Ultrasonic Flowmeter Research Articles

Evaluation of the Influence of Water Content in Oil on the Metrological Performance of Oil Flow Measurement Systems

According to current Brazilian regulations, if the volumes of oil produced used as a reference for the payment of government shares and third parties contain a water content greater than 2% v/v, these volumes must be arbitrarily increased between 1.44% and 10.89% due exclusively to water content, which has caused operational problems for oil companies such as differences between volumes produced and volumes sold, and additional payments from government shares and third parties. This study aimed to evaluate the metrological performance of oil measurement systems with ultrasonic, Coriolis and positive displacement flow meters when subjected to varied water content, fluid temperature and flow rate conditions using the Design of Experiments and the Response Surface Methodology. The analysis of variance showed that the models presented good fits for the ultrasonic meter (coefficient of determination R2 of 97.96%, p-value of 0.001, and a standard deviation of 5.89 × 10−5); Coriolis meter (R2 of 90.91%, p-value of 0.037, and a standard deviation of 5.88 × 10−5); and positive displacement meter (R2 of 99.07%, p-value of 0.000, and a standard deviation of 4.85 × 10−5). The results of the experiments carried out indicate that the contribution of each parameter analyzed to the metrological performance of the measurement system varies depending on the measurement technology used by the flow meter. However, the fluid temperature proved to be a relevant parameter common to all flow measurement technologies evaluated. All measuring technologies evaluated were influenced by water content in the range of 0% to 10% v/v, with the measurement error being less than 0.2% when compared to a standard positive displacement type meter in almost all experimental conditions. The Coriolis-type flow meter was the one that presented the smallest error among the measuring technologies evaluated.

The development of the ultrasonic flowmeter sensors for mass flow rate measurement: A comprehensive review

A two-phase flow measuring device whose measurement system does not disturb the flow pattern, real-time measurement, and non-destructive measurement or non-intrusive model is a typical tool for an ideal situation. One measuring instrument that meets these criteria is an ultrasonic flow meter. Ultrasonic sensors can measure the velocity of fluid flow in pipelines. It has the advantage of high accuracy and reproducibility and does not make direct physical contact with the fluid in the pipe. Low fabrication costs and fast response make ultrasonic flowmeters widely used for two-phase flow measurements in both horizontal and vertical orientations. The void fraction or liquid holdup and velocity are the two most essential parameters for flow monitoring. The Time of Flight (ToF) method is mainly used for measurements in several ultrasonic flowmeter methods. In the present manuscript, the introductory section of this review explains the advantages of using the Time of Flight (ToF) method and its basic principles. This review also discusses research on measuring velocity and flow rate, differences in intrusive and non-intrusive measurement methods, parameters that affect ultrasonic measurements, and finally, measuring film thickness using non-intrusive methods.

The plasma-coupling agent synergistically modified the acoustic matching layer for the preparation of a gas ultrasonic flowmeter

The plasma-silane coupling agent synergistically modified the hollow glass microsphere (HGM) process, blended with epoxy resin (EP), to prepare an acoustic matching layer suitable for the gas ultrasonic transducers. In comparison to the traditional NaOH solution stirring co-hydroxylation process, the plasma treatment method can rapidly activate the surface activity of HGM, leading to the generation of a large number of hydroxyl groups on the HGM surface. This process eliminates the need for mechanical stirring and cleaning steps, thus reducing the damage degree of HGM and the loss degree of surface hydroxyl groups. The results indicate that the amination modification effect of HGM treated with plasma is more pronounced, and the HGM/EP composite material exhibits better compatibility and density. The assembled ultrasonic transducer exhibits a sensitivity of up to 1.58 V, showing an improvement of nearly 61.2 % compared to the reference ultrasonic transducer with a sensitivity of 0.98 V. Furthermore, the calibrated testing of the gas ultrasonic flowmeter using the improved ultrasonic transducer demonstrates a percentage error absolute value below 0.7 % and a measurement result standard deviation below 0.15 %, demonstrating better measurement accuracy and consistency. This study aims to provide a new feasible process for improving the performance of gas ultrasonic transducers and ultrasonic flowmeters.

