At Darlington Nuclear Generating Station (DNGS), very large pipes (60" diameter for service water and 72" diameter for condenser cooling water (CCW)) deliver water to maintain reactor cooling and power plant optimal operation. Conditions that restrict flow in these pipes exist, and work programs are implemented to minimize flow impediment. Due to lack of flow indicators, effectiveness of these work programs are difficult to measure. In order to determine the most effective method for flow impediment reduction, flow measurement in these pipes are required. Ultrasonic flow meter is the ideal instrument for obtaining flow readings in these pipes. However, very large pipes pose various challenges for ultrasonic flow meters. These challenges must be overcome to ensure successful measurement. This document chronicles the innovative solutions that IRI personnel derived to overcome these challenges to successfully use Ultrasonic Cross Correlation Flow Meter (USCCFM) to measure flow in the 72" pipes.
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