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A vortex-sensing fluid flowmeter has a freely rotatable vortex-shedding body suspended in a section of conduit through which a fluid stream passes, the body being oriented generally transverse to the direction of fluid flow. The body has an integrally formed upstream-facing portion adapted to shed a series of vortices within the fluid, which vortices alternately influence opposite lateral faces of the body, tending to produce a periodic rotation of the body about a firmly attached rotational shaft. The shaft is rotatably mounted to the conduit and passes at one end through the wall of the conduit to the exterior thereof. A sleeve-like tube surrounds the shaft and is fastened tightly at its bottom end to the shaft and at its top end to the conduit wall to provide a fluid-tight seal around the shaft. The tube is sufficiently flexible and pliable to exert negligible restraining force against the rotation of the shaft. A sensing device located outside of the fluid stream and coupled to the externally protruding portion of the shaft exerts a predetermined restraint on the shaft. This restraint limits the maximum rotation of the shaft at high flow rates, for minimizing the fatiguing stress exerted on the sealing tube, yet does not impede rotation at low flow rates. The sensing device responds to the restrained rotations of the shaft, and electronic circuitry associated with the sensing device converts the response to a signal output indicative of the flow rate of the fluid.
1. Apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a fluid stream, comprising in combination:
a conduit for carrying said fluid stream;
an elongate vortex-shedding body in said conduit and positioned with its longitudinal axis transverse to the direction of fluid flow to shed vortices alternately from opposite sides thereof, to apply an alternating torque to said body about said longitudinal axis;
support shaft means secured to said body and aligned with said longitudinal axis, said support shaft means being rotatably mounted to said conduit for rotation about said axis, and having one end extending out through an opening in said conduit, beyond the wall thereof;
a relatively thin flexible tube surrounding a portion of said support shaft means adjacent said one end and coaxial therewith, the outer end of said tube being sealingly secured to the wall of said conduit, and the inner end of said tube being sealingly secured to said support shaft means, to prevent fluid leakage through said opening; and
sensing means external to said conduit and coupled to said support shaft means, for developing a signal representative of the flow rate of said fluid stream.
2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the ends of said vortex-shedding body are physically detached from said conduit, and is held in position within said conduit by said support shaft means.
3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tube is made of stainless steel.
4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said tube is made of an elastomeric material.
5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 further comprising:
means for preventing three-dimensional effects in the regions between the ends of said body and the walls of said conduit.
6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said preventing means comprises:
a pair of parallel plates attached to the opposite ends of said body and extending beyond the outer periphery thereof.
7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said external sensing means comprises
means for restricting rotational motion of said shaft means in response to said alternating torque, and
means responsive to said restricted rotational motion for developing a signal reflecting the flow rate of said fluid.
8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensing means comprises:
a housing fixed relative to said conduit;
a central hub within said housing adapted for rigid attachment to, and movement with, said end of said support shaft means;
a plurality of rotors rigidly attached to, and radially outwardly extending from, said hub, and spaced apart from said housing;
a resilient material filling the spaces between said rotors and said housing, said material restricting the amount of movement of said rotors relative to said housing; and
means responsive to the restricted movement of said rotors, for developing a signal representative of the flow rate of said fluid stream.
9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said responsive means comprises a piezoelectric crystal disposed within said resilient material, subject to mechanical stresses produced by the movement of said rotors.
10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said responsive means comprises optical means disposed to detect the movement of said rotors.
11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensing means comprises:
a housing fixed relative to said conduit;
a central hub within said housing adapted for rigid attachment to, and movement with, said end of said support shaft portion;
a plurality of rotors radially outwardly extending from said hub, and spaced apart from said housing, each of said rotors including
a base member rigidly attached to said hub, and
at least one first metallic plate disposed on the outer surfaces of said base member;
a plurality of second metallic plates fixed with relation to said housing, spaced apart from and disposed relative to said plurality of rotors and said first metallic plates so as to form a plurality of capacitors therewith; and
a resilient dielectric material filling the spaces between said first metallic plates and said second metallic plates, said material limiting the amount of movement of said rotors relative to said second metallic plates;
whereby periodic movement of said rotors relative to said second metallic plates, in response to the rotations of said shaft, produces a periodic change of capacitance at a rate corresponding to the flow rate.
12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensing means comprises:
a housing;
a junction block within said housing, firmly attached to, and movable with, said shaft portion;
a thin metallic band fastened to said junction block and extending at either end beyond said block, the ends of said band being rigidly attached to said housing, said band having sufficient slack therein to permit limited back-and-forth rotation of said block and the attached shaft portion, until said band becomes taut; and
means for detecting the periodic movement of said band as it alternately becomes taut and slackens due to the rotations of said shaft.
13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said detecting means comprises
an air nozzle disposed relative to said moving metallic band so as to form a pneumatic flapper-nozzle combination therewith, whereby said periodic movement of said band produces a corresponding periodic change in air pressure at said nozzle.
14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said detecting means comprises an optical means.
15. Apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a fluid stream, comprising in combination:
a conduit for carrying said fluid stream;
a vortex shedding body, suspended with said conduit, with its top and bottom ends spaced apart from the adjacent walls of said conduit, and oriented transverse to the direction of flow, said body being freely rotatably mounted to said conduit by an attached shaft, a portion of said shaft extending longitudinally from at least one of said ends and protruding through said conduit to the exterior thereof, and said body further including integral downstream side surfaces which are influenced by periodically shed fluid vortices, thereby tending to produce periodic rotary oscillations of said body and the attached shaft;
a relatively thin tube surrounding said shaft portion, being tightly attached at one end to said shaft and being adapted at the opposite end to be tightly secured to said conduit, said tube being thick enough to form a seal to prevent passage of fluid past said shaft to the exterior of said conduit, yet thin and flexible enough to exert negligible restraining forces on the rotation of said shaft; and
sensing means external to said conduit and coupled to said shaft portion, including
means for restricting the maximum extent of said rotary oscillations of said shaft, whereby negligible torque is exerted on said tube, and
means responsive to said restricted rotary oscillations for generating an output signal indicative of the flow rate of said fluid stream;
whereby the rotary oscillations produced in said body by the periodic influences of the vortices are transmitted to said sensing means along said body and said shaft with minimal attenuation, due to the freely rotatable nature of said body and said shaft relative to said conduit.
16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15, further including selectable, externally actuable means for preventing rotation of said shaft when uncoupling said sensing means from said shaft portion.
17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said tube is adapted to be tightly secured to said shaft by an adjustable, releasable coupling means which presses a portion of said opposite end of said tube into sealing engagement with said conduit.
18. Apparatus for measuring the flow rate of a fluid stream, comprising in combination:
a conduit for carrying said fluid stream;
a vortex shedding body, suspended within said conduit, with its top and bottom ends spaced apart from the adjacent walls of said conduit, and oriented transverse to the direction of flow, said body being freely rotatably mounted to said conduit by an attached shaft, a portion of said shaft extending longitudinally from at least one of said ends and protruding through said conduit to the exterior thereof, and said body further including integral downstream side surfaces which are influenced by periodically shed fluid vortices thereby tending to produce periodic rotary oscillations of said body and the attached shaft;
a pair of parallel plates attached to the opposite ends of said body and extending beyond the outer periphery thereof, so as to prevent passage of fluid in the regions between the ends of said body and the walls of said conduit;
a relatively thin tube surrounding said shaft portion, being tightly attached at one end to said shaft and being adapted at the opposite end to be tightly secured to said conduit, said tube being thick enough to form a seal to prevent passage of fluid past said shaft to the exterior of said conduit, yet thin and flexible enough to exert negligible restraining forces on the rotation of said shaft; and
external sensing means coupled to said shaft portion, including
a housing,
a junction block within said housing, firmly attached to and movable with said shaft portion,
a thin metallic band fastened to said junction block and extending at either end beyond said block, the ends of said band being rigidly attached to said housing, said band having sufficient slack therein to permit limited back-and-forth rotation of said block and the attached shaft portion until said band becomes taut, and
an air nozzle disposed relative to said moving metallic band so as to form a pneumatic flapper-nozzle combination therewith, whereby said periodic movement of said band produces a corresponding periodic change in air pressure at said nozzle,
means responsive to said periodic changes in pressure for generating an output signal indicative of the flow rate of said fluid stream;
whereby the rotary oscillations produced in said body by the periodic influences of the vortices are transmitted to said sensing means along said body and said shaft with minimal attenuation, due to the freely rotatable nature of said body and said shaft relative to said conduit.
The present invention relates generally to the field of fluid flowmeters which respond to the influences of vortices generated within the fluid stream and more particularly to flowmeters of this type in which the sensing of the responses to the vortex action is performed away from the fluid stream.
It is well known in the art of fluid flowmeter design that a non-streamlined, or bluff, body placed appropriately within a fluid stream sheds a series of periodic vortices, commonly known as a Von Karmann vortex street, alternately from opposite sides of the body, the rate of generation being related to the flow rate of the fluid. Numerous flowmeter apparatus have been devised in which a sensing element, located downstream from the bluff body, interacts in some manner with the vortices as the vortices, propagating with the fluid, move past the element. For example, the sensing element, if positioned properly, will be subject to periodic pressure pulses, induced by the vortices alternately on opposite sides of the element. Commonly used sensing elements are able to convert these alternating pressure pulses to, for example, an electrical signal which is processed and interpreted electronically to yield an accurate representation of the flow rate of the fluid.
