What is Ultrasonic meter?
Ultrasonic meter is used to measure liquid velocity with
ultrasound to analyze the volume of liquid flow.
This is a volumetric flow meter that needs bubble or
minute particles within the liquid flow.
Principle of Ultra
The working principle of ultrasonic flow meter is, it uses sound
waves to resolve the velocity of a liquid within a pipe. There are
two conditions in the pipe like no flow and flowing.
In the first condition, the frequencies of ultrasonic waves are
transmitted into a pipe & its indications from the fluid are similar.
In the second condition, the reflected wave’s frequency is
dissimilar because of the Doppler Effect.
Principle of Ultra
Under these two flowing conditions, the wave at upstream will flow
with less speed than the downstream wave. As the liquid flows faster,
the distinction between the up & downstream times raises. The times of
the upstream & downstream processed by the transmitter to decide the
flow rate.
Under these two flowing conditions, the wave at upstream will flow
with less speed than the downstream wave. As the liquid flows faster,
the distinction between the up & downstream times raises. The times of
the upstream & downstream processed by the transmitter to decide the
flow rate.
Working of ultra
Ultrasonic waves behave exactly the same way. A sound wave travelling in the
direction of flow of the product is propagated at a faster rate than one travelling
against the flow.
Types of ultrasonic meters
There are two types of ultrasonic meters:
Transit time
Doppler
Transit time
This is today’s state-of-the-art technology and most widely used
type.
This type of ultrasonic flowmeter makes use of the difference in
the time for a sonic pulse to travel a fixed distance.
First against the flow and then in the direction of flow.
Transmit time flowmeters are sensitive to suspended solids or
air bubbles in the fluid.
Doppler
• This type is more popular and less expensive, but is not
considered as accurate as the transit time flowmeter.
• It makes use of the Doppler frequency shift caused by sound
reflected or scattered from suspensions in the flow path and is
therefore more complementary than competitive to transit
time flowmeters.
Pros
• Obstruction less flow
• Pressure drop equal to an equivalent length of straight pipe
• Unaffected by changes in temperature, density or viscosity
• Bi-directional flow capability
• Corrosion-resistant
• Accuracy about 1% of flow rate
• Relative low power consumption
Cons
• The operating principle for the ultrasonic
• flowmeter requires reliability high frequency sound transmitted
across the pipe.
• Liquid slurries with excess solids or with
• entrained gases may block the ultrasonic pulses.
• Ultrasonic flowmeters are not recommended for primary sludge,
mixed liquor, aerobically digested sludge, dissolved air flotation
thickened sludge and its liquid phase, septic sludge and activated
carbon sludge.
• Liquids with entrained gases cannot be measured reliably.
Applications
These meters are suitable in the applications of wastewater
but they will not work with drinking/distill water.
So this type of flow meter is ideal for the applications
wherever chemical compatibility, low maintenance, and
low-pressure drop are required.
These meters are used to measure the velocity of a liquid
through ultrasound to analyze volume flow.
Thank you !