A Fault Diagnosis Method for Ultrasonic Flow Meters Based on KPCA-CLSSA-SVM

To enhance the fault diagnosis capability for ultrasonic liquid flow meters and refine the fault diagnosis accuracy of support vector machines, we employ Levy flight to augment the global search proficiency. By utilizing circle chaotic mapping to establish the starting locations of sparrows and refining the sparrow position with the highest fitness value, we propose an enhanced sparrow search algorithm termed CLSSA. Subsequently, we optimize the parameters of support vector machines using this algorithm. A support vector machine classifier based on CLSSA has been constructed. Given the intricate data collected from ultrasonic liquid flow meters for diagnostic purposes, the approach of employing KPCA to decrease data dimensionality is implemented, and a KPCA-CLSSA-SVM algorithm is proposed to achieve fault diagnosis in ultrasonic flow meters. By using UCI datasets, the findings indicate that KPCA-CLSSA-SVM achieves fault diagnosis accuracies of 94.12%, 100.00%, 97.30%, and 100% in the four flow meters, respectively. Compared with the Bayesian classifier diagnostic algorithm, this has been increased by 4.18%. And compared with support vector machine diagnostic algorithms improved by the SSA, it has increased by 2.28%.

Highly-accurate and non-invasive flowrate monitoring for miniature pipelines using piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers

Noninvasive and real-time flowrate measurement for small pipes is crucial in medical diagnostics and aviation hydraulic system health monitoring. However, current bulk PZT-based ultrasonic flowmeters are unsuitable for these scenarios due to their large size, high power consumption, and poor integration with ICs. This paper proposes a highly accurate and universal ultrasonic flowrate measurement technique for pipes with small diameters (≤ 15 mm) using piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs) by taking advantage of their miniaturized size, low power consumption, and superior integration capability. A clamp-on testing method is proposed for ultrasound transmitting and receiving. The inside liquid flowrate is measured based on the propagation time difference between the upstream and downstream ultrasound waves. To enhance accuracy, a unique PMUTs chip with a center circular element and an outer annular element is developed to improve acoustic pressure. Additionally, the incident angle and working frequency of ultrasound waves are optimized to reduce the interference caused by ultrasound wave superposition at the PMUTs and pipe wall interface. This optimization also improves acoustic energy transmission and response. The flowrate of water in a steel pipe is successfully measured, demonstrating excellent linearity (99.69%) between flowrate and time difference, with a high accuracy of 2%. Furthermore, flowrate testing for pipes with different diameters and pipe wall materials is experimentally demonstrated, showing widespread usability. The developed PMUTs-based flowmeter is versatile and compatible with common pipes, allowing compact integration in tight spaces, making it highly promising for practical applications.

On the influence of gas flow velocity on the accuracy of an ultrasonic flow meter

On the influence of gas flow velocity on the accuracy of an ultrasonic flow meter

Validation of a New Method for Continuous Flare Combustion Efficiency Monitoring

A new method is described for calculating flare combustion efficiency (CE) and destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) using a numerical parametric model. The method combines key variables that affect flare performance including the flare vent gas net heating value (NHV), flare design, flow rate, exit velocity, and inert gas composition, alongside the environmental influence of crosswind speed. Each effect is characterized using a parametric model derived from experimental testing data and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The inclusion of CFD allows the model to be extended into the high-wind conditions that cannot be adequately controlled for in empirical testing yet represent some of the most challenging conditions in which to maintain good combustion. This new parametric model method (PMM) is coupled with ultrasonic flowmeters from which the molecular weight and net heating value of the flare gas can be derived using the vent gas speed of sound measurement. In doing so, this method provides a reliable continuous flare combustion efficiency measure that can be deployed at scale with minimum hardware updates. The system was verified using an extractive sampling method with tests conducted on three full-scale industrial flares including non-assisted, single-arm pressure-assisted, and multi-arm pressure-assisted flare designs. A total of seventy valid test points were carried out with varying flow rate and flare gas heating value, covering a CE range from 46–100%. The uncertainty of the method was assessed using both traditional error propagation and Monte Carlo methodology. The results from the new method agree with the extractive method to within 0.8% in the ≥98% DRE region where flares are expected to operate to limit the impacts of flaring as a source of methane as a greenhouse gas. Uncertainty analysis revealed that the larger DRE discrepancy for DRE ≤ 98% correlates to the measurement uncertainties for both methods.

