Flow Conditioner Segregates Fluid Streams to Eliminate Velocity Profiles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flow meters suffer from inaccuracies due to turbulence in fluid flow, which is often induced by upstream disturbances such as pipe elbows and diameter reductions, requiring lengthy straight pipe runs and backpressure to correct, but these methods are inconsistent and do not fully eliminate velocity profiles.
Innovation Solution
A static mixing element with a plate having a series of openings is positioned upstream of the flow meter to segregate fluid flow into parallel streams, eliminating velocity profiles and minimizing meter factor errors, requiring no upstream pipe diameters and only three downstream diameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a flow straightener plate or tube bundle is used to eliminate velocity profile and segregate flow into parallel streams, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and required pipe length increase
Solution Approach 1:
The flow conditioner is divided into two functional segments: a static mixing element with multiple vanes that creates turbulence and breaks up velocity profiles, and a plate with openings that segments the flow into parallel streams. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently, achieving flow conditioning without requiring complex structures or long pipe runs.
2Measurement precision
If flow straightener plates are used to correct flow inaccuracies, then measurement precision is improved, but the required upstream and downstream straight pipe runs increase installation complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The static mixing element performs preliminary flow conditioning by creating turbulence and breaking up velocity profiles before the flow reaches the plate with openings. This preliminary action eliminates the need for long upstream straight pipe runs that would otherwise be required to naturally develop uniform flow conditions, allowing accurate measurements to be achieved in much shorter pipe sections.
3Stability of the object's composition
If baffled flow straighteners are used to temporarily increase turbulence, then flow uniformity is improved, but consistency and repeatability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The flow conditioner maintains continuous and consistent flow conditioning action through its fixed geometric structure. The static mixing element continuously generates turbulence, and the plate with openings continuously segments the flow into parallel streams. This continuous, geometry-based action provides reliable and repeatable flow conditions, eliminating the inconsistency associated with baffled straighteners that temporarily increase turbulence.
Data Source
AI summary
A fluid conditioner for a fluid traveling through a conduit, the conduit having a longitudinal axis and substantially circular cross-section. The fluid conditioner includes a static mixing element and a straightener plate. The preferred static mixer is one having a flat generally rectangular central portion having first and second sets of ears affixed on opposite sides of the central portion. The sets of ears include first and second ears bent respectively in upward and downward directions relative to the plane of the central portion wherein each pair of ears located diagonally opposite one another across the central portion are bent in the same direction relative to the plane of the central portion. A third set of ears extend from the central portion and terminate at a substantially rectangular member whose plane of orientation is substantially perpendicular to the central portion and a plate affixed to the substantially rectangular member and oriented substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the conduit, the plate substantially covering the cross-section of the conduit having a plurality of openings to facilitate the passage of the fluid within the conduit.