DE102023112374A1 - measuring system - Google Patents

Abstract

The measuring system according to the invention comprises a (vibronic) measuring transducer (10) and measuring system electronics (20) electrically connected to the measuring transducer (10). The measuring transducer (10) has at least one vibration element (111) which is designed to be contacted by the measuring substance and to be allowed to vibrate during this, and is also designed to be connected (fluidically) to a pipeline or to be inserted into the course of the pipeline. The measuring system electronics are in turn set up, in an operating mode (I - active operation), to both energize an excitation arrangement of the measuring transducer in such a way that the vibration element (111) at least partially carries out useful vibrations, and to receive and evaluate at least one sensor signal (s1) generated by means of a sensor arrangement of the measuring transducer and representing at least partially the useful vibrations of the vibration element (111), and in an operating mode (II - passive operation) both not to energize the excitation arrangement for a set period of time Tnexc and to receive and evaluate the at least one sensor signal (s1). Furthermore, the measuring system electronics (20) are designed to determine measured values for at least one measured variable (of a flowing medium) using the sensor signal (s1) received during the operating mode (I) and to determine one or more (disturbance) parameter values for at least one disturbance parameter (of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby) using the at least one sensor signal (s1) received during the operating mode (II).

Description

The invention relates to a vibronic measuring system formed by means of a vibration-type measuring transducer and measuring system electronics electrically connected thereto, for example having one or more microprocessors, in particular as a Coriolis mass flow measuring device or Coriolis mass flow/density measuring device or Coriolis mass flow/density/viscosity measuring device and/or as in-line measuring devices in a compact design, for measuring and/or monitoring at least one measured variable of a fluid measuring medium, in particular a gas, a liquid or a dispersion and/or a measuring medium guided or flowing in a pipeline (connected to the measuring system).

Vibronic measuring systems of the type in question have been known for a long time and have proven themselves in industrial use, not least in the field of controlling and monitoring automated process engineering processes or process plants or in the area of transfer points for goods traffic that may also be subject to calibration. A measured variable that can be recorded using such a measuring system can be, for example, a time-varying flow parameter, for example a mass flow (mass flow rate), a volume flow (volume flow rate) or a flow velocity, and/or a time-varying material parameter, for example a density and/or a viscosity, of the respective measured material and/or a (flow) characteristic number derived from one or more flow and/or material parameters, for example a Reynolds number. Examples of vibronic measuring systems of the type in question are, for example, in the EP-B 564 682 , the US-A 2015/0268082 , the US-A 2010/0011882 , the US-A 2010/0139416 , the US-A 2011/0146416 , the US-A 2011/0146416 , the US-A 2011/0271756 , the US-A 2011/0265580 , the US-A 2016/0033314 , the US-A 2016/0334316 , the US-A 2016/0349091 , the US-A 2020/0132529 , the US-A 2020/0408581 , the US-A 2021/0140804 , the US-A 2023/0037109 , the US-A 44 20 983 , the US-A 45 24 610 ,the US-A 53 92 656 , the US-A 56 02 345 , the US-A 57 36 653 , the US-A 57 96 011 , the US-A 57 96 012 , the US-A 58 04 741 , the US-A 59 26 096 , the US-A 63 11 136 , the US-B 93 72 107 , the US-B 1 040 86 52 , the US-B 1 05 98 534 , the US-B 1 08 09 109 , the US-B 1 1 073 416 , the US-B 1 15 30 967 , the US-B 65 57 422 , the WO-A 2015/155044 , the WO-A 2017/069749 , the WO-A 2019/017891 , the WO-A 2019/040089 , the WO-A 2019/081169 , the WO-A 2019/081170 , the US-A 2020/0408581 , the WO-A 2021/136626 , the WO-A 01/29519 , the WO-A 93/21505 , the WO-A 95/33981 , the WO-A 96/05484 or the WO-A 96/08697 and have been manufactured by the applicant itself for a long time and are sold as Coriolis mass flow meters or as Coriolis mass flow/density meters, for example under the trade name “PROMASS G 100”, “PROMASS O 100”, “PROMASS E 200”, “PROMASS F 300”, “PROMASS X 500”, “CNGmass”, “LPGmass” or “Dosimass” ( https://www.endress.com/de/search?filter.text=promass ), offered.

The measuring transducer of each of the aforementioned measuring systems is designed to be connected (fluidically) to the pipeline or to be inserted (measuring substance-conducting) into the course of the pipeline to form a corresponding (process) measuring point and comprises at least one (tubular or plate-shaped) vibration element, an electro-mechanical excitation arrangement electrically connected to the respective measuring system electronics for converting electrical power provided by the measuring system electronics into mechanical power useful for exciting and maintaining forced mechanical (useful) vibrations of the at least one vibration element, and a sensor arrangement also electrically coupled to the measuring system electronics for detecting mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element and for providing sensor signals representing vibration movements of the at least one vibration element. In the case of, among other things, US-B 93 72 107 or the US-B 1 040 86 52 In the measuring systems shown, the measuring transducer has, for example, two vibration elements, each of which can be selectively excited by means of the excitation arrangement and may also have vibration properties or resonance frequencies that differ considerably from one another, the mechanical vibrations of which are selectively detected by means of the sensor arrangement.

In modern measuring systems of the type in question, the measuring system electronics, such as in the above-mentioned US-B 63 11 136 described, typically by means of one or more microprocessors and/or one or more digital signal processors. In addition, the measuring system electronics of a measuring system of the type in question are also regularly set up to be electrically connected to a higher-level electronic data processing system (EDP) formed, for example, by means of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and/or a process control system (PCS) and/or an edge (computing device) and/or a cloud (computing) system, for example also via a (stan standard) field bus. In addition, the measuring system electronics can also be set up to communicate wirelessly with the respective data processing system, for example to transmit (measuring system) data wirelessly to the respective data processing system. To protect the measuring system electronics from environmental influences, they are usually housed within at least one relatively robust, particularly impact-, pressure- and/or weatherproof, electronic housing. The electronic housing can, for example, be located away from the measuring transducer and connected to it only via a flexible cable; however, it can also, as in the examples mentioned at the beginning, US-A 57 96 011 shown, can be arranged directly on the transducer or a transducer housing. In addition, however, as shown in the US-B 93 72 107 or the WO-A 01/29519 As shown, it is also quite common to use modular electronics, possibly housed in two or more separate housing modules, to form a measuring system of the type in question.

The at least one vibration element of each of the aforementioned measuring systems is particularly designed to be contacted by the respective measuring material to be measured, in particular to be flowed around or through by the measuring material (flowing through the measuring transducer in a flow direction), and to be allowed to vibrate during this time (driven by the respective excitation arrangement and the measuring system electronics electrically connected to it); this is typically such that the at least one vibration element is actively excited by the excitation arrangement to resonate in a natural vibration mode suitable for measuring the respective measuring quantity or generating Coriolis, inertia or friction forces dependent thereon, occasionally also referred to as the drive or useful mode. For this purpose, the excitation arrangement is set up to convert the electrical power fed therein by the measuring system electronics into mechanical power that (actively) excites forced mechanical (useful) vibrations of the vibration element around a static rest position. In addition, the sensor arrangement is set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element contacted by the measured material around a static rest position, not least also the aforementioned useful vibrations (simultaneously with their active excitation), and to convert each into a sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) that represents vibrations of the respective vibration element, for example a speed of vibration movements of the at least one vibration element.

The excitation arrangement of each of the measuring transducers is formed by at least one vibration exciter (electrodynamic or piezoelectric) that is partially mechanically connected to the respective vibration element, while the sensor arrangement is formed by at least one vibration sensor that is also partially mechanically connected to the respective vibration element, for example optoelectronic, piezoelectric or electrodynamic, namely having a permanent magnet and an (air) coil flooded by its magnetic field. Not least for the aforementioned case in which the measuring system is designed as a Coriolis mass flow measuring device, the sensor arrangement is formed by means of at least two vibration sensors spaced apart from one another, typically also of the same construction, namely by means of a first vibration sensor (on the inlet side) and at least one second vibration sensor (spaced therefrom in a flow direction of the measuring transducer or the measuring medium guided therein) on the outlet side, wherein each of the at least two vibration sensors is set up to detect vibration movements of the vibration element and to convert them into a first or second sensor signal representing the same vibration movements, in particular an electrical or optical one, for example with an electrical voltage dependent on the vibrations of the vibration element, which has both a signal frequency corresponding to the instantaneous vibration frequency of the vibration element and a phase angle dependent on the instantaneous mass flow (mass flow rate) of the measuring medium; this is done in particular in such a way that there is a relative phase difference between the sensor signal of the first vibration sensor and the sensor signal of the second vibration sensor, which is dependent on the current mass flow. In the case of electrodynamic vibration sensors, these can, as already indicated, be formed, for example, by means of a plunger coil that is electrically connected to the measuring system electronics, for example in such a way that its respective permanent magnetic armature is mechanically connected to the at least one vibration element and that its air coil (held at a distance from the respective armature) through which the magnetic field of the respective armature flows is electrically connected to the measuring system electronics.

Each of the aforementioned sensor signals is, as already indicated, also fed to the measuring system electronics of the respective measuring system, which in turn also serves to receive sensor signals supplied by the sensor arrangement and to evaluate them, in particular to determine the (digital) measured values representing at least one measured variable. In addition to evaluating the sensor signals of the sensor arrangement or the measuring transducer formed thereby, the measuring system electronics also serve, as already indicated, to control the measuring transducer, in particular its excitation arrangement; this in particular in such a way that at least in normal measuring operation of the measuring system, the at least one vibration element of the measuring transducer is at least temporarily excited to useful vibrations, namely to forced mechanical vibrations with at least one (useful) frequency, by means of the excitation arrangement and the measuring system electronics connected to it, for the purpose of generating the aforementioned sensor signals. Accordingly, the measuring system electronics are also designed to generate at least one electrical driver signal, for example harmonic and/or clocked, for the at least one vibration exciter acting on the vibration element or the exciter arrangement formed thereby, which serves to feed electrical energy into the exciter arrangement. The driver signal can be designed, for example, as a broadband signal with a signal component with a signal frequency matching the intended useful frequency or, for example, as a rather narrowband or harmonic signal with a single dominant signal component of a matching signal frequency. The same signal component or the driver signal as a whole can also be regulated, for example, with regard to a current intensity and/or a voltage level. In measuring systems of the type in question, a natural, instantaneous resonance frequency of the vibration element is typically selected as the useful frequency, which in turn is essentially dependent on a natural frequency of the vibration element, determined by the size, shape and material of the vibration element, as well as on a momentary density and a momentary viscosity of the medium or measuring substance contacting the vibration element. Typically, such resonance frequencies of vibration elements of the type in question that serve as the useful frequency lie within a frequency range between 50 Hz (Hertz) and a maximum of 2 kHz. As a result of fluctuating density and/or viscosity of the respective measuring substance and/or as a result of measuring substance metabolisms carried out during operation of the measuring system, the respective resonance frequency and thus the corresponding respective useful frequency is naturally variable within a predetermined (useful) frequency band of the respective measuring system, in particular calibrated or specified, having lower and upper limit frequencies. Based on the currently excited useful frequency, namely a current resonance frequency of the vibration element (lying within the aforementioned useful frequency band), such measuring systems can be used to measure, among other things, the density of the measuring material or to determine measured values for other material and/or flow parameters that depend on it.

As in the EP-B 564 682 , the US-A 44 20 983 , the US-A 53 92 656 , the US-A 2016/0334316 , the US-B 1 15 30 967 , the WO-A 2015/155044 , the WO-A 95/33981 or the US-B 93 72 107 As shown, the at least one vibration element can be, for example, a (plate- or rod-shaped) immersion body which is arranged at least partially within a lumen of a partial segment of the pipeline or within a lumen of a tube of the measuring transducer inserted into the course of the pipeline (serving as a flow-through measuring cell).

In the US-A 2015/0268082 , the US-A 2010/0011882 , the US-A 2010/0139416 , the US-A 2011/0271756 , the US-A 2011/0146416 , the US-A 2011/0146416 , the US-A 2011/0265580 , the US-A 2016/0033314 , the US-A 2016/0349091 , the US-A 2020/0132529 , the US-A 2020/0408581 , the US-A 2021/0140804 , the US-A 2023/0037109 , the US-A 45 24 610 , the US-A 56 02 345 , the US-A 57 36 653 , the US-A 57 96 011 , the US-A 57 96 012 , the US-A 58 04 741 , the US-A 59 26 096 , the US-A 63 11 136 , the US-B 65 57 422 , the US-B 73 25 462 , the US-B 73 53 717 , the US-B 93 72 107 , the US-B 1 040 86 52 , the US-B 1 05 98 534 , the US-B 1 08 09 109 , the US-B 1 1 073 416 , the WO-A 2017/069749 , the WO-A 2019/017891 , the WO-A 2019/040089 , the WO-A 2019/081169 , the WO-A 2019/081170 , the WO-A 2021/136626 , the WO-A 96/05484 or the WO-A 96/08697 In the measuring systems shown, the at least one vibration element is designed as a (measuring) tube arrangement serving to guide flowing measuring material - occasionally also referred to as the (converter) inner part - such that the at least one vibration element has one or more (measuring) tubes, each at least partially straight and/or at least partially curved. To protect against external influences, the vibration element formed by means of the aforementioned tube arrangement is housed together with the exciter and sensor arrangement in a typically metallic converter housing. In the WO-A 96/08697 or WO-A 2019/017891 In the measuring systems shown, the transducer housing and the respective vibration element are in particular detachably connected to each other, for example to allow subsequent insertion of the vibration element formed by such a tube arrangement or replacement of a defective or worn to enable the exchange of a vibration element with an (identical) intact vibration element on site. In addition, in the case of electrodynamic vibration exciters and/or vibration sensors, their respective (air) coils can be fixed directly to the transducer housing. Alternatively or in addition, the aforementioned electronic housing can also be held directly to the aforementioned transducer housing, for example, i.e. removably fixed to it, to form a Coriolis mass flow meter or a Coriolis mass flow/density meter in a compact design.

The aforementioned vibration elements, each designed as a (measuring) tube arrangement, are each particularly intended to be integrated (directly) into the course of a process line used to guide the respective measured material and each have at least one (measuring) tube - for example exactly one (measuring) tube or exactly two (measuring) tubes or exactly four (measuring) tubes - which each extend from a respective first tube end to a respective second tube end with a tube length and have a lumen enclosed by a - typically metallic - tube wall and extending from the first tube end to the second tube end. The (measuring) tubes of commercially available (standard) Coriolis mass flow/density measuring devices typically have at least two mutually orthogonal planes of symmetry and can, for example, have a U or V or rectangular or triangular shape, or more rarely an Ω or helix shape. In addition, their respective tube walls typically consist of a steel, for example a stainless, duplex or super duplex steel, a titanium alloy, a zirconium alloy, for example a Zircaloy, and/or a tantalum alloy. The tube length of such (measuring) tubes can be in a range between about 100 mm and 2000 mm and a caliber (internal tube diameter) of such tubes can be in a range between about 0.1 mm and about 100 mm, typically such that the respective tube has a caliber-to-tube length ratio that is in the range between about 0.08 and 0.25.