Multi-phase time-zooming high-precision ultrasonic water flow meter

In this study, we have developed a high-precision ultrasonic water flow meter with a 0.18 μm standard CMOS technology. Three methods are proposed to improve the performance: implementation of an active bandpass filter, threshold voltage optimization, and integration of a multi-phase time-zooming technique. The active bandpass filter effectively reduces noise in the received signal, thereby contributing to the overall accuracy of propagation measurements. Based on a threshold voltage generator, our proposed system identifies the optimum threshold voltage, ensuring robust noise durability. Furthermore, we have extended the conventional time-zooming technique by incorporating multiple phases of internal clocks. This innovative multiphase time-zooming technique offers a theoretical improvement in time resolution. The results demonstrate a remarkable suppression of flow rate measurement variations, achieving an impressive reduction to 1/10 of the original values. This affirms the effectiveness of the developed ultrasonic water flow meter in ensuring precise and reliable flow rate measurements.

Overview of Control and Monitoring Specification Study to Help Reach Net Zero in the UK for Hydrogen Flow Measurement Network

Currently, environmental damage appears a worldwide issue that affects everyone on the globe. With the goal of a net-zero carbon footprint by the year 2050, many nations have passed legislation, provided aid, and raised both public and private investment to encourage the use of renewable energy sources instead of traditional pathways like fossil fuels. Many other countries have made similar intentions to initiate their journey to an economy with no emissions at all including the UK. The current objective of this study is to review equipment for monitoring techniques and metering which helps to deal with the modern industry to attain net zero emission through the application of hydrogen. Ultrasonic and Coriolis flowmeters have been compared in terms of measurement techniques for hydrogen in the operative system. It has been identified that the petroleum and natural gas industrial sectors are using mass flow monitoring more frequently. Beyond absolute zero and at atmospheric pressures hydrogen becomes liquified. So, it proved essential to have a huge mass flow measuring apparatus having minimal uncertainty and proper and fixed measurement inaccuracy. Moreover, it has been evaluated that Programmable logic controllers are being used to operate the system to create a trustworthy control framework.

Time Delay Study of Ultrasonic Gas Flowmeters Based on VMD-Hilbert Spectrum and Cross-Correlation.

The accuracy of ultrasonic flowmeter time delay measurement is directly affected by the processing method of the ultrasonic echo signal. This paper proposes a method for estimating the time delay of the ultrasonic gas flowmeter based on the Variational Mode Decomposition (VMD)-Hilbert Spectrum and Cross-Correlation (CC). The method improves the accuracy of the ultrasonic gas flowmeter by enhancing the quality of the echo signal. To denoise forward and reverse ultrasonic echo signals collected at various wind speeds, a Butterworth filter is initially used. The ultrasonic echo signals are then analyzed by Empirical Mode De-composition (EMD) and VMD analysis to obtain the Intrinsic Mode Function (IMF) containing distinct center frequencies, respectively. The Hilbert spectrum time-frequency diagram is used to evaluate the results of the VMD and EMD decompositions. It is found that the IMF decomposed by VMD has a better filtering performance and better anti-interference performance. Therefore, the IMF with a better effect is selected for signal reconstruction. The ultrasonic time delay is then calculated using the Cross-Correlation algorithm. The self-developed ultrasonic gas flowmeter was tested on the experimental platform of the gas flow standard devices using this signal processing method. The results show a maximum indication error of 0.84% within the flow range of 60-606 m3/h, with a repeatability of no more than 0.29%. These results meet the 1-level accuracy requirements as outlined in the national ultrasonic flowmeters calibration regulation JJG1030-2007.

