Problems with the use of ultrasonic flowmeters
Thread Content
We have an ultrasonic flowmeter here, and its performance is inconsistent; we’re not sure what the reason is. Sometimes there is simply no echo intensity, and nothing can be done about it; yet after that, it suddenly works again, only to stop working after some time. Is this a problem with the installation of the ultrasonic flow meter, or is it due to the instability of the medium being measured by the ultrasonic flow meter? This ultrasonic flow meter measures asphalt, with a normal temperature of around 160 degrees.
Is the temperature too high? The speed of sound is greatly affected by temperature
Is there no technical support from the manufacturer? I’ve used ultrasonic flowmeters, and they proved to be very troublesome – there are many requirements, such as a smooth outer surface of the pipe, the medium filling the pipe completely, as well as specific temperature conditions for the converter. It’s best to have the manufacturer come and carry out the adjustments, while also providing instructions for maintenance
Ultrasonic testing is quite sensitive to the conditions in the pipeline; bubbles, uneven media, and incomplete filling of the pipe can all cause problems
The ultrasonic flowmeters we use have encountered the same problem as well. You can swap in a similar meter that is being used elsewhere; if it can measure properly and the probe is fine, then the issue lies with the transducer unit that receives signals at the site. That’s how we tried to diagnose it. The meter that had the problem was sent back to the factory for repair, but it wasn’t fixed.