Zusammenfassung
Die Eignung eines Ultraschall-basierten Gas-Durchflussmessers (Laufzeitprinzip) kann bezüglich des Gastemperaturbereichs erweitert werden (bis zu 450 °C). Mit Hilfe von Methoden der numerischen Strömungsmechanik und Schallstrahlsimulationen untersuchten wir thermisch bedingte Effekte, welche die Schallausbreitung innerhalb des Durchflussmessers beinflussen. Dadurch konnten die Geometrie und die Betriebsart des Durchflussmessers optimiert werden. Die präsentierten Ergebnisse belegen, dass ein solcher Durchflussmesser für die Messung einer pulsierenden Gasströmung über einen weiten Temperatur- und Strömungsgeschwindigkeitsbereich verwendet werden kann. Ein Anwendungsbeispiel ist der Abgasstrang eines automobilen Verbrennungsmotors.
Summary
The applicability of an ultrasonic transit-time gas flowmeter can be extended regarding its gas temperature range (up to 450°C). We used computational fluid dynamics and ray-tracing techniques to investigate thermally-related effects that influence the sound propagation inside the flowmeter. This allowed us to optimize the geometry and the method of how to operate the flowmeter. Our results prove that such a flowmeter can be used to measure pulsating gas flows over wide temperature and velocity ranges such as found in the exhaust gas train of an automotive combustion engine.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
References
Ao, X. S., Matson, J., Kucmas, P., Khrakovsky, O., Li, X. S. (2002): Ultrasonic clamp-on flow measurement of natural gas, steam and compressed Air. Proc. 5th Int. Symp. Fluid flow Measurement: 1–9
Beck, M., Hinterhofer, K. (1998): Direct high dynamic flow measurement in the exhaust of combustion engines. SAE 980880: 95–104
Boone, M. M., Vermaas, E. A. (1991): A new ray-tracing algorithm for arbitrary inhomogeneous and moving media, including caustics. Acoust. Soc. Am., 90 (4): 2109–2117
Brassier, P., Hosten, B., Vulovic, F. (2001): High-frequency transducers and correlation method to enhance ultrasonic gas flow metering. Flow Meas. Instrum., 12: 201–211
Hauptmann, P., Hoppe, N., Püttmer, A. (2002): Application of ultrasonic sensors in the process industry. Meas. Sci. Technol., 13: 73–83
Iooss, B., Lhuillier, C., Jeanneau, H. (2002): Numerical simulation of transit-time ultrasonic flowmeters: uncertainties due to flow profile and fluid turbulence. Ultrasonics, 40: 1009–1015
Klee, P., Gebhardt, W. (1998): Die hochauflösende Messung von Abgasmassenstrom und -temperatur mittels Ultraschall. MTZ 59 (3): 188–194
Kupnik, M., O'Leary, P., Schröder, A., Rungger, I. (2003): Numerical simulation of ultrasonic transit-time flowmeter performance in high-temperature gas flows. Proc. IEEE Ultrason. Symp.: 1354–1359
Kupnik, M., Schröder, A., O'Leary, P., Benes, E., Gröschl, M. (2006): Adaptive pulse repetition frequency technique for an ultrasonic transit-time gas flowmeter for hot pulsating gases. IEEE Sens. J., 6 (4): 906–915
Kupnik, M., Krasser, E., Gröschl, M. (2007): Absolute transit time detection for ultrasonic gas flowmeters based on time and phase domain characteristics. Proc. IEEE Ultrason. Symp.: 142–145
Launder, B. E., Spalding, D. B. (1974): The numerical computation of turbulent flows. Comput. Method. Appl. Mech. Eng., 3: 269–289
Lynnworth, L. C. (1989): Ultrasonic measurements for process control; theory, techniques, applications. San Diego: Academic Press Inc
Lynnworth, L. C., Liu, Y. (2006): Ultrasonic flowmeters: Half-century progress report, 1955–2005. Ultrasonics, 44: 1371–1378
Mylvaganam, K. S. (1989): High-rangeability ultrasonic gas flowmeter for monitoring flare gas. IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelect. Freq. Contr.: 36, 144–149
O'Sullivan, L. C., Wright, W. M. D. (2002): Ultrasonic measurement of gas flow using electrostatic transducers. Ultrasonics, 40: 407–411
Pierce, A. D. (1994): Acoustics: an introduction to its physical principles and applications. New York: Acoustical Society of America
Schlichting, H., Gersten, K. (1996): Grenzschicht-Theorie, 9th edn. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer
Schröder, A., Harasek, S., Kupnik, M., Wiesinger, M., Gornik, E., Benes, E., Gröschl, M. (2004): A capacitance ultrasonic transducer for high-temperature applications. IEEE Trans. Ultrason. Ferroelect. Freq. Contr., 51 (7): 895–906
Schröder, A., Kupnik, M., O'Leary, P., Benesch, E., Gröschl, M. (2006): A capacitance ultrasonic transducer with micromachined backplate for fast flow measurements in hot pulsating gases. IEEE Sensor. J., 6 (4): 898–905
Shampine, L. F., Corless, R. M. (2000): Initial value problems for ODEs in problem solving environments. J. Comput. Appl. Math., 125 (1–2): 31–40
Sick Maihak (2008): Datasheet of FLOWSIC 150 CARFLOW. [Online] Available: http://www.sick-maihak.de/
Sofialidis, D., Prinos, P. (1996): Fluid flow and heat transfer in a pipe with wall suction. Int. J. Heat. Mass. Tran., 40 (15): 3627–3640
Zollner, M., Zwicker, E. (1993): Elektroakustik, 3rd edn. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kupnik, M., Gröschl, M. Ultrasonic-based gas flowmeter for harsh environmental conditions. Elektrotech. Inftech. 126, 206–213 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00502-009-0638-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00502-009-0638-0