In the case of measuring transducers with a single (measuring) tube forming the vibration element, this usually communicates with the aforementioned process line via an essentially straight connecting pipe section (of the respective vibration element) opening out on the inlet side and via an essentially straight connecting pipe section (of the respective vibration element) opening out on the outlet side. Furthermore, the vibration element of such measuring transducers with a single (measuring) tube comprises at least one single-piece or multi-piece counteroscillator, for example in the shape of a tube, box or plate, which is coupled to the tube on the inlet side to form a first coupling zone and which is coupled to the tube on the outlet side to form a second coupling zone, and which is essentially at rest during operation or is allowed to oscillate in the opposite direction to the tube, i.e. at the same frequency and in opposite phase. A vibration element formed by a (measuring) tube and counter-oscillator is usually held in a vibrating manner in the respective converter housing by means of the two connecting tube pieces mentioned above. For example, in the US-A 52 91 792 , the US-A 57 96 010 , the US-A 59 45 609 , the US-B 70 77 014 , the US-A 2007/0119264 , the WO-A 01/02816 or the WO-A 99/40394 In the (standard) measuring transducers shown with a single, essentially straight (measuring) tube, the latter and the counter-oscillator are, as is usual with conventional measuring transducers, essentially coaxially aligned. The materials used for such a counter-oscillator are usually relatively inexpensive steels, such as structural steel or free-cutting steel, not least when titanium, tantalum or zirconium are used for the (measuring) tube. In the case of using two or more (measuring) tubes, these can be, as in the US-A 56 02 345 , the US-A 57 96 011 , the US-A 2011/0146416 , the US-A 2011/0146416 , the US-A 2011/0265580 or the WO-A 96/08697 shown, each of the (measuring) pipes can be connected in parallel in terms of flow by means of inlet and outlet-side flow dividers, in that a first of the (measuring) pipes with an inlet-side first (measuring) pipe end opens into a first flow opening of a first flow divider (on the inlet side or serving as a line branch) and with an outlet-side second (measuring) pipe end opens into a first flow opening of a second flow divider (on the outlet side or serving as a line union) and a second of the (measuring) pipes with an (inlet-side) first (measuring) pipe end opens into a second flow opening of the first flow divider and with an (outlet-side) second (measuring) pipe end opens into a second flow opening of the second flow divider. In the case of US-B 1 040 86 52 , US-A 2011/0146416 , US-A 2011/0265580 or WO-A 96/08697 Furthermore, a third of the (measuring) tubes with a (inlet-side) first (measuring) tube end opens into a third flow opening of the first flow divider and with a (outlet-side) second (measuring) tube end opens into a third flow opening of the second flow divider, and a fourth of the (measuring) tubes with a (inlet-side) first (measuring) tube end opens into a fourth flow opening of the first flow divider and with a (outlet-side) second (measuring) tube end opens into a fourth flow opening of the second flow divider. Each of the flow dividers can also have a connecting flange with a sealing surface for fluid-tight connection of the measuring transducer to a supply of medium or for the discharge of medium from the measuring transducer. The flow dividers can, for example, be designed as an integral component of the aforementioned transducer housing. Each of the aforementioned flow dividers or each of the aforementioned connecting pipe sections of commercially available measuring transducers is also typically equipped with a (standard) connection flange for connection to the respective process line.

Each of the aforementioned (measuring) tubes forming the at least one vibration element is, as already indicated, also particularly designed to be flowed through by the measuring substance supplied or discharged via the connected process line at least in a flow direction pointing from the respective first tube end to the respective second tube end during (measuring) operation of the measuring system and to be made to vibrate during this time (driven by at least one vibration exciter of the respective exciter arrangement); This applies to the aforementioned case where the measuring system is designed as a Coriolis mass flow measuring device and the vibration element is designed as a tube arrangement, typically in such a way that at least the useful vibrations of the vibration element excited by means of the at least one vibration exciter or detected by means of the at least one vibration sensor are at least partially such lateral bending vibrations of at least one of the (measuring) tubes about its respective static rest position, which are suitable for causing (Coriolis) vibrations superimposed on the useful vibrations at the same frequency in the medium flowing through the same (measuring) tube, forcing Coriolis forces. In the case of vibration elements of conventional (standard) Coriolis mass flow measuring devices formed by means of a tube arrangement, the at least one vibration exciter is also typically designed and arranged in such a way that a time-varying driving force generated thereby acts practically only at a point on the respective tube at a drive point formed by means of the vibration exciter on the (measuring) tube mechanically connected to it. In the case of a vibration element formed by means of two (measuring) tubes, the at least one vibration exciter is typically designed as a differential vibration exciter, namely one that introduces excitation forces acting along a common line of action but in opposite directions into the (measuring) tubes and/or the useful vibrations are also typically designed as opposite bending vibrations. In the other case described above, in which the (measuring) tube arrangement forming the vibration element has a counter-oscillator, the vibration exciter can be attached to it in such a way that the vibration exciter acts differentially on the (measuring) tube and the counter-oscillator. Alternatively, the vibration exciter can also be attached in part to the converter housing described above. In the same way, the vibration sensors can also be designed as differential vibration sensors, i.e. vibration sensors that only detect relative or opposite vibrations of the (measuring) tubes or of the single (measuring) tube and the counter-oscillator.

Last but not least, in commercially available (standard) Coriolis mass flow meters, the respective excitation arrangements, as in the US-A 56 02 345 , the US-A 57 96 010 , the US-B 68 40 109 , the US-B 70 77 014 or the US-B 70 17 424 , the US-A 2014/0352454 , the WO-A 93/01472 , the WO-A 2005/050145 , the WO-A 2013/002759 , the WO-A 2011/019345 shown, typically also designed so that each of the (measuring) tubes is (partially) connected to exactly one vibration exciter, such that the exciter arrangement has no other vibration exciter connected to the respective (measuring) tube apart from the (one) vibration exciter, and/or the vibration exciter is typically of the electrodynamic type, namely formed by means of a voice coil, for example such that its magnetic armature is mechanically connected to the at least one (measuring) tube to form the drive point and that its air coil, which is flooded by the magnetic field of the armature, is electrically connected to the measuring system electronics and mechanically connected to the other tube or the counter-oscillator of the tube arrangement or to the transducer housing. Nevertheless, vibronic measuring systems are also known, for example from WO-A 2017/069749 , the WO-A 2017/019016 , the WO-A 2006/036139 , the US-A 59 26 096 , the WO-A 99/28708 , the WO-A 99/44018 , the WO-A 99/02945 , the US-A 2020/0132529 , the US-A 48 31 885 , the US-B 65 57 422 , the US-A 60 92 429 or the US-A 48 23 614 , in which the excitation arrangement has two or more vibration exciters each connected to one and the same of the tubes of the respective tube arrangement and/or formed by means of one or more piezo elements.

To define a free oscillation length of each of the (measuring) tubes and, in conjunction with this, to adjust the respective resonance frequency to be excited or the respective useful frequency band (of the measuring system), tube arrangements with two or four tubes that serve as vibration elements also usually comprise at least one (inlet-side) first coupler element for forming inlet-side oscillation nodes for opposing vibrations, in particular bending vibrations, of both (measuring) tubes, which is spaced apart from both flow dividers. is fixed to the (measuring) tubes, and at least one (outlet-side) second coupler element for forming outlet-side vibration nodes for (opposite) vibrations, in particular (opposite) bending vibrations, of the (measuring) tubes, which is fixed to the (measuring) tubes at a distance from both flow dividers and from the inlet-side coupler element. The coupler elements can also be used to influence the vibration quality of the tube arrangement or the (measuring) sensitivity of the measuring transducer as a whole.

As mentioned above, US-A 57 36 653 As discussed above, vibronic measuring systems of the type in question can also exhibit cross-sensitivities to externally excited mechanical interference vibrations - sometimes also referred to as (process) noise - that are not generated by the respective excitation arrangement or only from outside the measuring system with an oscillation frequency corresponding to the aforementioned resonance frequencies of the vibration element or the measuring transducer formed thereby; this in particular also in such a way that the measuring accuracy of the measuring system or the functionality of the measuring system as a whole is impaired at least temporarily, for example that the measured values determined for the mass flow rate deviate to a considerable, yet unpredictable extent from the actual mass flow rate, possibly also accompanied by a comparatively high scatter, or that the same measured values have a correspondingly high measurement error or a correspondingly low reproducibility. Sources of interference that cause such interference vibrations can, for example, be vibrating pumps and/or valves that are mechanically coupled to the respective measuring transducer via a pipeline. In addition, as mentioned above, US-B 63 11 136 or US-B 1 08 09 109 described, but for example the flowing medium itself can also establish a source of interference for interference vibrations of the type in question, for example in such a way that the medium flowing through the measuring transducer, depending on its mass flow and/or foreign substances carried in the medium, excites vibrations of the vibration element at one or more of its resonance frequencies, for example also an intended useful frequency. Accordingly, it can be assumed that with measuring systems of the type in question that they can occasionally be operated within a risk frequency range (of the measuring point) determined by the respective application or by the measuring point formed by means of the respective measuring system and comprising one or more interference frequencies, in such a way that the risk frequency range at least partially corresponds to the aforementioned useful frequency band (of the measuring system) or that at least one of the interference frequencies corresponds at least approximately to the intended or actually excited useful frequency.

In order to detect the aforementioned interference vibrations during operation, the sensor arrangements of the US-A 57 36 653 In addition to the two (standard) vibration sensors described above, each of which detects, for example, the speed of vibration movements of the at least one vibration element, the measuring systems shown also have at least two further (additional) vibration sensors, each of which detects, for example, the acceleration of vibration movements of the at least one vibration element. In addition, the respective measuring system electronics are also set up to use the sensor signals from all four vibration sensors to determine a mass flow measurement signal free of interference (resulting from interference vibrations of the aforementioned type) or, accordingly, error-free measurement values for the mass flow of the respective measuring medium. One disadvantage of such a solution is, however, that the use of such (additional) vibration sensors requires, on the one hand, increased technical effort with regard to the construction of both the measuring transducer and the measuring system electronics, such that the costs of the respective sensor arrangement as well as the (hardware) costs for signal processing are approximately twice as high as those of a standard measuring system. On the other hand, the increased number of vibration sensors naturally increases the risk of a failure of the sensor arrangement, which would result in a total failure of the measuring system formed by it. Another disadvantage of the above-mentioned solution is that it can only be used for those measuring transducers in which the vibration element is formed by means of a single (measuring) tube and a counter-oscillator coupled to it.

Based on the aforementioned prior art, one object of the invention is to improve vibronic measuring systems in such a way that any interference vibrations or sources of interference causing them in the area of the respective measuring point (formed by means of such a measuring system) can be detected as early and reliably as possible at low cost, and if necessary also reported; this is particularly the case when using the (standard) measuring transducers or typical vibration elements established for conventional measuring systems of the type in question, as well as while maintaining to an equally large extent the proven technologies and architectures of already established measuring system electronics.

• • einen (vibronischen) Meßwandler mit wenigstens einem, beispielsweise wenigstens ein (Meß-)Rohr aufweisendes bzw. damit gebildetes, Vibrationselement, mit einer mittels wenigstens eines, beispielsweise elektrodynamischen oder piezo-elektrischen, Schwingungserregers gebildete Erregeranordnung, und mit einer mittels wenigstens eines, beispielsweise elektrodynamischen, opto-elektronischen oder piezo-elektrischen, Schwingungssensors gebildete Sensoranordnung;
• • sowie eine an den Meßwandler, beispielsweise nämlich sowohl an die Erregeranordnung als auch die Sensoranordnung, elektrisch angeschlossene, beispielsweise mittels eines oder mehrerer Mikroprozessoren gebildete, Meßsystem-Elektronik;
• • wobei der Meßwandler eingerichtet ist, (fluidisch) an die Rohrleitung angeschlossen bzw. in den Verlauf der Rohrleitung eingesetzt zu werden;
• • wobei das wenigstens eine Vibrationselement eingerichtet ist, vom Meßstoff kontaktiert, beispielsweise nämlich um- bzw. durchströmt, und währenddessen vibrieren gelassen zu werden;
• • wobei der wenigstens eine Schwingungserreger bzw. die damit gebildete Erregeranordnung eingerichtet ist, eingespeiste elektrische Leistung in erzwungene mechanische (Nutz-)Schwingungen des wenigstens einen Vibrationselements um eine statische Ruhelage (aktiv) anregende mechanische Leistung zu wandeln;
• • wobei der wenigstens eine Schwingungssensor bzw. die damit gebildete Sensoranordnung eingerichtet ist, mechanische Schwingungen des wenigstens einen Vibrationselements um eine statische Ruhelage zu erfassen und in ein Schwingungen des Vibrationselements, beispielsweise nämlich eine Geschwindigkeit von Schwingungsbewegungen des Vibrationselements, repräsentierendes (erstes) Sensorsignal (der Sensoranordnung) zu wandeln;
• • wobei die Meßsystem-Elektronik eingerichtet ist, in einem ersten Betriebsmodus (Aktivbetrieb) sowohl die Erregeranordnung zu bestromen, nämlich ein, beispielsweise eine vorgebbare und/oder einer momentanen Resonanzfrequenz fR des Meßwandlers entsprechende Signalfrequenz und/oder eine vorgebare Signalamplitude aufweisendes, elektrisches Treibersignal in den wenigstens einen Schwingungserreger einzuspeisen, derart, daß das Vibrationselement zumindest während eines ersten Meßintervalls zumindest anteilig Nutz-Schwingungen, nämlich erzwungene mechanische Schwingungen mit wenigstens einer, beispielsweise einer momentanen Resonanzfrequenz fR des Meßwandlers entsprechenden und/oder nicht weniger als 50 Hz (Hertz) betragenden und/oder nicht mehr als 2 kHz betragenden, Nutzfrequenz ausführt und das Sensorsignal zumindest anteilig die Nutz-Schwingungen des Vibrationselements repräsentiert, als auch das wenigstens eine (erste) Sensorsignal zu empfangen und auszuwerten;
• • wobei die Meßsystem-Elektronik eingerichtet ist, in einem zweiten Betriebsmodus (Passivbetrieb) sowohl die Erregeranordnung für eine eingestellte, beispielsweise anpaßbare und/oder nicht weniger als 1 s (Sekunde) betragende, Zeitdauer Tnexc nicht zu bestromen, beispielsweise derart, daß das wenigstens eine Vibrationselement zumindest während eines zweiten Meßintervalls keine (durch die Erregeranordnung angeregte) Nutz-Schwingungen ausführt und/oder daß zumindest während eines zweiten Meßintervalls (mittels der Erregeranordnung zuvor angeregte) Nutz-Schwingungen des wenigstens einen Vibrationselements abgeklungen sind, als auch das wenigstens eine, beispielsweise (lediglich) passiv bzw. (lediglich) von extern des Meßwandlers angeregte Schwingungen des wenigstens einen Vibrationselements repräsentierende, Sensorsignal zu empfangen und auszuwerten;
• • und wobei die Meßsystem-Elektronik eingerichtet ist, sowohl unter Verwendung des wenigstens einen während des ersten Betriebsmodus empfangenen (ersten) Sensorsignals (der Sensoranordnung), beispielsweise nämlich einer spektralen (Nutz-)Signalkomponente mit einer der Nutzfrequenz entsprechenden Signalfrequenz, (digitale) Meßwerte für wenigstens eine Meßgröße zu ermitteln als auch unter Verwendung des wenigstens einen während des zweiten Betriebsmodus empfangenen (ersten) Sensorsignals einen oder mehrere, beispielsweise digitale, (Stör-)Parameterwerte für wenigstens einen, beispielsweise eine Funktionstüchtigkeit und/oder eine Meßgenauigkeit des Meßsystems beeinflussenden, Störungsparameter (des Meßsystems bzw. einer damit gebildeten Meßstelle), beispielsweise eine (Stör-)Frequenz und/oder eine (Stör-)Amplitude, zu ermitteln, beispielsweise nämlich ein (Stör-)Frequenzspektrum von (fremderregten) Stör-Schwingungen des Meßsystems bzw. einer damit gebildeten Meßstelle zu ermitteln und/oder einen oder mehrere Meßwerte für wenigstens eine Meßgröße unter Verwendung eines oder mehrerer (Stör-)Parameterwerte des wenigstens einen Störungsparameters zu berechnen.

