A front end module natural gas flow meter

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of front module natural gas flow meters, including integrated front processing module and no moving part flowmeter body. The shell of front module is divided into inertial separation chamber and rectification filter chamber by partition. Natural gas enters inertial separation chamber tangentially and carries out primary purification, and then flows through filter piece and porous plate rectifier in rectification filter chamber upwards, realize fine filtration and flow field rectification, finally provide clean and stable fuel gas for downstream flowmeter. The utility model is integrated by design, effectively solve the problem that traditional turbine flowmeter is easily damaged by impurity impact, high maintenance cost, while ensuring the measurement accuracy and long-term stable operation of no moving part flowmeter, with the advantages of strong impact resistance, accurate measurement, convenient maintenance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of gas metering equipment technology, and more specifically, to a pre-module natural gas flow meter. Background Technology

[0002] Gas turbine units are widely used in power generation, and accurate measurement of their natural gas consumption is crucial for unit efficiency calculation, economic analysis, and cost control. Currently, turbine flow meters are commonly used as natural gas metering devices in the upstream modules of gas turbine power plants. However, in actual operation, especially in power plants at the end of the gas pipeline network, the problem of solid impurities (such as rust and welding slag) and liquid droplets contained in natural gas is quite prominent. These impurities, carried by high-speed airflow, impact the blades of the turbine flow meter, easily causing the blades to jam or even break, resulting in complete flow meter failure and making it impossible to measure the unit's natural gas flow.

[0003] Extensive industry research indicates that blade damage in turbine flow meters is a common failure. Furthermore, to ensure proper operation, turbine flow meters require regular lubrication and factory maintenance approximately every three years, resulting in high maintenance costs (up to tens of thousands of yuan per maintenance session) and a significant workload. To reduce maintenance costs and improve reliability, some power plants have converted turbine flow meters to differential pressure flow meters or other non-moving-part differential pressure flow meters after damage. However, if pre-purification is incomplete, impurities in the gas may still clog the flow meter's throttling components or affect its pressure taps, and unstable flow fields can significantly impact the measurement accuracy of differential pressure flow meters. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the aforementioned problems in the existing technology, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a pre-processing module natural gas flow meter, comprising an integrated pre-processing module and a flow meter body without moving parts connected sequentially along the natural gas flow direction; The integrated pre-processing module includes a pressure-bearing cylindrical shell, which is internally divided by a vertically arranged partition into an upstream inertial separation chamber and a downstream rectifier filter chamber. The inertial separation chamber is provided with an air inlet at the top and a first drain valve at the top. Its bottom is connected to the bottom of the rectifier filter chamber through the communication port at the bottom of the partition. The rectifier filter chamber is provided with a detachable cylindrical filter element and a fixed perforated plate rectifier from top to bottom, and an air outlet is provided at the top. The inlet of the flow meter body without moving parts is directly and sealed to the outlet.

[0005] As a preferred embodiment, a guide cone is also suspended inside the inertial separation chamber, with the tip of the guide cone facing the incoming flow direction of the air inlet.

[0006] As a preferred embodiment, the perforated plate rectifier is composed of at least two layers of stainless steel rectifier plates stacked together, with the aperture of the upstream rectifier plate being smaller than that of the downstream rectifier plate along the airflow direction.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment, the top of the cylindrical filter element is fixed to the pressure-bearing cylindrical shell by a quick-opening sealing cap.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment, the bottom of the rectifier filter chamber is provided with a funnel-shaped sludge collection hopper, and the bottom of the sludge collection hopper is provided with a normally closed second drain valve.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment, the sidewalls of the pressure-bearing cylindrical shell are covered with an electrically heated insulation layer and a heat insulation layer.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment, the flow meter body without moving parts is a throttling differential pressure flow meter.

[0011] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of this utility model are as follows: This invention integrates cyclone separation, multi-stage filtration, and flow field rectification into a single module. First, it uses an inertial separation chamber to remove large particles and droplets, then filters out fine impurities, and finally, a perforated plate rectifier effectively eliminates eddies and balances the flow velocity distribution. This provides an extremely clean and stable flow field for downstream flow meters with no moving parts, thereby eliminating equipment damage caused by impurity impacts, significantly improving metering accuracy and long-term reliability. Furthermore, it achieves convenient maintenance and condition management through a quick-opening structure and differential pressure monitoring, greatly reducing the total life cycle cost. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model. Detailed Implementation

