A multipurpose flow meter calibration platform and method

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of instrument measurement, and more particularly to a multipurpose flowmeter calibration platform and a calibration method. The platform comprises: a water tank connected with a pump; a flow regulating valve installed at the output of the pump, a valve position sensor connected on the flow regulating valve, a liquid level sensor installed on the water tank, a standard flowmeter, a to-be-calibrated electromagnetic flowmeter group and a to-be-calibrated float flowmeter connected in sequence downstream of the flow regulating valve, the to-be-calibrated float flowmeter connected with the upper part of the water tank downstream, forming a flow loop; a valve arranged at each of the front and rear ends of the to-be-calibrated electromagnetic flowmeter group, and the to-be-calibrated electromagnetic flowmeter group connected in parallel with a valve; a valve arranged at each of the front and rear ends of the to-be-calibrated float flowmeter, and the to-be-calibrated float flowmeter connected in parallel with a valve; the flow regulating valve, the valve position sensor, the water tank liquid level sensor, the to-be-calibrated electromagnetic flowmeter group, the to-be-calibrated float flowmeter, the standard flowmeter and the pump connected with a controller and a computer. The platform is used for calibration. The present application realizes integrated calibration and has high calibration accuracy.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of instrumentation, and more particularly to a multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform and calibration method. Background Technology

[0002] For metal float flowmeters and electromagnetic flowmeters, nuclear power plants currently lack feasible calibration methods to check the measurement accuracy of these flowmeters.

[0003] The measurement principle of a float flowmeter: The measuring body of a float flowmeter consists of a vertically tapered tube that expands from bottom to top and a float that can move freely along the axis of the tapered tube. When the fluid being measured flows into the flowmeter from the lower end of the tapered tube, a differential pressure is generated between the upper and lower surfaces of the float due to the action of the fluid. This differential pressure is the lift force of the float. When the lift force generated by the differential pressure is greater than the weight of the float immersed in the fluid, the float begins to rise. As the float rises, the annular area between the maximum outer diameter of the float and the tapered tube gradually increases, the fluid velocity gradually decreases, and the lift force acting on the float gradually decreases until the lift force equals the weight of the float, at which point the float stabilizes at a certain height. During the up-and-down movement of the float, the flow signal is transmitted to the outside via magnetic coupling. The detector transmits the detected magnetic signal over long distances as an electrical signal.

[0004] An electromagnetic flowmeter measures flow rate based on Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction. When a conductor moves in a magnetic field, cutting magnetic lines of force, an induced electromotive force (EMF) is generated in the conductor. The magnitude of this EMF is proportional to the effective length of the conductor in the magnetic field and the velocity of the conductor moving perpendicular to the magnetic field direction. Similarly, when a conductive fluid flows perpendicularly in a magnetic field, cutting magnetic lines of force, an induced EMF is also generated on the electrodes at both ends of the pipe. The magnitude of this induced EMF is E. x =BDv. Ex—Induced electromotive force, V; B—Magnetic flux density, TD—Pipe inner diameter, mv—Average flow velocity of the liquid, m / s. Volumetric flow rate. With a fixed pipe diameter D and a constant magnetic flux density B, the measured volumetric flow rate Qv exhibits a linear relationship with the induced electromotive force e and the inner diameter D of the measuring pipe, is inversely proportional to the magnetic flux density B, and is independent of other physical parameters. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform and calibration method for multi-purpose calibration of metal float flow meters and electromagnetic flow meters, so as to achieve more accurate and faster calibration of metal float flow meters and electromagnetic flow meters.

[0006] This invention provides a multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform, comprising:

[0007] A water tank, the outlet of which is connected to a pump;

[0008] A flow regulating valve is installed at the pump's output port. A valve position sensor is connected to the flow regulating valve. A liquid level sensor is installed in the water tank. A standard flow meter, an electromagnetic flow meter group to be calibrated, and a float flow meter to be calibrated are connected in sequence downstream of the flow regulating valve. The downstream of the float flow meter to be calibrated is connected to the upper part of the water tank to form a flow loop.