To achieve the object, the invention consists in a vibronic measuring system, for example a vibronic measuring system designed as a Coriolis mass flow measuring device and/or as a density measuring device and/or as a viscosity measuring device, for measuring one or more measured variables, for example a density, a viscosity, a mass flow and/or a volume flow, of a fluid measuring medium guided in a (connected) pipeline, for example a gas, a liquid or a dispersion, which measuring system comprises:

• • a (vibronic) measuring transducer with at least one vibration element, for example having or formed with at least one (measuring) tube, with an excitation arrangement formed by means of at least one, for example electrodynamic or piezoelectric, vibration exciter, and with a sensor arrangement formed by means of at least one, for example electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric, vibration sensor;
• • and a measuring system electronics which is electrically connected to the measuring transducer, for example both to the excitation arrangement and to the sensor arrangement, for example formed by means of one or more microprocessors;
• • wherein the measuring transducer is designed to be (fluidically) connected to the pipeline or inserted into the course of the pipeline;
• • wherein the at least one vibration element is designed to be contacted by the measuring medium, for example namely to be flowed around or through, and to be allowed to vibrate during this process;
• • wherein the at least one vibration exciter or the excitation arrangement formed thereby is configured to convert fed-in electrical power into forced mechanical (useful) vibrations of the at least one vibration element to (actively) excite a static rest position;
• • wherein the at least one vibration sensor or the sensor arrangement formed thereby is configured to detect mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element about a static rest position and to convert them into a (first) sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) representing vibrations of the vibration element, for example namely a speed of vibration movements of the vibration element;
• • wherein the measuring system electronics are set up in a first operating mode (active mode) to both energize the exciter arrangement, namely to feed an electrical driver signal, for example having a predeterminable signal frequency and/or a current resonance frequency fR of the measuring transducer and/or a predeterminable signal amplitude, into the at least one vibration exciter, such that the vibration element at least during a first measuring interval at least partially executes useful vibrations, namely forced mechanical vibrations with at least one useful frequency, for example corresponding to a current resonance frequency fR of the measuring transducer and/or not less than 50 Hz (Hertz) and/or not more than 2 kHz, and the sensor signal at least partially represents the useful vibrations of the vibration element, as well as to receive and evaluate the at least one (first) sensor signal;
• • wherein the measuring system electronics are set up in a second operating mode (passive operation) not to supply current to the excitation arrangement for a set, for example adaptable and/or not less than 1 s (second) period of time Tnexc, for example such that the at least one vibration element does not carry out any useful vibrations (excited by the excitation arrangement) at least during a second measuring interval and/or that at least during a second measuring interval (previously excited by means of the excitation arrangement) useful vibrations of the at least one vibration element have died down, as well as to receive and evaluate the at least one sensor signal representing, for example, vibrations of the at least one vibration element that are (only) passive or (only) excited externally to the measuring transducer;
• • and wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to determine (digital) measured values for at least one measured variable using the at least one (first) sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) received during the first operating mode, for example a spectral (useful) signal component with a signal frequency corresponding to the useful frequency, and to determine one or more, for example digital, (disturbance) parameter values for at least one disturbance parameter (of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed therewith), for example a disturbance parameter that influences the functionality and/or measurement accuracy of the measuring system, using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode. (Interference) frequency and/or a (interference) amplitude, for example to determine a (interference) frequency spectrum of (externally excited) interference oscillations of the measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby and/or to calculate one or more measured values for at least one measured variable using one or more (interference) parameter values of the at least one interference parameter.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the at least one disturbance parameter represents a (externally excited) (fluid-)mechanical disturbance oscillation coupled into the measuring system, for example via a pipeline and/or via a fluid guided in the pipeline, for example namely a frequency of the disturbance oscillation and/or an amplitude of the disturbance oscillation.

According to a second embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that one or more (disturbance) parameter values represent, for example quantify, one or more (disturbance) amplitudes of one or more (externally excited) mechanical (disturbance) vibrations coupled into the measuring system, for example via a pipeline and/or via a fluid guided in the pipeline.

According to a third embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that one or more (interference) parameter values represent, for example quantify, one or more (interference) frequencies of one or more (externally excited) mechanical (interference) vibrations, for example coupled into the measuring system via a pipeline and/or via a fluid guided in the pipeline and/or generated by a fluid flowing through the measuring transducer.

According to a fourth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the time period Tnexc is greater than 2 s (second), for example not less than 5 s (set).

According to a fifth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to activate or execute the second operating mode after the first operating mode, for example to determine a cause for reduced functionality of the measuring system and/or to determine a cause for reduced measurement accuracy of the measuring system and/or to determine a cause for a failure of the measuring system.

According to a sixth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the at least one vibration element has a (decay) time constant which is dependent on a (modal) quality factor Q1 of the vibration element at the (last excited) useful frequency fN, for example more than 5000, for example corresponding to a ratio Q1/f1 of the quality factor Q1 in relation to the (last excited) useful frequency fN. Developing this embodiment of the invention, the quality factor Q1* of the at least one vibration element is greater than 5000, for example not less than 10000, and/or the time period Tnexc is greater (set) than 5 times the (decay) time constant and/or greater (set) than 50 s, for example greater than 1 min (minute), and/or the useful frequency fN is more than 50 Hz and/or less than 2 kHz, for example more than 200 Hz and less than 1500 Hz.

According to a seventh embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the at least one vibration element has a (decay) time constant which is dependent on a (modal) quality factor Q1 of the vibration element at the (last excited) useful frequency fN, for example more than 5000, for example corresponding to a ratio Q1/f1 of the quality factor Q1 in relation to the (last excited) useful frequency fN, and that the measuring system electronics are set up to activate or execute the second operating mode after the first operating mode, for example to determine a cause for reduced functionality of the measuring system and/or to determine a cause for reduced measurement accuracy of the measuring system and/or to determine a cause for a failure of the measuring system. Developing this embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the time period Tnexc is (selected) greater than the (decay) time constant (of the vibration element), for example more than 3 times the (decay) time constant and/or greater than 20 s.

According to an eighth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to activate or execute the second operating mode before the first operating mode, for example for (passive) calibration of a measuring point formed by means of the measuring system (involving the at least one vibration element or the measuring transducer formed thereby) and/or during (re-)commissioning of the measuring system. Developing this embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the time period Tnexc is (set) to be less than 60 s, for example not greater than 30 s.

According to a ninth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to store measurement data collected during the second operating mode, for example one or more of the (disturbance) parameter values, during during the first operating mode, for example to determine one or more of the measured values and/or to check the functionality of the measuring system and/or to check the measurement accuracy of the measuring system.

According to a tenth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to provide the driver signal in the first operating mode with at least one predetermined signal frequency, for example adjustable and/or corresponding to a mechanical resonance frequency of the vibration element or the measuring transducer formed thereby and/or serving to set the useful frequency fN. Developing this embodiment of the invention, the measuring system electronics are further configured to set the signal frequency of the driver signal in the first operating mode using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the first operating mode, for example, namely based on a spectral (useful) signal component with a signal frequency corresponding to the useful frequency fN, and/or the measuring system electronics are further configured to check in the first operating mode using one or more (interference) parameter values whether the at least one signal frequency of the driver signal or the useful frequency fN of the useful oscillations of the at least one vibration element is within a (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby) containing (interference) frequencies of one or more interference oscillations, for example, namely, if necessary, to output a (warning) message signaling this and/or an (error) report identifying one or more interference sources (causing interference oscillations) and/or to shut down the measuring system (at least temporarily) out of service.

According to an eleventh embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to determine at least one (current) resonance frequency of the measuring transducer, for example its vibration element, or the measuring system formed thereby, using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the first operating mode, for example to determine one or more digital (measuring system) parameter values representing the same resonance frequency based on the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the first operating mode and/or to check, using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, whether the at least one (current) resonance frequency (of the measuring transducer) lies within a (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby) containing (interference) frequencies of one or more interference vibrations.

According to a twelfth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to determine a (disturbance) frequency spectrum of (externally excited) disturbance oscillations of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby (involving the at least one vibration element or the measuring transducer formed thereby) using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (disturbance) parameter values obtained therefrom.

According to a thirteenth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to determine at least one usable frequency range (of the measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby) that contains no detectable or detected interference oscillations, using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more interference parameter values obtained therefrom, for example in such a way that an upper range limit of the usable frequency range and/or a lower range limit of the usable frequency range are determined on the basis of one or more of the (interference) parameter values.

According to a fourteenth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to check, using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, whether one or more (nominal) mechanical resonance frequencies of the measuring transducer or of the measuring system formed thereby are within a usable frequency range (of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby) that does not contain any detectable or detected (interference) frequencies of one or more interference oscillations, for example, if necessary, to output a (release) message signaling this and/or enabling the first operating mode and/or to automatically switch to the first operating mode.

According to a fifteenth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to determine, in the first operating mode, a signal frequency of the driver signal which determines the useful frequency within a predetermined range, for example with a predetermined to vary the (useful) frequency band corresponding to the density measuring range of the measuring system.

According to a sixteenth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to determine at least one (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby) containing (interference) frequencies of one or more interference oscillations using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, for example in such a way that an upper range limit of the (risk) frequency range and/or a lower range limit of the (risk) frequency range are determined on the basis of one or more of the (interference) parameter values. Developing this embodiment of the invention, the measuring system electronics are further configured to check, using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, whether one or more (nominal) mechanical resonance frequencies of the measuring transducer or of the measuring system formed thereby are within the (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby), for example to issue a (warning) message signaling this and/or an (error) report identifying one or more sources of interference (causing interference oscillations) and/or to block the first operating mode (at least temporarily) or to take the measuring system out of operation (at least temporarily).

According to a seventeenth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to vary a signal frequency of the driver signal determining the useful frequency within a predetermined (useful) frequency band, for example corresponding to a predetermined density measuring range of the measuring system, in the first operating mode and to determine at least one (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby) containing (interference) frequencies of one or more interference oscillations using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, for example in such a way that an upper range limit of the (risk) frequency range and/or a lower range limit of the (risk) frequency range are determined using one or more of the (interference) parameter values. Developing this embodiment of the invention, the measuring system electronics are further configured to determine - for example in the second operating mode - whether the (useful) frequency band and the (risk) frequency range at least partially coincide, for example to issue a (warning) message signaling this and/or to block the first operating mode (at least temporarily) or to take the measuring system out of operation (at least temporarily).

According to an eighteenth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to subject at least the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode to a spectral analysis, for example a Fourier analysis, for example based on a (fast) discrete Fourier transformation (DFT).

According to a nineteenth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to carry out a modal analysis for a measuring point involving the at least one vibration element or the measuring transducer formed thereby, at least on the basis of the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode.

According to a twentieth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to set a (digital) filter, for example an adaptive one, using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, for example to adapt it to a (interference) frequency spectrum of (externally excited) interference oscillations of the measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby, such that the filter is set up to suppress or block (interference) signal components contained in the at least one sensor signal and resulting from one or more of the interference oscillations. Developing this embodiment of the invention, the measuring system electronics are further set up to filter the (first) sensor signal received from the at least one during the first operating mode by means of the filter, for example to block (interference) signal components contained in the same sensor signal.

According to a twenty-first embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics are set up to determine one or more digital (measuring system) parameter values representing a (current) resonance frequency of the measuring transducer or of the measuring system formed thereby, using the at least one sensor signal received during the first operating mode, and that the measuring system electronics are set up to determine one or more digital (measuring system) parameter values representing a (current) resonance frequency of the measuring transducer or of the measuring system formed thereby, using one or more, for example non-volatile to check stored (measuring system) parameter values and one or more, for example non-volatilely stored, (interference) parameter values, for example by comparing one or more (interference) parameter values with one or more (measuring system) parameter values, whether the at least one resonance frequency of the vibration element lies within a (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby) containing (interference) frequencies of one or more interference vibrations, for example if necessary to issue a (warning) message signaling this and/or an (error) report identifying one or more interference sources (causing interference frequencies) and/or to take the measuring system out of operation (at least temporarily).

According to a twenty-second embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the at least one vibration exciter is an electrodynamic vibration exciter (formed by means of a voice coil).

According to a twenty-third embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the at least one vibration sensor is an electrodynamic vibration sensor (formed by means of a plunger coil).

According to a twenty-fourth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the at least one sensor signal represents a speed of oscillation movements of the vibration element.

According to a twenty-fifth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the vibration sensor and the vibration exciter are functionally identical, for example structurally identical.

According to a twenty-sixth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the at least one vibration sensor is spaced apart from the vibration exciter, for example in the direction of a (main) flow axis of the vibration element and/or the measuring transducer formed thereby.

