Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Thermoacoustic Oscillations in Natural Gas Metering Stations |
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| Andreas Brümmer, Roland Edlerherr, Johann Lenz |
- Abstract:
- In natural gas flow metering and pressure regulation stations flowmeters, heat exchangers and control valves are usually connected in series. Especially in case of two and more measuring bars sometimes at minor flow rates untypical pipe vibration together with flow metering faults are observed. Based on field investigations the dependencies between the pipe vibration level, the gas pulsation inside the pipe and the operating conditions of the heat exchanger are analysed. It turns out that with increasing heat flow rates into the natural gas the pulsation and hence the metering faults as well as the pipe vibrations are amplified.
In order to understand the physical dependencies of this phenomenon besides experiment a theoretical study is performed. The root cause of the vibration turns out to be thermoacoustic instability. According to the Rayleigh-Criterion gas pulsations are amplified, if heat will be given to the gas in the moment of greatest condensation. Based on detailed theoretical investigations by means of a method of characteristics the physical dependencies are analysed. Finally potential solutions to avoid this vibration problem at natural gas metering stations are introduced. - Keywords:
- thermoacoustic oscillations, method of characteristics, pipe vibration, flow metering faults, heat exchanger
- Download:
- IMEKO-TC9-2010-058.pdf
- DOI:
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