[0013] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0014] A pre-processing module natural gas flow meter includes an integrated pre-processing module 1 and a flow meter body 2 with no moving parts connected sequentially along the natural gas flow direction; The integrated pre-processing module 1 includes a pressure-bearing cylindrical shell 11, which is internally divided into an upstream inertial separation chamber 13 and a downstream rectifier filter chamber 14 by a vertically arranged partition 12. An air inlet 131 is provided at the upper part of the inertial separation chamber 13, and a first drain valve 132 is provided at the top. Its bottom is connected to the bottom of the rectifier filter chamber 14 through the communication port 121 at the lower part of the partition 12. The rectifier filter chamber 14 is provided with a detachable cylindrical filter element 141 and a fixed perforated plate rectifier 143 arranged sequentially from top to bottom, and an air outlet 15 is provided at the top. The inlet of the flow meter body 2, which has no moving parts, is directly and sealed to the outlet 15.

[0015] During operation, natural gas containing impurities enters the inertial separation chamber 13 tangentially. Under centrifugal force, high-density impurities and droplets are thrown against the chamber wall and settle. The guide cone 133 installed inside the chamber effectively disperses the airflow, preventing direct impact. The pre-purified gas enters the bottom of the rectifier filter chamber 14 from the connecting port 121 at the bottom of the partition 12 and flows upward. The gas first passes through a replaceable cylindrical filter element 141 (e.g., a sintered metal filter element) to further filter out fine particles. Subsequently, the gas flows through a perforated plate rectifier 143 composed of three layers of stainless steel plates with different pore sizes, effectively homogenizing its flow velocity and stabilizing the flow field. Finally, the clean and stable gas enters the downstream throttling differential pressure flow meter 2 from the outlet 15 for precise measurement.

[0016] This pre-module natural gas flow meter not only operates efficiently but also ensures high purity and a stable flow field for the natural gas entering the meter body. The replaceable cylindrical filter element 141 allows for convenient and quick replacement when the filter becomes clogged or reaches the end of its service life, thus guaranteeing continuous and stable operation of the flow meter. Simultaneously, the three-layer composite structure of stainless steel plates with different aperture sizes in the perforated plate rectifier 143 allows for flow rate adjustment according to actual needs, ensuring that the gas velocity and flow field are optimal before entering the throttling differential pressure flow meter 2, thereby improving measurement accuracy.

[0017] In a preferred embodiment, a guide cone 133 is also suspended within the inertial separation chamber 13. The tip of the guide cone 133 is positioned facing the incoming flow direction of the air inlet 131. The special design of the guide cone 133 effectively guides the gas entering the inertial separation chamber 13, allowing the gas to diffuse evenly along the cone surface and avoiding situations where the local flow velocity is too fast or too slow. This evenly diffused airflow can better interact with the structure within the inertial separation chamber 13, further separating any small particulate impurities that may remain in the gas, improving the purity of the gas, and providing more favorable conditions for subsequent accurate measurement. Moreover, the guide cone 133 is suspended at a specific position within the inertial separation chamber 13, and through careful design and adjustment, it matches the structure of the entire pre-module, fully utilizing its guiding and auxiliary separation functions without affecting the normal flow of gas.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the perforated plate rectifier 143 is composed of at least two layers of stainless steel rectifier plates 1431 stacked together. Along the airflow direction, the orifice diameter of the upstream rectifier plate 1431 is smaller than that of the downstream rectifier plate 1431, allowing the gas velocity and flow field distribution to be gradually adjusted as it flows through the perforated plate rectifier 143. The upstream rectifier plate 1431 with a smaller orifice diameter performs preliminary rectification of the gas, making the airflow more uniform and reducing turbulence and eddies; while the downstream rectifier plate 1431 with a larger orifice diameter further optimizes the airflow, ensuring that the gas reaches the optimal flow velocity and flow field state before entering the throttling differential pressure flowmeter 2. This not only improves the rectification effect but also enhances the adaptability and stability of the perforated plate rectifier 143.

[0019] In a preferred embodiment, the top of the cylindrical filter element 141 is fixed to the pressure-bearing cylindrical housing 11 by a quick-opening sealing cap 144. The sealing cap 144 is made of high-strength, corrosion-resistant material, and is connected to the pressure-bearing cylindrical housing 11 through a precision sealing structure to ensure that no leakage occurs under high-pressure, high-speed airflow environments. Simultaneously, the quick-opening design allows operators to quickly open the sealing cap 144 when cleaning, replacement, or maintenance of the cylindrical filter element 141 is required, greatly shortening maintenance time and improving work efficiency.

