Measurement Training

Ultrasonic
Meter
Diagnostics

USM Diagnostics

Colorado Engineering Experiment Station, Inc.

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 Measurement Training

Parallel Path Design

• Daniel
• Sick Maihak

Key Diagnostics
• Gain
• Signal to Noise Ratio
• Speed of Sound (SOS)
• Flow Velocity Ratios
• Performance
• Turbulence

Definition: Gain

“In electronics, gain is usually taken as the mean ratio of the signal
output of a system to the signal input of the system. A gain of five
would imply that either the voltage or power is increased by a factor
of five. It has wide application in amplifiers”.

Definition: Signal to Noise Ratio

“Signal-to-noise ratio is an engineering term for the power ratio be-

tween a signal (meaningful information) and the background noise”.

http://en.wikipedia.org

Numerical Values:

Gain Signal to Noise Ratio

USM Diagnostics

50 (high velocity)
Daniel 1,000 - 4,000
40 (mid/low veocity)
Sick Maihak 20 - 30 30 - 40

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 Measurement Training

Signal to Noise Ratio Illustrations

Relatively High

Lower

Relatively Low

USM Diagnostics

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 Measurement Training

Speed of Sound (SOS)

• All paths within 1-2 ft/s
• Compare with calculated value:
- Pressure, temperature
- Gas composition
- AGA 10

Flow Velocity Ratios

Normalized by average

Inner Outer
Daniel 1.04 0.90
Sick Maihak 1.02 0.92

Turbulence
• Short term random effects
• Variation between updates
• One value per path
• Inner: 2-3%
• Outer: 3-4%

Performance Diagnostic
• Evaluate last 20 samples
• Report %rejected
• Criteria:
- signal to noise ratio
- gain
Values
- signal integrity
USM Diagnostics

Daniel:
Newer models: 90-100%
Older models:
- 60-70% (higher velocities)
- increasing at lower velocities

Sick Maihak: 90-100%

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 Measurement Training

Parallel Path Design

CHORD A
CHORDS CHORDS
CHORD B A&C B&D
0.309R
CENTERLINE
CHORD C
0.809R
90º
CHORD D

Velocity Ratios:

V + VB
Assymetry = A
VC + VD

V + VC
Crossflow = A
VB + VD

VB + VC
Swirl =
VA + VD
USM Diagnostics

Colorado Engineering Experiment Station, Inc.

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 Measurement Training

Detecting swirl

NO SWIRL
CASE 2 CASE 1 20º SWIRL

CASE 1 20º SWIRL

CASE 2
NO SWIRL

Case 1
• swirl reduces sensed velocity
• limit: 45º swirl = zero sensed velocity
• present with Chord A (top) and Chord D (bottom)

Case 2
• swirl increases sensed velocity
• present with Chord B (top) and Chord C (bottom)
USM Diagnostics

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 Measurement Training

Case 1

V1
Nomenclature
V2
θ: chord angle
α: swirl angle
θ V3 V3: actual flowing velocity
V4
V3 V1: sensed velocity with no swirl
α V2: sensed velocity with swirl
V4: calculated flowing velocity with swirl

Analysis:

Eq. 1: relate four velocities

V4 V2
=
V3 V1

Eq. 2, 3: “swirl” and “no swirl” geometry

V3
V2 =
cos(θ − α)

V3
V1 =
cos θ

Eq. 4: combine Eq. 1-3, :

V4 cos θ
=
V3 cos(θ − α)
USM Diagnostics

Eq. 5: ratio of calculated to actual flowing velocity:

V4 cos θ
=
V3 cos α cos(θ − α) cos α

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 Measurement Training

Case 2

V2

V1

θ
V3
V4
V3
α Nomenclature
θ: chord angle
α: swirl angle
V3: actual flowing velocity
V1: sensed velocity with no swirl
V2: sensed velocity with swirl
V4: calculated flowing velocity with swirl

Analysis:

Eq. 1: relate four velocities

V4 V2
=
V3 V1

Eq. 2, 3: “swirl” and “no swirl” geometry

V3
V2 =
cos(θ + α)