According to a twenty-seventh embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the at least one vibration element has or is formed with at least one (measuring) tube, for example one that is at least partially straight and/or at least partially curved, for example in such a way that the at least one (measuring) tube is designed to have the measuring substance flowing through it and to be allowed to vibrate during this process, and that the (useful) vibrations of the vibration element excited by the at least one vibration exciter or detected by the at least one vibration sensor are at least partially bending vibrations of the at least one (measuring) tube. Developing this embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement has a total of no more than twice the number of (measuring) tubes (of the vibration element or the transducer formed thereby) of (vibration) sensors, each of which is set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element and to convert each of these into a sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) representing vibrations of the vibration element, for example a speed of vibration movements of the vibration element, and/or that the sensor arrangement has a total of no more than twice the number of (measuring) tubes (of the vibration element or the transducer formed thereby) of (vibration) sensors, each of which is set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the transducer and to convert each of these into a sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) representing vibrations of the transducer. Alternatively or in addition, the at least one vibration element can further comprise at least one further (measuring) tube, for example in such a way that the (identical) at least two (measuring) tubes of the vibration element are connected (fluidically) in parallel to one another and/or are designed to be simultaneously flowed through by the measuring substance and to be allowed to vibrate (in opposite directions) during this process.

According to a twenty-eighth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the at least one vibration element has or is formed with at least one (measuring) tube, for example one that is at least partially straight and/or at least partially curved, for example in such a way that the at least one (measuring) tube is designed to have the measuring material flow through it and to be vibrated during this time, and that the (useful) vibrations of the vibration element excited by the at least one vibration exciter or detected by the at least one vibration sensor are at least partially bending vibrations of the at least one (measuring) tube, and that the at least one vibration element has at least one further (measuring) tube, for example in such a way that the (identical) at least two (measuring) tubes of the vibration element are connected (fluidically) in parallel to one another and/or are designed to have the measuring material flow through them simultaneously and to be vibrated during this time (in opposite directions). Developing this embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the (useful) vibrations excited by the at least one vibration exciter or detected by the at least one vibration sensor of the vibration element are at least proportional (opposite) bending vibrations of the at least two (measuring) tubes.

According to a twenty-ninth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the at least one vibration element has or is formed with a, for example, plate-shaped or rod-shaped, immersion body, for example in such a way that the immersion body is arranged at least partially within a lumen of a partial segment of the pipeline or within a lumen of a tube of the measuring transducer inserted into the course of the pipeline and is designed to be flowed around by the measuring medium and to be allowed to vibrate during this.

According to a thirtieth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement has at least one further (second) vibration sensor, for example one which is identical in construction to the first vibration sensor and/or is electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric.

According to a thirty-first embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement has at least one further (second) vibration sensor, for example one which is identical in construction to the first vibration sensor and/or is electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric, and that the further (second) vibration sensor is electrically connected to the measuring system electronics, for example in the same way as the (first) vibration sensor.

According to a thirty-second embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement has at least one further (second) vibration sensor, for example identical in construction to the first vibration sensor and/or electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric, and that the further (second) vibration sensor, for example in the same way as the (first) vibration sensor, is set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the vibration element about a static rest position and to convert them into a sensor signal (of the measuring transducer) representing vibrations of the vibration element, for example namely a speed of vibration movements of the vibration element.

According to a thirty-third embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement has at least one further (second) vibration sensor, for example one which is identical in construction to the first vibration sensor and/or electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric, and that the at least two vibration sensors of the measuring transducer are identical in construction.

According to a thirty-fourth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement has at least one further (second) vibration sensor, for example one that is identical in construction to the first vibration sensor and/or is electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric, and that the at least two vibration sensors of the sensor arrangement are spaced apart from one another, for example such that they are arranged symmetrically with respect to an imaginary plane of symmetry of the at least one vibration element.

According to a thirty-fifth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement has at least one further (second) vibration sensor, for example one that is identical in construction to the first vibration sensor and/or is electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric, and that the at least two vibration sensors of the sensor arrangement are equidistant from the at least one vibration exciter, for example such that they are arranged symmetrically with respect to an imaginary plane of symmetry of the at least one vibration element.

According to a thirty-sixth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement has at least one further (second) vibration sensor, for example one that is identical in construction to the first vibration sensor and/or is electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric, and that the sensor arrangement (apart from the first and second vibration sensors) has no further (vibration) sensors that are designed to detect mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element and to convert them into a sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) that represents vibrations of the at least one vibration element.

According to a thirty-seventh embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement has at least one further (second) vibration sensor, for example one that is identical in construction to the first vibration sensor and/or is electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric, and that the sensor arrangement (apart from the first and second vibration sensors) has no further vibration sensors that are designed to detect mechanical vibrations of the measuring transducer and to convert them into a sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) that represents vibrations of the measuring transducer.

According to a thirty-eighth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement has at least one further (second) vibration sensor, for example one that is identical in construction to the first vibration sensor and/or is electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric, and that the at least one vibration exciter is positioned within at least one imaginary plane of symmetry of the at least one vibration element.

According to a thirty-ninth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement has at least one further (second) vibration sensor, for example one that is identical in construction to the first vibration sensor and/or is electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric, and that the measuring system electronics are set up to determine (digital) measured values for at least one measured variable using the at least one sensor signal received during the first operating mode from the further (second) vibration sensor, for example a spectral (useful) signal component with a signal frequency corresponding to the useful frequency, for example to determine a volume flow and/or a mass flow of a medium flowing through the measuring transducer based on a phase difference between spectral (useful) signal components of the sensor signals of each of the two vibration sensors (each with a signal frequency corresponding to the useful frequency).

According to a fortieth embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics have at least one (data) storage element (EEPROM) for, for example, non-volatile storage of digital (measurement and/or operating) data, for example one or more measured values and/or one or more (disturbance) parameter values and/or one or more (measurement system) parameter values. Developing this embodiment of the invention, the measuring system electronics are further configured to store one or more (measurement system) parameter values in at least one (data) storage element (in the first operating mode), for example to read them out (again) in the first and/or second operating mode, and/or to store one or more (disturbance) parameter values in at least one (data) storage element (in the second operating mode), for example to read them out (again) in the first and/or second operating mode. Alternatively or in addition, the measuring system electronics can also be configured to store one or more measured values in at least one (data) storage element (EEPROM).

According to a forty-first embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics or the measuring system formed thereby is integrated into a higher-level electronic data processing system (EDP), for example formed by means of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and/or a process control system (PCS) and/or an edge (computing) device and/or a cloud (computing) system, for example connected to the higher-level electronic data processing system in terms of signals and data technology. Developing this embodiment of the invention further, the measuring system electronics is further configured to communicate with the higher-level electronic data processing system via a data line and/or by radio, for example in order to activate the second operating mode (in the network) and/or to switch from the second operating mode to the first operating mode automatically and/or in dialogue with a user of the measuring system.

According to a forty-second embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics have a radio unit, for example for sending measuring system data (to a higher-level electronic data processing system) and/or for receiving process data (from a higher-level electronic data processing system).

According to a forty-third embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the measuring system electronics is set up to receive a (process status) message, for example generated externally from the measuring system electronics and transmitted to the measuring system electronics via data transmission and/or causing an activation of the second operating mode, from a higher-level electronic data processing system (EDP) (connected to the measuring system electronics for data technology) and/or a display and control element connected to the measuring electronics for signal technology, for example a display and control element of the measuring system and/or an (on-site) control device for the measuring system, for example to activate or execute the second operating mode depending on the (process status) message. Developing this embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the (process state) message signals that the measured substance is flowing through the measuring transducer, for example with a predetermined (reference) volume and/or (reference) mass flow, and/or that the (process state) message signals that a pump connected to the measuring transducer, for example via a pipeline, is switched on.

According to a first development of the invention, the measuring system further comprises an electronics housing for the measuring system electronics, for example fastened to a transducer housing of the measuring transducer and/or made of metal (having several resonance frequencies).

According to a second development of the invention, the measuring system further comprises a transducer housing, for example a metallic one (having several resonance frequencies), wherein the transducer housing and the at least one vibration element are fastened to one another, for example detachably.

A basic idea of the invention is, among other things, to be able to detect or detect disturbing vibrations (on site) that impair the measuring accuracy and/or the functionality of vibronic measuring systems of the type in question as early as possible, for example during (re-)commissioning of the respective measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby, by directly detecting the said disturbing vibrations by means of the measuring transducer of the respective measuring system, while the at least one vibration exciter or the exciter arrangement formed thereby is not energized, i.e. does not draw any electrical power from the connected measuring system electronics; this is particularly the case in such a way that any vibrations detected by the at least one vibration sensor or the sensor arrangement formed thereby cannot be or are not (actively excited) useful vibrations, but are (at best or only) passively excited vibration movements of the measuring transducer, namely those generated by (external) interference vibrations coupled into the measuring system. This makes it possible to detect the interference vibrations relevant to the measurement accuracy or functionality as well as their actual influence on the measuring system directly on site in a very simple and cost-effective, yet very precise manner and, if necessary, to report them very promptly.

One advantage of the invention is that it is possible to detect such interference vibrations without the need for complex additional sensors or by means of conventional (standard) measuring transducers. Another advantage of the invention is that established methods - for example from the aforementioned US-B 63 11 136 or US-A 2020/0408581 known or even by the applicant itself for Coriolis mass flow meters
( http://www.endress.com/de/measuring-principle-parameter=coriolis&filter.text= ) - measuring transducers and measuring system electronics are in principle adopted, namely they can be (continued to be) used by comparatively minor modifications to the software or firmware of the respective measuring system electronics; this can also be done (on site) by retrofitting or reprogramming the measuring system electronics of already installed measuring systems.

The invention and advantageous embodiments thereof are explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments which are shown in the figures of the drawing. Identical parts or parts which act in the same way or function in the same way are provided with the same reference symbols in all figures; if this is required for clarity or if it otherwise seems expedient, reference symbols already mentioned are omitted in subsequent figures. Further advantageous embodiments or developments, in particular combinations of partial aspects of the invention which were initially only explained individually, can also be seen from the figures of the drawing and/or from the claims themselves.

• 1, 2, 3 und 4 jeweils verschiedene Varaianten bzw. Ausgestaltungen eines (vibronisches) Meßsystems;
• 5 und 6 in verschiedenen (teilweise auch geschnittenen) Seitenansichten einen für ein Meßsystem gemäß 1 oder 4 geeigneten Meßwandler;
• 7a ein Stör-Schwingungen ausgesetztes (vibronisches) Meßsystem, insb. gemäß gemäß einer der 1, 2, 3 bzw. 4; und
• 7b, 7c und 7d schematisch jeweils ein Beispiel für ein jeweiliges (Stör-)Spektrum von Stör-Schwingungen gemäß 7a.

In detail:

• 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 different variants or designs of a (vibronic) measuring system;
• 5 and 6 in various (partly sectioned) side views a for a measuring system according to 1 or 4 suitable transducer;
• 7a a measuring system subjected to disturbing vibrations (vibronic), in particular according to one of the 1 , 2 , 3 or 4 ; and
• 7b , 7c and 7d schematically an example of a respective (interference) spectrum of interference oscillations according to 7a .

In the 1 , 2 , 3 or 4 In each case, a vibronic measuring system for flowable, particularly fluid or pourable, media, for example also a medium that is at least temporarily 2- or multi-phase or inhomogeneous, is shown, which can be inserted into a pipeline, in particular a pipeline of an industrial (process) plant, for example a pipeline system of a chemical, pharmaceutical, biotechnological or other process engineering process, a filling plant or, for example, a refueling device.

This - for example as a Coriolis mass flow meter, Coriolis mass flow density and/or Coriolis mass flow viscosity meter designed - measuring system serves in particular for measuring and/or monitoring a mass flow m or for determining mass flow measured values (X _M ) representing the mass flow m of a (fluid) measuring medium, for example a gas, a liquid or a dispersion, which is guided in the aforementioned pipeline or is allowed to flow therein at least temporarily. Furthermore, the measuring system can also be used to determine a density ρ and/or a viscosity η and/or a Reynolds number Re of the (flowing) measuring medium. According to one embodiment of the invention, the measuring system is used to determine mass flow measurement values of a medium to be transferred, for example, namely to be handed over from a supplier to a customer in a predetermined or predeterminable quantity, for example a liquefied gas, such as a liquid gas containing methane and/or ethane and/or propane and/or butane or a liquefied natural gas (LNG) or a mixture of substances formed by means of liquid hydrocarbons, for example a crude oil or a liquid fuel. The measuring system can accordingly also be used, for example, as a component of a transfer point for goods transport subject to calibration, such as a refuelling station, and/or as a component of a transfer point of the type mentioned in the WO-A 02/060805 , WO-A 2008/013545 , WO-A 2010/099276 , WO-A 2014/151829 or WO-A 2016/058745 shown transfer points must be designed.

The measuring system comprises a physical-electrical (vibronic) measuring transducer 10, which is designed to be connected to the aforementioned pipeline via an inlet end #111 and an outlet end #112 (fluidic) or to be inserted (measuring medium conductive) into the course of the same pipeline or to have the respective measuring medium flow through it during operation, as well as an electronic measuring system electronics 20 which is electrically coupled to it - in particular during operation by means of internal energy storage and/or supplied with electrical energy from outside via a connection cable.

Advantageously, the measuring system electronics 20, which can also be programmed and/or remotely parameterized, can also be designed in such a way that, during operation of the measuring system, it can communicate with a higher-level electronic data processing system (EDP) (not shown here), for example a programmable logic controller (PLC), a personal computer, a workstation, an edge (computing) device or a cloud (computing) system, via a data transmission system, for example a (wired) field bus system, in particular, namely can exchange measuring system data, for example via a data line and/or (wirelessly) by radio. Measuring system data can be, for example, current measurement and/or diagnostic values and/or setting values that are useful for parameterizing the measuring system electronics or controlling the measuring system. Accordingly, the measuring system electronics 20 can, for example, have such connection electronics (VS; NRG) which, during operation, is fed by a (central) evaluation and supply unit provided in the aforementioned data processing system and remote from the measuring system. For example, the measuring system electronics 20 (or its aforementioned connection electronics) can be designed such that it can be electrically connected to the external electronic data processing system via a two-wire connection 2L, possibly also configured as a 4-20 mA current loop, and can use this to obtain the electrical power required for the operation of the measuring system from the aforementioned evaluation and supply unit of the data processing system and also to transmit measured values to the data processing system, for example by (load) modulation of a direct current supply fed by the evaluation and supply unit. In addition, the measuring system electronics 20 can also be designed such that it can be nominally operated with a maximum electrical power of 1 W or less and/or is intrinsically safe. For storing, in particular for non-volatile storage, digital (measurement and/or operating) data, for example one or more digital measurement values and/or (measurement system) parameter values generated internally in the measuring system electronics, the measuring system electronics according to a further embodiment of the invention has at least one, in particular non-volatile, (data) storage element EEPROM.

