Signals & Diagnostics

Seite 1 FLEXIM GmbH

 Goals

1. Learn how to improve failing or low performing

measurements by inspecting diagnostics and signal
snaps

2. Share field experience to other service engineers

and R&D

Seite 2 FLEXIM GmbH

 Wave types in different media

Longitudinal wave (pressure wave) Transversal wave (Shear wave)

Solid, Fluid Solid

Rayleighwave (Surface wave)

Surface of solid Lambwave

Seite 3 FLEXIM GmbH

 Wall thickness
Flow transducer probe

longitudinal longitudinal
Longitudinal/ shear longitudinal Pipe wall

Fluid longitudinal

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 Transducer technologies
Lamb wave principle
Shear wave principle
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Lamb wave principle
- Transducer generates wave which penetrates about 1
wavelength deep into material (z-direction) and the
wave propagates in x-direction (surface wave)
- For steel plates with the thickness in the range of 1
wavelength a correlated wave on the downside of the
plate arises
- Is the plate too thick: Than the surface wave does not
reach the downside of the plate and no energy is
transmitted into the medium
Is the plate too thin: Surface wave on upper and lower
side interfere destructively and no energy is transmitted
into medium
The wave on upper and lower side can be understand
as one wave because they are correlated..
The shear wave principle
-A volume wave (here shear wave for steel) is exited by
the sensor in the pipe wall. This wave is reflected
multiple times in the pipe wall
-At each reflection energy is reflected in a beam of
smaller cross section compared to Lamb wave into the
medium
-The single wave groups do not interfere constructively
Flexim GmbH
 Bloc diagram flow meter

V
d

front panel

A data processing,
DSP squence control
multiplexer D

puls
forming interfaces

• DSP receives signals from A/D-converter and amplifier (AP)

• DSP controls measurement hardware and measures time
• UI and process I/O are controlled by secondary processor

1. From input parameters DSP computes time window

2. DSP triggers AP to transmit a pulse which is convertet to ultrasound by the transducers
3. DSP searches ultrasound signal in the pre-calculated time window at the receiver

Only if signal is found, diagnostics can be used

Seite 6 FLEXIM GmbH

 Signal processing: Transit time

Envelope – determination of the travel time of the beam – transit time

Line hitting 2
points on the
envelope
Extrapolation
to the x-Axis

Intersection
with x-axis is
travelling time
of the beam
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Signal processing: Time difference

Signals

1. Measure Signals
2. Compute cross correlation
3. Find coarse time difference
by max. of envelope of correlation
4. Compute fine time difference by
Cross correlation max. of correlation near 3.

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Time difference measurement for
distorted signals

Signals
Δt=?

Cross correlation function

Seite 9 Flexim GmbH

Time difference measurement

Signals
Δt

Envelope of signals

Cross correlation function

Coarse estimation of dt
Δt(coarse) = 6 µs Δt(fine) = 7,813 µs

Seite 10 Flexim GmbH

Distortion (Definition)

Distortion = relative difference between Δt(coarse) and Δt(fine)

Snap: Different signal shapes of forward and backward signal

Measuring Δt on different time markers leads to different values

Reasons:
• Different path length through pipe wall and transducer wedge
• Pipe wall acts as filter

Problem: Error in Δt(coarse) > 1 period

 Δt(fine) > 1 period Flow error is at least 10%

Seite 11 Flexim GmbH

 Diagnostics

Most important diagnostics to evaluate the signal / snap:

Gain
Gain dB   APGain  15  HL  ( N pulses  1)  3  20 log10 ( N akku )
Max gain = 94 +15+6 = 115 dB

SNR
Signal Amplitude
SNR dB   20  log
uncorrelatedNoise Amplitue

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 Diagnostics

Signal Amplitude
SCNR – Signal SCNR dB   20  log
CorrelatedNoise Amplitue
The SCNR is the correlated signal to noise ration. The sum of all noise over the time is
zero. But still other reflected signals may influence the right signal and make it
difficult for the evaluation and analyzing of the signal.