There are several drawbacks, however, to placing the sensing element directly in the fluid stream. First of all, exposure to the process fluid, which may be highly abrasive or corrosive or at extremes of temperature, causes deterioration of the sensor and shortens its operating lifetime. Even if the sensor is not destroyed totally by the process fluids, it is very likely that the accuracy of its measurements will be affected adversely as it slowly deteriorates. Second, replacement of a efective sensing element is extremely difficult since this generally necessitates disruption in the flow of the process fluid and disassembly of the pipe section in which the sensor is located, resulting in costly downtime. With this in mind, it is particularly advantageous to position the sensing element outside of the pipe section and away from the destructive effects of the process fluid, in a more environmentally acceptable location. In such an arrangement, it becomes necessary to transmit the mechanical effects induced by the vortices, such as vibration or rotary motion, from the inside of the pipe to the location of the sensor.
Several systems for external transmission of the vortex-induced motion have been proposed in the prior art. Non-mechanical systems utilizing, for example, magnetic coupling, ultrasonic or radioactive techniques have been developed, with varying degrees of success. A commonly used means of transmission is a system in which vibrations or pulsations are induced within a body positioned within the vortex street, and are transmitted, by a mechanical linkage coupled to the body, to the exterior of the pipe. The sensor then interacts with the mechanical linkage to generate an output signal corresponding to the flow rate of the fluid. The mechanical linkage yields a positive transmission of the flow rate information to the external sensor.
Representative examples of such previous designs are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,116,639 (Bird); 3,946,608 (Herzl); and 4,033,189 (Herzl et al). Each of these examples, however, incorporates a feature which adversely affects the ability of the body and its associated mechanical linkage to transmit information signals, induced by the influences of the vortices, beyond the pipe interior. For example, in Bird, a rubber-like gasket material, used as a fluid seal around the body's rotational shaft, unavoidably exerts considerable friction against the shaft, to reduce its freedom of rotation. This situation decreases the sensitivity of the flowmeter, especially when measuring streams having very low flow rates. In the Herzl and the Herzl et al patents there is a restraint on the freedom of movement of a rotatable body due to the fact that a portion of the body is secured to the interior of the pipe wall. In each of these cases there is a dissipation of the kinetic energy initially produced within the rotatable body by the vortices, so that the amount of motion ultimately transmitted to and detected by the external sensor becomes attenuated. Such attenuation means loss of information and loss of ability to measure very low flow rates.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to produce a vortex-sensing flowmeter in which a rotatable body influenced by the vortex street experiences a minimal amount of restraint to rotational motion within the interior of the pipe, to insure maximum transmission of informational signals to a sensor located outside of the pipe.
Another object of the invention is to isolate the sensor away from the process environment, to avoid detrimental influences on the sensors, and to facilitate maintenance thereof.
Still another object is to minimize the susceptibility of the flowmeter to respond to vibrations other than those caused by vortex shedding.
Yet another object of the invention is to achieve a flowmeter assembly which exhibits significant sensitivity to fluid flow even at extremely low flow rates, and to do so in a reliable and accurate manner.
A vortex flowmeter in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a conduit for carrying a fluid stream, and a vortex shedding body suspended within the conduit with its top and bottom ends spaced apart from the adjacent walls of said conduit, and oriented transverse to the direction of flow. The body is freely rotatably mounted to the walls of the conduit by an attached shaft, with a portion of the shaft extending longitudinally from at least one of the body ends and protruding through the conduit to the exterior. The vortex-shedding body further includes integral downstream side surfaces which are influenced by the periodically shed fluid vortices, thereby tending to produce periodic rotary oscillations of the body and the attached shaft. There is also a relatively thin tube surrounding a portion of the shaft, tightly attached at one end to the shaft and at the opposite end to the conduit. The tube is thick enough to form a seal to prevent passage of fluid past the shaft to the exterior of the conduit, yet it is thin and flexible enough to exert negligible restraining forces on the rotation of the shaft.
The flowmeter further includes a sensing device which is coupled to the external portion of the shaft. The sensing device includes both a mechanism, external to the conduit, for restricting the maximum extent of rotary oscillations of the shaft so as to exert negligible torque on the tube, and a section which is responsive to these restricted rotary oscillations to generate an output signal indicative of the flow rate of the fluid stream. Due to the freely rotatable nature of the vortex-shedding body and the attached shaft relative to the conduit, the rotary oscillations produced in the body by the periodic influences of the vortices are transmitted to the sensing device, along the body and the rotational shaft, with minimal attenuation. In other words, the majority of the information-bearing signal induced within the vortex-shedding body reaches the sensing device for detection and is not dissipated as losses within either the conduit or the vortex-shedding body mounting structure.
Furthermore, since the signal is rotary, or torsional, in nature, it is minimally influenced by extraneous vibrations affecting the flowmeter, which vibrations are typically linear.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention the flowmeter is housed within a relatively short pipe section, to facilitate installation into a pipeline. The downstream end of the vortex shedding body, when in its normal operating position, protrudes beyond the mounting surface on the downstream end of the pipe section. Ordinarily, this protruding end would interfere with the ease of installation of the flowmeter. However, the sealing tube can be temporarily uncoupled from the conduit to permit the body to be swung into a position perpendicular to its normal operating position. This maneuver retracts the protruding end completely within the confines of the pipe section.
The novel features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a front elevation view, in cutaway and partial section, showing a flowmeter in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a detail view of the flowmeter, in vertical section, showing the vortex-shedding body and its mounting structure;
FIG. 3 is a detail view, in vertical section, of the external sensor and its interconnection with the rotational shaft of the vortex-shedding body;
FIG. 4 is a detail view, in horizontal section, of the external sensor; and
FIGS. 5A and 5B are detail views of the rotational shaft clamping mechanism in non-actuated and actuated conditions respectively;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternate sensor mechanism; and
FIG. 7 is a detail sectional view of the vortex-shedding body, taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 1.
As shown in FIG. 1, a flowmeter assembly 11 has an outer housing in the form of a short section of pipe 13, with an inner bore 15, for insertion in a pipeline (not shown) of flowing fluid. The opposite ends 17, 19 of the pipe section 13 have vertical faces 17a, 19a respectively, adapted to butt against a conventionally known gasket assembly (not shown) on the mating sections of the pipeline. Alternate mounting arrangements, such as appropriately configured flanges, can be used to accommodate a particular installation.
A rotatable vortex-shedding body 21 is positioned inside the bore 15 of the pipe 13, with its longitudinal axis 23 oriented generally transverse to the direction of fluid flow within the pipe, indicated by an arrow 25. As can be seen, both a top end 27 and a bottom end 29 of the vortex-shedding body are spaced away from the inner wall 31 of the pipe 13 so that the body is neither attached to nor in frictional contact with this inner wall 31. A pair of shielding plates 28, oriented in the direction of fluid flow, are attached to these opposite ends 27, 29. A rotational shaft 33 is secured internally to the vortex-shedding body and extends beyond both ends 27, 29 of the body 21, into the pipe inner wall 31. Thus, the shaft and the attached vortex-shedding body are adapted for rotation as a unit about the axis 23.
In the embodiment shown, the lower end 33a of the shaft 33 rests within the socket 35 having a shaft-contacting inner surface 37 (see also FIG. 2) made of a friction-reducing material, to provide minimal frictional restraint against rotation of the shaft. Since the socket as shown does not pass completely through the pipe 13, no separate fluid-sealing mechanism is needed about the shaft at this location, which otherwise would restrict shaft movement. Alternatively, any one of a number of conventionally known bearing or flexure assemblies with very low friction characteristics may be substituted for the socket. The primary criterion in the selection of a suitable rotative mounting for the shaft 33 is that the mounting allow maximum freedom of rotation of the shaft, both initially and after exposure to the process fluid.
The upper end of the shaft passes entirely through the wall of the pipe 13 to the exterior thereof, at which point it couples to a sensing mechanism 39 whose operation will be described hereinafter in more detail.
The upper end of the shaft is rotatably mounted to the pipe 13 in a manner different from the arrangement used for mounting its bottom end 33a. Referring now to FIG. 2, a thin, torsionally flexible sleeve-like tube 41 surrounds the shaft 33 along an intermediate portion of the shaft's length. The tube 41 is made, for example, from a highly tractable metal such as stainless steel or an elastomeric material, to allow it to be twisted without generating an appreciable amount of counter-rotational force. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, a bottom portion 41a of the tube 41 is firmly attached to an outer surface of the shaft 33 at a point within the interior of the vortex-shedding body 21. A recess 45, cut into the outer surface of the shaft, receives the thin tube 41 and aids in the proper positioning and seating of the tube. The tube 41 is fixed to the shaft using any conventionally known technique, such as welding, brazing, adhesives or other suitable processes. A pin 47 passes through the vortex-shedding body into the shaft 33 to rigidly lock the body to the shaft, and cause them to rotate as a single unit. However, any other suitable arrangement for rigidly joining these two members can be utilized.
