Development of a computer interface for a clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter

Abstract: The section for volume, flow and temperature at SP Technical Research Institute of Sweden performs measurements of volume, flow and temperature in liquids. Flow meters are best calibrated in its installation to take sources of error like installation effects and the medium into account. If this can be done without having to place measurement equipment inside the pipe it will mean several practical benefits. Since many years, clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters have been available on the market. But even with today’s improvements they still have a measurement uncertainty in the measurements that is five to ten times too big to make them useful as references for calibration procedures. This thesis focuses on analysis, using reversed engineering, of an existing clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter. The goal of the project is evaluation and further development of the ultrasonic flow meter’s existing computer interface with the purpose of offering the option of using Microsoft Excel and Visual Basic for data acquisition and measurement of the flow rate of liquids.