The measuring transducer 10 is, as already indicated, a measuring transducer of the vibration type, namely a measuring transducer with at least one vibration element 111, for example having or formed with at least one (measuring) tube, which is designed to be contacted by the measuring medium, for example namely to have it flow around or through it, and to be allowed to vibrate during this, with a (vibration) exciter arrangement formed by means of at least one, in particular electrodynamic or piezoelectric, vibration exciter 41 and with a (first) vibration sensor 51 formed by means of at least one, for example electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric
(Vibration) sensor arrangement (51, 52); for example, such that the at least one vibration exciter 41 is partially fixed to the at least one vibration element 111 and that the at least one vibration sensor 51 is partially fixed to the vibration element 111 or is arranged in the vicinity of the latter (detecting the vibrations without contact). Not Finally, in the aforementioned case where the measuring system is a Coriolis mass flow measuring device, the at least one vibration exciter is positioned according to a further embodiment of the invention within at least one imaginary plane of symmetry of the at least one vibration element and/or in the range of a vibration amplitude of at least one natural vibration mode inherent in the at least one vibration element.

Both the at least one vibration exciter 41 or the exciter arrangement formed thereby and the at least one vibration sensor 51 or the sensor arrangement formed thereby are each electrically connected to the measuring system electronics. The at least one vibration exciter 41 or the exciter arrangement formed thereby is particularly designed to convert electrical power fed in (by the measuring system electronics 20) into forced mechanical (useful) vibrations of the at least one vibration element 111 to (actively) excite a static rest position; this in particular in such a way that the (useful) vibrations are suitable for generating Coriolis forces in the medium flowing through the measuring transducer 10 which are dependent on its mass flow (forcing additional elastic deformations of the vibration element 111), and/or that the (useful) vibrations have a (useful) frequency fN corresponding to a (momentary) resonance frequency of the vibration element 111 or the measuring transducer 10 formed thereby. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the at least one vibration element 111 or the measuring transducer formed thereby is designed such that the useful frequency fN is more than 50 Hz and/or less than 2 kHz, in particular more than 200 Hz and less than 1500 Hz.

In addition, the at least one vibration sensor 51 or the sensor arrangement formed thereby is set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element 111 around the aforementioned static rest position and to convert them into a (first) sensor signal s1 (of the sensor arrangement) representing vibrations of the vibration element 111, in particular a speed of vibration movements of the vibration element 111. The at least one vibration sensor 51 can advantageously be set up to measure a speed (of vibration movements of the vibration element 111) or the at least one sensor signal s1 can advantageously be designed such that it represents a speed of vibration movements of the vibration element 111. Alternatively or in addition, the at least one vibration sensor 51 and the at least one vibration exciter 41 can also be (effectively) functionally identical, in particular also structurally identical. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the at least one vibration exciter 41 is an electrodynamic vibration exciter (formed by means of a voice coil) and/or the at least one vibration sensor 51 is an electrodynamic vibration sensor (formed by means of a voice coil).

Not least for the aforementioned case that the measuring system is a Coriolis mass flow measuring device, the at least one vibration sensor 51 is arranged at a distance from the vibration exciter according to a further embodiment of the invention, for example in the direction of a (main) flow axis of the vibration element 111 or the measuring transducer formed thereby, and/or the sensor arrangement according to a further embodiment of the invention has at least one further (second) vibration sensor 52, for example identical in construction to the first vibration sensor 51 and/or electrodynamic, opto-electronic or piezo-electric, wherein the sensor arrangement (51, 52) of the measuring transducer 10 formed in this way is set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element 111 by means of both the first vibration sensor 51 and the second vibration sensor 52 and to at least partially represent vibration movements of the at least one vibration element 111. to provide (signal type identical) first and second sensor signals s1, s2; this in particular in such a way that the same sensor signals s1, s2 (with vibration element 111 executing useful vibrations) follow a change in the mass flow of the measured material guided in the measuring transducer 10 with a change in at least one phase difference Δφ12, namely a change in at least one difference between a (first) phase angle φ1 of the sensor signal s1 (or one of its spectral signal components) and a (second) phase angle φ2 of the sensor signal s2 (or one of its spectral signal components). In addition, the sensor signals s1, s2 can have at least one signal frequency and/or signal amplitude dependent on the density and/or viscosity of the measured material. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the (further) vibration sensor 52 is electrically connected to the measuring system electronics, for example in the same way as the vibration sensor 51, and/or the vibration sensor 52 (in the same way as the vibration sensor 51) is set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element 111 about its aforementioned static rest position and to convert the vibrations of the vibration element 111, for example a speed of vibration movements of the vibration element 111. Last but not least, in the aforementioned case that the measuring system is a Coriolis mass flow measuring device, the at least two vibration sensors of the measuring transducer can be of identical construction and/or arranged at a distance from one another or from the vibration exciter, for example also in such a way that they are symmetrical with respect to an imaginary plane of symmetry of the at least one vibration element and/or equidistant from the at least one vibration exciter. According to a further embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement (apart from the first and second vibration sensors) does not have any further (vibration) sensors which are designed to detect mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element and to convert them into a sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) representing vibrations of the at least one vibration element, and/or it is provided that the sensor arrangement (apart from the first and second vibration sensors) does not have any further vibration sensors which are designed to detect mechanical vibrations of the measuring transducer and to convert them into a sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) representing vibrations of the measuring transducer.

To control or drive the measuring transducer or its excitation arrangement, the measuring system electronics 20, as in 2 or 3 shown schematically in the form of a block diagram, and further comprising drive electronics Exc connected to or electrically coupled to the excitation arrangement - for example connected to the excitation arrangement via electrical connecting lines.

In in 2 In the embodiment shown, the at least one vibration element 111 has at least one (measuring) tube, for example at least partially straight and/or at least partially curved, or the at least one vibration element is formed by means of the same (measuring) tube, wherein the same (measuring) tube is designed to guide the at least temporarily flowing fluid measuring material (or to have the same measuring material flow through it) and, as already mentioned, to be allowed to vibrate at least temporarily during this. Accordingly, the measuring transducer can also be, for example, a prior art device, not least the one mentioned at the beginning. US-A 2015/0268082 , the US-A 2011/0271756 , the US-A 2010/0011882 , the US-A 2010/0139416 , the US-A 2011/0146416 , the US-A 2011/0146416 , the US-A 2011/0265580 , the US-A 2016/0033314 , the US-A 2016/0349091 , the US-A 2020/0132529 , the US-A 2020/0408581 , the US-A 2021/0140804 , the US-A 2023/0037109 , the US-A 56 02 345 , the US-A 57 36 653 , the US-A 57 96 011 , the US-A 57 96 012 , the US-A 58 04 741 , the US-A 59 26 096 , the US-A 63 11 136 , the US-B 65 57 422 , the US-B 73 25 462 , the US-B 73 53 717 , the US-B 93 72 107 , the US-B 1 040 86 52 , the US-B 1 05 98 534 , the US-B 1 08 09 109 , the US-B 1 1 073 416 , the WO-A 2017/069749 , the WO-A 2019/017891 , the WO-A 2019/040089 , the WO-A 2019/081169 , the WO-A 2019/081170 , the WO-A 2021/136626 , the WO-A 93/21505 , the WO-A 96/05484 or the WO-A 96/08697 The vibration element 111 formed by the at least one (measuring) tube can - as in 2 indicated or from a summary of the 1 and 2 readily apparent - together with the exciter arrangement (41) and the sensor arrangement and possibly other components of the measuring transducer within a transducer housing 100, for example made of (stainless) steel. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the aforementioned (useful) vibrations of the vibration element formed by means of the at least one (measuring) tube are at least partially designed as bending vibrations of the at least one (measuring) tube, in particular those bending vibrations which are suitable for generating Coriolis forces in the medium flowing through the (measuring) tube which are dependent on its mass flow (which additionally deform the measuring tube). According to a further embodiment of the invention, the at least one vibration exciter 41 - as in 2 indicated - for example, positioned in the middle of the at least one (measuring) tube (111) and/or the vibration exciter 41 is the only vibration exciter of the exciter arrangement or of the measuring transducer formed thereby that causes vibrations of the at least one (measuring) tube (111). In the aforementioned case that the sensor arrangement has two vibration sensors, the first vibration sensor 51 can also be attached, for example, on the inlet side and the second vibration sensor 52 can be attached, for example, on the outlet side of the at least one (measuring) tube serving as a vibration element - as already indicated and as is quite usual in a measuring system of the type in question designed as a Coriolis mass flow measuring device; This can also be done, for example, in such a way that the vibration sensors 51, 52 are positioned at the same distance from the center of the same (measuring) tube, for example by forming a (mirror-)symmetrical sensor arrangement with respect to an imaginary (mirror) plane that imaginarily intersects the (measuring) tube in its center. In addition, the two vibration sensors 51, 52 described above can also be the only ones The sensor arrangement can be made up of vibration sensors that are used to detect vibrations of the at least one (measuring) tube forming the vibration element, such that the sensor arrangement has no further vibration sensors apart from the vibration sensors 51, 52. According to a further embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the sensor arrangement has (vibration) sensors that are each set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element and to convert each into a sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) that represents vibrations of the vibration element, in particular a speed of vibration movements of the vibration element, and that in total it has no more than twice the number of (measuring) tubes (of the vibration element or of the measuring transducer formed thereby). In addition to the aforementioned (vibration) sensor arrangement, the measuring transducer can also be provided with a temperature measuring arrangement 71 for detecting temperatures within the measuring transducer and/or a strain measuring arrangement for detecting mechanical stresses within the vibration elements. Alternatively or in addition, the at least one vibration element can be provided, as in 3 shown schematically, can also be formed by means of at least one further (measuring) tube, thus by means of at least two (measuring) tubes, for example in such a way that the (identical) at least two (measuring) tubes of the vibration element are connected (fluidically) in parallel to one another and/or are set up to have the measuring medium flow through them simultaneously and to be allowed to vibrate (in opposite directions) during this time. The (useful) vibrations of the vibration element excited by the at least one vibration exciter or detected by the at least one vibration sensor can in this case also be, for example, at least partially (in opposite directions) bending vibrations of the at least two (measuring) tubes.

In a further variant of the invention, the at least one vibration element, as in 4 , 5 or 6 each schematically shown, have a, in particular plate-shaped or rod-shaped, immersion body or be formed therewith; for example, also in such a way that the immersion body (111) is arranged at least partially within a lumen of a partial segment of the aforementioned pipeline or within a lumen of a tube of the measuring transducer inserted into the course of the pipeline and is also set up to be surrounded by the measured substance and to be allowed to vibrate during this. Accordingly, the measuring transducer can also be formed, for example, by means of such a vibration element as in the initially mentioned EP-B 564 682 , the US-A 44 20 983 , the US-A 53 92 656 , the US-A 2016/0334316 , the US-B 1 15 30 967 , the WO-A 2015/155044 , the WO-A 95/33981 or the US-B 93 72 107 is shown or the transducer can correspond to one of the transducers shown therein.

To process the one or more sensor signals s1, s2 supplied by the transducer, the measuring system electronics 20 also has a (digital) measuring and control electronics DSV. The measuring and control electronics DSV is, as already indicated and in 2 shown schematically, electrically connected to the measuring transducer 10 or its sensor arrangement 51, 52 and set up to receive and evaluate the at least one sensor signal s1, namely to generate the at least one (digital) measured value representing a measured variable, and if necessary also to output it, for example in the form of digital values to the aforementioned data processing system (EDP). In addition, the measuring and control electronics DSV can be electrically or signal-wise coupled to the drive electronics Exc - for example via a digital bus internal to the measuring system electronics - and also set up to control the drive electronics Exc and/or to form a drive control loop of the measuring system electronics (used to generate the useful vibrations) using the drive electronics Exc.

In the aforementioned case that the sensor arrangement is formed by means of two vibration sensors, and is therefore set up to provide two sensor signals s1, s2, the measuring and control electronics DSV is also set up in particular to receive and evaluate both the sensor signal s1 and the sensor signal s2, for example to determine analog and/or digital (mass flow) measurement values representing the mass flow based on the aforementioned at least two sensor signals s1, s2. The sensor signals (s1, s2) generated by the measuring transducer 10 and fed to the measuring system electronics 20 or the measuring and control electronics DSV provided therein, for example via electrical connecting lines, can also be pre-processed there if necessary, for example pre-amplified, filtered and digitized. Not least for the aforementioned case that the measuring system is a Coriolis mass flow measuring device, the measuring and control electronics DSV has a first measuring signal input for the sensor signal s1 and at least one second measuring signal input for the sensor signal s2 and the measuring and control electronics DSV is furthermore set up to determine the aforementioned phase difference from the same sensor signals s1, s2. In addition, the measuring and control electronics DSV can also be set up to determine the respective aforementioned phase angle and/or at least one signal frequency and/or to determine a signal amplitude, for example, namely to generate during operation a sequence of digital phase values representing the respective phase angle and/or a sequence of digital frequency values representing the signal frequency and/or a sequence of digital amplitude values representing the signal amplitude. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the measuring and control electronics DSV has a digital phase output and a digital amplitude output and the measuring and control electronics DSV is furthermore also set up to output an amplitude sequence at the amplitude output, namely a sequence of digital amplitude values determined on the basis of at least one of the sensor signals, for example quantifying the signal amplitude of one of the sensor signals, and a phase sequence at the phase output, namely a sequence of digital phase values determined on the basis of the sensor signals.

The measuring and control electronics DSV can also be implemented, for example, by means of a microcomputer provided in the measuring system electronics 20, for example implemented by means of a digital signal processor DSP, and by means of program codes implemented accordingly and running in these. The program codes can, for example, be stored persistently in the aforementioned (non-volatile) data memory EEPROM of the microcomputer and, when the microcomputer is started, can be loaded into a volatile data memory RAM, for example integrated in the microcomputer.

The sensor signals s1, s2 are, as already indicated, to be converted into corresponding digital signals (conforming to the WKS sampling theorem) for processing in the microcomputer by means of corresponding analog-to-digital converters (A/D converters) of the measuring and control electronics DSV or the measuring system electronics 20 formed thereby, cf. for example the above-mentioned US-B 63 11 136 or US-A 2011/0271756 . Accordingly, according to a further embodiment, the measuring and control electronics DSV includes a first analog-to-digital converter for the first sensor signal s1 and, in the case that the sensor arrangement has the second vibration sensor 52, a second analog-to-digital converter for the aforementioned second sensor signal s2.

The measuring system electronics 20, including the aforementioned drive electronics Exc and measuring and control electronics DSV as well as other electronic components of the measuring system electronics 20 that serve the operation of the measuring system, such as an internal power supply circuit VS for providing internal DC supply voltages and/or a transmitting and receiving electronics COM that serves the communication with a higher-level measurement data processing system or an external field bus, can - as can also be seen from a summary of the 1 , 2 , 3 and 4 readily apparent - furthermore, for example, be housed in a corresponding, in particular impact- and/or explosion-proof and/or hermetically sealed and/or metallic, electronic housing 200. The electronic housing 200 can, for example - as in 1 , 2 , 3 or 4 each shown - to form a vibronic measuring system or a Coriolis mass flow meter in compact design on the aforementioned converter housing 100.