[0009] The electromagnetic flowmeter group to be calibrated is equipped with valves at both ends, and the electromagnetic flowmeter group to be calibrated is connected in parallel with a valve.

[0010] The float flowmeter to be calibrated is equipped with valves at both ends, and the float flowmeter to be calibrated is connected in parallel with a valve.

[0011] The flow regulating valve, valve position sensor, water tank level sensor, electromagnetic flow meter assembly to be calibrated, float flow meter to be calibrated, standard flow meter, and pump are all connected to the controller, and the computer is connected to the controller.

[0012] Preferably, the electromagnetic flowmeter group to be calibrated includes several electromagnetic flowmeters connected in series.

[0013] Preferably, the electromagnetic flowmeter is installed on a horizontal pipe section.

[0014] Preferably, the float flowmeter to be calibrated is installed on a vertical pipe section.

[0015] This invention provides a flow meter calibration method, comprising the following steps:

[0016] Step 1: Input the range and accuracy requirements of the flow meter to be tested into the computer, and calculate the maximum and minimum allowable output current of the instrument to be calibrated at the calibration point and the flow values ​​of the five points to be calibrated.

[0017] Step 2: Select a type of flow meter to be calibrated, including: an electromagnetic flow meter group to be calibrated or a float flow meter to be calibrated; according to the selected type of flow meter to be calibrated, control the opening and closing of the relevant valves to form a loop;

[0018] Step 3: Start the water pump and initially establish the flow loop. Manually click "Start Verification" on the computer. The computer transmits the instruction information to the controller. The controller determines the flow regulating valve to be operated based on the instruction information, judges the current opening of the flow regulating valve through the valve position sensor, and adjusts the opening of the flow regulating valve and the start and stop of the pump to achieve the five flow values ​​to be verified.

[0019] Step 4: When the flow rate of the standard flow meter reaches the flow rate values ​​of the five calibration points one by one, the controller collects the information transmitted by the standard flow meter and performs PID regulation on the flow regulating valve to keep the flow rate in the flow loop stable when it reaches the flow rate value of each calibration point.

[0020] Step 5: The computer collects the current value of the flow meter to be calibrated at this time, and performs judgment processing based on the calculated value of the accuracy value to determine whether the current value meets the accuracy requirements; after the computer finishes processing and recording the data of one calibration point, the computer continues to send instructions to the controller to perform calibration of the next flow calibration point, and performs data processing and recording one by one;

[0021] The five checkpoints for the upper and lower strokes are checked and recorded sequentially. Once the ten check values ​​for the upper and lower strokes are obtained, the computer performs further judgment, processing, and recording on these ten check values, and displays the processing results. If all requirements are met, the check record sheet is directly output.

[0022] If the value does not meet the accuracy requirements, the flow meter being calibrated will be displayed as unqualified, and adjustments will be made subsequently.

[0023] Preferably, when the flow meter being calibrated is found to be unqualified, the adjustment method for the float flow meter is to manually calibrate it using a standard dial, draw the corresponding dial using a dial drawing machine to ensure the pointer indicates correctly, then increase the flow rate of the flow loop so that the pointer is aligned with the range of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% respectively, and automatically perform current calibration operation.

[0024] Preferably, when the flow meter being calibrated is found to be unqualified, the adjustment method for the electromagnetic flow meter is to automatically perform a current calibration operation.

[0025] Preferably, in step five, for the current value of the float flowmeter that the computer cannot automatically collect, the pointer reading of the float flowmeter must be read manually, and the result is entered into the computer. The computer displays the manual reading of the flowmeter to be checked and the collected current value under each flow platform, and processes the data.

[0026] Preferably, in step five, during the data processing and recording process,

[0027] When the flow rate in the circuit reaches the maximum range, the computer processes, judges, and records the data at the maximum point, and then sends an instruction to the controller to adjust the opening of the flow regulating valve to reduce the flow rate and start the verification of the next stroke: when the flow rate value of the standard flow meter reaches the verification point flow rate value of the next stroke, the controller collects the current value of the flow meter being verified at this time.

