Investigation of ultrasonic flowmeter error in distorted flow using two-peak Salami functions

Results of investigating the additional error of ultrasonic flowmeters caused by the distortion of the flow are presented in the article. The location coordinates of acoustic paths were calculated for their number from 1 to 6 according to the different numerical integrating methods: Gauss (Gauss-Legendre, Gauss-Jacobi), Chebyshev (equidistant location of acoustic paths), Westinghouse method, method of OWICS (Optimal Weighted Integration for Circular Sections). This made it possible to realize the flowrate equation for multi-path ultrasonic flowmeters and to determine their additional error for different location of the acoustic paths. The average flow velocity along each path is calculated based on the flow velocity profile in the pipe cross section. Four two-peak Salami functions of velocity are used to calculate the velocity profile of the distorted flow caused by typical local resistances. According to the research results the recommendations were developed for choosing the number of the acoustic paths of the ultrasonic flowmeters and for using the methods for determining the location coordinates of the acoustic paths.

Application of Thermal Sensors for Determination of Mass Flow Rate and Velocity of Flow in Pipes of Hermetic Systems

The paper relates to the field of measuring technologies and deals with the enhancement of thermoconvective method when it is applied for the experimental determination of such hydrodynamics indicators as mass flow rate and velocity of flow by their indirect parameters - capacity of the heater and the temperatures obtained from two thermal sensors, provided that they are located on the hermetic piping system surface. The issue of determination of correction factor on heterogeneity of liquid temperature distribution in the pipe cross section depending on pipe diameter and fluid movement velocity was clarified. According to the results of numerical calculations, the dependencies of temperature gradient on the pipe surface and the correction factor on the heterogeneity of the temperature distribution along the pipe cross-section under the heater in the function of the velocity of flow in pipes of different diameters are plotted. These dependencies specify the thermal method of studying the fluid flow in the pipes, simplify the experiment conduction, are useful in processing of the obtained results and can be applied in measuring engineering.

Effect of Pipe Inclination on Solids Distribution in Partially Stratified Slurry Flow

Partially stratified flows like flows of sand-water slurries exhibit non-uniform distribution of solids (expressed as a vertical profile of local volumetric concentration) in a pipe cross section. The solids distribution in such flows is sensitive to pipe inclination. The more stratified the flow is the more sensitive its concentration profile is to the pipe slope. In general, the distribution tends to become more uniform (less stratified) if the inclination angle increases from zero (horizontal pipe) to positive values (ascending pipe) up to 90 degree (vertical pipe). In a pipe inclined to negative angles (descending pipe) the development is different. The flow tends to stratify more if it changes from horizontal flow to descending flow down to the angle of about −35 degree. If the angle further decreases towards −90 degree, then the flow becomes less stratified reaching uniform distribution at the vertical position. This also means that the same flow exhibits a very different degree of stratification in ascending and descending pipes inclined to the same (mild) slope say between ±10 and ±40 degree. The rather complex development of the solids distribution with the variation of the inclination of pipe is insufficiently documented experimentally and described theoretically in predictive models for a concentration profile in partially stratified flow. In order to extend the existing limited data set with experimental data for partially stratified flow of medium sand slurry, we have carried out a laboratory experiment with the slurry of narrow graded fraction of sand with the mean grain size of 0.55 mm in our test loop with an invert U-tube inclinable to arbitrary angle between 0 and 90 degree. A pipe of the loop has an internal diameter of 100 mm. Both legs of the U-tube have a measuring section over which differential pressures are measured. Radiometric devices mounted to both measuring sections sense concentration profiles across a pipe cross section. Furthermore, the discharge of slurry is measured in the test loop. In the paper, experimental results are presented for various inclination angles with a small step between 0 and ±45 degree and a development in the shape of the concentration profiles with the changing inclination angle is analyzed. For the analysis, it is critical to distinguish between suspended load and contact load in the flow as the two loads tend to react differently to the flow inclination. The measured concentration profiles and pressure drops are compared with predictions by the layered model adapted for taking the flow inclination into account.

