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Correction of flow metering coefficients by using multi-dimensional non-linear curve fitting

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Abstract

Flow disturbances can significantly affect flow metering because the downstream flow of flow disturbances can become unstable and asymmetric, thus resulting in measurement errors in the flow meter. A clamp-on type ultrasonic flow meter is an example of a flow meter that is susceptible to flow disturbances given its diametrical configuration of ultrasonic paths. Several flow rate correction formulas have been suggested to mitigate the effect of flow disturbance for improved flow metering. As a novel method, a multi-dimensional non-linear correction formula is suggested to overcome limitations in flow metering that are attributed to the non-linearity of flow disturbances. The non-linear correction formula comprises n-th order polynomials with multiple variables. To validate the usefulness of the non-linear correction formula, the standard error of estimate (SEE) is introduced. Four types of flow configurations, namely, downstream of a contraction pipe, an expansion pipe, a single elbow joint, and a tee joint, are used to show the effect of the non-linear correction formula. The expanded uncertainty based on the SEE indicates estimated values of 1.29%, 11.14%, 1.07%, and 6.31% for the four upstream flow configurations, respectively. Thus, the effect of the non-linear correction formula is limited according to the upstream flow conditions. In the downstream flow of the contraction pipe and of the single elbow joint, the non-linear correction formula not only harmonizes the distribution of the flow rate deviations but also removes the biases of flow rate deviations with respect to the flow velocity, the installation location, and the diameter ratio.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Physical Metrology, Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science, Gajeong-ro 267, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-340, Korea

    Sejong Chun, Byung-Ro Yoon & Hae-Man Choi

  2. Daedeok Tech, Gwanpyeong-dong 695, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 305-509, Korea

    Duck-Ki Lee

Authors
  1. Sejong Chun
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  2. Byung-Ro Yoon
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  3. Duck-Ki Lee
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  4. Hae-Man Choi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hae-Man Choi.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Byeong Rog Shin

Sejong Chun is a research engineer working at KRISS, Korea. He joined the Division of Physical Metrology in 2004. He majored in fluid mechanics for his Ph.D study under Professor Hyung Jin Sung at KAIST, Korea. After graduation, he visited Professor Cam Tropea’s laboratory at TU Darmstadt in Germany for one year. His research interests are liquid flow rate metrology, ultrasound flow tomography, and fluid acceleration by using laser-Doppler-anemometry.

Byung-Ro Yoon is a principal research technician working at KRISS, Korea. He has been working in the field of liquid flow rate and liquid viscosity metrology for over 20 years. He is an expert in the calibration and testing of various flow meters and viscometers such as clamp-on type ultrasonic flow meters and Cannon-Fenske type capillary viscometers, among others.

Duck-Ki Lee is currently working as the CEO of Dae Deok Hi-Tech Co. Ltd. in Korea. He formerly worked at KRISS in Korea as a researcher for over 10 years. He has extensive experience in water flow measurements with various types of flow meters including electromagnetic, turbine, and ultrasonic flow meters. His research interests include installation conditions to achieve accurate flow metering in a water flow calibration facility influenced by a valve or an elbow.

Hae-Man Choi is the head of the Center for Fluid Flow and Acoustics in KRISS, Korea. He joined the Division of Physical Metrology in 1985. He majored in fluid mechanics at University of Tsukuba, Japan. His primary focus for his Ph.D degree was the flow visualization of multi-phase flows by using PIV and its application to flow rate metrology. His current work is on the low-pressure gas flow measurement and liquid viscosity fields. He is also concerned with liquid flow measurements with the use of flow meters.

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Chun, S., Yoon, BR., Lee, DK. et al. Correction of flow metering coefficients by using multi-dimensional non-linear curve fitting. J Mech Sci Technol 26, 3479–3489 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-012-0863-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-012-0863-z

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