Abstract
To manage thermal energy from the viewpoint of energy saving and CO2 reduction in industrial fields where steam is used for heat supply, it is essential to understand the actual status of individual heat energy use through steam flow measurement at the demand end. A clamp-on ultrasonic steam flow meter has advantages in that stable measurement operation can be realized without either additional pipe processing or causing any pressure loss. A clamp-on ultrasonic steam flow meter is therefore suitable for industrial use. It is well known that the measurement error of the steam flow rate is caused by steam wetness. However, the method of estimating the measurement error has not yet been established since it is difficult to evaluate the effects of steam wetness quantitatively in plants and factories. We have conducted wet steam flow tests with this clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter for carbon steel piping of different diameters and found some characteristics. In this study, we summarized the characteristics of the measured wet steam flow rate and summarized the application method and points to be noted when applying the clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter to wet steam flow measurement without any correction method.
