APPARATUS FOR MEASURING VELOCITY AND FLOW RATE OF A FLUID HAVING A NON-NEGLIGIBLE AXIAL MACH NUMBER USING AN ARRAY OF SENSORS

摘要

An apparatus (10) and method is provided that includes a spatial array of unsteady pressure sensors (15 - 18) placed at predetermined axial locations X1, - XN disposed axially along a pipe (14) for measuring the velocity and volumetric flow rate of a single phase or multi-phase fluid (12) having a non-negligible axial Mach number flowing in the pipe (14). The pressure sensors (15 - 18) provide acoustic pressure signals P1(t) - PN(t) to a signal processing unit (30) which determines the speed of sound propagating with and against the flow of the fluid (12) in the pipe (14) using acoustic spatial array signal processing techniques. The apparatus, responsive to the measured speed of sound propagating with and against the flow of the fluid, determines the velocity and the flow rate of the fluid propagating through the pipe.