Similarity Model of MWA Thailand Water System for Error Estimation of Ultrasonic Flow Meter

Abstract

This paper proposed a similarity model of MWA water system using the dimensional analysis based on the theory of Buckingham Pi for error estimation of transit-time ultrasonic flow meter with clamp-on at different installation conditions. There were three main parameters groups, i.e., pipe characteristic, meter installation, and fluid characteristic and properties and could be arranged in five Pi terms, i.e. E×(Le/D), µ/ρvD, Le/D, Us/D and Us/D. The results showed that the relative errors of measurement increased with the decreasing of upstream and downstream of meter at the same velocity and there was a possibility to use the model to determine the correction factor to compensate the velocity measurement of ultrasonic flow meter as the installation could not comply with the requirement. However, the further experiments should be performed for validation of the model predictive equation i.e., E 0.3607 E . p m.