초록 ▼

A method and apparatus are disclosed for calibrating the flow rate of a pump. The apparatus includes a high pressure pump, a critical flow orifice and a receptacle or air bag. The high pressure pump pumps a fluid, such as air, through the orifice into the receptacle at pressure sufficient to maintai

A method and apparatus are disclosed for calibrating the flow rate of a pump. The apparatus includes a high pressure pump, a critical flow orifice and a receptacle or air bag. The high pressure pump pumps a fluid, such as air, through the orifice into the receptacle at pressure sufficient to maintain the flow rate past the orifice in the critical region wherein flow rate is essentially independent of pressure. The receptacle is filled for a precisely determined time thereby providing a known amount of air in the receptacle. Through a valving arrangement the receptacle is then evacuated by the pump to be calibrated and the time required to evacuate the receptacle is determined. This permits calibration of the flow rate of the pump under test. An electronic circuit including a microprocessor automatically performs the timing functions and flow rate calculations.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of determining the flow rate of a pump under test comprising the steps of: (a) pumping fluid into a receptacle for a selected period of time via an orifice having a known maximum flow rate, said fluid being under sufficient pressure to maintain the said maximum flow rate through said orific

A method of determining the flow rate of a pump under test comprising the steps of: (a) pumping fluid into a receptacle for a selected period of time via an orifice having a known maximum flow rate, said fluid being under sufficient pressure to maintain the said maximum flow rate through said orifice so that the volume of fluid pumped into the receptacle during said selected time period is known; (b) evacuating the receptacle using the pump under test; (c) measuring the time period required to perform step (b); (d) calculating the flow rate of the pump under test from the known volume of fluid evacuated and the time period required to perform step (b).