The electrical connection of the measuring transducer MW to the measuring system electronics 20 can be made using appropriate electrical connecting cables and appropriate cable ducts. The connecting cables can be designed at least partially as electrical conductor wires, at least in sections, covered by electrical insulation, e.g. in the form of "twisted pair" cables, ribbon cables and/or coaxial cables. Alternatively or in addition to this, the connecting cables can also be formed at least in sections by means of conductor tracks of a particularly flexible, optionally painted circuit board. In order to visualize measured values generated internally by the measuring system and/or status messages generated internally by the measuring system, such as an error message or an alarm, on site and/or to operate the measuring system on site, the measuring system can furthermore have a display element HMI1 that communicates at least temporarily with the measuring system electronics 20 and/or an operating element HMI2 that communicates at least temporarily with the measuring system electronics 20, such as an LCD, OLED or TFT display placed in the aforementioned electronics housing 200 behind a window provided therein, as well as a corresponding input keyboard and/or a touchscreen (as a combined display and operating element). According to a further embodiment of the invention, the operating element HMI2 is set up to convert one or more manual inputs (from a user of the measuring system) into one or more control signals, for example also containing one or more (control) commands for the measuring system electronics 20, and to send them to the measuring system electronics 20. Accordingly, the measuring system electronics 20 can also be set up to receive and process one or more control signals from the operating element HMI2, possibly also containing one or more (control) commands, for example to execute one or more (control) commands transmitted by means of one or more control signals. Alternatively or in addition, the measuring system electronics can also be set up to receive control signals for the aforementioned display element HMI1 and output them to the display element HMI1. In addition, the display element HMI1 can be set up to receive and process one or more control signals from the measuring system electronics 20, for example to display one or more messages transmitted by means of one or more control signals.

To excite the aforementioned useful vibrations of the at least one vibration element, the measuring system electronics of the measuring system according to the invention, for example the aforementioned drive electronics Exc together with the measuring and control electronics DSV controlling them, are particularly designed to operate in a first operating mode I (active operation) lasting in particular more than 10 ms (milliseconds) and during this time to supply current to the excitation arrangement, namely to feed electrical power into the at least one vibration exciter or the excitation arrangement formed thereby by means of an electrical drive signal e1, for example having a predeterminable signal frequency and/or a current resonance frequency of the measuring transducer and/or a predeterminable signal amplitude, such that the at least one vibration element at least partially generates forced mechanical vibrations serving as useful vibrations with at least one useful frequency, for example also with a predetermined (useful) amplitude, and that the at least one sensor signal (at least during the first measuring interval) at least partially represents the useful vibrations of the vibration element; for example, in such a way that the at least one sensor signal contains a (useful) signal component, namely a (spectral) signal component with a (signal) frequency corresponding to the useful frequency and with the previously designated (first) phase angle. The driver signal e1 can, for example, be a harmonic or sinusoidal electrical (alternating) signal or, for example, a multi-frequency electrical (alternating) signal composed of several (spectral) signal components, but nevertheless containing a spectral (useful) signal component with the signal amplitude and signal frequency, possibly also periodic for a predeterminable period of time.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the measuring system electronics are further configured to provide the - for example bipolar and/or at least temporarily periodic, possibly also harmonic - driver signal e1 with a signal frequency of not less than 50 Hz (Hertz) and/or not more than 2 kHz; this in particular also in such a way that the signal frequency of the driver signal e1 corresponds to a current resonance frequency fR of the measuring transducer, for example namely a resonance frequency (co-determined by the density and viscosity of the measured material) of a natural (bending) vibration mode inherent in the at least one vibration element 111, in particular namely a fundamental (bending) vibration mode, or that the excited (useful) vibrations of the at least one vibration element 111 are resonance vibrations (co-determined by the density and viscosity of the measured material). The aforementioned resonance frequency fR or the corresponding respective useful frequency fN (fN = fR) is subject to temporal changes due to temporal changes in the density or viscosity of the respective measuring medium during operation of the measuring system, such that the resonance or useful frequency can assume frequency values within a (useful) frequency band ΔfN having predetermined (measuring system-specific) lower and upper limit frequencies, for example also corresponding to a predetermined density measuring range of the measuring system. The lower limit frequency can, as already mentioned and quite usual for such measuring systems, be, for example, more than 50 Hz, in particular more than 200 Hz, while the upper limit frequency, as also already mentioned, can be, for example, less than 2 kHz, in particular less than 1500 Hz. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the measuring system electronics are further configured to vary the signal frequency of the driver signal e1 determining the useful frequency fN within the aforementioned (useful) frequency band in operating mode I, in particular to adapt or adjust it to a current resonance frequency (fR) of the vibration element 111.

Not least in order to set the signal frequency of the driver signal e1 to one of the aforementioned resonance frequencies, the measuring system electronics according to a further embodiment of the invention are also set up, among other things, to set the signal frequency of the driver signal e1 at least in the first operating mode I using the at least one sensor signal received during the first operating mode I, for example, namely on the basis of a spectral (useful) signal component with a signal frequency corresponding to the useful frequency fN, or the measuring system electronics are set up to determine at least one (instantaneous) resonance frequency of the measuring transducer, in particular its vibration element, or the measuring system formed thereby, using the at least one (first) sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@I) received during the operating mode I, for example, namely on the basis of the sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@I) one or more digital (measuring system) signals representing the same resonance frequency. The measuring system electronics can also advantageously be set up to store one or more (measuring system) parameter values in the aforementioned at least one memory element EEPROM in a non-volatile manner (in operating mode I) and, if necessary, to read them out again.

To set or measure the useful frequency f _N or the corresponding resonance frequency of the measuring transducer, the aforementioned drive electronics Exc can, as is quite common in vibronic measuring systems of the type in question or Coriolis mass flow measuring devices, for example, have one or more phase locked loops (PLL - phase locked loop) (controlled by means of at least one sensor signal). According to a further embodiment of the invention, the drive electronics Exc has a digital frequency output. In addition, the drive electronics Exc is also set up to output a frequency sequence, namely a sequence of digital frequency values quantifying the signal frequency set for the driver signal e1, for example the currently set useful frequency (or the signal frequency of its signal component E1), at the same frequency output. According to a further embodiment of the invention, it is further provided that the aforementioned phase output of the measuring and control electronics DSV is electrically connected to a phase input formed, for example, by means of a phase comparator provided within the drive electronics Exc. The phase comparator can also be set up, for example, to determine a phase difference between the aforementioned signal component E1 of the driver signal e1 and at least one of the aforementioned useful components S1*, S2* and/or to determine an extent of the same phase difference. In addition, the amplitude output of the measuring and control electronics DSV can also be electrically connected to an amplitude input of the drive electronics Exc which detects the amplitude of the signal component or the oscillations excited thereby of the at least one vibration element.

The measuring system electronics of the measuring system according to the invention, for example its aforementioned measuring and control electronics DSV, is also set up to receive the at least one sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@I) or the sensor signals s1, s2 (s1 → s1@I, s2 → s2@I) during the first operating mode I, in particular during the first measuring interval, and to evaluate them accordingly, in particular using the at least one sensor signal s1 received during the operating mode I or using the at least two sensor signals s1, s2 received during the operating mode I, for example based on the respective aforementioned spectral (useful) signal component, to determine the measured values for at least one measured variable. Advantageously, the measuring system electronics can also be designed to store one or more measured values in the aforementioned at least one (data) storage element EEPROM (non-volatile), for example also together with (additional) data specifying the time and/or location of the determination of the measured values.

Not least for the aforementioned case that the measuring system is designed as a Coriolis mass flow measuring device and the sensor arrangement is formed by means of two vibration sensors spaced apart from one another, the useful vibrations excited in this way during the first operating mode are, as already indicated, designed in particular in such a way that the at least one vibration element causes additional (elastically) deforming Coriolis forces in the medium flowing through the measuring transducer and that each of the sensor signals s1, s2 contains a (spectral) signal component serving as a (useful) signal component sN1 or sN2 with a signal frequency corresponding to the useful frequency and with a respective (first or second) phase angle, or that between the two (useful) signal components sN1, sN2 there is a corresponding phase difference Δφ12 (Δφ12' = φ1 - φ2 = f _(m) ) exists. Accordingly, the measuring system electronics can advantageously also be set up, in particular, to measure a volume flow and/or a mass flow of a medium flowing through the measuring transducer or to determine measured values representing the volume flow and/or the mass flow based on the same phase difference, possibly also taking into account the current useful frequency. According to a further embodiment of the invention, the measuring and control electronics DSV is further set up, based on sensor signals s1, s2 received during one or more first measuring intervals, to first determine one or more, in particular digital, (first) phase difference measured values X _Δφ1 , each of which represents the first phase difference Δφ12 (of the sensor signals s1, s2 received during one or more first measuring intervals), for example in order to determine one or more of the aforementioned mass flow measured values X _M using one or more (first) phase difference measured values X _Δφ1 . Alternatively or in addition, the measuring and control electronics can further be configured to generate one or more signals representing the first phase angle φ1 (of the sensor signal s1 received during one or more first measuring intervals) based on sensor signals s1 received during one or more first measuring intervals. to determine one or more, in particular digital, (first) phase angle measurement values X _φ1 representing the second phase angle φ2 (of the sensor signal s2 received during one or more first measuring intervals), in particular digital, (second) phase angle measurement values X _φ2 . The aforementioned phase angles φ1, φ2 or phase angle measured values X _φ1 , X _φ2 can be determined, for example, in reference to the electrical driver signal e1 or also to an internal (clock) reference signal of the measuring system electronics 20, generated in particular by means of the measuring and control electronics DSV or the drive electronics Exc, with a clock frequency corresponding to the useful frequency, for example as a phase difference to the driver signal e1 or its useful signal component E1 and/or to the aforementioned (clock) reference signal.

Advantageously, the operating mode I and the first measuring interval can also be selected, for example, such that the first useful oscillations carried out during this time are as stationary or as stable as possible, in particular with regard to their useful frequency and/or their useful amplitude, and/or that both the operating mode I and the first measuring interval each have a duration which corresponds to more than one reciprocal (1/f _N ) of the useful frequency f _N , or each last longer than 1 s (second), in particular longer than 1 min (minute) or, for example, longer than 1 h (hour).

As already mentioned, vibronic measuring systems of the type in question can also be sensitive to externally excited sound waves (structure-borne sound) propagating through the connected pipe and/or vibrations of the connected pipe, etc. coupled into the measuring transducer.
exhibit disturbing vibrations D ( 7a) , such that the measurement accuracy of the measuring system or the functionality of the measuring system as a whole is at least temporarily impaired; this in particular in the event that one or more of the interference oscillations assume such (interference) frequencies fD that correspond to or are similar to the current or intended useful frequency fN, namely have only a negligibly small frequency difference to the useful frequency fN or are located within the aforementioned (useful) frequency band ΔfN, and/or in the event that one or more of the interference oscillations with a (interference) frequency similar to the same useful frequency fN have a (interference) amplitude comparable to the current (useful) amplitude of the useful oscillations or have an overall (spectral) power density that is too high. However, unwanted vibrations of the measuring transducer or the measuring system formed by it that can be excited or excited by the aforementioned disturbing vibrations can also be vibrations generated externally of the measuring system, for example, whose respective vibration frequency corresponds to a (mechanical) resonance frequency of the aforementioned transducer housing 100 and/or the aforementioned electronics housing 200. The sources of interference causing the aforementioned disturbing vibrations D can be, for example, system components that are mechanically coupled to the respective measuring transducer via a pipeline and cause (line) vibrations, such as pumps and/or valves, or for example turbulences and/or inhomogeneities in the flowing medium.

Not least in order to reduce or avoid impairments of the measuring system associated with the aforementioned interference vibrations, in particular a reduction in its measuring accuracy, the measuring system electronics of the measuring system according to the invention are also particularly designed not to supply current to the excitation arrangement in a second operating mode II for a set period of time Tnexc, in particular not less than 1 s (second) and/or not more than 15 min (minute), for example also adjustable; this in particular also in such a way that the at least one vibration element does not carry out any useful vibrations (excited by the excitation arrangement) at least during a second measuring interval (within the operating mode II) or that at least during the second measuring interval (possibly previously excited by the excitation arrangement) useful vibrations of the vibration element 111 have died down. In this way, it can be ensured very easily that during operating mode II or at least during the second measuring interval, any vibrations of the at least one vibration element 111 that still occur are only passive vibrations or vibrations that are excited externally by the measuring transducer, and thus possibly only the aforementioned undesirable interference vibrations. Accordingly, the at least one sensor signal s1(s1 → s1@II) also represents - as in 7b schematically shown - during operating mode II (or during the second measuring interval) at most the aforementioned - only passively or only externally excited - (interference) oscillations of the at least one vibration element 111 (however no useful oscillations), such that one or more signal parameters, for example one or more signal frequencies and/or one or more (spectral) signal amplitudes, represent one or more disturbance parameters, for example one or more of the aforementioned (disturbance) frequencies and/or (disturbance) amplitudes, or correspond to the same disturbance parameters. Thus, the at least one sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@II) recorded in the aforementioned period, namely during operating mode II or the second measuring interval, contains frequency information relevant to the measurement accuracy or functionality of the measuring system or a corresponding (spectroscopic) fingerprint of the measuring system or the measuring point formed thereby.

Based on the fact that the at least one sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@II) generated during operating mode II can or does essentially only contain the frequency information relevant for determining the external interference influences - useful as a (spectroscopic) fingerprint - and nevertheless does not represent actively excited (useful) oscillations of the at least one vibration element 111, the measuring system electronics 10 of the measuring system according to the invention is accordingly also set up to use the at least one sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@II) received during operating mode II (passive operation) or during the aforementioned second measuring interval to determine one or more (digital) (interference) parameter values for the at least one interference parameter (of the measuring system or the measuring point formed thereby) - which may also influence the functionality or the measuring accuracy of the measuring system - in particular in order to determine a - useful as a (spectroscopic) fingerprint - (Interference) frequency spectrum of (externally excited) interference oscillations of the measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby and/or to calculate one or more measurement values for at least one measurement variable using the at least one sensor signal received during the aforementioned second measuring interval or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom. The measuring system electronics 20 can also advantageously be set up to store one or more (interference) parameter values in the aforementioned at least one memory element EEPROM in a non-volatile manner, for example already during operating mode II and/or also together with (additional) data specifying the time and/or location of the determination of the (interference) parameter values. Furthermore, the measuring system electronics 20 can also advantageously be set up to (re)read one or more of the (interference) parameter values stored in the memory element EEPROM (non-volatile) in operating mode I and/or in operating mode II, for example for the purpose of a mutual comparison of (interference) frequency spectra or fingerprints determined for different time intervals.