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 Available diagnostics

Individual path, path differences, trends

Individual path
• Flow Velocity
• Sound speed
• Signal Amplitude
• SNR
• SCNR
• VariTime (Turbulenz)
• VariAm
• Quality
Path differences
• Path difference of Flow Velocity
• Path difference of Sound speed
• Path difference of
SCNR, SNR, Amplitude, VariTime,
VariAmp

Trends over time

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 Localisation of diagnostics

Transmitter
SNR (electrical
noise)
SCNR

Transducers
SNR (Valve noise)

VariAmp, VariTime
Pipe

Path difference V

Path difference C ID

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Signal shape
Example Good (LW)

• GRH, 610 x 11,1 mm, Carbon Steel

• Medium: Nat. gas
• Cervignano

Good signal shape

• Fast oscillation build up
(2-3 periods to max.)
• Envelope only 1 maximum (LW)
• Shapes are similar for high flows

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Signal shape
Shearwave thick wall

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Flexim GmbH
Signal shape
Shear wave: thin pipe wall

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 Example: wrong determination of transit
time
Application Rütgers:
Hydrocarbon low API, c=1000 m/s
Carbon steel, 89.3 mm x 3.4 mm
180 - 210°C, WaveInjector
2 soundpaths, CDM2E52

Scenario 1:

Transit time determination

at 285.8 μs
 signal start is in the
curve

Low SCNR
 Signal in front of the
determined signal start is
interpreted as correlated
noise

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 Example: wrong determination of transit
time
Application Rütgers:
Hydrocarbon low API, c=1000 m/s
Carbon steel, 89.3 mm x 3.4 mm
180 - 210°C, WaveInjector
2 soundpaths, CDM2E52
Scenario 2:
Transit time determination
at 279,1 μs
 signal start moved to
the left of the curve

Good SCNR
 Less signal in front of
the determined signal
start is interpreted as
correlated noise
 good signal to
correlated noise ratio

Seite 20 FLEXIM GmbH

Example: wrong determination of transit
time
Transducer distance is too big on
the WI plates
 First transducer signal has only
low amplitude and is not
interpreted as measurement
signal
 The envelope is set over the
complete signal and the linear
curve at the front side of the
envelope hits the x-axis at a
wrong time
 The transit time is not calculated
correctly
 The speed of sound fluctuates

 The flow measurement fluctuates

The signal shape is stable
The measurement signal
fluctuates
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Example: wrong determination of transit
time

Possible improvements

1. Reduce transducer distance (if possible on the WI plate)

2. Hotcode 007034
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comparison with direct installation
of CDP1EZ7 on the pipe

Good SCNR – no „first“ signal

„well shaped“ measurement signal

Clear determination of the transit time

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 Signal shape vs. transducer distance

NAM, Sappermeer

GRG, 609x17,9 mm, TD = 242 mm, Mis-Pos = 200 mm GRG, 609x17,9 mm, TD = 160 mm, Mis-Pos = 120 mm

OGE, Sannerz

GRG, 1016x17,5 mm, TD = 400 mm, Mis-pos = 240 mm GRG, 1016x17,5 mm, TD = 340 mm, Mis-pos = 180 mm

Seite 23 Flexim GmbH

 Example: transducer distance with GRG
transducer

Application EPE:
Natural gas, 60 bar, 20°C
Carbon steel, 612.1 mm x 15.5 mm
2 soundpaths, Flow velocity ca. 11 m/s

A minimum in the
downstream
transducer curve
appears

The envelope of
the upstream and
downstream
signal are not
congruent

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Signal evaluation – 2015-05-18_ASC_EN
 Example: transducer distance with GRG
transducer
Application EPE:
Natural gas, 60 bar, 20°C
Carbon steel, 612.1 mm x 15.5 mm
2 soundpaths, Flow velocity ca. 11 m/s

The measurement signal is not valid (red LED – snap red underline)
 The envelope of the up- and downstream signal is not congruent

The signal is distorted by the high flow velocity

This could be
observed in the
Quality drop 70%

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Signal evaluation – 2015-05-18_ASC_EN
 Example: transducer distance with GRG
transducer

Application RWE:
Water, 10°C
Carbon steel, 2333 mm x 16.3 mm
2 soundpaths, Flow velocity max. 6 m/s

Scenario 1:
v = 0m/s

Zero flow
Upstream and
downstream
curve are
identical

Long signal
form, no fast
drop down of the
27 signal
Signal evaluation – 2015-05-18_ASC_EN
 Example: transducer distance with GRG
transducer

Application RWE:
Water, 10°C
Carbon steel, 2333 mm x 16.3 mm
2 soundpaths, Flow velocity max. 6 m/s

