Application of Multi-path Ultrasonic Oil Flowmeter Using a New Weighting Factor Method

摘要

Multi-path Ultrasonic Flowmeter(MUF) is receiving much attention because it provides a lot of advantages over other techniques of flow rate measurement. It has no moving parts inside flow passage leading to no pressure loss, and it gives a good accuracy and repeatability for flow rate measurement. The present study describes theoretical, experimental, and computational works to investigate the velocity integration method of MUF, which has five acoustic paths. A weighting factor concept, which is given by a function of the chord locations of acoustic paths, is employed to obtain the flowrate. In theoretical analysis, the power law velocity profiles are assumed for fully developed kerosene and water flow of the flow rate between 40 m~(3)/h and 300 m~(3)/h. Computational analysis using 3-dimensional Navier-Stokes equations is performed to predict the velocity profiles in the flow passage and the results are validated with experimental data. The obtained result shows that for flowrate measurement of 5 paths ultrasonic oil flow meter, the present weighting factor concept gives good accuracy less than ±0.14%.