A method for non-intrusive measurement of internal pressures in flowing and non-flowing natural gas distribution pipelines has been developed. The method is based on temperature changes observed at various locations on the outside wall of the pipe in response to a circumferential band of heat applied to it. Because of the complex flow patterns in the pipe, the pressure-related phenomena induce second-order effects on the heat transfer to the gas or liquid in the pipeline. Experimental results from both laboratory and field measurements have been compared with predictions from TEMPEST, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model, to aid in understanding the flow characteristics. In this model, a 2.5 in band or ring heater device placed around the outer circumference of the pipe is used to apply heat to the outer wall of the pipe. The effect of heat input ranging from 250 to 1000 W has been evaluated for pipe diameters from 4 in to 12 in. The expected range of Reynolds numbers spans the laminar, transitional, and turbulent flow regimes, thus adding significant complexity to the problem. Results have shown that a heater power of about 1000 W for flowing gas and 250 W for non-flowing gas enables an acceptable estimate of pressures for most cases. The method can be used to effectively determine whether a pipe is filled with gas or liquid. It can also indicate whether the gas is flowing or static.
Development of heat transfer method for non-intrusive pressure measurement in natural gas pipelines
Entwicklung einer Methode zur Druckmessung in Erdgaspipelines mittels Wärmeübergang und ohne Eindringen in die Röhre
1994
17 Seiten, 23 Bilder, 2 Tabellen
Conference paper
English
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