[0028] When the controller fails to collect data automatically, the pointer reading of the float flowmeter is read manually, entered into the computer for judgment and display.

[0029] Preferably, the controller is set with a water tank level alarm setpoint. When the water tank level is detected to be lower than the alarm setpoint, the multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform automatically stops operating.

[0030] Compared with existing technologies, the multi-purpose flowmeter calibration platform and method of the present invention achieves calibration of metal float flowmeters and electromagnetic flowmeters through digital operation control, thereby improving the accuracy of the calibration process. The entire device is integrated into one unit, and the calibration process only requires connecting and fixing the metal float flowmeter or electromagnetic flowmeter to be calibrated, providing a stable and reliable calibration platform and improving calibration accuracy. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This diagram illustrates the structure of a multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform.

[0032] Figure 2 This represents a simplified diagram of the control connections.

[0033] In the picture,

[0034] 1. Water tank; 2. Pump; 3. Flow regulating valve; 4. Standard flow meter; 5. Electromagnetic flow meter assembly to be calibrated; 6. Float flow meter to be calibrated; 7. Liquid level sensor; 8. Inlet valve; 9. First valve; 10. Second valve; 11. Third valve; 12. Fourth valve; 13. Fifth valve; 14. Sixth valve. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To further understand the present invention, embodiments of the present invention are described below in conjunction with examples. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are only for further illustrating the features and advantages of the present invention, and not for limiting the present invention.

[0036] Embodiments of the present invention disclose a multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform, such as... Figure 1 As shown, it includes:

[0037] Water tank 1, whose outlet is connected to pump 2;

[0038] A flow regulating valve 3 is installed at the output port of pump 2. A valve position sensor is connected to the flow regulating valve 3. A liquid level sensor 7 is installed in the water tank. A standard flow meter 4, an electromagnetic flow meter group 5 to be calibrated, and a float flow meter 6 to be calibrated are connected in sequence downstream of the flow regulating valve 3. The downstream of the float flow meter 6 to be calibrated is connected to the upper part of the water tank 1 to form a flow loop. An inlet valve 8 is installed on the pipeline between the downstream of the float flow meter 6 and the upper part of the water tank 1.

[0039] The electromagnetic flowmeter group 5 to be calibrated is equipped with valves at both ends, and the electromagnetic flowmeter group 5 to be calibrated has a valve connected in parallel.

[0040] The float flowmeter 6 to be calibrated is equipped with valves at both ends, and the float flowmeter 6 to be calibrated is connected in parallel with a valve.

[0041] The flow regulating valve 3, valve position sensor, water tank level sensor 7, electromagnetic flow meter group 5 to be calibrated 6, float flow meter 6 to be calibrated 4, and pump 2 are all connected to the controller, and the computer is connected to the controller.

[0042] To improve calibration efficiency, the electromagnetic flowmeter group 5 to be calibrated includes several electromagnetic flowmeters connected in series.

[0043] The electromagnetic flowmeter 5 is installed on a horizontal pipe section.

[0044] The float flowmeter 6 to be calibrated is installed on a vertical pipe section.

[0045] like Figure 2 As shown, the computer collects current information from the standard flowmeter, the flowmeter under test, and the opening information of the flow regulating valve on the calibration device. It then displays these signals on the computer screen and performs PID calculations. The controller receives commands from the computer, compiles and parses them, and controls the opening of the flow regulating valve and the start / stop of the pump to increase or decrease the flow rate, meeting the different flow requirements of the calibration device platform. The computer judges the flowmeter under test based on the current information from the standard flowmeter and the flowmeter under test, and obtains the calibration result.

[0046] The controller measures and monitors the water tank level simultaneously. When the water tank level falls below the alarm threshold, the platform automatically shuts down to protect the water pump.

