Flow splitter

Claim 2

A linear flowmeter, comprising: a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defining a first fluid path therebetween; a flow element in said first fluid path comprising a plurality of fine mesh disks juxtaposed to obtain a predetermined pressure drop thereacross and defining a plurality of closely spaced fluid passageways having effective diameters sufficiently small for assuring laminar fluid flow; an elongate conduit defining a laminar flow second fluid path; means for measuring the rate of flow of fluid through said conduit; means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element; and means for adjusting the effective length of said first fluid path whereby to obtain a predetermined pressure drop across said second fluid path.

Claim 3

A linear flowmeter comprising: a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defining a first fluid path therebetween; a flow element in said first fluid path, comprising a plurality of disks, each formed of strands woven to define spaces therebetween of small effective diameter relative to the thickness of said strands, said disks being juxtaposed to obtain a plurality of closely spaced fluid passageways having effective diameters sufficiently small to obtain laminar flow under a predetermined pressure drop thereacross; an elongate conduit defining a laminar flow second fluid path; means for measuring the rate of flow of fluid through said conduit; means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element; and means for adjuSting the effective length of said first fluid path whereby to obtain a predetermined pressure drop across said second fluid path.

Claim 4

A linear flowmeter comprising: a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defining a first fluid path therebetween; a flow element in said first fluid path, comprising a plurality of disks, each formed of strands woven to define spaces therebetween of small effective diameter relative to the thickness of said strands, said disks being juxtaposed to obtain a plurality of closely spaced fluid passageways having effective diameters sufficiently small to obtain laminar flow under a predetermined pressure drop thereacross; an elongate conduit defining a laminar flow second fluid path; means for measuring the rate of flow of fluid through said conduit; means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element; and means for adjuSting the effective length of said first fluid path whereby to obtain a predetermined pressure drop across said second fluid path.

Claim 5

A linear flowmeter, comprising: a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defining a first fluid path therebetween; a flow element in said first fluid path, comprising screen material defining closely spaced fluid passageways having effective diameters sufficiently small for assuring laminar fluid flow, said screen material being formed into a hollow member defining an elongate region of continuous space bounded by said screen material; an elongate conduit defining a laminar flow second fluid path; means for measuring the rate of flow of fluid through said conduit; means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element; and means for enabling the effective length of said bounded continuous space to be changed.

Claim 6

A linear flowmeter, comprising: a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defining a first fluid path therebetween; a flow element in said first fluid path, comprising screen material defining closely spaced fluid passageways having effective diameters sufficiently small for assuring laminar fluid flow, said screen material being formed into a hollow member defining an elongate region of continuous space bounded by said screen material; an elongate conduit defining a laminar flow second fluid path; means for measuring the rate of flow of fluid through said conduit; means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element; and means for enabling the effective length of said bounded continuous space to be changed.

Claim 7

The flowmeter according to claim 3 in which said enabling means comprises means for adjusting the effective length of said bounded continuous space.

Claim 8

The flowmeter of claim 4 in which said screen material is formed of strands woven to define spaces therebetween of small effective diameter relative to the thickness of said strands.

Claim 9

The flowmeter according to claim 5 in which said member comprises a hollow cylinder open at both ends and said adjusting means comprises a plug at one end which is movable in said cylinder.

Claim 10

The flowmeter according to claim 3 in which said screen material is formed into a hollow cylinder elongate in said flow direction and having an open downstream end, and including a plug in said end which is movable in said cylinder to adjust the effective length of said cylinder.

Claim 11

A linear flowmeter, comprising: a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defining a first fluid path therebetween; a flow element in said first fluid path, comprising screen material closely spirally wound transverse of said flow direction, said screen material being formed of strands disposed to define spaces therebetween of small effective diameter relative to the thickness of said strands to define closely spaced fluid passageways having effective diameters sufficiently small for assuring laminar fluid flow, and including means for securing said screen material in said spirally wound form; an elongate conduit defining a laminar flow second fluid path; means for measuring the rate of flow of fluid through said conduit; and means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element.

