Ultrasonic sensors for process applications

Typical examples for the sensory use of ultrasound in industry are the measurement of flow, level, density, viscosity or concentration. Most commercial devices only provide one of these quantities but a microprocessor based evaluation of the measured information in connection with extended models of the measurement setup may also extend the functionality of those sensors. In this contribution some trends for further developments of ultrasound flowmeters and ultrasonic chemical sensors will be outlined. Focusing on flow measurement, some functional enhancements like flow profile correction and the simultaneous identification of the flowing medium are discussed in more detail.