The upper end of the thin tube 41 has a horizontally disposed flange 49 integrally formed therewith. The underside surface 49a of the flange 49 is seated upon soft-metal gasket 50. A threaded insert 51, engaged within a threaded hole 52, exerts downward pressure on the flange, forcing it against the gasket, so as to achieve a fluid-tight seal. This seal prevents fluid within the pipe section 13 from travelling along the outer surface of the tube 41, past the shaft 33 and into contact with the sensing mechanism 39 (see FIG. 1).
The flexible tube 41 exerts a negligible amount of torsional restraining force against the shaft as the shaft attempts to rotate. Although it is intended that the tube 41 be as thin as possible, to enhance its flexibility and reduce its resistance to torsion, it still must be able to withstand the hydrostatic pressures normally present within the pipe without rupturing. Therefore, depending on the material used, there is a minimum practical thickness which must be maintained in order to withstand the fluid pressures generated by a particular process flow. This situation implies an unavoidable amount of inherent resistance to torsion. However, by proper selection of materials and dimensions of both the shaft 33 and the tube 41, the rigidity of the shaft which links the movements of the rotatable body 21 to the region outside the pipe 13 is made appreciably greater than that of the tube. This means that the small, unavoidable amount of torsional restraining force in the tube is indeed negligible by comparison, and does not perceptibly affect the ability of the shaft to rotate. The tube thickness can be reduced further by having the tube fit snugly around the underlying shaft, thus using the added support of the shaft surface to resist the process fluid pressure.
The entire structure described to this point minimizes the shunting of information-bearing energy induced within the vortex-shedding body into either the pipe wall or the mountings upon which the shaft 33 rotates, where it would be dissipated as heat and lost. In this way, the maximum possible amount of energy is transferred from the body 21 through the shaft 33, to the external sensing mechanism 39, where it is sensed and processed to provide a readout of fluid flow rates within the pipe. In the cases where very low flow rates are being measured or where fluids of very low density are involved, there is, understandably, a minimal amount of energy available for transfer into the rotatable body. Therefore losses suffered during transmission to the outside sensing mechanism 39 could adversely affect the low-flow measuring capability, e.g., if the remaining signal level is insufficient to drive the sensing mechanism. As will be described in more detail later in the specification, although the sensing mechanism does not permit the vortex-shedding body and its firmly attached shaft to actually rotate to any appreciable extent, nevertheless the body and shaft are capable of essentially unrestrained rotation within the pipe itself, to maximize the strength of the flow rate information-bearing signal available for detection by the sensing mechanism.
It also should be pointed out that it is advantageous that the information-bearing signal is conveyed to the sensing mechanism by rotation of the shaft 33 rather than by translational movements. This is because noise signals generally manifest themselves as linear, translational type movements, due to linear acceleration from shocks or stresses acting upon the exterior of the pipe. Using a sensing mechanism which responds only to rotary movements and effectively ignores any non-rotary movements avoids the serious problem of weak information signals being obscured by noise.
To reduce the likelihood of spurious rotations being induced in the vortex-shedding body 21 by external forces exerted on the flowmeter assembly 11, the rotational shaft 33 in the illustrated embodiment (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is located at the center of mass of the body 21, that is, at the point where the total mass of the body, including that of the end plates 28, is symmetrically distributed about the shaft. In this way, accelerations due to external forces are applied simultaneously to equal masses on either side of the shaft. Since the applied force equals the mass times the acceleration, the forces on one side of the shaft, which otherwise would tend to rotate the body about the shaft, are counterbalanced by equal forces on the opposite side of the shaft, leaving a zero net rotative force. Although the shaft is preferably positioned at the center of mass of the vortex-shedding body itself, any conventional system of counterbalancing weights may be attached to the shaft to achieve the above-described symmetry of mass about the shaft. Such a counterbalancing system even may be attached conveniently to that portion of the shaft which protrudes outside of the pipe 13.
At this point in time it may be helpful to discuss how the desired rotary oscillations are induced in the vortex-shedding body 21. Referring again to FIG. 1, the contours of the body 21 are specifically configured so that an upstream-facing portion 21a of the body, which is integrally formed therewith, presents a non-streamlined profile to the incoming fluid stream and is able to shed an alternating series of vortices within the fluid stream, first from one side of the body and then from the other, in a manner well known in the vortex flowmeter art. A detailed description of a specific body contour, suitable for vortex shedding, is contained in U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,020, having the same assignee as the present application, and which hereby is incorporated by reference.
The vortices are shed at a frequency proportional to the flow rate of the fluid stream. As the vortices proceed in the direction of the arrow 25, past the downstream portion of the vortex-shedding body, they exert influence alternately on a front and a back lateral surface 53, 54 (see FIG. 7) respectively, of the body. When the vortex action produces pressure on the front lateral surface 53 of the vortex-shedding body 21, the body tends to rotate rearward, into the plane of the drawing. Shortly thereafter, when the vortex action produces a similar pressure on the back lateral surface 54 of the body, the body tends to rotate the body forward, opposite to the prior influence of the vortices. As the stream of vortices continues past the rotatable body and exerts pressure on alternate sides thereof, a tendency is created to rotate or oscillate the vortex-shedding body and the attached shaft 33 in alternate directions about the rotational axis 23. The frequency at which this tendency to oscillate occurs is the same as the rate at which the vortices are shed, and, as described above, depends on the flow rate of the fluid through the pipe.
Maximum interaction with and maximum energy transfer to the lateral sides of the vortex-shedding body occur when each vortex is shed in a single, in-phase "sheet" extending across the full height, or span, of the body, i.e. from its top end 27 to its bottom end 29. In previous vortex flowmeter designs, wherein the top and bottom ends of the body are butted against and secured to the inside of the pipe wall, the presence of the wall prevents the creation of destructive turbulence or "three-dimensional end effects", which can be caused by fluid flow through a gap between the ends of the vortex-shedding body and the pipe wall. These three-dimensional effects result in out-of-phase, nonperiodic vortices which are detrimental to providing accurate flow rate information. Since the top and bottom ends 27, 29 of the vortex-shedding body 21 in the present invention are intentionally spaced from the inner wall 31 of the pipe 13, to improve the rotatability thereof, the horizontally extending shielding plates 28 (see FIGS. 1 and 7) serve as functional substitutes for the wall, to prevent these undesirable effects. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, these plates are relatively thin and are generally rectangular in shape, although other appropriate shapes and configurations are possible. The edges of the plates 28 extend, on all sides, beyond the periphery of the body, to a sufficient distance to prevent fluid cross-flow in the regions between the body ends and the pipe wall. In the illustrated embodiment these plates extend beyond the body in the downstream direction to a further degree than in the other directions. As far as the effective shedding of vortices is concerned, the shielding plates 28 perform the same function as would the wall of the pipe.
Due to the previously discussed freely rotatable nature of both the vortex-shedding body 21 and the rotational shaft 33, and the negligible restraining force of the tube 41 the pressures exerted by the vortices potentially can create a sizable rotation of the body, in the absence of any externally imposed restraint. However, the body and its attached shaft are never actually permitted to experience such free-wheeling rotations. The important consideration is that the more freely the body is able to rotate within the pipe, the easier it can be set in motion by even the relatively weak vortices generated by slow-moving fluids. Once this periodic, vortex-induced motion, incorporating the flow rate information, has been transmitted with minimal attenuation via the shaft 33 to the exterior of the pipe, it can be sensed by any of a variety of conventional detectors to transform this vibratory motion into an output signal indicative of the flow rate. However, unrestrained rotation of the shaft will unduly strain and fatigue the tube 41, leading to premature failure of the fluid-tight seal. Therefore it is desirable to use a sensing mechanism which couples to the external portion of the shaft and applies a restraining force thereto, to limit severely the actual rotative travel of the shaft.
Referring now to FIG. 3, such a specially configured sensing mechanism 39 is contained within a rugged housing 59 which sits securely in a mating receptacle 61 mounted to the exterior of the pipe 13. The mechanism 39 is shown as an integral, self-contained unit, which can be uncoupled easily from the shaft 33 and replaced as needed, without disturbing the fluid flow within the pipe, and which is isolated from the deteriorating effects of the fluid as well. A central cylindrical hub 63 with an upwardly tapered internal cavity 65 snugly accommodates a similarly tapering end portion 67 of the shaft 33. A nut 69, accessible by removing a cover 71, engages a threaded section 73 of the shaft 67, and applies downward pressure on the hub 63, keeping it in a tight, non-slipping engagement with the shaft portion 67. This arrangement insures rotation of the hub with the shaft as a unit. The hub 63 itself is rotatably cradled in bearing surfaces 75, 77 formed in upper and lower supports 79, 81 respectively, which supports are attached rigidly to the housing. Upper and lower O-rings 83, 85 surround the hub to form a seal against intrusion by external moisture.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, four radially extending rotor arm assemblies 87 are firmly attached to the hub 63, each positioned at equal 90� intervals about the hub circumference. Although the illustrated embodiment shows four such assemblies, configurations using different numbers are equally feasible. Each rotor assembly 87 includes a base 89, with generally rectangular vertical surfaces 90, which extends vertically along a section of the hub 63 with its longitudinal axis parallel to that of the shaft 33. Rectangular metal plates 91 are mounted parallel to one another on opposite vertical surfaces of each base 89, the plates being of the same approximate size as the vertical surfaces 90.
