Split Flow Vortex Flowmeter for Large Pipeline Measurement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vortex flowmeters face challenges in accurately measuring low fluid flow rates, especially in large diameter pipelines, due to insufficient fluid velocity leading to irregular vortex formation, which affects measurement accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A split flow vortex flowmeter system that divides the fluid into multiple passages with bluff bodies to generate vortices and sensors to detect them, allowing for parallel measurement and recombination of fluid streams, enabling accurate flow rate calculation through processing systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If a single large diameter flowtube is used to measure flow in large pipelines, then the meter can handle large flow volumes, but fluid velocity becomes insufficient to generate stable vortices under low flow conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The single large diameter flowtube is divided into multiple separate flowtubes with smaller diameters. Each flowtube handles a portion of the total flow, ensuring that fluid velocity remains sufficient to generate stable vortices even when total flow volume is large. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining both flow volume capacity and vortex formation stability.
2Measurement precision
If the flowtube diameter is reduced to increase fluid velocity for stable vortex formation, then measurement accuracy improves under low flow conditions, but the meter can no longer accurately measure large flow volumes
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple smaller flowtubes are used instead of a single large flowtube. Each small flowtube maintains high fluid velocity and stable vortex formation for accurate low flow measurement, while the parallel arrangement of multiple flowtubes collectively handles large flow volumes, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and flow volume capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple flowtubes measuring individual flow portions are combined through a flow aggregator that sums the flow rates from all flowtubes to determine the total flow rate. This merging allows the system to maintain high measurement precision in each flowtube while collectively measuring large total flow volumes.
3Measurement precision
If a constriction is added to the flowtube to increase fluid velocity at the bluff body, then low flow measurement capability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than modifying a single large flowtube with complex constrictions, the system segments the flow into multiple smaller flowtubes. The natural velocity in these smaller tubes is sufficient for stable vortex formation without requiring additional constrictions, thus improving low flow measurement accuracy while avoiding increased device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system enhances the ability to measure fluid flow rates in large diameter pipelines by ensuring stable vortex generation and accurate flow rate calculations, even under low flow conditions, improving measurement consistency and accuracy.
Implementation Method 1
Vortex shedding refers to a natural process in which a fluid passing a bluff body (sometimes referred to as a shedder) causes a boundary layer of slowly moving fluid to be formed along the surface of the bluff body. A low pressure area is created behind the bluff body and causes the boundary layer to roll up, which generates vortices in succession on opposite sides of the bluff body.
Implementation Method 2
The vortices induce pressure variations that may be sensed by a pressure sensor. The vortex-shedding pressure variations have a frequency that is related to the flow rate. Accordingly, by measuring the frequency of the pressure variations, the flow rate may be determined.
Data Source
AI summary
A vortex flowmeter has first and second process connections with a meter inlet and outlet, respectively, therein. The first and second process connections are configured to connect, respectively, to upstream and downstream segments of a fluid pipeline. A fluid conveyance system conveys fluid from the inlet to the outlet and divides the fluid into separate fluid streams that flow through separate passages. Each of the passages has its own vortex metering unit configured to generate and detect vortices in the respective fluid stream. A processing system is configured to calculate a sum of the flow rates through all of the fluid streams.