of said material for radiating said material with said higher energy neutrons, a significant number of which are slowed to lower energies by said material; means disposed adjacent another point in the flow of said material for detecting said lower energy neutrons; one of said points being downstream from the other; and means providing a calibrated indication of the mass flow rate of said fluid material in response to the number of said lower energy neutrons detected by said detecting means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
123 words
Apparatus for measuring the mass flow rate of a fluid material subject to varying velocity and having a high scattering cross section for neutrons having an energy higher than thermal neutrons, the apparatus comprising: means disposed adjacent one point in the flow of said material for radiating said material with said higher energy neutrons, a significant number of which are slowed to lower energies by said material; means disposed adjacent another point in the flow of said material for detecting said lower energy neutrons; one of said points being downstream from the other; and means providing a calibrated indication of the mass flow rate of said fluid material in response to the number of said lower energy neutrons detected by said detecting means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 where said fluid flows in a conduit, said radiating means is disposed adjacent to said conduit, and said another point detecting means is disposed adjacent to said conduit downstream with respect to said radiating means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said lower energy neutrons are selected from the group consisting of epithermal and thermal neutrons.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 where said material having a high scattering cross section for higher energy neutrons is organic.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
78 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 including at still another point in the flow of said material further means responsive to said lower energy neutrons providing a further determination of said mass flow rate, and means for comparing the number of said lower energy neutrons detected as said one and said another point to provide an output signal, and means providing a calibrated indication of the mass flow rate of said fluid material in response to said output signal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 where said comparison means compares the ratio of said lower energy neutrons detected at said one and said another points, and said indication means is calibrated to indicate the mass flow rate of said fluid material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 where said further mass flow rate determining means is disposed adjacent to said conduit downstream with respect to said first-mentioned mass flow rate determining means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 including means for determining the density of said material and means for determining the velocity of said fluid as a function of said determinations of the mass flow rate and said density.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus as in claim 8, where said density determining means includes means for radiating said material with gamma rays and for detecting said gamma rays transmitted through the material to obtain a density responsive signal, and said velocity determining means divides a signal responsive to said detected neutrons with said density responsive signal, to indicate the velocity of said fluid material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 where said radiation source is continuous with respect to time.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
15 words
Apparatus as in claim 1 where said radiation source is pulsed with respect to time.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
106 words
The method of measuring the mass flow rate of a fluid material subject to varying velocity and flowing in a conduit, said material having a high scattering cross section for neutrons having an energy higher than thermal neutrons, comprising the steps of: radiating said material with said higher energy neutrons as it passes a first point along said conduit; detecting the lower energy neutrons at another point along said conduit which result from the said higher energy neutrons being slowed down by said material; and calibrating an indication of the number of said detected lower energy neutrons with the mass flow rate of said fluid material.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
106 words
The method of measuring the mass flow rate of a fluid material subject to varying velocity and flowing in a conduit, said material having a high scattering cross section for neutrons having an energy higher than thermal neutrons, comprising the steps of: radiating said material with said higher energy neutrons as it passes a first point along said conduit; detecting the lower energy neutrons at another point along said conduit which result from the said higher energy neutrons being slowed down by said material; and calibrating an indication of the number of said detected lower energy neutrons with the mass flow rate of said fluid material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method, as described in claim 12, wherein said lower energy neutrons are selected from the group consisting of epithermal and thermal neutrons.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method as in claim 12 including the steps of: detecting the lower energy neutrons at a third point along said conduit; comparing the number of said lower energy neutrons detected at said second and third points; and calibrating an indication of said comparison with the mass flow rate of said fluid material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method as in claim 14 where said lower energy neutrons at said third point are selected from the group consisting of epithermal and thermal neutrons.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as in claim 5 including means for determining the density of said fluid material and means for combining said density determination with said output signal to determine the velocity of said fluid material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
60 words
The method as described in claim 12 including the steps of: detecting the lower energy neutrons at a third point along said conduit; and measuring the density of said fluid material; combining signals responsive to said density measurement and number of neutrons detected at said second and third points to obtain an indication of the velocity of said fluid material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-05-03 | 1974-11-02 | 1975-05-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-05-03 | 1978-11-02 | 1979-05-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-05-03 | 1982-11-02 | 1983-05-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |