Effects of Flow Pulsation on a Single-Rotor Turbine Meter

Abstract

The effects of pulsating flow on a single-rotor turbine meter with a rotor response parameter greater than unity were investigated experimentally. Oscillating velocities and pressures at various pipe cross-sections were measured which enabled characterization of flow properties at the turbine meter and their effect on meter error. Measurements confirmed that meter error depends primarily on the velocity amplitude of the flow pulsation at the rotor. Moreover, it was shown that the velocity amplitude at the rotor results from the system response, which is determined by the system geometry, pulsation frequency, flow velocity, and sound speed. Lastly, a technique was developed to determine the meter error from measurements of dynamic pressure in the pipe upstream or downstream of the turbine meter.