The four rotor assemblies 87 are positioned respectively within four vertically extending cavities 93 formed in the housing 59 (see also FIG. 4), between the upper and lower supports 79, 81 (see FIG. 3). Metal plates 97 are fastened to the vertical wall which define the respective cavities 93, each plate being disposed opposite, and spaced away from, the corresponding plate 91 in the corresponding rotor arm assembly 87. The voids 101 between the stationary plates 97 and the plates 91 on the movable rotor arm assemblies 87 are filled with a resilient dielectric material 102, which allows only limited variations in the spacing between the opposing plates, despite the magnitude of the torque developed by the shaft. Preferably this resilient material has a suitable spring characteristic such that the typically small amounts of torque generated by the vortices associated with a very slow moving fluid stream can produce a noticeable rotation of the shaft and therefore a noticeable change in the inter-plate spacing, while the considerably greater amounts of torque associated with rapidly moving fluids do not result in excessive rotations. For example, a material having a non-linear spring characteristic may be used advantageously. As mentioned above briefly, such restraint on the shaft rotation avoids fatigue of the sealing tube 41.
Each combination of a stationary plate 97, its corresponding movable plate 91, and the intervening dielectric material 102 effectively forms a variable capacitor, and the above discussed changes in inter-plate spacing result in changes in the capacitance thereof. Clearly, the capacitance varies periodically, due to the periodic movements of the shaft under the influence of the vortices. Each of the capacitors is joined, via a suitable interconnection scheme (not shown) to a conventional electronic circuit 103, shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, which is able to respond to the periodic changes in capacitance and convert them into an output signal indicative of the fluid flow rate. The specific details of a circuit to provide such a function would be apparent to one skilled in the electronics art and therefore are not recited here.
Although this sensor operates on the principle of detecting a periodically changing capacitance value, other equally acceptable detecting schemes are conceivable. For example, a piezoelectric crystal can be inserted within the resilient dielectric material, to produce periodic electrical impulses as the crystal is mechanically stressed. Alternatively, a suitably positioned optical sensor can be used to detect visually the movements of the rotor assemblies and produce an appropriate output signal.
It should be noted that since, in order to measure the flow rate, it is only necessary to detect the frequency, rather than the amplitude, of the deflection, the frequency output signal produced is peculiarly adaptable to a digital system. There is no need for providing an analog to digital conversion of the output signal.
Since the sensing mechanism 39 represents the only structure in the flowmeter which intentionally exercises appreciable restraint against the rotation of the shaft, a problem arises if it becomes necessary to disconnect the sensing mechanism for replacement or repair. If the flow of fluid through the pipe is not to be interrupted during such an operation, the vortices may cause the freely rotatable vortex-shedding body to be rotated excessively, thus unnecessarily stressing the sealing tube 41. Therefore, to prevent such potentially destructive action, an adjustable shaft clamping mechanism is provided in the present invention. Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 5A, the cup-like receptacle 61 used for retaining the sensing mechanism has an outwardly projecting rim 105 extending about its circumference. A coupling rim 107 has an inwardly projecting lip 109 which bears against this rim. The inner wall 107a of the coupling ring threadedly engages a threaded boss 111 on the exterior of the pipe 13. A series of C-shaped springs 113 are secured at their top edges to the underside of the receptacle 61 and at their bottom edges to the top of the boss 111. The springs 113 are spaced evenly about the inner circumference of the coupling ring 107 and they exert an upward bias on the receptacle 61 to maintain a passage 115 between the receptacle and the top of the boss 111. Rotating the threaded coupling ring 107 varies the compression of the springs 113 and changes the height of this passage 115.
The passage accommodates a disk 117 integrally formed with the shaft 33 and extending radially outwardly therefrom. During normal operation of the flowmeter this disk 117 is free to rotate along with the shaft within the passage 115. However, when it becomes necessary to disconnect the external sensing mechanism 39 from the shaft portion 67, the coupling ring 107 is rotated in the appropriate direction to draw the receptacle 61 downward, compressing the springs 113, until the disk 117 becomes squeezed between the top surface 111a of the boss and an annular protrusion 119 depending from the underside of the receptacle (see FIG. 5B). This arrangement prevents any rotation of the shaft despite the influences of the vortices on the vortex-shedding body 21. Upon replacement of the external sensing mechanism 39, the coupling ring 107 is rotated in the opposite direction to allow the receptacle 61 to move upwardly, under the influence of the springs 113, until the disk 117 again is free to move.
As mentioned previously in the specification, the embodiment shown utilizes a relatively short section of pipe 13 as an outer housing. This facilitates the insertion of the flowmeter into a pipeline as well as making it a suitable replacement for other narrow profile flowmeters. However, this advantage is lost if the vortex-shedding body 21 or other components attached thereto protrude beyond the end of the housing. For example, in FIG. 2, the shielding plates 28 are shown as extending outside of the pipe 13. However, the width of the body 21, that is, its dimension transverse both to the direction of fluid flow and its longitudinal axis 23, is generally shorter than its length, i.e., in the direction of fluid flow. The freely rotatable nature of the body once the threaded insert 51 (see FIG. 2) has been backed off, allows it, for installation purposes, to be rotated until its narrower width portion is aligned in the direction of the fluid flow, and no portion of the rotatable body protrudes beyond the confines of the housing. Naturally this rotation involves the disconnection of the sensing mechanism 39 from the upper portion 67 of the shaft, and the actuation of the above described shaft clamping mechanism, to maintain the body in the installation position. Once the flowmeter assembly has been properly installed with its pipeline, the shaft is freed, the vortex-shedding body is returned manually to its normal working position, and the sensing mechanism is connected to the shaft. Appropriate indicia can be provided on the shaft and housing to indicate the relative position of the rotatable body with respect to the flow direction, to insure the proper alignment of the rotatable body at the start of normal operation.
Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown an alternate external sensor 121 which is particularly useful in a flowmeter in accordance with the present invention. As in the case of the previously shown sensor 30, the sensor 121 can be uncoupled from the flowmeter without requiring a disruption in the process fluid flow. A housing 123 has a lower horizontal mounting plate 125 for securing the sensor to the pipe 13 (see FIG. 1). The shaft 33 passes upwardly through an access hole 127 in the plate 125 through a rotary junction block 129, through an access hole in the top surface of the housing 123, and terminates at the nut 131 which tightly engages the threaded top portion 73 of the shaft. A set screw (not shown) at the rear of the rotary junction block clamps the block securely to the shaft, and forces the block to oscillate in unison with the shaft.
In the illustrated embodiment a stainless steel band 132 is adjustably fastened at either end to the housing 123 by means of clamps 133, held in place by screws 135. The band passes through, and is coupled firmly to, the junction block 129, so that the oscillations of the junction block periodically vary the tension applied to the band. Clearly as the block rotates clockwise (as viewed from above) so as to increase the tension on the right-hand portion of the band, it simultaneously decreases the tension on the left-hand portion. The opposite condition holds true when the block changes direction and rotates counterclockwise.
Proper adjustment of the initial tension of the band while the junction block 129 is in an at-rest condition assures that the sensor 121 provides the appropriate type of restraint needed for efficient operation of the flowmeter. A slight amount of slack in both the left-hand and right-hand portions of the band allows the junction block to rotate slightly in either direction before sufficient tension is built up in the band to resist any further movement. In this way, the sensor still responds to the minute movements of the shaft occurring at low flow rates, yet, due to the significantly high tensile strength of the band, it sets a limit on the maximum amount of movement possible even at much higher flow rates.
As the righthand left-hand portions of the band alternately are tensioned and loosened, their planar surfaces deflect back and forth periodically, in the directions indicated by an arrow 136. The rate of movement of the shaft, which is determined by the flow rate within the pipe, is sensed by detecting the periodic deflections of the band. In the embodiment shown, a nozzle 138 is positioned a slight distance behind the band, to form a conventional flapper-nozzle arrangement. When a supply of air (not shown) is supplied to the nozzle, movement of the band toward the nozzle causes an increase in the nozzle pressure, while movement away correspondingly decreases the pressure. Periodic movements of the band, even on the order of thousandths of an inch, produce a periodic pneumatic signal representative of the flow rate. Alternatively, the band deflection can be detected using, for example, magnetic or optical pick-up devices.
It should be pointed out that the present flowmeter may be adapted to measure mass flow as well. While the rate of rotary motion of the shaft 33 is proportional to the velocity V of the fluid stream, the fluid simultaneously also exerts an additional force on the rotatable body-shaft combination, in the direction of the fluid flow, which is proportional to ρv2, ρ being the fluid density. Conventionally known transducers could be used to measure the ρv2 force. Performing the calculation (ρv2/v)=ρv yields the mass flow rate of the fluid.
Although the present invention has been described in terms of the preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying figures, certain modifications and changes may become apparent to those skilled in the art. For example: alternative bearing surfaces to insure freedom of rotation of the shaft with respect to the pipe wall may become evident; alternative sensing mechanisms may be used to respond to the limited rotations of the shaft. It is intended that such modifications be included within the scope of the following claims.
