Unsteady Flow Rate Measurement by Using Hydraulic Pipeline Dynamics

유압관로의 동특성을 이용한 비정상 유량계측

The measurement of unsteady flow rate is of vital importance to clarify and improve the dynamic characteristics in pipeline, hydraulic components and system. There is also demand for a real time flow sensor of ability to measure unsteady flow rate with high accuracy and fast response to realize feedback control of flow rate in fluid power systems. In this paper, we propose an approach for estimating unsteady flow rate through a pipeline and components under high pressure condition. In the method, unsteady flow rate is estimated by using hydraulic pipeline dynamics and the measured pressure values at two distant points along the pipeline. The distributed parameter model of hydraulic pipeline is applied with consideration of frequency dependent viscosity friction and unsteady velocity distribution at a cross section of a pipeline. By using the self-checking functions of the method, the validity is investigated by comparison with the measured and estimated pressure waveforms at the halfway section on the pipeline. The results show good agreement between the estimated flow rate waveforms and theroetical those under unsteady laminar flow conditions. the method proposed here is useful in estimating unsteady flow rate through an arbitray cross section in hydraulic pipeline and components without installing an instantaneous flowmeter.