Development of Flexible Composite Pipe Cross-Section Design Software Based on Visual Basic

With the rapid development of science and information technology, software systems are widely used in all walks of life in society. Composite materials have become the hotspot and trend in pipe development, which greatly broaden the application field of composite pipes. Aiming at the requirement of composite pipe section design in composite flexible pipe factories in actual production, this paper simplifies the flexible composite pipe into a uniform continuous model, and develops a pipe section design software based on Visual Basic environment. According to the numerical calculation method in mechanics and the empirical formula, considering the production error and safety factor, this paper puts forward a reasonable method for designing the flexible composite pipe section, and develops a system for calculating it using Visual Basic. Based on the performance of raw materials and the requirement of customers for pipe pressure, this software can figure out the section data of steel strip pipe, steel cord pipe, polyester pipe, Kevlar pipe, and fiberglass pipe respectively, and obtain the design pressure, minimum bending radius and other parameters, thus improving the efficiency of the design process. At the same time, raw material quotation and pipe cost price can be calculated to facilitate the purchase of raw materials, pipe storage and sales. This software is an ideal tool for calculating flexible composite pipe cross-section data.

Measuring Flow Pattern Asymmetry of Oil-Water Two Phase Flows Using Multi-channel Rotating Electric Field Conductance Signals

The present study is a report on the asymmetry of dispersed oil phase in vertical upward oil-water two phase flow. The multi-channel signals of the rotating electric field conductance sensor with eight electrodes are collected in a 20-mm inner diameter pipe, and typical images of low pattern are captured using a high speed camera. With the multi-channel rotating electric field conductance signals collected at pipe cross section, multi-scale time asymmetry (MSA) and an algorithm of multi-scale first-order difference scatter plot are employed to uncover the fluid dynamics of oil-water two phase flow. The results indicate that MSA can characterise the non-linear behaviours of oil-water two phase flow. Besides, the MSA analysis also beneficial for understanding the underlying inhomogeneous distribution of the flow pattern in different directions at pipe cross section.

Pipe Ovalization Prediction for the Pipe-Laying Ocean System

This contribution brings a new insight into pipe cross section ovalisation due to plastic deformation during pipe-lying process to the seabed. Firstly, the influence of material model calibration on ovalization prediction is presented on pure bending case including the Prager model, the Chaboche model and the modified Abdel-Karim–Ohno model. The mechanism responsible for cross section ovalisation was identified as the phenomenon of the accumulation of plastic deformation, the so-called ratcheting. The next part of this contribution presents main results of the pipe-laying process simulation. The pipe cross-section behavior during passing the considered pipe-laying system is studied in detail. A macro based solution makes possible to do a parametric study and to easily apply the offshore standard DNV-OS-F101 in technical practice.

Comparison Between the ASME Code NB-3600 Piping Design Branch Connection Stress Analyses and Finite Element Analyses

Stresses in Class 1 branch connections that consist of large bore run pipe with a reinforced branch nozzle should rarely be limited by the run–branch interface stresses. The end of the “branch nozzle – branch pipe” interface is the location on the branch nozzle one would expect to see the limiting stress. Therefore, it is important that reasonable Design Rules are maintained in the ASME Code Section III for the stress analyses of the Class 1 Piping branch connections to avoid over-predicting the “run pipe - branch nozzle” interface stresses. This will allow the analysts to concentrate on load reductions needed in a logical manner. In Class 1 Piping Design, the calculation of the branch total stress due to the moments is the result of the sum of the stresses from the run moment and of the stresses from the branch moment with these branch moment stresses being calculated using either the branch pipe cross-section or the branch nozzle cross-section. This in itself is already severe, when compared with other Piping Design Rules for branch connections. In addition, starting with the ASME Code year 2002, the branch-side moment stress is based exclusively on the branch pipe cross-section, which leads to a higher moment stress, and this higher moment stress is still absolutely added to the run-side moment stress. As indicated in that ASME Code year 2002 and beyond, this addition is independent of the length of the branch nozzle reinforcement. This leads to total moment stresses that are the sums of moment stresses that do not occur at all at the same location. The purpose of this technical paper is to compare a) the stresses calculated with the earlier more correct Class 1 Piping methodology from 2001 and before 2001; b) the stresses calculated with the more recent and more severe Class 1 Piping methodology; and c) the stresses from finite-element analyses. Conclusions are provided on what should be done for the future Class 1 Piping Design methodology of branch connections.