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G24 | pdf edition | Friday October 26 2012 Sport Downloaded 14:17 GMT Chelsea would back rule to sack racist players, says Roberto Di Matteo Roberto Di Matteo today vowed Chelsea would adhere to any rule change that would see players sacked for racist abuse Page 2 Stan Kroenke defends Arsenal ambition following heated AGM Stan Kroenke defended his running of Arsenal in the face of heated opposition by fans at the club's AGM Page 3 Mo Farah considering 10,000m and marathon double at Rio Olympics Mo Farah will consider running both the 10,000m and the marathon at the Rio Olympics, according to his coach Alberto Salazar Page 4 Sebastian Vettel Cyclist Marcel Six Bernie Ecclestone Rudy Gay: 'I get dominates F1 practice banned for 18 months backs Lewis Hamilton spooked a lot by ahead of Indian after refusing drug to be an F1 success at strange stuff' Page 8 Grand Prix Page 4 test in May Page 6 Mercedes Page 7 Premiership clubs Mako Vunipola's Red Bull claim that San Francisco Giants ponder pulling special talent sees Sebastian Vettel will beat Detroit Tigers 2- out of talks to save him fast-tracked into not join Ferrari in 0 to lead World Series Heineken Cup Page 9 England squad Page 5 2014 Page 6 2-0 Page 7 guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 guardian.co.uk Registered in England and Wales. No. 908396. Registered office: PO Box 68164, Kings Place, 90 York Way, London, N1P 2AP Page G24 Sport Friday October 26 2012 14:17 GMT The last few days appear to have heralded the first signs of peace breaking out between the Ferdinand brothers and Chelsea would back rule to sack racist Chelsea pair Terry and Ashley Cole. players, says Roberto Di Matteo Cole, who gave evidence in support of Terry at his criminal trial, was branded a "choc ice" by United's Ferdinand in a • Chelsea came under fire for punishment retweeted tweet in the wake of the not guilty verdict in those of John Terry proceedings. There were fears the pair would not shake hands before Sunday's game but both appear prepared to do so. • Club will wear Kick It Out T-shirts this Di Matteo said: "I've always said that from our point of view, weekend we'll play our part. I don't foresee any problems in that sense. I Press Association hope that all the players will shake hands." There have also been suggestions Ferdinand was prepared to offer his hand to his former England defensive partner Terry at Stamford Bridge, even though the latter is still serving his racism ban. Confirming Terry would be at the game, Di Matteo said he would endorse such a gesture, saying: "I'm always for that, yes." However, that may not prevent Chelsea fans abusing Ferdinand, as they did during last season's 3-3 draw with United, which took place during the height of the feud between him and Terry. Di Matteo said: "Our fans have been very good, generally, very supportive of our team and respectful. I cannot comment on how every individual supporter in the stadium will react. Roberto Di Matteo says Chelsea would adhere to any rule But I'm sure they'll support our team and push them to a win." change that would see players sacked for racist abuse. Photograph: Alex Morton/Action Images Roberto Di Matteo has vowed Chelsea would adhere to any rule change that would see players sacked for racist abuse, despite their refusal to force John Terry out of the club. The Chelsea manager Di Matteo was coy about whether he fully endorsed the Professional Footballers' Association's six- point plan to combat racism, which has been drawn up in the wake of the Terry scandal. But he insisted Chelsea would follow it to the letter if it had the backing of the majority of clubs. He said: "It's a difficult one. If the majority believe that we need a law like that then, as I said, we will obey it and support it." * He added: "If it will become a rule, we will play by the rules, as we have always done. As a club, we are against any kind of discrimination and, if it does go through then we will support it." Chelsea came under heavy fire for merely fining Terry after he was found guilty by the Football Association of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand just over a year ago. The various punishments meted out to the Chelsea captain prompted a From Beirut to Big Brother, backlash among some black players towards both the club and Murdoch to Millionaire, the anti-racism movement. "Everybody has an opinion and we must respect that," Di discuss the hot topics in the Matteo added. "We behave the way we think is right for our club media on not one, but two blogs and that's how we're going to go forward." Some players took direct action by refusing to wear T-shirts Organ Grinder and Greenslade endorsing the 'Kick It Out' campaign during last week's fixtures, blogs.guardian.co.uk/ including Anton and Rio Ferdinand. It is the turn of Chelsea's squad to sport them during the warm-up before Sunday's organgrinder/ Premier League game against Manchester United. blogs.guardian.co.uk/ Di Matteo said: "We are supporting the Kick It Out campaign. greenslade/ It's going to be an individual choice for our players. We're not going to force anybody to, or not to, wear it. "But my personal opinion is that we should wear it and we should raise awareness about it and show the support for it." guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 guardian.co.uk Page G24 Sport Friday October 26 2012 14:17 GMT Alisher Usmanov's millions are resisted on principle, and an explanation sought for the bonus paid to Gazidis. One Stan Kroenke defends Arsenal ambition shareholder complained that the approach of the board was following heated AGM "putting profit before performance", which prompted Gazidis to argue that Arsenal's business model will succeed once they • Kroenke, Gazidis and Hill-Wood heckled come through what he calls a challenging time. by shareholders Gazidis predicts that in two years, prospects will look considerably different from Arsenal's perspective, with the • Arsène Wenger says he can understand effects of financial fair play and the upcoming commercial deals fans' fears which will be renewed in 2014 putting the club on a much more Amy Lawrence favourable footing. "The landscape of football is moving in our direction," he says. "We are at the forefront of clubs across England and Europe striving to bring the pointless spending race of recent times to an end. Financial fair play principles are gaining ground not only at European level but also within the Premier League itself. "As a result, I am able to state with confidence that as a consequence of this ambitious transformation in the next two years Arsenal will have the financial resources to be able to sit and compete among the leading clubs in the world." The message was not received with overwhelming enthusiasm. The supporters gave the impression they want to see Arsenal walk the walk instead of talking the talk. "There seems to be a lot of dissatisfaction. I can understand," said Stan Kroenke told Arsenal fans that 'winning is what it's all Wenger, who also admitted that he ranked Champions League about' after a tense AGM. Photograph: Bloomberg/Bloomberg qualification higher than winning the FA Cup. via Getty Images "It's sometimes emotional. I think as well, it's a lot guided Stan Kroenke has defended his running of Arsenal in the by fear. Our fans fear that we will not be capable to compete face of heated opposition by fans at Thursday's AGM, where financially to keep our best players and you know that subject questions were raised about whether the club was being run would turn up. It is still important that we keep our strength more for profit than sporting gains. The majority owner, the and stay united for the good of Arsenal. Sometimes you can chief executive Ivan Gazidis and the chairman Peter Hill-Wood forget that." were all heckled at the meeting as they justified Arsenal's The dilemma between financial and footballing rewards financial strategy and long-term vision despite the failure to remains sensitive. Gazidis felt "optimistic scepticism" that the win silverware since 2005. effects of Uefa's financial fair play regulations will help. Arsène Wenger used his address to calm what was becoming "What gives me optimism is it is not being driven by Michel an increasingly tense debate in which one shareholder even Platini as a means dreamed up in his bath to punish English accused the board of "ruining the club". Kroenke was also football clubs. I've seen this grow from the kernel of an idea asked whether he intended to take dividends out of Arsenal and to something that today is just about unanimously supported responded by saying that it was a decision for the board. by football clubs. This is coming from clubs across Europe Later he clarified his ambitions via the club's website. "I am who are crying out from a more sustainable model. There will ambitious for the Club and we all share the same goal," he said. be tremendous pressure for Uefa to run this transparently "The reason I am involved in sport is to win. It's what it's all and robustly. There is a strong movement developing and I'm about. Everything else is a footnote. I can assure you no one is convinced we will see regulation that will benefit the game. more ambitious than me. Arsenal is a tremendous club with a Even if Uefa's enforcement falls short of what we'd like it to be track record of consistent performance at the top level. That is there will be a second layer, with focus on break even, in the very rare but we have managed it. I know that will continue as Premier League we can turn to." we move forwards. We have an exciting future and our goal is to win trophies." That is the first time since the American sports mogul began * to invest in the club in 2007 that he has publicly given any indication of his priorities for Arsenal. Kroenke, who owns almost 67% of the club, pointed out he had a record of investing in his sports clubs and defended his involvement with Arsenal. "I have never put debt on the club, I have never said in any Compare and buy meeting that money wasn't available," Kroenke said. "My one regret with Arsenal was that I didn't get involved earlier," he Use our free independent comparison added. services to switch suppliers and save The meeting was tetchy enough for Wenger to call for money on all your household bills. unity. Topics from the floor included the suggestion that guardian.co.uk/money/compareandbuy Robin van Persie was sold for profit, a question about whether guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 guardian.co.uk Page 4 G24 Sport Friday October 26 2012 14:17 GMT "He's got the world championships coming up next year. We know he can be very good at marathon, but we don't know Mo Farah considering 10,000m and he can be the best in the world – it's a different event. So why marathon double at Rio Olympics would you go from where you are the best in the world to something completely unknown? • Farah's coach confirms he may take on "What if he goes to marathon too soon? It messes up your marathon track training. For one thing, you've got to train differently for six months, so you lose that normal track training you need. • Only one runner has won gold in Then it's going to take you three or four months to recover. 