V3
V1 =
cos θ

Eq. 4: combine Eq. 1-3, :

V4 cos θ
=
USM Diagnostics

V3 cos(θ + α)

Eq. 5: ratio of calculated to actual flowing velocity:

V4 cos θ
=
V3 cos α cos(θ + α) cos α

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 Measurement Training

Results:
• chord positions = 0.309R, 0.809R
• chord angle = 45º
• Schlicting velocity profile, Re = 500,000
• 12” meter

20

Zanker *
10
Present Analysis
Swirl Angle [deg]

-10

-20
0.6 0.8 1 1.2 1.4 1.6 1.8 2
Swirl Parameter

Difference
present analysis: two-dimensional
Zanker: three-dimensional

USM Diagnostics

*Zanker, K, “Diagnostic Ability of the Daniel Four-Path Ultrasonic Flow

Meter,” http://www.emersonprocess.com/daniel/library/Gas/AppNotes/Li-
brarylevel2.htm

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 Measurement Training

Typical Values
• Swirl Parameter
• Profile Factor

Data Scope
• 24” check meter
• Sep 02 - May 06
• 1 - 80 ft/s
• 3970 data points

1.4

1.3
Swirl Parameter

1.2

1.1

1.0

0.9

0.8
1 10 100
Velocity [ft/s]

Velocity Interval Interval

[ft/s] Width [-] Width [%]
1 0.644 54.6
2 0.243 20.6
USM Diagnostics

5 0.082 6.9
10 0.042 3.5
20 0.024 2.1
50 0.015 1.3
100 0.012 1.0

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Typical Values
• Assymetry Parameter
• Crossflow Parameter

1.06

1.04
Asymmetry Parameter

1.02

1.00

0.98

0.96

0.94
1 10 100
Velocity [ft/s]

1.06

1.04
Cross Flow Parameter

1.02

1.00

0.98

0.96

0.94
1 10 100
USM Diagnostics

Velocity [ft/s]

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 Measurement Training

Profile Factor
• Variation over time
• Control charts
• Quantify consistency
• Field applicable

2.0

1.0
Profile Factor Mean Deviation [s]

0.0

-1.0

-2.0

-3.0

-4.0

-5.0
Jun-02 Jun-03 Jun-04 Jun-05 Jun-06

2.0
Profile Factor Standard Deviation [s]

1.6

1.2

0.8

0.4

0.0
Jun-02 Jun-03 Jun-04 Jun-05 Jun-06
USM Diagnostics

October 2003
• Out of control conditions
• Orifice meter testing
• Abnormal conditions

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 Measurement Training

Meter Diagnostic Fingerprinting

Example Meter A

1.2 0.25
SOS Shift [ft/s]
Meter Shift [%]
0.20
0.8
SOS Shift [ft/s]

Meter Shift [%]

0.15
0.4
0.10

0.0
0.05

-0.4 0.00
10 100
Velocity [ft/s]

1.26 0.25
Profile Factor
1.25 Meter Shift [%] 0.20
Profile Factor [-]

Meter Shift [%]

1.24 0.15

1.23 0.10

1.22 0.05

1.21 0.00
USM Diagnostics

10 100
Velocity [ft/s]

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 Measurement Training

Meter Diagnostic Fingerprinting

Example Meter A

1.26

1.25
Profile Factor [-]

1.24

1.23

1.22

1.21
-0.4 -0.2 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.2
SOS Shift [ft/s]

1.26

1.25
Profile Factor [-]

1.24

1.23

1.22
USM Diagnostics

1.21
0.05 0.10 0.15 0.20 0.25
Meter Shift [%]

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 Measurement Training

Meter Diagnostic Fingerprinting

Example Meter B

1.24 1.0

Profile Factor
Meter Shift [%] 0.5
1.22
Profile Factor [-]

Meter Shift [%]

0.0
1.20
-0.5

1.18
-1.0

1.16 -1.5
1 10 100
Velocity [ft/s]

1.24

1.22
Profile Factor [-]

1.20

1.18

1.16
USM Diagnostics

-1.5 -1.0 -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0

Meter Shift [%]

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