[0020] In a preferred embodiment, the bottom of the rectifier filter chamber 14 is provided with a funnel-shaped sludge collection hopper 145, and the bottom of the sludge collection hopper 145 is provided with a normally closed second drain valve 146.

[0021] During maintenance, the clogging status of the filter element 141 can be monitored via the sensor connected to the differential pressure monitoring interface 1441. When the differential pressure increases, the quick-opening cover 144 can be opened to directly remove the old filter element and replace it with a new one, without disassembling the pipeline. Periodically opening the first drain valve 132 and the second drain valve 146 can respectively discharge impurities collected in the inertial separation chamber 13 and the sludge collection hopper 145. This design not only simplifies the maintenance process but also greatly shortens downtime and improves the overall operating efficiency of the equipment. At the same time, the funnel-shaped sludge collection hopper 145 design facilitates the natural settling and concentration of impurities, making the drainage more thorough and reducing the impact of residual impurities on equipment performance. The normally closed state of the second drain valve 146 ensures that no leakage occurs during normal operation of the equipment, guaranteeing a safe and clean working environment.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the sidewalls of the pressure-bearing cylindrical shell 11 are covered with an electrically heated insulation layer 17 and a heat insulation layer 18. When the ambient temperature is low, activating the electrically heated insulation layer 17 can effectively prevent ice blockage caused by natural gas depressurization and water separation. In a preferred embodiment, the flow meter body 2 without moving parts is a balanced flow meter. Balanced flow meters offer numerous advantages. They boast high measurement accuracy, maintaining stable performance across a wide flow range, providing a reliable guarantee for accurate flow measurement. Furthermore, their low pressure loss effectively reduces energy consumption during fluid transport, improving system efficiency. In addition, balanced flow meters have a simple structure, are easy to install, and have relatively low requirements for pipeline installation, reducing installation costs and construction difficulty. Moreover, their excellent wear resistance and corrosion resistance enable long-term stable operation in harsh working conditions, significantly extending the equipment's service life.

[0023] The contents not described in detail in this specification are existing technologies known to those skilled in the art, and their specifications and models can be selected according to actual conditions.

[0024] Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical embodiments described in the foregoing embodiments or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pre-module natural gas flow meter, characterized in that, It includes an integrated pre-processing module (1) connected sequentially along the natural gas flow direction and a flow meter body (2) without moving parts. The integrated pre-processing module (1) includes a pressure-bearing cylindrical shell (11), which is divided into an upstream inertial separation chamber (13) and a downstream rectifier filter chamber (14) by a vertically arranged partition (12). The inertial separation chamber (13) is provided with an air inlet (131) at the top and a first drain valve (132) at the top. Its bottom is connected to the bottom of the rectifier filter chamber (14) through the communication port (121) at the bottom of the partition (12). The rectifier filter chamber (14) is provided with a detachable cylindrical filter element (141) and a fixed perforated plate rectifier (143) from top to bottom, and an air outlet (15) is provided at the top. The inlet of the flow meter body (2) without moving parts is directly and sealed to the outlet (15).

2. The pre-module natural gas flow meter according to claim 1, characterized in that, A guide cone (133) is also suspended inside the inertial separation chamber (13), with the tip of the guide cone (133) facing the incoming flow direction of the air inlet (131).

3. A pre-module natural gas flow meter according to claim 2, characterized in that, The perforated plate rectifier (143) is composed of at least two layers of stainless steel rectifier plates (1431) stacked together. Along the airflow direction, the aperture of the upstream rectifier plate (1431) is smaller than the aperture of the downstream rectifier plate (1431).

4. A pre-module natural gas flow meter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top of the cylindrical filter element (141) is fixed to the pressure-bearing cylindrical housing (11) by a quick-opening sealing cap (144).

5. A pre-module natural gas flow meter according to claim 4, characterized in that, The bottom of the rectifier filter chamber (14) is provided with a funnel-shaped sludge collection hopper (145), and the bottom of the sludge collection hopper (145) is provided with a normally closed second drain valve (146).

6. A pre-module natural gas flow meter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sidewalls of the pressure-bearing cylindrical shell (11) are covered with an electrically heated insulation layer (17) and a heat insulation layer (18).

7. A pre-module natural gas flow meter according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flow meter body (2) without moving parts is a throttling differential pressure flow meter.

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