Development and use of a multi-point temperature compensated high precision premanent mounted ultrasonic instrument to measure the slug flow erosion pattern in a horizontal standard elbow.

摘要

Particle ladened fluid flows conveyed in industrial piping are known to result in erosive wear which if unchecked can lead to containment breaches. Such breaches will result in shutdowns and these breaches have caused injuries to personnel. Modeling of the erosivity potential of single phase flows is a very mature field of research and design engineering practice. Modeling of the erosivity potential for multiphase flows is a developing field of research that requires more sophisticated measurement methodologies to capture the erosion patterns of these very complex and transient flow regimes. An advanced sixteen channel temperature compensated ultrasonic wall thickness measurement instrument was constructed along with new algorithms to provide a greater level of sensor density and resolution that enables the capture of erosion patterns as well as erosion rates. Erosion pattern for sand ladened slug flow through a horizontal standard three inch elbow was captured.