In order to ensure that as many (spectral) signal components as possible of the interference oscillations relevant for qualifying the measuring system or the measuring point formed thereby can be determined on the basis of the sensor signal s1(s1 → s1@II) generated during operating mode II, the time period Tnexc is selected or set to be greater than 2 s, in particular not less than 5 s, according to a further embodiment of the invention.

Operating mode II can, for example, be executed directly from operating mode I by the measuring system electronics or its drive electronics switching off the previously provided driver signal e1 and also leaving it switched off for at least the previously specified time period Tnexc.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the measuring system electronics are accordingly also set up to activate or execute operating mode II after operating mode I, for example to determine as soon as possible a cause for a (now determined) reduced functionality of the measuring system and/or to determine as soon as possible a cause for a (now determined) reduced measurement accuracy of the measuring system and/or to determine as soon as possible a cause for a failure of the measuring system, for example due to a loss of at least one sensor signal s1; this, for example, also in such a way that the measuring system electronics are operated alternately, for example also cyclically intermittently, in operating mode I or operating mode II, for example in order to improve the detection of interference vibrations that only occur occasionally or temporarily. Alternatively or in addition, the measuring system electronics can also be set up, for example, to activate or execute operating mode II before operating mode I, for example for (passive) measuring of the measuring point formed by the measuring system (involving the at least one vibration element or the measuring transducer formed thereby) or during (re-)commissioning of the measuring system or the measuring point formed thereby. The aforementioned time period Tnexc can advantageously be selected to be as small as possible for this purpose, not least for the purpose of optimizing a total (commissioning) time budget to be estimated for the commissioning of the measuring system or the measuring point formed thereby, for example less than 60 s, in particular not more than 30 s. If necessary, the time period Tnexc can easily be longer than 1 min, in particular also longer than 1 min. more than 10 minutes, for example in connection with the initial commissioning of the measuring system or the measuring point formed by it,

Last but not least, in the case of an activation, for example repeated, of operating mode II from the (activated) operating mode I, when determining the time period Tnexc to be used for operating mode II, a (decay) time constant naturally inherent in at least one vibration element must also be taken into account, which is dependent on a (modal) quality factor Q1 of the vibration element at the (most recently excited) useful frequency fN - which is typically more than 5000, for example not less than 10000, for measuring systems of the type in question. In the case of 2- or multi-phase measuring media and/or measuring media with high viscosity, the quality factor Q1 can also be less than 100, for example. The aforementioned (decay) time constant of the at least one vibration element corresponds to a ratio Q1/fN of the quality factor Q1 related to the (last excited) useful frequency f1 or can be determined in advance for the at least one vibration element experimentally and/or numerically (based on the aforementioned ratio Q1/fN). Not least in order to be able to ensure, when operating mode II is activated from operating mode I, that the at least one sensor signal s1(s1 → s1@II) generated during operating mode II contains as few signal components as possible that can be traced back to the (previous) active excitation of the useful vibrations, the time period Tnexc according to another embodiment of the invention is correspondingly greater (selected) than the aforementioned (decay) time constant (of the at least one vibration element), at least for this case that operating mode II is carried out after operating mode I, advantageously for example such that the time period Tnexc is more than 3 times the (decay) time constant (Q1/fN), in particular also more than 5 times the (decay) time constant, and/or is greater than 20 s, in particular also greater than 50 s, possibly also greater than 1 min (minute).

As already indicated, the at least one disturbance parameter can represent, for example, a (externally excited) (fluid-)mechanical disturbance oscillation (D) coupled into the measuring system via a pipeline and/or via a fluid guided in the pipeline, for example in such a way that one or more (disturbance) parameter values quantify one or more (disturbance) amplitudes of a (disturbance) oscillation. Alternatively or in addition, one or more (disturbance) parameter values can also quantify, for example, one or more (disturbance) frequencies of a (disturbance) oscillation and/or one or more (disturbance) power density spectra of one or more superimposed (disturbance) oscillations.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the measuring system electronics are accordingly further configured to determine a (disturbance) frequency spectrum of (externally excited) disturbance oscillations of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby (involving the at least one vibration element or the measuring transducer formed thereby) using the at least one sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@II) received during operating mode II or one or more (disturbance) parameter values obtained therefrom. Alternatively or in addition, the measuring system electronics can also be set up to determine a usable frequency range (of the measuring system or a measuring point formed therewith) that contains no detectable or detected interference oscillations using the at least one sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@II) received during operating mode II or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, for example in such a way that an upper range limit of the usable frequency range and/or a lower range limit of the usable frequency range are determined using one or more of the (interference) parameter values, and/or to check whether - as in 7c shown schematically - one or more (nominal) mechanical resonance frequencies of the measuring transducer or of the measuring system formed thereby lie within the previously designated usable frequency range, in particular namely, if necessary, to issue a (release) message (☺) signaling this and/or releasing the first operating mode I and/or to automatically switch to operating mode I.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the measuring system electronics are further configured to determine and/or check, using the at least one sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@II) received during operating mode II or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, at least one (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or a measuring point formed therewith) containing (interference) frequencies of one or more interference oscillations, whether - as in 7d schematically shown - one or more (nominal) mechanical resonance frequencies of the measuring transducer or of the measuring system formed thereby lie within the aforementioned (risk) frequency range; this, for example, also in such a way that the measuring system electronics are set up (in operating mode II) to determine whether the aforementioned (useful) frequency band and the (risk) frequency range at least partially coincide, and/or in such a way that In the event that one or more of the mechanical resonance frequencies (of the transducer or the measuring system) lie within the (risk) frequency range and/or in the event that the (useful) frequency band and the (risk) frequency range at least partially coincide (☹), the measuring system electronics issues a (warning) message signalling this accordingly and/or an (error) report identifying one or more sources of interference (causing interference oscillations) and/or blocks operating mode I (at least temporarily) or takes the measuring system out of operation (at least temporarily). An upper range limit of the (risk) frequency range and/or a lower range limit of the (risk) frequency range can be determined, for example, on the basis of one or more of the (disturbance) parameter values, for example by using a lowest determined (disturbance) frequency as the lower range limit and/or a highest determined (disturbance) frequency as the upper range limit.

The determination of the aforementioned (risk) frequency range or the aforementioned usable frequency range can also be carried out, for example, using (disturbance) parameter values and/or (measurement system) parameter values stored between times in at least one (data) storage element EEPROM. Alternatively or in addition, (disturbance) parameter values and/or (measurement system) parameter values stored between times in at least one (data) storage element EEPROM can also be taken into account when determining measured values representing the at least one measured variable. According to another embodiment of the invention, the measuring system electronics are accordingly further configured to use measurement data collected during operating mode II, in particular one or more of the (disturbance) parameter values, for example already stored (non-volatilely) in the aforementioned (data) storage element EEPROM, during operating mode I, for example to determine one or more of the measured values representing the at least one measured variable and/or to (ad hoc) check the functionality and/or measurement accuracy of the measuring system (during operating mode I or normal measuring operation); this in particular in such a way that the measuring system electronics in operating mode I checks using one or more disturbance parameter values (previously determined in operating mode II or stored in a non-volatile manner), for example by comparing one or more (disturbance) parameter values with one or more (measuring system) parameter values, whether the at least one signal frequency of the driver signal e1 or the (notified) useful frequency fN of the useful vibrations of the at least one vibration element lies within the aforementioned (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby) or whether the at least one (current) resonance frequency (of the at least one vibration element or the measuring transducer formed thereby) lies within the same (risk) frequency range. Advantageously, the measuring system electronics can also be set up to output a (warning) message signaling this and/or an (error) report identifying one or more sources of interference (causing interference vibrations) and/or to take the measuring system out of operation (at least temporarily) or to deactivate operating mode I in the event (☹) that one of the aforementioned (signal, useful or resonance) frequencies of the measuring system lies within the (risk) frequency range.

Not least for the purpose of determining the aforementioned (risk) frequency range or of estimating its effects on the functionality or measurement accuracy of the measuring system, the measuring system electronics are further configured according to a further embodiment of the invention to carry out a modal analysis for a measuring point involving the at least one vibration element or the measuring transducer formed thereby, at least on the basis of the at least one sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@II) received during operating mode II, and/or to subject at least the same sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@II) to a spectral analysis, for example a Fourier analysis, for example also based on a (fast) discrete Fourier transformation (DFT). Alternatively or in addition to determining and, if necessary, avoiding the aforementioned (risk) frequency range, the measuring system electronics can advantageously also be set up to set a (signal) filter (of the measuring system electronics), for example an adaptive and/or digital (signal) filter, using the at least one sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@II) received during operating mode II or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, in particular to adapt it to a (interference) frequency spectrum of (externally excited) interference oscillations of the measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby, such that the filter is (subsequently) set up to suppress or block (interference) signal components contained in the at least one sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@II) and resulting from one or more of the interference oscillations. Advantageously, the measuring system electronics can also be set up to apply the same (signal) filter to the sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@I) received during operating mode I or to filter the at least one sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@I) received during operating mode I by means of the filter, for example to block (interference) signal components contained in the same sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@I). A signal delivered by means of the (signal) filter The filtered sensor signal can be used, for example, to determine one or more measured values for the at least one measured variable, if necessary, for example, also together with the sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@I) present at the input of the (signal) filter.

The activation of operating mode I and/or operating mode II can, as already mentioned, be carried out automatically, namely by the measuring system electronics itself, for example time- and/or event-controlled. An event activating operating mode II can, for example, be due to insufficient signal quality of the at least one sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@I) received by the measuring system electronics during operating mode I, for example as a result of a (process) disturbance, or the aforementioned loss of the same
sensor signal s1 (s1 → s1@I), for example as a result of a (process-related) too low or non-existent useful amplitude of the useful vibrations of the at least one vibration element. Alternatively or in addition, the activation of operating mode I and/or operating mode II can also be initiated or triggered from outside the measuring system and/or by manual input, for example in conjunction with the aforementioned data processing system EDP and/or in dialogue with a user of the measuring system, for example in order to carry out the aforementioned (passive) calibration of the measuring system or the measuring point formed thereby in operating mode II, in particular in the course of its planned (re-)commissioning and/or in the course of an (ad hoc) decommissioning of the measuring system.

According to a further embodiment of the invention, the measuring system electronics are further configured to receive and evaluate a (process status) message, for example one generated externally from the measuring system electronics and transmitted to the measuring system electronics via data transmission and/or generated by an (on-site) control element or (on-site) control device connected to the measuring system electronics by signal technology, in particular to activate or execute operating mode II depending on the (process status) message. The control element used to transmit the (process status) message to the measuring system electronics can be, for example, the aforementioned control element HMI2 or the aforementioned display and control element. The aforementioned (process state) message can advantageously be designed in such a way that it further improves an information content of the subsequently determined (disturbance) parameter values or a quality of the measurement data collected for the determination of the aforementioned (spectroscopic) fingerprint by means of the measuring system electronics during its operating mode II, for example in that one or more of the (disturbance) parameter values can then be assigned in time and/or place to a process state (of the (process) system formed by means of the measuring system or the measuring point involving it or to at least one (process) parameter characterizing the process state. For this purpose, the (process state) message is further designed according to a further embodiment of the invention in such a way that it signals the operation of a pump connected (via pipeline) to the measuring transducer (switched on). Alternatively or in addition, the (process state) message can also signal, for example, that the measuring medium is being pumped through the measuring transducer flows, in particular with a given (reference) volume and/or (reference) mass flow.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions.

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Claims (36)

