Abstract
This paper reports about the first application of a laser Doppler velocity profile sensor for precise flow rate measurements of natural gas under high pressure. The profile sensor overcomes the limitations of conventional laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) namely the effect of spatial averaging and the effect of fringe spacing variation (virtual turbulence). It uses two superposed, fan-like interference fringe systems to determine the axial position of a tracer particle inside the LDA’s measurement volume. Consequently, a spatial resolution of about 1 μm can be achieved and the effect of virtual turbulence is nearly eliminated. These features predestine the profile sensor for flow rate measurements with high precision. Velocity profile measurements were performed at the German national standard for natural gas, one of the world′s leading test facilities for precision flow rate measurements. As a result, the velocity profile of the nozzle flow could be resolved more precisely than with a conventional LDA. Moreover, the measured turbulence intensity of the core flow was of 0.14% mean value and 0.07% minimum value, which is significantly lower than reference measurements with a conventional LDA. The paper describes the performed measurements, gives a discussion and shows possibilities for improvements. As the main result, the goal of 0.1% flow rate uncertainty seems possible by an application of the profile sensor.
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Acknowledgments
The authors thank Katsuaki Shirai for fruitful discussions, Andreas Woloschyn and Georgi Paschew for their work at the sensor construction. The support of the E.ON staff at the test facility is greatly acknowledged. T. Pfister and P. Pfeiffer are thanked for developing the FDM part. The development of the profile sensor was partially funded by the German Research Foundation (Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, FKZ: CZ55/18-1).
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Büttner, L., Bayer, C., Voigt, A. et al. Precise flow rate measurements of natural gas under high pressure with a laser Doppler velocity profile sensor. Exp Fluids 45, 1103–1115 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-008-0530-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-008-0530-4