Claim 12

A linear flowmeter, comprising: a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defining a first fluid path therebetween; a flow element in said first fluid path, comprising screen material closely spirally wound transverse of said flow direction, said screen material being formed of strands disposed to define spaces therebetween of small effective diameter relative to the thickness of said strands to define closely spaced fluid passageways having effective diameters sufficiently small for assuring laminar fluid flow, and including means for securing said screen material in said spirally wound form; an elongate conduit defining a laminar flow second fluid path; means for measuring the rate of flow of fluid through said conduit; and means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element.

Claim 13

The flowmeter according to claim 8 including means for adjusting the flow area normal to said fluid path whereby to modify the number of said passageways directly in said fluid path.

Claim 14

The flowmeter according to claim 8 in which said screen material is wound around a mandrel.

Claim 15

The flowmeter according to claim 10 including means for adjusting the effective length of said fluid path.

Claim 16

A linear flowmeter, comprising: a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defining a first fluid path therebetween; a flow element in said first fluid path, comprising a plurality of small particles compressed and sintered to form a rigid, cylindrical porous plug defining closely spaced fluid passageways having effective diameters sufficiently small for assuring laminar fluid flow; an elongate conduit defining a laminar flow second fluid path; means for measuring the rate of flow of fluid through said conduit; and means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element.

Claim 17

A linear flowmeter, comprising: a housing having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet defining a first fluid path therebetween; a flow element in said first fluid path, comprising a plurality of small particles compressed and sintered to form a rigid, cylindrical porous plug defining closely spaced fluid passageways having effective diameters sufficiently small for assuring laminar fluid flow; an elongate conduit defining a laminar flow second fluid path; means for measuring the rate of flow of fluid through said conduit; and means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element.

Claim 18

In a flowmeter having means for measuring the rate of fluid flow through an elongate conduit, the improvement comprising: means for defining a first fluid path; an elongate conduit in operative association with said fluid flow rate measuring means and defining a laminar flow second fluid path; a flow element in said first fluid path comprising a plurality of disks, each formed of strands woven to define spaces therebetween of small effective diameter relative to the thickness of said strands, said disks being juxtaposed to obtain a predetermined pressure drop thereacross and defining a plurality of closely spaced fluid passageways having effective diameters sufficiently small for assuring laminar fluid flow; means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element; and means for adjsuting the effective length of said first fluid path whereby to obtain a predetermined pressure drop across said second fluid path.

Claim 19

In a flowmeter having means for measuring the rate of fluid flow through an elongate conduit, the improvement comprising: means for defining a first fluid path; an elongate conduit in operative association with said fluid flow rate measuring means and defining a laminar flow second fluid path; a flow element in said first fluid path comprising a plurality of disks, each formed of strands woven to define spaces therebetween of small effective diameter relative to the thickness of said strands, said disks being juxtaposed to obtain a predetermined pressure drop thereacross and defining a plurality of closely spaced fluid passageways having effective diameters sufficiently small for assuring laminar fluid flow; means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element; and means for adjsuting the effective length of said first fluid path whereby to obtain a predetermined pressure drop across said second fluid path.

Claim 20

In a flowmeter having means for measuring the rate of fluid flow through an elongate conduit, the improvement comprising: a flow element in said first fluid path comprising screen material formed into a hollow member defining an elongate region of continuous space bounded by said screen material, and including means for adjusting the effective length of said bounded continuous space; and means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element.

Claim 21

In a flowmeter having means for measuring the rate of fluid flow through an elongate conduit, the improvement comprising: a flow element in said first fluid path comprising screen material formed into a hollow member defining an elongate region of continuous space bounded by said screen material, and including means for adjusting the effective length of said bounded continuous space; and means for connecting said second fluid path in parallel with said first fluid path on opposite flow sides of said flow element.