This application relates to a flow conditioner used to increase the symmetry of a flow profile inside a pipe to improve the accuracy of any meter that infers an average velocity from a single location.
Flow conditioners are typically used to reduce swirl and increase the symmetry of a flow profile inside a pipe to improve the accuracy of any meter that infers an average velocity from a single location. Flow conditioners are used typically in round pipes with a variety of flow meters such and a silt density index (SDI) meter, an ultrasonic meter, etc.
However, typical flow conditioners typically have suboptimal performance under certain conditioners. One such condition occurs when a flow is directed around a pipe elbow. The elbow introduces swirl into the flow that reduces the consistency of the flow across a cross-section of the pipe for a length of the pipe. An elbow further increases the velocity of the flow at the outside of the elbow while simultaneously decreasing the velocity at the inside of the elbow. Flow conditioners typically require a length of straight pipe to have a uniform flow prior to flow being conditioned by a flow conditioner.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a flow conditioner that is configured to condition a flow having an asymmetric flow profile. There further remains a need for such a flow conditioner conditioning the flow by distributing the asymmetry to have an asymmetry that is uniform across the diameter of the flow profile.
Other features of the flow conditioner, besides those discussed above, will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art from the description of the preferred embodiments which follows. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and which illustrate examples of the invention. Such examples are illustrative, but for the scope of the invention, reference is made to the claims which follow the description.
Referring to
Referring to
The cone wall 106 includes a plurality of cone wall apertures 110 that al low fluid to flow from the pre-conditioner flow space 108 thru the conical flow conditioner 100. The cone wall 106 is angled such that the reduction in cross section increases pressure drop to promote flow to exit more evenly through the cone wall apertures 110, rather than being biased towards the base 104.
Cone wall apertures 110 are configured to decrease in diameter along the length of the cone wall 106. Accordingly, cone wall aperture 110 include a first row 112 of apertures having a diameter of 1.38 inches, a second row 114 of apertures having a diameter of 1.25 inches, a third row 116 of apertures having a diameter of 1.25 inches, a fourth row 118 of apertures having a diameter of 1.13 inches, a fifth row 120 of apertures having a diameter of 1.00 inches, and a sixth row 122 of apertures having a diameter of 0.88 inches. The apertures 110 have a reducing diameter to maintain aperture 110 spacing its the circumference of the cone wall 106 is reduced along the length of the cone wall 106. Further, the reducing diameter of apertures 110 may be based on the reduced flow velocity of a fluid as the fluid travels though the pre-conditioner flow space 108 from the top flange 102 to the base 104. Although a specific configuration and diameter of aperture 110 is shown and described, one of ordinary skill in the art would easily understand that the configuration and diameters of apertures 110 may vary considerably dependent on the size of the pipe, the type of fluid, etc. and still achieve the advantages described herein.
Flow conditioner 100 further includes a plurality of straightening vanes 130 to remove the swirl introduce by interaction of the fluid with the cone wall 106 in the pre-conditioner flow space 108. One of the vanes 130 is configured to include a locking nut 140 configured to facilitate mounting of the flow conditioner 100 to a pipe wall (not shown).
Referring to
Referring to
Cone wall 206 is configured to be shape to include a defined radial curve to reduce the occurrence of vena contracta at the flow aperture 204. Vena contracta is the point in a fluid stream where the diameter of the fluid flow is the least, and fluid velocity is at its maximum. The maximum contraction of the fluid flow would typically take place at a section slightly downstream of the flow aperture 204 if the cone wall 206 were straight. However, introducing the defined radial curve to the cone wall 206 reduces the occurrence of vena contracta at the flow aperture 204 such that the maximum contraction of the fluid flow takes place more proximate to the flow aperture 204.
Flow conditioner 200 further includes a plurality of straightening vanes 210 to remove the swirl introduce by interaction of the fluid with the cone wall 206 in the pre-conditioner flow space 208. One of the vanes 210 is configured to include a locking nut 220 configured to facilitate mounting of the flow conditioner 200 to a pipe wall.
Flow conditioners as described herein in the above described embodiments reduce the straight pipe length that is required to achieve accurate measurement. Further, the flow conditioners described herein provide this advantage by reducing the amount of restriction to the flow to avoid significantly reducing flow velocity and introducing a pressure drop. This reduction saves materials, space and cost.
This has been a description of exemplary embodiments, but it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art dial variations may be made in the details of these specific embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention, and that such variations are intended to be encompassed by this description.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/117,789 filed Feb. 18, 2015 hereby incorporated by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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20160238046 A1 | Aug 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62117789 | Feb 2015 | US |