Vibronic measuring system, in particular a vibronic measuring system designed as a Coriolis mass flow measuring device and/or as a density measuring device and/or as a viscosity measuring device, for measuring one or more measured variables, in particular a density, a viscosity, a mass flow and/or a volume flow, of a fluid medium guided in a pipeline (connected thereto), in particular a gas, a liquid or a dispersion, which measuring system comprises: - a (vibronic) measuring transducer (10) -- with at least one vibration element (111), in particular having or formed with at least one (measuring) tube, -- with an excitation arrangement formed by means of at least one, in particular electrodynamic or piezoelectric, vibration exciter (41), -- and with an excitation arrangement formed by means of at least one, in particular electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric, Vibration sensor (51) formed sensor arrangement; - as well as a measuring system electronics (20) electrically connected to the measuring transducer (10), in particular both to the exciter arrangement and the sensor arrangement, in particular formed by means of one or more microprocessors; - wherein the measuring transducer (10) is designed to be (fluidically) connected to the pipeline or inserted into the course of the pipeline; - wherein the at least one vibration element (111) is designed to be contacted by the measuring material, in particular to be flowed around or through, and to be allowed to vibrate during this; - wherein the at least one vibration exciter (41) or the exciter arrangement formed thereby is designed to convert fed-in electrical power into forced mechanical (useful) vibrations of the at least one vibration element around a static rest position (actively) exciting mechanical power; - wherein the at least one vibration sensor (51) or the sensor arrangement formed thereby is set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element (111) about a static rest position and to convert them into a (first) sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) representing vibrations of the vibration element (111), in particular a speed of vibration movements of the vibration element (111); - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up in a first operating mode (I - active mode) -- to supply current to the exciter arrangement, namely to feed an electrical driver signal (e1) having a signal frequency that can be specified and/or corresponds to a current resonance frequency fR of the measuring transducer (10) and/or a signal amplitude that can be specified, into the at least one vibration exciter (41), such that the vibration element (111) at least during a first measuring interval at least partially carries out useful vibrations, namely forced mechanical vibrations with at least one useful frequency that corresponds in particular to a current resonance frequency fR of the measuring transducer (10) and/or is not less than 50 Hz (Hertz) and/or is not more than 2 kHz, and the (first) sensor signal (s1) at least partially represents the useful vibrations of the vibration element (111), -- and the at least one to receive and evaluate the (first) sensor signal (s1); - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up in a second operating mode (II - passive operation) -- both to not supply current to the excitation arrangement for a set, in particular adjustable and/or not less than 1 s (second) period of time Tnexc, in particular such that the at least one vibration element does not carry out any useful vibrations (excited by the excitation arrangement) at least during a second measuring interval and/or that at least during a second measuring interval (previously excited by means of the excitation arrangement) useful vibrations of the at least one vibration element (111) have died down, -- as well as to receive and evaluate the at least one (first) sensor signal (s1), which represents vibrations of the at least one vibration element (111) that are (only) passive or (only) excited externally to the measuring transducer (10); - and wherein the measuring system electronics (20) are set up, -- both to determine (digital) measured values for at least one measured variable using the at least one (first) sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) received during the first operating mode (I), in particular a spectral (useful) signal component with a signal frequency corresponding to the useful frequency -- and to determine one or more, in particular digital, (interference) parameter values for at least one interference parameter (of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed therewith), in particular an (interference) frequency and/or an (interference) amplitude, in particular an (interference) frequency spectrum of (externally excited) interference oscillations of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed therewith, in particular using the at least one (first) sensor signal (s1) received during the second operating mode (II). to determine and/or calculate one or more measured values for at least one measured variable using one or more (disturbance) parameter values of the at least one disturbance parameter. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the at least one disturbance parameter represents a (externally excited), in particular via a pipeline and/or via a fluid guided in the pipeline, (fluid-)mechanical disturbance oscillation, in particular namely a frequency of the disturbance oscillation and/or an amplitude of the disturbance oscillation; and/or - wherein one or more (disturbance) parameter values represent, in particular quantify, one or more (disturbance) amplitudes of one or more (externally excited), in particular via a pipeline and/or via a fluid guided in the pipeline, coupled into the measuring system, mechanical (disturbance) oscillations; and/or - wherein one or more (disturbance) parameter values represent, in particular quantify, one or more (disturbance) frequencies of one or more (externally excited) mechanical (disturbance) vibrations, in particular those coupled into the measuring system via a pipeline and/or via a fluid guided in the pipeline and/or generated by a fluid flowing through the measuring transducer. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the time period Tnexc is greater than 2 s (second), in particular not less than 5 s (set). Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to activate or execute the second operating mode (II) after the first operating mode (I), in particular to determine a cause for reduced functionality of the measuring system and/or to determine a cause for reduced measurement accuracy of the measuring system and/or to determine a cause for a failure of the measuring system. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the at least one vibration element (111) has a (decay) time constant which is dependent on a (modal) quality factor Q1 of the vibration element (111) at the (last excited) useful frequency fN, in particular more than 5000, in particular namely corresponds to a ratio Q1/fN of the quality factor Q1 related to the (last excited) useful frequency fN. measuring system according to claim 4 and 5 , where the time period Tnexc is greater (selected) than the (decay) time constant (of the vibration element), in particular more than 3 times the (decay) time constant and/or greater than 20 s. Measuring system according to one of the claim 5 until 6 , - wherein the quality factor Q1* of the at least one vibration element (111) is greater than 5000, in particular not less than 10000; and/or - wherein the time period Tnexc is more than 5 times the (decay) time constant and/or greater than 50 s, in particular greater than 1 min (minute), (set); and/or - wherein the useful frequency fN is more than 50 Hz and/or less than 2 kHz, in particular more than 200 Hz and less than 1500 Hz. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the measuring system electronics (20) are set up to activate or execute the second operating mode (II) before the first operating mode (I), in particular for (passive) measuring of a measuring point formed by means of the measuring system (involving the at least one vibration element or the measuring transducer formed thereby) and/or during (re-)commissioning of the measuring system; and/or - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to use measurement data collected during the second operating mode (II), in particular one or more of the (disturbance) parameter values, during the first operating mode (I), in particular for determining one or more of the measured values and/or for checking the functionality of the measuring system and/or for checking the measurement accuracy of the measuring system. Measuring system according to the preceding claim, wherein the time period Tnexc is less than 60 s, in particular not greater than 30 s, (set). Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring system electronics (20) is set up in the first operating mode (I) to provide the driver signal (e1) with at least one predetermined, in particular adjustable and/or a mechanical resonance frequency of the vibration element (111) or of the measuring transducer (10) formed thereby and/or serving to set the useful frequency fN. Measuring system according to the preceding claim, - wherein the measuring system electronics (20) are set up in the first operating mode (I) to set the signal frequency of the driver signal (e1) using the at least one (first) sensor signal (s1) received during the first operating mode (I), in particular using a spectral (useful) signal component with a signal frequency corresponding to the useful frequency fN; and/or - wherein the measuring system electronics (20) are set up in the first operating mode (I) to check using one or more (interference) parameter values whether the at least one signal frequency of the driver signal (e1) or the useful frequency fN of the useful oscillations of the at least one vibrator tion element (111) lies within a (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby) containing (interference) frequencies of one or more interference oscillations, in particular, if necessary, to issue a (warning) message signaling this and/or an (error) report identifying one or more interference sources (causing interference oscillations) and/or to take the measuring system out of operation (at least temporarily). Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to determine at least one (current) resonance frequency of the measuring transducer, in particular its vibration element, or of the measuring system formed thereby using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the first operating mode, in particular to determine one or more digital (measuring system) parameter values representing the same resonance frequency based on the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the first operating mode and/or to check, using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, whether the at least one (current) resonance frequency (of the measuring transducer) lies within a (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby) containing (interference) frequencies of one or more interference vibrations. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the measuring system electronics (20) are set up to determine a (disturbance) frequency spectrum of (externally excited) disturbance vibrations of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby (involving the at least one vibration element or the measuring transducer formed thereby) using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (disturbance) parameter values obtained therefrom; and/or - wherein the measuring system electronics (20) are set up to determine at least one usable frequency range (of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby) using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more interference parameter values obtained therefrom, namely one that does not contain any detectable or detected interference oscillations, in particular in such a way that an upper range limit of the usable frequency range and/or a lower range limit of the usable frequency range are determined on the basis of one or more of the (interference) parameter values; and/or - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to check, using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, whether one or more (nominal) mechanical resonance frequencies of the measuring transducer or of the measuring system formed thereby are within a usable frequency range (of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby) that does not contain any detectable or detected (interference) frequencies of one or more interference oscillations, in particular, if necessary, to output a (release) message signaling this and/or enabling the first operating mode and/or to automatically switch to the first operating mode. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring system electronics are arranged, in the first operating mode, to vary a signal frequency of the driver signal determining the useful frequency within a predetermined (useful) frequency band, in particular one corresponding to a predetermined density measuring range of the measuring system. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to determine at least one (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby) containing (interference) frequencies of one or more interference oscillations using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, in particular in such a way that an upper range limit of the (risk) frequency range and/or a lower range limit of the (risk) frequency range are determined on the basis of one or more of the (interference) parameter values; and/or - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to check, using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, whether one or more (nominal) mechanical resonance frequencies of the measuring transducer or of the measuring system formed thereby are within a (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby) containing (interference) frequencies of one or more interference oscillations, in particular to issue a (warning) message signaling this and/or an (error) report identifying one or more interference sources (causing interference oscillations) and/or to block the first operating mode (at least temporarily) or to take the measuring system out of operation (at least temporarily). measuring system according to claim 14 and 15 , wherein the measuring system electronics are set up, in particular in the second operating mode, to determine whether the (useful) frequency band and the (risk) frequency range at least partially coincide, in particular to issue a (warning) message signaling this and/or to block the first operating mode (at least temporarily) or to take the measuring system out of operation (at least temporarily). Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to subject at least the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode to a spectral analysis, in particular a Fourier analysis, in particular based on a (fast) discrete Fourier transformation (DFT); and/or - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to carry out a modal analysis for a measuring point involving the at least one vibration element or the measuring transducer formed thereby, at least based on the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to set a, in particular adaptive, (digital) filter using the at least one (first) sensor signal received during the second operating mode or one or more (interference) parameter values obtained therefrom, in particular to adapt it to a (interference) frequency spectrum of (externally excited) interference oscillations of the measuring system or a measuring point formed thereby, such that the filter is set up to suppress or block (interference) signal components contained in the at least one sensor signal and resulting from one or more of the interference oscillations. Measuring system according to the previous claim, - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to filter the (first) sensor signal received by the at least one during the first operating mode by means of the filter, in particular to block (interference) signal components contained in the same sensor signal; and/or - wherein the filter is an adaptive filter. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to determine one or more digital (measuring system) parameter values representing a (current) resonance frequency of the measuring transducer or of the measuring system formed thereby using the at least one sensor signal received during the first operating mode, - and wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to check using one or more (measuring system) parameter values, in particular non-volatilely stored, and one or more (interference) parameter values, in particular non-volatilely stored, in particular by comparing one or more (interference) parameter values with one or more (measuring system) parameter values, whether the at least one resonance frequency of the vibration element lies within a (risk) frequency range (of the measuring system or of a measuring point formed thereby) containing (interference) frequencies of one or more interference vibrations, in particular if necessary a (warning) message signaling this and/or to issue an (error) report identifying one or more sources of interference (causing interference frequencies) and/or to take the measuring system out of operation (at least temporarily). Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the at least one vibration exciter is an electrodynamic vibration exciter (formed by means of a voice coil); and/or - wherein the at least one vibration sensor is an electrodynamic vibration sensor (formed by means of a plunger coil); and/or - wherein the at least one sensor signal represents a speed of vibration movements of the vibration element; and/or - wherein the vibration sensor and vibration exciter are functionally identical, in particular structurally identical; and/or - wherein the at least one vibration sensor is spaced from the vibration exciter, in particular in the direction of a (main) flow axis of the vibration element and/or of the measuring transducer formed thereby. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, - wherein the at least one vibration element has or is formed with at least one (measuring) tube, in particular one that is at least partially straight and/or at least partially curved, in particular such that the at least one (measuring) tube is designed to have the measuring substance flow through it and to be allowed to vibrate during this process, - and wherein the (useful) vibrations of the vibration element excited by the at least one vibration exciter or detected by the at least one vibration sensor are at least partially bending vibrations of the at least one (measuring) tube. Measuring system according to the preceding claim, the at least one vibration element at least has a further (measuring) tube, in particular such that the (identical) at least two (measuring) tubes of the vibration element are connected (fluidically) in parallel to one another and/or are designed to be simultaneously flowed through by the measuring medium and to be vibrated (in opposite directions) during this. Measuring system according to the preceding claim, wherein the (useful) vibrations of the vibration element excited by means of the at least one vibration exciter or detected by means of the at least one vibration sensor are at least partially (opposite) bending vibrations of the at least two (measuring) tubes. Measuring system according to one of the Claims 22 until 24 , - wherein the sensor arrangement has a total of no more than twice the number of (measuring) tubes (of the vibration element or of the measuring transducer formed thereby) of (vibration) sensors which are each set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element and to convert them into a sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) representing vibrations of the vibration element, in particular a speed of vibration movements of the vibration element; and/or - wherein the sensor arrangement has a total of no more than twice the number of (measuring) tubes (of the vibration element or of the measuring transducer formed thereby) of (vibration) sensors which are set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the measuring transducer and to convert them into a sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) representing vibrations of the measuring transducer. Measuring system according to one of claims 1 to 21, the at least one vibration element has or is formed with a, in particular plate-shaped or rod-shaped, immersion body, in particular such that the immersion body is arranged at least partially within a lumen of a partial segment of the pipeline or within a lumen of a tube of the measuring transducer inserted into the course of the pipeline and is designed to have the measuring medium flow around it and to be allowed to vibrate during this. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sensor arrangement has at least one further (second) vibration sensor, in particular one which is structurally identical to the first vibration sensor and/or is electrodynamic, optoelectronic or piezoelectric. Measuring system according to the previous claim, - wherein the further (second) vibration sensor, in particular in the same way as the (first) vibration sensor, is electrically connected to the measuring system electronics; and/or - wherein the further (second) vibration sensor, in particular in the same way as the (first) vibration sensor, is set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the vibration element around a static rest position and to convert them into a sensor signal (of the measuring transducer) representing vibrations of the vibration element, in particular a speed of vibration movements of the vibration element; and/or - wherein the at least two vibration sensors of the measuring transducer are of identical construction; and/or - wherein the at least two vibration sensors of the sensor arrangement are spaced apart from one another, in particular in such a way that they are arranged symmetrically with respect to an imaginary plane of symmetry of the at least one vibration element; and/or - wherein the at least two vibration sensors of the sensor arrangement are equidistant from the at least one vibration exciter, in particular such that they are arranged symmetrically with respect to an imaginary plane of symmetry of the at least one vibration element; and/or - wherein the sensor arrangement (apart from the first and second vibration sensors) has no further (vibration) sensors that are set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the at least one vibration element and to convert them into a sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) representing vibrations of the at least one vibration element; and/or - wherein the sensor arrangement (apart from the first and second vibration sensors) has no further vibration sensors that are set up to detect mechanical vibrations of the measuring transducer and to convert them into a sensor signal (of the sensor arrangement) representing vibrations of the measuring transducer; and/or - wherein the at least one vibration exciter is positioned within at least one imaginary plane of symmetry of the at least one vibration element; and/or - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to determine (digital) measured values for at least one measured variable using the at least one sensor signal received during the first operating mode from the further (second) vibration sensor, in particular a spectral (useful) signal component with a signal frequency corresponding to the useful frequency, in particular to determine a volume flow and/or a mass flow of a medium flowing through the measuring transducer based on a phase difference between spectral (useful) signal components of the sensor signals of each of the two vibration sensors (each with a signal frequency corresponding to the useful frequency). Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, - further comprising: an electronics housing (200) for the measuring system electronics (20), in particular fastened to a transducer housing of the measuring transducer and/or metallic (having several resonant frequencies); and/or - further comprising: a transducer housing, in particular metallic (having several resonant frequencies), wherein the transducer housing and the at least one vibration element are fastened to one another, in particular detachably. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring system electronics has at least one (data) storage element (EEPROM) for, in particular non-volatile, storage of digital (measurement and/or operating) data, in particular one or more measurement values and/or one or more (disturbance) parameter values and/or one or more (measurement system) parameter values. Measuring system according to the previous claim, - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up (in the first operating mode) to store one or more (measuring system) parameter values in at least one (data) storage element, in particular to read them out (again) in the first and/or second operating mode; and/or - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up (in the second operating mode) to store one or more (disturbance) parameter values in at least one (data) storage element, in particular to read them out (again) in the first and/or second operating mode; and/or - wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to store one or more measured values in at least one (data) storage element (EEPROM). Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring system electronics or the measuring system formed thereby is integrated into a higher-level electronic data processing system (EDP), in particular formed by means of a programmable logic controller (PLC) and/or a process control system (PCS) and/or an edge (computing) device and/or a cloud (computing) system, in particular connected to the higher-level electronic data processing system in terms of signal and data technology. Measuring system according to the preceding claim, wherein the measuring system electronics (ME) is set up to communicate with the higher-level electronic data processing system via a data line (2L) and/or by radio, in particular to activate (in conjunction) the second operating mode and/or to carry out a switch from the second operating mode to the first operating mode automatically and/or in dialogue with a user of the measuring system. Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring system electronics comprises a radio unit, in particular for sending measuring system data (to a higher-level electronic data processing system) and/or for receiving process data (from a higher-level electronic data processing system). Measuring system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the measuring system electronics are set up to receive a (process status) message, in particular one generated externally from the measuring system electronics and transmitted to the measuring system electronics via data transmission and/or causing an activation of the second operating mode, from a higher-level electronic data processing system (EDP) (connected to the measuring system electronics for data technology) and/or a display and control element connected to the measuring electronics for signal technology, in particular a display and control element of the measuring system and/or an (on-site) control device for the measuring system, in particular to activate or execute the second operating mode depending on the (process status) message. Measuring system according to the previous claim, - wherein the (process state) message signals that the measured material, in particular with a predetermined (reference) volume and/or (reference) mass flow, is flowing through the measuring transducer; and/or - wherein the (process state) message signals that a pump connected to the measuring transducer, in particular via a pipeline, is switched on.

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