Methodology for Development and Research of Gas Consumption Information and Measurement Systems
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Abstract
The object of the study is the design process of ultrasonic information-measuring systems for determining gas flow rate and the ways to improve measurement accuracy under real operating conditions, which may be characterized by flow turbulence, geometric constraints of pipelines, and contamination of measuring channels. An iterative design methodology is proposed, which combines theoretical analysis of the problem, CFD modeling, device design development, experimental research, and artificial intelligence methods within a closed cycle “model – algorithm – hardware implementation – experiment – correction.” Artificial intelligence plays a significant role in the design process. The application of CFD modeling and intelligent data processing methods makes it possible to optimize the flowmeter design and significantly reduce the design time. The methodology is additionally enriched with local feedback loops, ensuring adaptability and correction at each stage of the design process. The use of such an iterative design model for ultrasonic flowmeters is possible with the availability of specialized equipment and software, which should include: an environment for numerical modeling of gas flows, a 3D printer, embedded computer systems for digital data processing, and test benches for studying the operation of measuring instruments. The application of the proposed methodology made it possible to: develop a flow-stabilizing device for the multi-beam ultrasonic gas meter GFA202 DN50, which allowed combining compact design with high accuracy typical of larger-size meters that meet class 0.5 requirements, although the meter itself belongs to accuracy class 1; create a new design of a four-channel flowmeter with equal signal paths, whose average measurement error does not exceed 0.8 % over a wide flow range, whereas the classical four-channel ultrasonic flowmeter has an error up to 1.3 %; propose a method for correcting gas flow measurement results based on the use of calibration data during calibration and verification of ultrasonic flowmeters. The implementation of the proposed solutions reduced the influence of hydrodynamic disturbances and structural factors on measurement results and improved the accuracy of the flowmeter. The obtained results can be applied in industrial gas transportation systems, particularly under conditions of limited lengths of straight pipeline sections and variable flow modes.