10,000m and marathon "It's crazy. Why would you risk all that? The only time it Tom Bryant makes sense is that he could run the worlds in Moscow next summer and then do London in April 2014. There is no worlds or Olympics in 2014, so he could run London and then still perhaps run a late track season in August." Sebastian Vettel dominates F1 practice ahead of Indian Grand Prix • Red Bull driver is fastest in opening two sessions • Lewis Hamilton records inconsistent times Mo Farah celebrates after winning the men's 5,000 metres Paul Weaver at the Buddh International Circuit final. Photograph: Tom Jenkins Mo Farah will consider running both the 10,000m and the marathon at the Rio Olympics, according to his coach, Alberto Salazar. Farah won gold at the 5,000m gu.com/p/39knm and the 10,000m gu.com/p/39gcc in London but he is unlikely to defend both titles in 2016 and may take on the marathon instead. "By Rio, Mo will be 33," Salazar told the BBC. "He'll run the 10,000m either way. It will be better than his 5,000m by then, because he maybe will have lost a little speed. My guess is that he will do a 10/marathon double. "At Rio, that would be a good shot. We will have to look at the schedule, but if the 10 is first, he would go 10,000m and marathon." Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull was fastest in the opening two Were Farah to take on both distances and win, he would be practice sessions of the Delhi Grand Prix. Photograph: Mark only the second athlete to take gold in both events at the same Thompson/Getty Images Games. Emile Zatopek is the sole runner to have achieved the Sebastian Vettel dominated both practice sessions at the Buddh feat after he won the 5,000m, 10,000m and marathon in 1952. International Circuit on Friday as Red Bull maintained the "It would be so much tougher now," Salazar admitted. momentum of their recent form in Singapore, Japan and South "There were a hundredth of the runners then that we have Korea. now." In the afternoon, the Formula One world champion shaved In London there were eight days between the 10,000m final more than half a second off his morning time to finish ahead and the marathon, while in Beijing there was a week between of his team-mate Mark Webber and Fernando Alonso, Nico the races. Should the schedule in Rio follow that template, Rosberg, Kimi Raikkonen and the British pair of Lewis Hamilton Salazar believes Farah would have enough time to recuperate and Jenson Button. between runs. Hamilton's inconsistent times in the second phase suggested "He would have a week," Salazar said. "That is more than he was experimenting with high fuel loads and at one point his enough to recover from one race. [In London], he runs a great McLaren team told him that he was "the fast guy on high fuel". 10,000m, does the 5,000m heats and then beats everyone There was some consolation for Alonso, who has seen his fresh in the five final. If he has a week between the 10 and the championship lead whittled down and finally obliterated by marathon, he'll be completely recovered." Vettel. He finished third behind the Red Bull pair and at one Farah will not attempt a marathon until at least 2014, despite stage was the fastest car on hard tyres. reports of a big money offer to run in London next year, and will It was a less happy outing for his Ferrari team-mate Felipe instead concentrate on the track for now. Massa, who had a spin, as did the accident-prone Romain Salazar said: "The way we look at it is pretty simple: he's the Grosjean. Massa complained about the "very strange balance" best long-distance runner on the track in the world right now. guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 guardian.co.uk Page G24 Sport Friday October 26 2012 14:17 GMT of his car and damaged his tyres. Test level enlarged to 23, England can now pick two reserve Webber made a belated appearance on the track and when props on the bench and, as a result, it is all but certain Vunipola he did, he immediately went top. But it was not long before the will win his first cap against Fiji on 10 November, less than 18 remorseless Vettel chased him down. months since joining Saracens from Bristol. "I've no doubt Paul di Resta was 11th, finishing ahead of Sergio Pérez and he'll make his mark on this autumn series," forecast Rowntree, Michael Schumacher. sounding like a man who has glimpsed the future and relishes In the first practice in the morning, Vettel finished on top, what he sees. "I'm confident he'll do a fantastic job whether he ahead of Button, Alonso and Hamilton, followed by Webber and comes on in the 52nd minute or the second minute." Rosberg. The German put in his best time a few minutes from England are lucky to have their young giant, not least as he the end and finished 0.3sec faster than anyone else. was also eligible for three other countries. His father, Fe'ao, Early in the session, Hamilton and Button both put in good represented Tonga at two World Cups but came over to Wales times and looked in the mood to dominate, before falling away in 1998 to play for Pontypool and brought the family with him. as the track became faster. But Friday's third practice outing Mako, who was born in Wellington and grew up in Newport, will be the most meaningful ahead of Saturday's qualifying. was subsequently schooled across the Severn Bridge and has already represented England at U16 and U18 level. Given his 19- year-old brother Billy is already impressing in the Wasps back Mako Vunipola's special talent sees him row, the England senior side could have a South Sea influence fast-tracked into England squad for years to come. It also gives England increasing strength in depth in the loosehead department, with Harlequins's Joe Marler set to start • Saracens prop selected after just 14 the autumn Tests and London Irish's Alex Corbisiero due back Premiership games from injury in December. Both the aforementioned players will • James Haskell, Ugo Monye and Tom have noted Rowntree's obvious enthusiasm, as will the Saxons Youngs also included pair of Worcester's Matt Mullan and Bath's Nathan Catt, both of whom have been leapfrogged. "I feel for them as they're not Robert Kitson doing anything wrong," admitted Rowntree. "But Mako's just doing a bit more. We can't ignore that sort of form." Along with Vunipola, England have also found it impossible to resist the claims of James Haskell, Ugo Monye and Tom Youngs, who have respectively stepped up for the injured Tom Croft, Ben Foden and Rob Webber. All three made a good impression on the summer tour to South Africa and Monye, who has not played a Test for England since 2010, could yet make the starting XV against Fiji when it is unveiled by the head coach Stuart Lancaster. Haskell is rewarded for his 28 tackles in the third Test draw against the Springboks in June, while Youngs was regarded as a remarkable physical specimen by Rowntree even when he was still a centre at Leicester. "I was aware he was the size of a brick outhouse, but I didn't expect Mako Vunipola joins the England squad with coach Graham him to transfer to hooker," admitted the former Tigers and Rowntree describing the Saracens prop's game as 'faultless'. England prop. Photograph: Patrick Bolger/Getty Images Lancaster was not present for the squad announcement because of a family funeral but, in his absence, the There are few rarer beasts than a 21-year-old prop forward management's collective selectorial preferences are hardening regarded as cherry ripe for Test rugby after a mere 14 as England seek the necessary results to ensure the top four Premiership games. Even rarer is the England coach who world ranking which will, in turn, improve their chances of publicly predicts such a naive rookie will have a major impact a favourable draw when the Rugby World Cup 2015 pools are within weeks rather than years. If Mako Vunipola turns out to determined in early December. be half as good a player as Graham Rowntree thinks he is, he In midfield, for example, it sounds as if England's skills is going to make the legendary Jason Leonard look positively coach Mike Catt is keen to persevere with the centre pairing second-rate. of Manu Tuilagi and Jonathan Joseph, which would improve For a young man who is relatively little-known at senior level the chances of Alex Goode starting at full-back and acting outside Saracens's dressing room, Vunipola certainly enjoyed a as a second playmaker in attack. Brad Barritt has also been spectacular drum roll from Rowntree following his promotion impressing for Saracens but Toby Flood's fine game against to the national squad for this autumn's QBE international series. Ospreys on Sunday may steer Lancaster towards retaining "I'm looking for a fault in his game and I can't find one at the Tuilagi at 12, rather than picking another Saracen, Owen Farrell, moment," purred Rowntree. "He's a dynamic ball carrier but he at 10 alongside his club-mate. Catt wants his men to be more loves a scrum and you know that turns me on." In prop-speak, like New Zealand – "If they get one opportunity they score it" that translates as: 'This bloke is something special.' – and develop a more ruthless edge against all-comers. Rowntree also made clear he had no qualms about pitching If there is a caveat it is that England, for now, have ignored Vunipola in against the All Blacks, the Springboks or anyone Gloucester's increasingly assured fly-half Freddie Burns, else bound for London next month. With matchday squads at guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 guardian.co.uk Page G24 Sport Friday October 26 2012 14:17 GMT his fast-developing colleague Billy Twelvetrees and another The panel did reduce the usual two-year ban by six months Kingsholm favourite James Simpson-Daniel, all of who would after deciding Six was able to demonstrate "no significant fault have added something different to the mix. Given the physical or negligence". challenges ahead, though, there are bound to be additional call- ups at some point even if the chosen players make it unscathed to Burton upon Trent on Sunday night for their training camp Red Bull claim that Sebastian Vettel will at St George's Park, the Football Association's gleaming new not join Ferrari in 2014 national centre. For that reason Rowntree was at pains to make clear the door has not been slammed on Nick Easter, Steve Borthwick or the • Red Bull say Vettel will stay, 'No doubt French-based players who, for now, have been deemed surplus about it' to requirements. Vunipola's selection, nevertheless, suggests • Ferrari make protest in support of Italian this management's thirst for new blood is far from sated. sailors Associated Press Cyclist Marcel Six banned for 18 months after refusing drug test in May • Six said he wanted to get home to see ill children • Anti-doping panel: 'He had to make time for test' Press Association Red Bull have insisted that Sebastian Vettel will not join Ferrari in 