[0047] An embodiment of the present invention also discloses a flow meter calibration method, comprising the following steps:

[0048] Step 1: Input the range and accuracy requirements of the flow meter to be tested into the computer, and calculate the maximum and minimum allowable output current of the instrument to be calibrated at the calibration point and the flow values ​​of the five points to be calibrated.

[0049] Step 2: Select a type of flow meter to be calibrated, including: an electromagnetic flow meter group to be calibrated or a float flow meter to be calibrated; according to the selected type of flow meter to be calibrated, control the opening and closing of the relevant valves to form a loop;

[0050] Step 3: Start the water pump and initially establish the flow loop. Manually click "Start Verification" on the computer. The computer transmits the instruction information to the controller. The controller determines the flow regulating valve to be operated based on the instruction information, judges the current opening of the flow regulating valve through the valve position sensor, and adjusts the opening of the flow regulating valve and the start and stop of the pump to achieve the five flow values ​​to be verified.

[0051] Step 4: When the flow rate of the standard flow meter reaches the flow rate values ​​of the five calibration points one by one, the controller collects the information transmitted by the standard flow meter and performs PID regulation on the flow regulating valve to keep the flow rate in the flow loop stable when it reaches the flow rate value of each calibration point.

[0052] Step 5: The computer collects the current value of the flow meter to be calibrated at this time, and performs judgment processing based on the calculated value of the accuracy value to determine whether the current value meets the accuracy requirements; after the computer finishes processing and recording the data of one calibration point, the computer continues to send instructions to the controller to perform calibration of the next flow calibration point, and performs data processing and recording one by one;

[0053] The five checkpoints for the upper and lower strokes are checked and recorded sequentially. Once the ten check values ​​for the upper and lower strokes are obtained, the computer performs further judgment, processing, and recording on these ten check values, and displays the processing results. If all requirements are met, the check record sheet is directly output.

[0054] If the value does not meet the accuracy requirements, the flow meter being calibrated will be displayed as unqualified, and adjustments will be made subsequently.

[0055] To further understand the present invention, the multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform and calibration method provided by the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the embodiments. The scope of protection of the present invention is not limited by the following embodiments.

[0056] Example 1

[0057] Water tank 1, whose outlet is connected to pump 2;

[0058] The flow regulating valve 3 is installed at the output port of the pump 2. A valve position sensor is connected to the flow regulating valve 3. A liquid level sensor 7 is installed in the water tank. A standard flow meter 4, an electromagnetic flow meter group 5 to be calibrated, and a float flow meter 6 to be calibrated are connected in sequence downstream of the flow regulating valve 3. The downstream of the float flow meter 6 to be calibrated is connected to the upper part of the water tank 1 to form a flow loop.

[0059] The front end of the electromagnetic flowmeter group 5 to be calibrated is provided with a first valve 9, the rear end is provided with a fifth valve 13, and a second valve 10 is connected in parallel on the branch consisting of the first valve 9, the electromagnetic flowmeter group 5 to be calibrated and the fifth valve 13.

[0060] The front end of the float flowmeter 6 to be calibrated is provided with a third valve 11, the rear end is provided with a sixth valve 14, and a fourth valve 12 is connected in parallel on the branch consisting of the third valve 11, the float flowmeter 6 to be calibrated and the sixth valve 14.

[0061] The flow regulating valve 3, valve position sensor, water tank level sensor 7, electromagnetic flow meter group 5 to be calibrated 6, float flow meter 6 to be calibrated 4, and pump 2 are all connected to the controller, and the computer is connected to the controller.

[0062] Example 2

[0063] The flow meter was calibrated using the calibration platform described in Example 1.

[0064] Before the calibration begins, the standard liquid level sensor should be calibrated in advance.

[0065] Flowmeter calibration: The flowmeter to be calibrated is fixedly installed in a specific flow loop. Metal float flowmeters are installed on vertical pipe sections, and electromagnetic flowmeters are installed on horizontal pipe sections. Multiple electromagnetic flowmeters can be installed at once to improve calibration efficiency. The range and accuracy requirements of the flowmeter to be tested are manually input into the computer. The computer program will calculate the maximum and minimum allowable output current of the instrument at the calibration point and the flow rates at the five points to be calibrated based on the accuracy requirements.

