Experimental tests on ultrasonic flow meter performance in full-flowing pipes

摘要

Tests based on non destructive techniques are fundamental for measurements on fully operational plants. This work details the results obtained in experimental tests on full-flowing pipes made of a variety of materials highlighting some of the characteristics and limitations in the performance of the ultrasonic flow meter which must be taken into account. The research carried out using a Doppler ultrasonic flow meter (UDFM) illustrated anomalies in the device's function on steel pipes that have been in service for many years and in which significant internal irregularities and incrustations were present. With the internal surface of the pipe wall in such conditions, the acoustic signal loses its coherence, in passing through the pipe wall twice, thus making its detection difficult for the receiver. Further tests conducted on acrylic pipes, characterized by an extremely smooth internal surface and under the same experimental conditions, did not present the running anomalies encountered in the old steel pipes.