Disturbance simulating flow plate

Abstract

A flow conditioning plate for interposition in a flow line has a pattern of apertures which introduces a flow irregularity characteristic of a commonly encountered irregular flow in a plant, such as the disturbance introduced by one or more junctions or fittings in the upstream flow path. The apertures may introduce a specific flow distribution, asymmetry of flow profile or swirl component, and these may be tuned to simulate a plant condition that occurs downstream of one or more bends, elbows or T junctions. The disturbance persists, or evolves in a known way for a well defined distance along the flow path to simulate field flow conditions, and a flow meter is tested or calibrated in the disturbed segment, preferably at a defined position, under known flow to produce a calibration table. The meter may then be later installed to measure the irregular flow in an unconditioned flow line at a plant. This allows a meter factor or multiple weighting algorithm to be quickly ascertained and programmed to adapt a meter to an intended plant having known configuration involving complex or disturbed flow paths and irregular flow conditions, and the method of calibration extends the use of clamp-on metering systems to process measurement needs at many accessible conduits and segments in existing plants that carry unsettled or disturbed flows.