Clamp-on Ultrasonic Flow Measurement

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.

Classic Controls, Inc.

https://classiccontrols.com

+1 863-644-3642

Non-invasive, Clamp-on Flowmeters for Boiler Feed Water, Fuel Oil, and Natural Gas Feeds in Power Plants

Clamp-on Flowmeters in Power Plants

Natural gas fired plants burn the gas to heat boiler feed water up and convert it to steam for subsequent electricity generation. It is critical for the safety and performance of the power plant to monitoring and control the flow of boiler water feed lines.

FLEXIM, a manufacturer of clamp-on transit-time ultrasonic flowmeters, offers it's high temperature clamp-on WaveInjector mounting fixture as a very accurate and reliable device that accurately measures flow, even at pipe wall temperature of 400 °C / 750 °F. Since the measurement system is completely non-invasive, there is no concern about the pressurization levels within the pipe. Furthermore, Flexim's component design doesn’t cause any pressure drop and eliminates the need for process shut-downs for installation or service. Flexim also offers a unique integrated technology they call "HybridTrek mode" which can detect steam entrainment in the feed water flows – a clear cause for decreased plant performance.

Another area where non-invasive, clamp-on flowmeters are advantageous on fuel oil or feed gas supply. Flexim "Flexus" meters are also ideal to measure and monitor the flow of fuel oil or gas to the boilers to achieve the optimum efficiency.

Ultrasonic flowmeter for harsh environments.
(Flexim)

Historically, fuel oil feed lines are either monitored by the use of orifice plates and differential pressure or positive displacement meters, both of which require hours of maintenance due to wear and tear by the abrasive and partially clogging medium. A non-invasive ultrasonic clamp-on flow meter technology offers a much better solution. No pipe cutting or welding, zero contact with the process medium, matched and paired transducers, sophisticated high-speed flow calculations and very rugged stainless steel construction make the Flexim flowmeter an excellent choice, even in this harsh
environment.

For gas feed lines, FLEXIM developed a special transducer technology called Lamb wave transducers to offer the most accurate clamp-on flow measurement possible. The clamp-on measurement system is independent from pipe dimensions, material and wall thickness.  There are no upper pressure limits and even on very low pressure lines, the flow meter is capable of carrying out a bi-directional flow measurement over a wide turndown range. By factoring in pressure and temperature (as well as the individual gas composition if needed), the FLUXUS gas flow meter outputs normalized flow rates.

For more information on applying non-invasive ultrasonic clamp-on flow meters in power plants, contact Classic Controls by visiting https://classiccontrols.com or by calling 863-644-3642.