2014. Photograph: Manish Swarup/AP Red Bull's team principal Christian Horner insists Sebastian Vettel will stay with the team through the 2014 season amid fresh reports of a move to Ferrari. Horner told Sky Sports: "Absolutely, he will be here in 2014, no doubt about it." Ferrari's re-signing of Felipe Massa to a single-year deal for 2013 sparked speculation that the Italian team were lining up a move for a big name in 2014, and there was speculation that Cyclist Marcel Six has been banned after failing to take a drugs Vettel's contract had outs that would permit a move in 2014. test at a Canary Wharf cycle event in May. Photograph: MWP / Red Bull's Mark Webber is also on a one-year deal for 2013. Alamy/Alamy Meanwhile Ferrari have gone ahead with a contentious A cyclist has been banned for 18 months for refusing to take a decision to carry the Italian navy flag on its cars during practice drugs test because he said he wanted to get home to his sick for the Indian Grand Prix, in solidarity with two Italian navy children. personnel who are being held in the country over the shooting The British-licensed Belgian rider Marcel Six, competing for of two Indian fishermen. the Metaltek Scott team in an event at Canary Wharf in May, The Italian pair are accused of killing the fishermen off told the tester that his wife was anxious about his children and southern India in February, mistaking them for pirates. The this was backed up by the evidence of text messages and phone Italian navy was protecting an Italian cargo ship in the Indian calls. Ocean. The pair have been granted bail but must remain in An independent national anti-doping panel ruled, however, India. Italy have insisted they should be able to return home as that the 26-year-old Six was still guilty of refusing to provide a the incident took place in international waters. urine sample for doping control and banned him for 18 months. Ferrari's decision is controversial because the sport's The panel said: "Honourable though the athlete's motives rules prohibit racial, political or religious gestures. A Ferrari may have been, we have no hesitation in finding that his refusal spokesman was quoted in the Indian Express newspaper to say: was not based on any compelling justification. "We have utmost respect for the Indian authorities. We just "To be blunt, even if he agreed to race only at the last minute hope that a solution can be found as soon as possible." and under pressure, the fact of the matter is that if he had time Ferrari's decision was hailed by the Italian foreign minister to compete in a cycle race, he had to make time to take the test. Guilio Terzi, who tweeted: "Congratulations to Ferrari for If, as was later the case, he wished to put his family first, then displaying the navy's symbol at the India GP. It will show the the time to do that was before he agreed to race rather than sailors the whole country is behind them." when he came to be tested." The Indian and Italian government officials held meetings guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 guardian.co.uk Page 7 G24 Sport Friday October 26 2012 14:17 GMT in February but no agreement could be reached. The naval As for a mooted Formula One return to Mexico, that would guards – Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone – spent four appear to be some way off, especially as the suggested venue is months in confinement as Indian police opened murder charges the old Hermanos Rodríguez circuit that last staged a grand prix against them. They were given bail in June but have to make in 1992. regular court appearances. "They are trying to get us to do a race there," said Ecclestone, who has confirmed it will not be replacing the grand prix in New Jersey that was scheduled for next year, but has Bernie Ecclestone backs Lewis been put back to 2014. "Next year is too soon. They haven't got Hamilton to be an F1 success at a circuit that's ready." Asked about the Hermanos Rodríguez track, Ecclestone Mercedes added: "That's the problem. It's the old one. It just needs sorting out a bit." • Ecclestone believes Hamilton will inspire Mercedes • F1 head rules out Mexican Grand Prix San Francisco Giants beat Detroit Tigers Press Association 2-0 to lead World Series 2-0 Madison Bumgarner pitched seven scoreless innings as the San Francisco Giants battled to a 2-0 World Series Game Two victory Steve Busfield Bernie Ecclestone arrives at the paddock prior to Formula One's Indian Grand Prix, where he has backed Lewis Hamilton's Mercedes move. Photograph: Prakash Singh/AFP/ Getty Images Speaking ahead of the Indian Grand Prix, Bernie Ecclestone feels Lewis Hamilton will serve as an inspiration to Mercedes when he joins the German team next year. San Francisco Giants' Angel Pagan steals second base on Hamilton caused a sensation when he announced last month Detroit Tigers second baseman Omar Infante in the eighth he would be quitting McLaren gu.com/p/3amyf at the end of this inning during Game 2 of the MLB World Series baseball season after 14 years with the team and replacing the seven- championship in San Francisco, October 25, 2012. Photograph: time champion Michael Schumacher at Mercedes. The 27-year- Danny Moloshok/Reuters old has signed a three-year, £15m-per-season deal with a team that have won only one race since returning to Formula One at After Pablo Sandoval's slugfest in World Series Game One the start of 2010. gu.com/p/3bcgh , the second installment was a much tighter Hamilton has claimed he wants a new challenge, while affair with runs at a premium until the San Francisco Giants Mercedes hope they have finally found the final piece of their manufactured enough runs to beat the Detroit Tigers 2-0 and jigsaw in their bid to become a title-challenging team. claim a 2-0 series lead. Asked for his thoughts on Hamilton's move, the Formula Where Tigers pitching ace Justin Verlander had failed to One supremo Ecclestone said: "I think it's good for Mercedes. silence the Giants' bats in Game One, Doug Fister kept the San If they are really going to get their act together they need Francisco offense quiet for six innings. Fister was matched someone like Lewis who is going to do a bit of inspiring for pitch-for-pitch by Giants starter Madison Bumgarner. people that want to go and work there. But in the seventh inning San Francisco finally managed to "Nobody wants to work for a team that doesn't look as if it is break the stalemate. Hunter Pence singled to end Fister's shift doing well, but now maybe they will. I think Lewis's name is a and bring Drew Smyly to the mound. Smyly walked Brandon stamp of good housekeeping, which is what everyone expected Belt and then Lady Luck smiled on the Giants as Gregor Blanco of Michael." bunted and the ball trickled down the line, being urged foul by Ecclestone, meanwhile, believes McLaren were also right to third baseman Miguel Cabrera, but staying fair. With the bases bring in the 22-year-old Mexican Sergio Pérez gu.com/p/3amcy loaded Brandon Crawford ground out into a double play but from Sauber to replace Hamilton. Pence scored to give the Giants a 1-0 lead. "I probably would have done what they [McLaren] have It was enough to win Game Two, although an insurance run done," said Ecclestone, who turns 82 on Sunday. came in the eighth. Pence played a key part in San Francisco's guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 guardian.co.uk Page G24 Sport Friday October 26 2012 14:17 GMT second run too, a sacrifice fly being enough to allow Angel Pagan to score. After being held scoreless only twice in the regular season Rudy Gay: 'I get spooked a lot by strange — the lowest in MLB — the Tigers failed to get on the scoreboard stuff' for the second time in the postseason. Detroit managed just two hits all night. The Memphis Grizzlies forward offers It might have been different had the Tigers managed to his views on Elvis, The Wire and the convert a second inning opportunity. With Prince Fielder forthcoming US presidential election on first base and no-one out, Delmon Young doubled into the leftfield corner and third-base coach Gene Lamont Tom Lutz optimistically called Fielder, who was running as fast as he could around third as Blanco collected the ball, to go for the run. It took a catch-and-swipe by catcher Buster Posey to stop Fielder from making it to home plate. A close call and perhaps Fielder could have tried to get out of Posey's reach as the catcher failed to stand in his way. It was the closest the Tigers came all evening. Fister deserved better support from his bats, hurling 114 pitches for just four hits and taking a blow to the head when Blanco smashed a line drive back at him. But Bumgarner perhaps pitched just a fraction better, striking out eight and giving up just two hits in seven innings. The last eight teams to take a 2-0 World Series lead have gone on to win it. The 1996 Yankees were the last to overcome that Rudy Gay, right: likes a raptor's chances against a grizzly bear; kind of deficit, winning four straight after dropping the first two hates horror films. Photograph: Nikki Boertman/AP games to the Atlanta Braves. Game Three will be at Comerica Park, Detroit, on Saturday. Good morning, Rudy. How's it going. What's an NBA superstar Ryan Vogelsong is expetected to pitch for the Giants and Anibal doing over here when you could be slamming some dunks? I'm Sanchez for the Tigers. here for the NBA 3X and to promote the league around Europe. Box score tinyurl.com/d387wqs Giants 2, Tigers 0 — As it Have you managed to get any sightseeing in between the happened gu.com/p/3bcbk promotion – the Tower of London, Stonehenge, the sun rise over Leicester? Well, I've been busy with the promotion but from what I have seen I like it. Ah! So you have been the sun rise over Leicester then? I want to see more though. I did come here when I was younger but I didn't have the time or means to see what I wanted to but now I do. My girlfriend likes British fashion, that means I have to go around and look at shops. Does that involve you buying said British fashion. Yes, it does [laughs]. Some of your NBA colleagues won gold for USA at this summer's Olympics. How did they compare to the Dream Team? They were a different team. Both of them won the gold but how can you say who is better, there's no way they can go * back and play each other [reflects] mainly because the Dream Team are pretty old now [laughs]. What else were you watching? Please say synchronised swimming. I watched a lot of Michael Phelps [bah!], we're from the same area [Baltimore]. And it was hard not to get drawn into the track and volleyball – it was very interesting. The Guardian digital edition You're from Baltimore. As a Guardian employee, Small Talk has to watch The Wire on 24-hour rotation. Have you indulged Read the Guardian on the web yourself? [Surprised] It's popular here? I haven't watched too exactly the way it was printed. much of The Wire, I haven't watched too much of it at all. But I With award-winning Guardian know different places where it was filmed. It's a good show and it depicts some of the stuff that goes on but it's not all