[0066] Verification begins: Power is supplied to the entire verification device. When verifying the metal float flowmeter, valves 10 (second), 11 (third), and 14 (sixth) are opened, while valves 9 (first), 12 (fourth), and 13 (fifth) are closed. When verifying the electromagnetic flowmeter, valves 9 (first), 12 (fourth), and 13 (fifth) are opened, while valves 10 (second), 11 (third), and 14 (sixth) are closed. The water pump is started to initially establish the flow loop. Manual operation on the computer (clicking "Verification Start") transmits the command information to the controller. The controller determines the flow regulating valves to be operated based on the command information, uses valve position sensors to determine the current opening degree of the flow regulating valves, and adjusts the opening degree of the flow regulating valves and the start / stop of the pump to achieve the five required flow values ​​for verification. As the flow rate of the standard flowmeter reaches the five verification point flow values ​​one by one, the controller, by collecting information transmitted from the standard flowmeter, performs PID control on the flow regulating valves to maintain a stable flow rate in the flow loop when reaching each verification point flow value.

[0067] Flow rate verification: The computer collects the current value of the flow meter to be calibrated at this time and processes it according to the calculated accuracy value to determine whether the current value meets the accuracy requirements. The pointer reading of the metal float flow meter needs to be read manually, and the result is entered into the computer. The computer displays the manual reading and the collected current value of the flow meter to be calibrated under each flow platform and processes the data. After the computer finishes processing and recording the data of the previous calibration point, it continues to send instructions to the controller to perform calibration for the next flow calibration point, processing and recording the data one by one.

[0068] When the flow rate in the circuit reaches the highest point of the range, the computer processes, judges, and records the data at the highest point, and then sends an instruction to the controller to adjust the opening of the flow regulating valve to reduce the flow rate and start the verification of the next stroke: when the flow rate value of the standard flow meter reaches the verification point flow rate value of the next stroke, the controller collects the current value of the flow meter being verified at this time, and at the same time, the manual reads the pointer reading of the metal float flow meter, enters it into the computer for judgment and display.

[0069] The verification device performs verification and recording of five verification points for the upper and lower strokes in sequence according to this method. After the ten verification values ​​for the upper and lower strokes are obtained, the computer performs further judgment, processing and recording on these ten verification values, and displays the processing results. If all requirements are met, the verification record sheet is directly output.

[0070] If the value does not meet the accuracy requirements, the flow meter being calibrated will be displayed as unqualified and needs to be adjusted.

[0071] Adjustment of metal float flowmeter: Manual calibration is performed using a standard dial. The corresponding dial is drawn using a dial drawing machine to ensure the pointer indicates the correct value. Then, the flow rate of the flow loop is increased so that the pointer is aligned with the 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% range positions respectively. The current calibration operation is then performed automatically.

[0072] Electromagnetic flowmeter adjustment: Automatic current calibration operation.

[0073] The above description of the embodiments is only for the purpose of helping to understand the method and core ideas of the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several improvements and modifications to the present invention without departing from the principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention.

[0074] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform, characterized in that, include: A water tank, the outlet of which is connected to a pump; A flow regulating valve is installed at the pump's output port. A valve position sensor is connected to the flow regulating valve. A liquid level sensor is installed in the water tank. A standard flow meter, an electromagnetic flow meter group to be calibrated, and a float flow meter to be calibrated are connected in sequence downstream of the flow regulating valve. The downstream of the float flow meter to be calibrated is connected to the upper part of the water tank to form a flow loop. The electromagnetic flowmeter group to be calibrated is equipped with valves at both ends, and the electromagnetic flowmeter group to be calibrated is connected in parallel with a valve. The float flowmeter to be calibrated is equipped with valves at both ends, and the float flowmeter to be calibrated is connected in parallel with a valve. The flow regulating valve, valve position sensor, water tank level sensor, electromagnetic flow meter assembly to be calibrated, float flow meter to be calibrated, standard flow meter, and pump are all connected to the controller, and the computer is connected to the controller.