Flow investigation of two-stand ultrasonic flow meters in a wide dynamic range by numerical and experimental methods

The enhancement of two-stand ultrasonic flow meters relies upon obtaining a precise understanding and prediction of their complex flow physics throughout their entire dynamic range of operation. This study provides a comprehensive numerical and experimental investigation of the flow physics of a typical two-stand ultrasonic flow meter by industry standards. Predictions based on computational fluid dynamics simulations are employed to obtain numerical results, which are validated through experiments based on laser Doppler velocimetry and static pressure drop. Results indicate that no qualitative changes occur beyond an inflow Reynolds number of 104 in terms of coherent structures and flow dynamics. Analysis of the static pressure distribution across cross-sections reveals that the stands are the most influential areas contributing to pressure drop. In cases with turbulent inflow, there is a noticeable recovery of static pressure following significant pressure gradients across the stands, while such recovery is absent in scenarios with laminar inflow. Both numerical and experimental approaches yield excellent agreement in outcomes, accurately estimating the axial velocity within the flow meter’s measurement volume and the pressure drop across it, with deviations within experimental uncertainty ranges of 2 standard deviations. The developed numerical methodology demonstrates its potential to accurately evaluate complex internal-flow systems with similar flow features and Reynolds number ranges. The flow dynamics for a wide dynamic range of operation in two-stand ultrasonic flow meters are shown in detail in both laminar and turbulent flow regimes, displaying rolling vortices, detached flow, and recirculation zones.

The Influence of a Manifold Structure on the Measurement Results of a PIV Flowmeter

The application of particle image velocimetry (PIV) technology for monitoring natural gas flow is a new method of flow measurement. Since the principle of this technology was proposed, there are still some potential issues. This article investigates the influence of a manifold structure on the measurement results of a PIV flowmeter. A comparison is performed between concentric and eccentric manifold structures, using a circular straight pipe as reference, in terms of the measurement error of the PIV flowmeter and the internal flow state of the natural gas. The results demonstrate that the manifold structure significantly affects the measurement reliability of the PIV flowmeter, especially the eccentric manifold structure. Under flow conditions ranging from 100 to 600 m3/h, the maximum measurement errors caused by the concentric and eccentric manifold structures are 2.49% and 3.05%, respectively, which show a noticeable increase compared to the maximum measurement error of 2.08% observed for the circular straight pipe. Additionally, the influence of the manifold structure on the downstream flow field is also evident, as the eccentric manifold structure increases the turbulence intensity of the downstream fluid by nearly twofold. The addition of a rectifier can effectively improve the flow state and enhance the measurement reliability of the PIV flowmeter. For the concentric manifold structure under the condition of a 600 m3/h flow rate, the inclusion of a rectifier produces highly accurate measurement results, similar to those obtained by an ultrasonic flowmeter, with an error value close to zero. This study provides technical support for further promoting the practical application of PIV flowmeters.

Optimization design and research of ultrasonic flowmeter based on time difference method

Optimization design and research of ultrasonic flowmeter based on time difference method

Flow Rate and Volume Estimates from Variable Frequency Drive Operated Drainage Sump Pumps

Highlights This article provides an overview of operations and benefits of using a variable frequency drive to operate agricultural subsurface drainage system sump pumps. A methodology is proposed to monitor flow rates leaving agricultural subsurface drainage pump stations via a MATLAB algorithm. The results of this research were mixed because the algorithm estimates did not always match with the corresponding flowmeter measurements. Abstract. Subsurface drainage plays a crucial role in excess water removal through perforated pipes buried in the soil. The Red River Valley of eastern North Dakota and west central Minnesota often requires pumped drainage outlets due to its flat topography, with many modern systems incorporating variable frequency drives (VFD) for improved efficiency. VFDs adjust pump speeds to match drainage needs, but this dynamic operation complicates accurate flow rate estimation for edge-of-field monitoring. This project aimed to devise an automated method for calculating flow rate estimates from VFD pumping systems involving tank geometry, operational water levels, and pump duty cycling. Linear regressions with calibration data from a transit-time ultrasonic flowmeter produced mixed outcomes. Some linear regressions revealed errors in calculated versus measured flow rate of =14%, while other regressions showed errors nearing 40%. To address this, future efforts should explore methods incorporating the pump’s electrical characteristics. This approach would provide a more accurate representation of the unstable and intricate pumping operations during transient conditions. Keywords: Edge-of-field monitoring, Flow rate, Pump, Red River Basin, Subsurface drainage, Variable frequency drive

