Post-mix soft drink dispensers for dispensing a mixture of carbonated water and flavored soft drink syrup in a prescribed mix ratio. Prior art devices have employed expensive and complex arrangements to compensate for pressure variations in the carbonated water supply line which causes a variance from the desired mix ratio. The present invention overcomes this deficiency by employing flow rate sensors which monitor the actual flow rate of the drink constituents and modulating the flow control valves based upon flow rates and the viscosity of the particular syrup. Separate syrup and water valves (13, 15) are modulated by a micro-processor control unit (27) which receives flow data from separate syrup and water flow meters (17, 19) and syrup viscosity data from a temperature sensing unit (85) and a syrup personality module. The apparatus is conveniently modified for use with different soft drink syrups by employing a separate removable personality module for each syrup, characterizing its prescribed mix ratio and its viscosity.

Fluid dispensing system.

An instrumental error compensation circuit for a flow meter is disclosed in which a flow rate calculated from an output signal of the flow meter is identified with respect to a plurality of predetermined sections of flow rates. Flow rate compensation coefficients are calculated by linear interpola. tion on the basis of actually measured data which are obtained in advance in accordance with instrumental error: of the flow meter. Actual flow rates of a fluid are measurec with the instrumental errors of the flow meter compensatec for by the calculated coefficients.

Instrumental error compensation circuit for flow meter

The electronic nutating disc flow meter is suitable for measuring different liquids with varying viscosities. This meter is best suited for measuring medium viscosity fluids of 10 to 450 centipoise. This flow meter includes a microprocessor to correct for the nonlinearity of fluid flow. The memory in the microprocessor contains three calibration curves with accompanying lookup table information. CAL A is preset at the factory for thin viscosity fluids. CAL B is preset at the factory for medium viscosity fluids and CAL C can be field calibrated. The calibration curves can be plotted with up to five points per curve.

Electronic nutating disc flow meter

A computer-controlled aircraft fuel loading management system is disclosed. The system measures fuel loading volumetrically using flow meter devices and gravimetrically using information relating to the density (specific gravity) of the fuel being loaded entered prior to a fuel loading operation, changes in the temperature of the fuel being loaded and stored information relating to the densities (specific gravities) of a number of fuels and changes thereto with temperature which are derived from American Petroleum Institute information. The system automatically computes and displays the distribution of fuel by tank from stored aircraft tank and fuel load distribution information derived from aircraft manufacturer information. The system also converts a total fuel volume as measured by the system to a standardized fuel volume normalized to a given temperature, for example 60° F.

Aircraft fuel loading management system

An instrumental error compensating device has super precision measurement functions, even in a condition having only microtemperature changes, by utilizing a computer which compensates for flowrate errors instantaneously and sends signals for indicating corrected values. Flowmeter (1) of the type having elliptical gears (4,4') has temperature sensor (5) mounted thereon and a rotation sensor (6, 71) for indicating temperature and rotational speed. The signals from the sensors are fed to a micro computer (100). The errors can be caused by wear temperature changes, and viscosity changer, for example, and are compensated for by the computer based on flow rate and temperature of the fluid detected by the sensors.

Compensating method and device for instrumental error in rotary displacement flowmeter

Flowmeter apparatus and method for obtaining accurate measurement of fluid flow, not only in the turbulent flow range, but also in the laminar and transitional flow ranges by compensation of the meter reading. The meter reading is also compensated for change in viscosity of the fluid flowing through the meter. The compensation for flow range is based on the best-fit straight line approach obtained by matching straight line segments to the quantity versus frequency output curve throughout the laminar and transitional ranges, and compensating the flowmeter reading in accordance with the shape of the straight line segments. The compensation for change in kinematic viscosity of the fluid is added to the flowmeter output in accordance with the temperature-viscosity relationship for the fluid and in accordance with a ratio of compensation factors between the actual fluid and a reference fluid.

Arnold E. Liu

Papers

Apparatus and method for measuring fluid flow over a wide range of fluid flow conditions and viscosities