Non-intrusive flow measurement
Ultrasonic flow measurement at high
temperatures was until now a troublesome
business: The gels or pads used
for acoustic coupling between the
transducers and the pipe have a limited
temperature tolerance. Furthermore,
high temperatures accelerate the aging
of the ultrasonic transducer’s piezo
elements and thus limit their useful
operating life.
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The patented transducer mounting
fixture realizes a long-term stable
clamp-on ultrasonic flow measurement
with standard temperature transducers
at temperatures as high as 400°C. It
offers all the well known advantages
of the clamp-on ultrasonic technology:
a non-intrusive measurement with a
wide dynamic range and a high flexibility.
The WaveInjector® is available in various sizes, each of which covers a wide nominal pipe diameter range. For big pipes, special mounting chains ensure a firm attachment to the pipe, thus assuring high pressure on the coupling point. Since the WaveInjector® is a purely mechanical device, it can be used in explosion hazard areas without any further certifications. |
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The WaveInjector® is composed of the WaveInjector®
coupling plate (1), the transducers clamping fixtures
(2), a pipe mounting clamp (3), together with an
acoustic coupling foil. The metallic coupling plate
between the transducer (4) and the pipe provides
nearly loss-free ultrasonic coupling. At the same
time, its cooling effect maintains a high temperature
gradient between the surface of the pipe and the
coupling surface of the transducer. This guarantees
that the maximum permissible transducer temperature
is never exceeded.
The robust pipe mounting assembly (3) ensures a high surface pressure between the coupling plates and the pipe wall. Special metallic foils guarantee an optimal long term stable acoustic coupling. |
FLEXIM's WaveInjector®. |