Precision Ultrasonic Flow Meters using Matrix Transducers (FLOW+)

Ultrasonic flow meters are widely applied in industry, and operate by measuring the flow-dependent transit time of an acoustic pulse through a fluid. To install such a meter, one can either cut the pipe carrying the fluid and insert a spool piece with built-in ultrasonic transducers, or clamp such transducers onto the pipe wall. The latter is much cheaper and more flexible, but comes with important disadvantages, such as alignment problems and poorer accuracy. In this project, we will develop a new class of clamp-on flow meters that employ so-called matrix transducers, which consist of many small acoustic transmitter-receivers that can be individually controlled by custom integrated electronics to steer the path of the acoustic pulses. This will enable several new measurement techniques, including automatic alignment and self-calibration, that will greatly improve the accuracy and applicability of clamp-on flow sensors.