System and method for metering gas

Abstract

A system for metering gas is presented. The system includes a housing configured to allow a flow of the gas between an input port and an output port. Further, the system includes a flow manager disposed in the housing and configured to modify at least one physical characteristic of the flow of the gas in the housing. Furthermore, the system includes a flow sensor disposed in the housing and configured to generate an electrical signal in response to flow characteristics of the gas in the housing. Moreover, the system also includes a processor configured to determine at least one flow parameter of the gas based on an amplitude characteristic of the electrical signal, a temporal characteristic of the electrical signal, or both the amplitude characteristic and the temporal characteristic of the electrical signal. A method for metering the gas is also presented.

1 . A system for metering gas, comprising:
 a housing comprising an input port and an output port, wherein the housing is configured to allow a flow of the gas between the input port and the output port;   a flow manager disposed in the housing and configured to modify at least one physical characteristic of the flow of the gas in the housing;   a flow sensor disposed in the housing and configured to generate an electrical signal in response to a flow characteristic of the gas in the housing; and   a processor operatively coupled to the flow manager and the flow sensor and configured to determine at least one flow parameter of the gas based on an amplitude characteristic of the electrical signal, a temporal characteristic of the electrical signal, or both the amplitude characteristic and the temporal characteristic of the electrical signal.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one physical characteristic of the flow of the gas comprises a separability of the flow of the gas, a level of impurities in the gas, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow manager comprises at least one of a flow controller configured to control the flow of the gas, a flow conditioner configured to control a separability of the flow of the gas, and an impurity segregator configured to remove impurities from the gas. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow manager further comprises a first flow disrupter configured to impart disturbances in the flow of the gas. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flow sensor comprises one or more first sensing elements, and wherein the one or more first sensing elements comprise micro-electromechanical flow sensing elements, thermopiles, temperature flow sensor sensing elements, pressure sensing elements, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the flow sensor comprises at least one of a first flow conduit and a first bypass channel. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the flow sensor further comprises a second flow disrupter disposed in the first flow conduit, and wherein the second flow disrupter, the first flow conduit, and the one or more first sensing elements are arranged to have determined geometrical relationship with each other. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow parameter comprises a mass flow rate of the gas, an accumulated volume of the gas, a volumetric flow rate of the gas, a cumulative gas volume per a determined time unit, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein in a first flow regime, the processor is configured to determine the at least one flow parameter based on the amplitude characteristic of the electrical signal, and in a second flow regime, the processor is configured to determine the at least one flow parameter based on the temporal characteristic of the electrical signal. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first flow regime comprises a range of flow rates of the gas in the housing that impedes application of disturbances to the flow of the gas. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second flow regime comprises a range of flow rates of the gas in the housing that allows disturbances to be imparted to the flow of the gas. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to determine a calibration function based on a third flow regime, wherein the third flow regime comprises an overlap region of the first flow regime and the second flow regime, and wherein, in the first flow regime, the calibration function is indicative of a relationship at least between a volumetric flow rate of the gas and a mass flow rate of the gas. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a third flow disrupter disposed in the housing and configured to impart disturbances to the flow of the gas in the housing. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas analyzer disposed in the housing and configured to determine one or more non-flow rate characteristics of the gas, wherein the one or more non-flow rate characteristics of the gas comprise a gas density, a gas temperature, a gas pressure, a gas mixture, an energy content of the gas, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the gas analyzer comprises a fourth flow disrupter configured to aid in the determination of the one or more non-flow rate characteristics of the gas. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises a second flow conduit in fluid communication with at least one of the input port, the flow manager, the flow sensor, and the output port. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the housing further comprises a second bypass channel in fluid communication with the second flow conduit. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the housing further comprises one or more second sensing elements disposed in the second bypass channel, and wherein the one or more second sensing elements comprise micro-electromechanical flow sensing elements, thermopiles, temperature flow sensor sensing elements, pressure sensing elements, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . A method for metering gas, comprising:
 modifying at least one physical characteristic of a flow of the gas in a housing;   generating an electrical signal in response to a flow characteristic of the gas in the housing; and   determining at least one flow parameter of the gas based on an amplitude characteristic of the electrical signal, a temporal characteristic of the electrical signal, or both the amplitude characteristic and the temporal characteristic of the electrical signal.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising determining non-flow rate characteristics of the gas, a tampering of a system, a gas leakage from the system, and one or more environmental conditions. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising disrupting the flow of the gas to impart disturbances to the flow of the gas in the housing. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 determining, in a first flow regime, the at least one flow parameter based on the amplitude characteristic of the electrical signal; and   determining, in a second flow regime, the at least one flow parameter based on the temporal characteristic of the electrical signal.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising determining a calibration function based on a third flow regime, wherein the third flow regime comprises an overlap region of the first flow regime and the second flow regime, and wherein the calibration function is indicative of a relationship at least between a volumetric flow rate of the gas and a mass flow rate of the gas in the first flow regime. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , further comprising determining, in the first flow regime, the at least one flow parameter based at least on the calibration function.