Multi-objective design of 3D phononic crystal waveguide by design space trimming

Ultrasonic flowmeters face unique challenges since, in addition to withstanding high fluid pressures, they have to avoid crosstalk, which is the interaction of the signals traveling through the fluid and the solid pipe. To avoid the crosstalk, which leads to poor accuracy or complete loss of the required signal, we develop a mounting mechanism based on phononic crystals (PnCs), which are artificial periodic materials possessing band gaps (BGs) due to Bragg scattering. These PnC structures should also possess high mechanical strength to sustain the fluid pressure. Designing PnCs for such applications is challenging as the BG width and the resistance to mechanical loading are conflicting objectives. To circumvent this, we propose a step-by-step design procedure to optimize both mechanical strength and wave attenuation performance of a single-phase 3D PnC waveguide using parametric sweeping and sensitivity analysis. We use finite element analysis (FEA) to characterize the behavior of the periodic unit cell and the waveguide. Since accurate dynamic FEA at high frequencies is computationally demanding, we develop surrogate models at different levels of the design process. We also consider additive manufacturing aspects in the design procedure, which we validate by 3D-printing the final design and measuring the parameters via computer tomography.

A Gas Flow Measurement System Based on Lead Zirconate Titanate Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer.

Ultrasonic flowmeter is one of the most widely used devices in flow measurement. Traditional bulk piezoelectric ceramic transducers restrict their application to small pipe diameters. In this paper, we propose an ultrasonic gas flowmeter based on a PZT piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) array. Two PMUT arrays with a resonant frequency of 125 kHz are used as the sensitive elements of the ultrasonic gas flowmeter to realize alternate transmission and reception of ultrasonic signals. The sensor contains 5 × 5 circular elements with a size of 3.7 × 3.7 mm2. An FPGA with a resolution of ns is used to process the received signal, and a flow system with overlapping acoustic paths and flow paths is designed. Compared with traditional measurement methods, the sensitivity is greatly improved. The flow system achieves high-precision measurement of gas flow in a 20 mm pipe diameter. The flow measurement range is 0.5-7 m/s and the relative error of correction is within 4%.

Accuracy of a multipath ultrasonic flowmeter with deep learning based on the velocity profile

Purpose The asymmetry of the velocity profile caused by geometric deformation, complex turbulent motion and other factors must be considered to effectively use the flowmeter on any section. This study aims to better capture the flow field information and establish a model to predict the profile velocity, we take the classical double elbow as the research object and propose to divide the flow field into three categories with certain common characteristics. Design/methodology/approach The deep learning method is used to establish the model of multipath linear velocity fitting profile average velocity. A total of 480 groups of data are taken for training and validation, with ten integer velocity flow fields from 1 m/s to 10 m/s. Finally, accuracy research with relative error as standard is carried out. Findings The numerical experiment yielded the following promising results: the maximum relative error is approximately 1%, and in the majority of cases, the relative error is significantly lower than 1%. These results demonstrate that it surpasses the classical optimization algorithm Equal Tab (5%) and the traditional artificial neural network (3%) in the same scenario. In contrast with the previous research on a fixed profile, we focus on all the velocity profiles of a certain length for the first time, which can expand the application scope of a multipath ultrasonic flowmeter and promote the research on flow measurement in any section. Originality/value This work proposes to divide the flow field of double elbow into three categories with certain common characteristics to better capture the flow field information and establish a model to predict the profile velocity.