2. The multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The electromagnetic flowmeter group to be calibrated consists of several electromagnetic flowmeters connected in series.

3. The multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform according to claim 2, characterized in that, The electromagnetic flowmeter is installed on a horizontal pipe section.

4. The multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The float flowmeter to be calibrated is installed on a vertical pipe section.

5. A flow meter calibration method based on the multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Input the range and accuracy requirements of the flow meter to be tested into the computer, and calculate the maximum and minimum allowable output current of the instrument to be calibrated at the calibration point and the flow values ​​of the five points to be calibrated. Step 2: Select a type of flow meter to be calibrated, including: an electromagnetic flow meter group to be calibrated or a float flow meter to be calibrated; according to the selected type of flow meter to be calibrated, control the opening and closing of the relevant valves to form a loop; Step 3: Start the water pump and initially establish the flow loop. Manually click "Start Verification" on the computer. The computer transmits the instruction information to the controller. The controller determines the flow regulating valve to be operated based on the instruction information, judges the current opening of the flow regulating valve through the valve position sensor, and adjusts the opening of the flow regulating valve and the start and stop of the pump to achieve the five flow values ​​to be verified. Step 4: When the flow rate of the standard flow meter reaches the flow rate values ​​of the five calibration points one by one, the controller collects the information transmitted by the standard flow meter and performs PID regulation on the flow regulating valve to keep the flow rate in the flow loop stable when it reaches the flow rate value of each calibration point. Step 5: The computer collects the current value of the flow meter to be calibrated at this time, and performs judgment processing based on the calculated value of the accuracy value to determine whether the current value meets the accuracy requirements; after the computer finishes processing and recording the data of one calibration point, the computer continues to send instructions to the controller to perform calibration of the next flow calibration point, and performs data processing and recording one by one; The five checkpoints for the upper and lower strokes are checked and recorded sequentially. Once the ten check values ​​for the upper and lower strokes are obtained, the computer performs further judgment, processing, and recording on these ten check values, and displays the processing results. If all requirements are met, the check record sheet is directly output. If the value does not meet the accuracy requirements, the flow meter being calibrated will be displayed as unqualified, and adjustments will be made subsequently.

6. The flow meter calibration method according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the flow meter being calibrated is found to be unqualified, the adjustment method for the float flow meter is to manually calibrate it using a standard dial. Draw the corresponding dial using a dial drawing machine to ensure the pointer indicates the correct value. Then, increase the flow rate of the flow loop so that the pointer is aligned with the 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% range positions respectively, and automatically perform the current calibration operation.

7. The flow meter calibration method according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the flow meter being calibrated is found to be unqualified, the adjustment method for the electromagnetic flow meter is to automatically perform a current calibration operation.

8. The flow meter calibration method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step five, for the current value of the float flowmeter that the computer cannot automatically collect, the pointer reading of the float flowmeter must be read manually and the result is entered into the computer. The computer displays the manual reading and the collected current value of the flowmeter to be checked under each flow platform and processes the data.

9. The flow meter calibration method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In step five, during the data processing and recording process, When the flow rate in the circuit reaches the maximum range, the computer processes, judges, and records the data at the maximum point, and then sends an instruction to the controller to adjust the opening of the flow regulating valve to reduce the flow rate and start the verification of the next stroke: when the flow rate value of the standard flow meter reaches the verification point flow rate value of the next stroke, the controller collects the current value of the flow meter being verified at this time. When the controller fails to collect data automatically, the pointer reading of the float flowmeter is read manually, entered into the computer for judgment and display.

10. The flow meter calibration method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The controller is set with a water tank level alarm value. When the water tank level is detected to be lower than the alarm value, the multi-purpose flow meter calibration platform will automatically stop operating.

Images