Chordal gas flow meter with transducers installed outside the pressure boundary, and method

Abstract

A flowmeter for detecting gas flow rates in a pipe including a container configured to be attached to the pipe having a channel through which the gas flows, and a plurality of recesses that extend through the container and a plurality of housings. Each recess having one housing of the plurality of housings. Each housing having a pressure containing window. The flowmeter includes a plurality of transducers, with one transducer of the plurality of transducers disposed in each housing in each recess. The transducers transmitting ultrasonic signals through the windows into and receiving ultrasonic signals through the windows from the channel. The flowmeter includes acoustic isolators disposed about the housing along the housing's length and between the housings and the container which acoustically isolate the housings from the container. The flowmeter includes a controller in electrical communication with the plurality of transducers which determines the gas flow rate through the channel by measuring transit times of signals transmitted by and received by the transducers.