Time of Flight Measurement Method Combining Threshold Method and Cross-Correlation Method

With various benefits such as a large range ratio, suitability for large-diameter measurement, and lack of excess pressure drop, ultrasonic flowmeters (UFMs) have been widely adopted in natural gas measurement. The accuracy of flow measurement in transit-time UFMs is mostly dependent on the accurate measurement of time of flight (TOF). The threshold method, the cross-correlation (CC) method, and the model-based method are examples of traditional TOF calculation techniques. However, the threshold method is susceptible to such factors as waveform distortion, amplitude attenuation, and noise, the CC method is constrained by the sampling frequency, and the model-based method necessitates a significant investment in calculation time and resources. Based on the analysis of the shortcomings of traditional TOF measurement methods, a TOF measurement method that combines the threshold method and CC method is presented. This method integrates the advantages of the high measurement resolution of the threshold method and the strong robustness of the CC algorithm. The results demonstrate that the flow rate accuracy and the repeatability of the TOF are greatly improved by this method.

Mapping advancements in oil flow measurement technologies by means of a technology roadmap from 1999 to 2022: A Brazilian case study

The first version of the Brazilian Technical Regulation for the Measurement of Oil and Natural Gas (RTM) was elaborated in 2000, and it was a regulatory framework for the Brazilian oil industry. To meet the technical requirements imposed by the RTM concerning the flow meters, companies in the national and international market needed to be aligned with the Pattern Approval of Measurement Instruments (PAM) and international standards. The evolution of fluid flow measurement technologies is of great importance because based on them the volumes of oil and gas are measured and subsequently billed by the operators. Concomitantly, there was a development of studies on the technological advance of flow meters due to operational needs. In this context, the role of technological prospecting was to investigate scientific and technological progress by means of data collection from journal articles and patent data. This study aimed to evaluate the Brazilian evolution of fluid flow measurement technologies through a technology roadmap, based on the growth of patent and journal deposits from 1999 to 2022. The results indicated that the ultrasonic flow meters were the ones that presented the most technological development due to the number of patents deposited within the sample period. As for the periodicals related to ultrasonic flow meters, it was noticed that the lines of study are focused on custody transfer measurements and fiscal measurements meeting with the established requirements. Thus, based the patents and related periodicals, it was observed that the ultrasonic flow meters were highlighted. Finally, the implementation of the RTM, based on international standards, consolidated Brazil worldwide in meeting the metrological rigor rules for flow measurement crude oil measurement system; however, this study cannot guarantee that the technological advancement of meters did not occur solely and exclusively due to the advent of the RTM enforcement.

Ultrasonic gas flow metering in hydrogen-mixed natural gas using Lamb waves

Hydrogen mixing in existing natural gas pipelines efficiently achieves large-scale, long-distance, and low-cost hydrogen delivery. The physical properties of hydrogen and natural gas differ significantly. Hydrogen-mixed natural gas modifies the flow state and thermodynamic properties of the original natural gas in the pipeline. Hydrogen-mixed natural gas can lead to increased errors in ultrasonic flow metering because of the high sound speed and low density of hydrogen. Ultrasonic flowmeter installation distances need to be re-determined. In this study, a Lamb wave non-contact ultrasonic gas flow meter is used to measure the flow of hydrogen-mixed natural gas in a T-type pipeline. The greater the hydrogen mixing ratio, the higher the flow rate of the branch pipeline, and the shorter the installation distance of the ultrasonic flow meter, for example, 10% at 150D, 20% at 110D, and 30% at 20D. The time-difference method with high accuracy and broad applicability is used to calculate the flow rates of COMSOL simulated values. The errors between COMSOL simulation and theoretical flow rates at the shortest installation distance downstream do not exceed 3%. The errors at the position where the mixing uniformity is 80% are significantly higher than those at the shortest installation distance, and the maximum error is about 7.7%. The COMSOL simulation results show the feasibility and accuracy of ultrasonic gas flow metering of hydrogen-mixed natural gas.