like that. photography accessible from Who's the best player you've ever gone up against? [Long anywhere in the world. hard think] I played against Michael Jordan when I was younger because I went to one of his camps when I was 16 or 17. He was guardian.co.uk/digitaledition 37 then but even at that age he was still a great, great player. His will to win was so strong, it's something you see in Kobe Bryant too. guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 guardian.co.uk Page G24 Sport Friday October 26 2012 14:17 GMT Small Talk chatted to NBA Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler gu.com/p/363fy a few months ago and he said he's never been on a rollercoaster because he's too tall. Has your height [Rudy Premiership clubs ponder pulling out of is 6ft 8in] stopped you from experiencing life's essentials? talks to save Heineken Cup [Laughs] I've been on rollercoasters. [Mournfully] Although shopping can be difficult. I'm not always able to get the clothes • Clubs to meet on Friday to discuss next I want to because I'm too tall. The pants come up too short, or move the shirts don't fit. • Heineken Cup organisers left them out of Time to get topical, Rudy. Who's going to win the election? The US one, not the Scottish referendum. Although feel secret meeting free to comment on that too. [Ignoring the case for Scottish Paul Rees independence] I'm not sure, it's a lot tighter than it was. I think it'll come down to the wire. A lot more younger people are involved in politics so more than any other year, they will have a say. It's tougher for Obama now though after he's been in power for four years. It's tougher [once you've been in office]. You play for the Memphis Grizzlies. Small Talk is fairly sure you don't get grizzly bears that far south, have you complained to the relevant authorities? Well, I've never seen a grizzly round Memphis, I can tell you that. The team was originally from Vancouver but I'm not even sure you get grizzlies there either. We should really change our name. How about the Memphis Gracelands? I like that one. I went there once, I was amazed how ahead of his time Elvis was. [With awe] He had a cell phone back in the 70s. Rob Andrew, of the RFU, attended the secret meeting in Talking of Elvis, would you rather be the greatest musician Paris this week but the Premiership clubs were not invited. or the greatest NBA player of all time? I'll stick to the NBA. And Photograph: Andy Hooper / Daily Mail / Rex I think being the greatest musician would take a lot more time and work, plus you wouldn't have your team-mates to help you The Premiership clubs meet on Friday to discuss whether out [laughs]. I like all kinds of music though so I'd do a little to pull out of talks next week on how to save the Heineken bit of everything [pauses for thought] … maybe I could be the Cup after they were not invited to a secret meeting by the greatest musician of all time. tournament organisers this week. A big question now. Various NBA animals get into a The English and French clubs served notice last summer disagreement. Who wins the fight – raptor, grizzly, timberwolf that they would be pulling out of the Heineken Cup when the or, erm, hornet? [After long deliberation] We know the hornet's present agreement runs out at the end of next season unless not going to win … we know that. I'd say a raptor, if you lived changes were made, but some on the tournament's organising for thousands of years without becoming extinct then it would body, European Rugby Cup Ltd, feel that the French are not as probably beat a grizzly bear. revolutionary as their Premiership counterparts. Good answer, Rudy, we've all seen Jurassic Park. What was The Top 14 clubs were invited to the meeting in Paris your favourite childhood toy? I'd have to say my Sega Genesis. that was arranged by ERC. All the six unions involved in the I got it when the PlayStation 1 came out so I had one a little late Heineken Cup were there, including the Rugby Football Union, but I played on it like it was the latest model. It came with Sonic and concessions were offered to the French, including a the Hedgehog … [sadly] that was my only game for a long time. requested earlier date in the season for the final. Have you ever seen a ghost? No! That's a weird question. I "It was a flawed attempt to divide and rule and it failed," wouldn't want to either. I get spooked a lot by strange stuff. I'll said Mark McCafferty, the chief executive of Premiership Rugby. always do double takes when I'm alone in my house thinking "In the short term, the meeting was not helpful in finding a I've seen something. I hate horror films, hate them. solution that meets most of the needs of all those involved in What is your favourite then? Carlito's Way, it shows that the two European tournaments. once you've done wrong you always live with that shadow. I like "It may be that a period of reflection is needed and that, Al Pacino too, he's one of my favourite actors. with the autumn internationals coming up, it may be a good And finally, who's going to win the NBA this season? Small idea to postpone the next meeting of the shareholders, which Talk realises you're contractually obliged to say the Grizzlies is planned for next Tuesday in Dublin. It is something I will be so we'll put them to one side for now. The Lakers have a lot of discussing with our clubs on Friday and I know from the calls great players and Miami too. But the NBA's at an all-time high I have received that they are very angry at what happened this right now. week." Right. Small Talk is off to put money on every team to win. The unions proposed to the French clubs that the Heineken Thanks for talking to us Rudy. No problem, Small Talk. Bye. Cup be turned into a 32-team tournament involving the top 10 • The 2012/13 NBA season tips-off on 30 October. NBA League teams from the Premiership and Pro12 and the leading 12 in the Pass offers every game live or on demand. For more information Top 14. The Amlin Challenge Cup would cease to exist, leaving visit www.nba.com/leaguepass tinyurl.com/ca7f8q7 six teams without any fixtures on eight weekends of the season. The proposal of the French and English clubs, which had been discussed at two shareholder meetings this season, was guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 guardian.co.uk Page 10 G24 Sport Friday October 26 2012 14:17 GMT for a 20-team Heineken Cup, made up of the top six in the along and everything seems normal." three leagues together with the tournament winners and the Asked whether he had a contract for next year, he looked Challenge Cup holders, to be supplemented by a 20-strong doubtful and said: "It's the team's policy not to discuss Challenge Cup. contracts." Both tournaments would be made up of five groups of It has been a difficult few weeks for Di Resta, Britain's third four teams with the winners and the best three runners-up Formula One driver, who has been tipped as one of the drivers going into the quarter-finals. By shedding four sides from the of the future but has missed out on a big-money move to one of Heineken Cup, the aim would be to strengthen the Challenge the top teams. Cup, which at the group stage is a series of mismatches. He was linked with Ferrari but the Italian team have opted to "The French clubs rejected the plan," McCafferty said. "In keep weary faith with Felipe Massa as Fernando Alonso's team- one sense, Wednesday's meeting might prove beneficial in that mate. those who thought that the clubs in England and France were A move to McLaren, to replace Lewis Hamilton, stalled not united have been put right. That is why I think it would when they signed Sergio Pérez. Di Resta's team-mate, Nico be a good idea to have some thinking time, but that will be Hülkenberg, whom he has often bettered this season, is moving something for the clubs to decide." to the faster Sauber car next year. The RFU was represented in Paris by the chief executive Ian "It's always a disappointment," Di Resta said. "I've always Ritchie and the professional rugby director, Rob Andrew. "We said I want to be in a car that's winning races and winning have no argument with the RFU," McCafferty said."They are championships. not taking sides in this but trying to get an agreement." "The team would not have held me back. For whatever reasons it's not happened. But this team is still growing and hopefully we will be successful. I am definitely ready [for a Paul di Resta fends off questions over move to a big team]. I feel the consistency is there. But I've still Force India's F1 future got time. I'm 26." Force India's deputy team principal, Bob Fernley, did his best to separate the speculation about the team from problems faced • Team principal Vijay Mallya's airline by Mallya. "You have to have huge sympathy for the employees business hits turbulence of Kingfisher Airlines – huge sympathy," he said. • Driver disappointed he is unable to move "But it's a public company. Vijay is one of the shareholders. F1 teams in 2013 Obviously he's the face of Kingfisher and the chairman, so it stops with him. But in terms of where they've got to go it's a Paul Weaver in Delhi shareholder process. It's not just one person dictating it. "Kingfisher and Force India are two separate entities. Vijay is head of a number of successful companies. We've had doom and gloom for five years but we're still here and we're still competing and each year we improve. "It's business as usual. Our focus is delivering a good result for the fans of India this weekend. We've got a sport that we want to grow in India." The larger-than-life Mallya learned on Thursday that he was a billionaire no more – his fortune was valued at $1.1bn (£680m) last year but is now valued at $800m. Paul di Resta says he is definitely ready for a move to a bigger team and Force India 'would not have held me back'. * Photograph: Vivek Prakash/Reuters Paul di Resta had to fend off questions about the survival of his Force India employers before the Indian Grand Prix after the team principal, Vijay Mallya, lost his billionaire status. Mallya's Kingfisher Airlines business is reportedly £1.5bn Fantasy League Classic in debt and has had its licence suspended. Staff have not been Manage a squad of 16 players and paid for seven months – although on Thursday the management a budget of £75 million. £75,000 agreed to pay four months' salary by the end of December and the remainder by March – and there are rumours that protests worth of prizes to be won in weekly, will take place at the Buddh International Circuit on Sunday. monthly and overall competitions. When Di Resta was asked whether he was worried about the Beat your nearest and dearest in a future of Force India, the Briton said: "It's none of my business. friends league. As far as I'm concerned there's a Formula One division which is totally separate. I'm employed to race a car. I'm a racing driver. guardian.co.uk/fantasyleague This is something I have no control over. The team is going guardian.co.uk © Guardian News and Media Limited 2012 guardian.co.uk
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