ULTRASONIC

FLOWMETER
A way to measure
the velocity of a fluid
in a tube using sound
waves.

What is an Ultrasonic flow

meter?

An ultrasonic flow meter is a type of flow meter

that measures the velocity of a fluid with
ultrasound to calculate volume flow. Using
ultrasonic transducers, the flow meter can
measure the average velocity along the path of
an emitted beam of ultrasound, by averaging the
difference in measured transit time between the
pulses of ultrasound propagating into and against
the direction of the flow or by measuring the
frequency shift from the Doppler effect.

History
In 1842, the Austrian physicist Christian Doppler discovered
that, if a sound source is approaching a receiver (such as a
train moving toward a stationary listener), the frequency of
the sound will appear higher. If the source and the recipient
are moving away from each other, the pitch will drop (the
wavelength of the sound will appear to decrease).
In 1959, an ultrasonic flowmeter using the doppler
technology was firstly developed by Shigeo Satomura for
using in blood flow analysis.
In the 1990s,Transit time(also called time of flight) ultrasonic
technology was introduced and became widespread.Transittime flowmeter was very suitable for measuring clean and
average liquid.
In 1995, the International Organization of Legal Metrology
(OIML) developed R 117, Measuring Systems for Liquids
Other than Water. While this is a standard that applies to

Types/Classifications
Classifications of UFM

Transit time ultrasonic flow meters

Rail mounted meters
Three types of Rail mounted meters
Transmission (in-line, clamp-on)
Reflection or Doppler flow meters
Open-Channel

Transit time UFM

-Transit time ultrasonic flowmeters send and

receive ultrasonic waves between transducers in

both the upstream and downstream directions in
the pipe.

Equation
The

fluid velocity can be expressed as

where
= received frequency
= transmission frequency
=fluid flowvelocity
= the relative angle between the transmitted
ultrasonic beam and the fluid flow
= the velocity of sound in the fluid

Transmission UFM

The process is to clamp-on the outside of

the pipe. The advantages of it is that there
is no pressure drop and obstruction of flow.

Doppler flow meters

Continuously transmits high frequency sound
that travels through the pipe wall and into
the flowing liquid.
Doppler flowmeters are used forslurries,
liquids with bubbles, gases with soundreflecting particles.

Open-channel

Open channel flow is defined as flow in any

channel in which the liquid flows with a free
surface. Examples include rivers and
irrigation channels.
There are three methods for automatically
measuring open channel flow.

Hydraulic Structures
Area Velocity
Slope-Hydraulic Radius

Open-channel
Hydraulic Structures

The most common method of measuring

open channel flow is the hydraulic
structures method. A calibrated restriction
inserted into the channel controls the
shape and velocity of the flow.

Area Velocity

The area velocity method calculates flow

rate by multiplying the area of the flow by
its average velocity. This is often referred
to as the continuity equation, Q=AV.

Open-channel
Slope-Hydraulic
Radius

Various resistance equations are used to estimate

flow rate based on measurements of the water
surface slope, cross-sectional area, and wetted
perimeter over a length of uniform channel. The most
popular of these equations is the Manning formula:

where: = flow rate

= constant dependent upon units
= cross sectional area of flow
= hydraulic radius (cross sectional area divided by
wetted perimeter)
= slope of the hydraulic gradient
= roughness coefficient based on channel material
and condition

Advantages

More accurate and reliable

No pressure loss
Direct meter installation on existing pipes.
No moving parts. Minimum outlay for
maintenance and upkeep
High life expectancy (no abrasion or
corrosion by thefluid)

Disadvantages

High cost
More complex than that of other movement
meter

THE END