Non-circular flowmeter
View Patent ↗Flowmeters are disclosed herein that include one or more flow path features for improving the measurement accuracy or other aspects of the flowmeter. In some embodiments, the flowmeter includes a measurement section having a non-circular transverse cross-section in which one or more sensors for measuring flow are disposed. The non-circular measurement section can reduce distortion of ultrasonic waves, facilitate chordal measurements with flush-mounted transducers, and reduce the propagation distance between paired transducers. In some embodiments, the flowmeter includes a conditioning section with diametrically opposed longitudinal rib protrusions. The protrusions can reduce swirling flow, direct liquid components of a multi-phase flow towards the sidewalls of the flow path, and guide ballistic particles through the center of the flow path away from sensitive measurement devices.
1. A flowmeter, comprising:
an elongate body having a first end and a second end;
a flow path extending between the first and second ends along a longitudinal axis, the flow path comprising a flow conditioning section and a measurement section, the flow conditioning section having a protrusion extending radially inward from an interior sidewall of the elongate body and extending longitudinally for at least a portion of the flow conditioning section, the flow conditioning section being configured to reduce flow irregularities of a material flowing through the flow path; and
an ultrasonic transducer disposed in the measurement section of the flow path and configured to emit ultrasonic waves into the material flowing through the flow path;
wherein the measurement section has a non-circular transverse cross-section.
2. The flowmeter of claim 1 , wherein the measurement section has a transverse cross-section defined by first and second opposed curved surfaces and third and fourth opposed planar surfaces.
3. The flowmeter of claim 2 , wherein the transducer is flush mounted with respect to the third surface or the fourth surface.
4. The flowmeter of claim 2 , wherein the third and fourth surfaces are parallel to one another and wherein a distance between the third and fourth surfaces is less than a diameter of an inlet section of the flow path.
5. The flowmeter of claim 2 , wherein a distance between the third and fourth surfaces is less than a distance between the first and second surfaces.
6. The flowmeter of claim 1 , wherein the transducer is aimed along an axis that does not extend through the center of the flow path.
7. The flowmeter of claim 1 , wherein the transducer comprises a first transducer aimed along an axis that extends through the center of the flow path and a second transducer aimed along an axis that does not extend through the center of the flow path.
8. The flowmeter of claim 1 , wherein the flow path includes a cylindrical inlet section disposed upstream from the measurement section and a cylindrical outlet section disposed downstream from the measurement section.
9. The flowmeter of claim 1 , wherein a transverse cross-sectional area of the flow path in the measurement section is less than a transverse cross-sectional area of the flow path in an inlet section disposed upstream from the measurement section.
10. A flowmeter, comprising: an elongate member having a flow path extending along a longitudinal axis thereof, the flow path having a flow conditioning section having a protrusion extending radially inward from an interior sidewall of the elongate member and extending longitudinally for at least a portion of the flow conditioning section, the flow conditioning portion being configured to reduce flow irregularities of a material flowing through the flow path, and a measurement section in which at least one sensor configured to measure flow through the flow path is mounted, the measurement section having a transverse cross-section defined by first and second opposed curved surfaces and third and fourth opposed planar surfaces.
11. The flowmeter of claim 10 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises: a pair of centerline transducers aimed at one another along an axis that extends through the center of the flow path; and a pair of chordal transducers aimed at one another along an axis that does not extend through the center of the flow path.
12. The flowmeter of claim 11 , wherein the chordal transducers are flush mounted in the third and fourth surfaces of the measurement section.
13. The flowmeter of claim 11 , wherein the chordal transducers are aimed at one another along an axis that extends through a half-radius of the flow path.
14. The flowmeter of claim 11 , wherein the chordal transducers are aimed at one another along an axis that extends through a quarter-radius of the flow path.
15. The flowmeter of claim 11 , wherein the centerline transducers and the chordal transducers are aimed at oblique angles relative to the longitudinal axis of the flow path.
16. The flowmeter of claim 11 , wherein the centerline transducers and the chordal transducers are aimed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the flow path.
17. The flowmeter of claim 10 , wherein the third and fourth surfaces are parallel to one another and wherein a distance between the third and fourth surfaces is less than a diameter of an inlet section of the flow path.
18. The flowmeter of claim 10 , wherein a distance between the third and fourth surfaces is less than a distance between the first and second surfaces.
19. The flowmeter of claim 10 , wherein the flow path includes a cylindrical inlet section disposed upstream from the measurement section and a cylindrical outlet section disposed downstream from the measurement section.
20. The flowmeter of claim 10 , wherein a transverse cross-sectional area of the flow path in the measurement section is less than a transverse cross-sectional area of the flow path in an inlet section disposed upstream from the measurement section.
21. A flowmeter, comprising:
an elongate body having a first end and a second end;
a flow path extending between the first and second ends along a longitudinal axis, the flow path comprising a flow conditioning section and a measurement section, the flow conditioning section having a protrusion extending radially inward from an interior sidewall of the elongate body and extending longitudinally for at least a portion of the flow conditioning section, the flow conditioning section being configured to reduce flow irregularities of a material flowing through the flow path; and
an ultrasonic transducer disposed in the measurement section of the flow path and configured to emit ultrasonic waves into the material flowing through the flow path;
wherein the measurement section has a non-circular transverse cross-section, and the protrusion of the flow conditioning section tapers away along the longitudinal axis of the flow path to match the transverse cross-section of the measurement section.