Experimental study of flow monitoring instruments in air-water, two-phase downflow

Conference · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1976

OSTI ID:7345327

Sheppard, J D; Hayes, P H; Wynn, M C

The performance of a turbine meter, target flow meter (drag disk), and a gamma densitometer was studied in air-water, two-phase vertical downflow. Air and water were metered into an 0.0889-m-ID (3.5-in.) piping system; air flows ranged from 0.007 to 0.3 m/sup 3//sec (16 to 500 scfm) and water flows ranged from 0.0006 to 0.03 m/sup 3//sec (10 to 500 gpm). The study included effects of flow rate, quality, flow regime, and flow dispersion on the mean and fluctuating components of the instrument signals. Wire screen flow dispersers located at the inlet to the test section had a significant effect on the readings of the drag disk and gamma densitometer, but had little effect on the turbine. Further, when flow dispersers were used, mass flow rates determined from the three instrument readings and a two-velocity, slip flow model showed good agreement with actual mass flow rate over a three-fold range in quality; mass flows determined with the drag disk and densitometer readings assuming homogeneous flow were nearly as accurate. However, when mass flows were calculated using the turbine and densitometer or turbine and drag disk readings assuming homogeneous flow, results were scattered and relatively inaccurate compared to the actual mass flows. Turbine meter data were used with a two-velocity turbine model and continuity relationships for each phase to determine the void fraction and mean phase velocities in the test section. The void fraction was compared with single beam gamma densitometer results and fluid momentum calculated from a two-velocity model was compared with drag disk readings.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., Tenn. (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7345327
• Report Number(s): CONF-760810-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420400* -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
440105 -- Radiation Instrumentation-- Radiometric Instruments-- (-1987)
440300 -- Miscellaneous Instruments-- (-1989)
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION
AIR
DENSIMETERS
FLOW RATE
FLOWMETERS
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
GASES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
RADIOMETRIC GAGES
TESTING
TWO-PHASE FLOW
WATER