Numerical Analysis of Transducer Installation Effect on Ultrasonic Gas Flow Meter

Abstract:

As for ultrasonic gas flow meters, special attention should be paid to transducer installation effect as the flow disturbed by transducers will greatly affect the transit time determination and accordingly reduce metering accuracy. This paper presents a numerical method to analyze the disturbed effects based on Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD), which can give valuable guides for transducer installations. Different pipe configurations covering a wide velocity range are modelled to simulate the actual flow field in different chords for three transducer installations including protrusion, recess and half protrusion. Then, detailed results are presented and the mechanism is analyzed to give suggestions about better transducer installations and a modified weighting factor method to improve the incredible error is also given in this paper.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 687-691)
• Pages: 1019-1025
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.687-691.1019
• Online since: November 2014
• Authors: Long Hui Qin*, Zhuo Yuan Tang, Liang Hu, Xin Fu, Peng Ye
• Keywords: Installation Effect, Numerical Analysis, Ultrasonic Gas Flow Meter

References

[1] L.C. Lynnworth, Yi Liu: Ultrasonic flow meters: half-century progress report, 1955–2005, Ultrasonics, vol. 44, pp. E1371-E1378 (2006).

DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2006.05.046

[2] K. Conrad, and L. Lynnworth: Fundamentals of ultrasonic flow meters, Panametrics, Inc., (2002), pp.52-61.

[3] M. Holm, J. Stang, and J. Delsing: Simulation of flow meter calibration factors for various installation effects, Measurement, vol. 15, pp.235-244 (1995).

DOI: 10.1016/0263-2241(95)00007-8

[4] A. Voser, Ch. Bruttin, J. -E. Prénat, Dr. T. Staubli: Improving acoustic flow measurement, Water Power & Dam Construction (1996).

[5] J. Delsing& J. Niemi: Ultrasound flow meter errors related to transducer cavities, in FLOMEKO 2000: Fiesta Convention Center, (2000), Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

[6] C. Carlander, J. Delsing: Installation effects on an ultrasonic flow meter with implications for self diagnostics, Flow measurement and instrumentation, vol. 11, pp.109-122 (2000).

DOI: 10.1016/s0955-5986(00)00005-4

[7] DD. Zheng, PY. Zhang, TS. Xu: Study of acoustic transducer protrusion and recess effects on ultrasonic flow meter measurement by numerical simulation, Flow measurement and instrumentation, vol. 22, pp.488-493 (2011).

DOI: 10.1016/j.flowmeasinst.2011.08.003

[8] B. Wang, Y. Cui, W. Liu, X. Luo: Study of Transducer Installation Effects on Ultrasonic Flow Metering Using Computational Fluid Dynamics, Advanced Materials Research, vol. 629, pp.676-681 (2012).

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.629.676

[9] R. Kotze, J. Wiklund, R. Haldenwang: Optimisation of Pulsed Ultrasonic Velocimetry system and transducer technology for industrial applications, Ultrasonics, vol. 53, pp.459-469 (2013).

DOI: 10.1016/j.ultras.2012.08.014

[10] A. Hilgenstock, R. Ernst: Analysis of installation effects by means of computational fluid dynamics - CFD vs experiments, Flow measurement and instrumentation, vol. 7, pp.161-171 (1996).

DOI: 10.1016/s0955-5986(97)88066-1

[11] T. Tresch, T. Staubli, P. Gruber: Comparison of integration methods for multipath acoustic discharge, unpublished.

[12] C.N. Pannell, W.A.B. Evans, D.A. Jackson: A new integration technique for flow meters with chordal paths, Ultrasonics, vol. 1, pp.216-224 (1990).

DOI: 10.1016/0955-5986(90)90016-z