Clamp-on ultrasonic flow measurement is a non-invasive technique to measure the flow rate of liquids, gases, and steam in pipes without cutting into the line or interrupting the flow. In this method, ultrasonic transducers clamp onto the outside of the tube, and they emit and receive ultrasonic waves that travel through the pipe wall and into the flowing fluid.
The ultrasonic flow meter works based on the principle of the Doppler effect, which states that the frequency of a wave changes when the source and receiver move relative to each other. The ultrasonic transducers emit high-frequency sound waves that travel through the pipe wall and into the fluid flowing inside the pipe. These waves reflect to the transducers when they encounter particles in the fluid, such as bubbles or solid particles.
When the fluid is moving, the frequency of the sound waves changes slightly due to the Doppler effect. The speed and direction of the fluid flow are determined by measuring the frequency shift of the reflected waves. The ultrasonic flow meter uses this information to calculate the velocity of the fluid and, ultimately, the flow rate.
Clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters are versatile and used in various applications, including liquid flow measurement in water treatment, wastewater treatment, and chemical processing. They also measure gas flow rates in pipelines and are often in the oil and gas industry for custody transfer applications.
One of the benefits of clamp-on ultrasonic flow measurement is that it is non-intrusive and does not require any cutting or drilling into the pipe, making installation more accessible and less disruptive to ongoing operations. Additionally, the lack of moving parts in the flow meter reduces the need for maintenance and calibration.
FLEXIM is a company that specializes in designing and manufacturing a variety of non-intrusive ultrasonic flowmeters for both liquid and gas. They offer different types of flowmeters, including the permanent FLUXUS, which is available in a wide range of models and configurations, such as Mass and Thermal Energy Measurement Systems. Additionally, they have the F601 portable flowmeter and the FLUXUS H20 family of portable flowmeters designed explicitly for municipal applications.
