Development of an ultrasonic measuring device for the non-invasive, simultaneous analysis of deposits, pipe parameters and flow in pipelines using guided acoustic waves

Subproject ISAT: Investigation of guided acoustic waves to determine material properties of pipes and detection and quantification of deposits and material properties for automatic correction of US flow measurements

Funding programme: ZIM

Project duration: 01.06.2020- 31.05.2022

The precise determination of the flow in filled pipes is very important for many production and supply systems. Ultrasonic (US) clamp-on systems offer many advantages because they are flexible and non-invasive. Until now, US flow measurements have been too inaccurate because the exact cross section and material parameters of the pipe are not sufficiently known and can be changed by deposits and corrosion of the pipe. The aim of the project is to investigate the suitability of guided acoustic waves for the detection and quantification of deposits and pipe parameters (material properties, radius, corrosion) for the automatic correction of US flow measurements. For this purpose, a hybrid sensor will be developed based on FEM simulations and measurement series, with which the simultaneous measurement of pipe cross section, material properties and flow can be precisely detected and automatically corrected. For this purpose, new transducers for excitation and detection as well as algorithms for complex signal evaluation are developed. The R&D project will improve the accuracy of flow systems and increase the degree of automation in modern plants.