Scenario 2:
v = 6 m/s

• Upstream and downstream curve

are not congruent
• Downstream transducer curve
(red) indicates a small minimum
• The shape of the downstream
curve (red) is getting different
from the upstream curve (blue)
• The amplitude of the downstream
signal is lower than the upstream
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Signal evaluation – 2015-05-18_ASC_EN
 Example: transducer distance with GRG
transducer

Application RWE:
Water, 10°C
Carbon steel, 2333 mm x 16.3 mm
2 soundpaths, Flow velocity max. 6 m/s

• Transducer distance is too big – downstream signal reaches the pipe wall first and
moves along in the pipe wall before it hits the Piezo crystal
• The signal is distorted – the envelopes are not congruent – the quality drops down

 By decreasing the
transducer distance
the deformation will
be reduced
significantly

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 Problem discussion

Scenario:
- At high flow velocities ( t  4 periods) quality drops intermittent
- Signals are distorted

What are the action points?

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Signal evaluation – 2015-05-18_ASC_EN
 Example: Turbulence mode

Application Spijke:
Natural gas, 60 bar, 3°C
Carbon steel, 917.7 mm x 15.7 mm
1 soundpath, Flow velocity ca. 13 m/s

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Signal evaluation – 2015-05-18_ASC_EN
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Signal evaluation – 2015-05-18_ASC_EN
 With turbulence mode
(and smaller transducer distance)

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Signal evaluation – 2015-05-18_ASC_EN
Failure analysis
-signal loss/ low signal quality

• Previous slides: unsystematic failure analysis

• Observe abnormalities  fix
• Fast but only useful if service engineer is expierenced and
can compare diagnostics to similar applications
• Now: Systematic failure analysis

Reasons for „red light“

1. Fluxus searches signal in wrong time window

2. Transducers are not at location were signal appears
3. Signal amplitude too small
4. Signal is distorted or noisy
5. Hardware error

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 Check list 1/5

0. Check application limits of transducer in FluxFlow

Diagnostics Possible cause of signal Action

loss
„Red light“ 1. Check application limits of transducer in FluxFlow
No signal; no diagnostics 2. Confirm parametrized and real pipe geometry
3. Transducer connected ?
4. Reduce logger rate
5. See low Amp.
SOS deviation from Parameter OD, wall thickness, fluid 1. Check parameters
theory C 2. measure OD and wall thickness
Wrong transducer distance Measure transducer distance
Path number differs from installation Correct path number
Jumps in SOS trend Small signal in front 1. Try negative mis-positioning
2. Try Hotcode 007034
Mis-positioning Parameter OD, wall thickness, fluid 1. Check parameters
>>1 wavelength C, Sensprom 2. measure OD and wall thickness
Wrong transducer distance 1. Measure transducer distance
2. optimize transducer distance
Path number differs from installation Correct path number

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 Check list 2/5
Low Amp. Bad coupling (1)
Axial alignment
Wrong transducer distance
Fluid attenuation
Damping due to second phase
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1. tighten clamps and straps
2. check flatness of viton
3. add coupling fat
4. check loose paint, smooth pipe
5. Cut window in densit (if applicable)
6. Check imprint of viton or silver
align fixation, uneven path number: measure „half around
pipe“
Measure transducer distance
1. Check application parameters in FluxFlow
2. check pressure and temperature
3. reduce path number
4. choose transducer with lower frequency
1. Change measurement plane to 90°
2. reduce path number
3. choose transducer with lower frequency
 Check list 3/5

Low Amp. High Fluid/Pipe wall 1. Reduce path number

impedance ratio 2. try lambwave transducer with w/Lambda nearest to 1
Pipe: uneven, corroded, built 1. Clean and smoothen pipe
up (2) 2. even out pipe with densit
3. change radial position
4. direct mode
High degree of turbulence 1. Turn on turbulence mode (SNR>10 dB)
2. increase path number
3. increase inlet length
4. Turn on flow direction mode
Transducer defective Check transducer with test plate
Path difference Amp. (>6 Bad coupling  See (1)
dB)
Pipe: uneven, corroded, built  See (2)
up

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 Check list 4/5
Low SNR (<15 dB) Electrical noise 1. Shielding and signal swapped
2. No or bad grounding
3. Check transducer defect (test
plate)
Pipe noise or valve noise Apply/ add densit or other damping
material

Low Amp. See low Amp.

Low SCNR (<30 dB) Pipe noise 1. Apply/ add densit or other
damping material
2. Move away from flanges
3. Increase path number
4. Higher transducer frequency
5. Update filter bank (if applicable)
Low Amp. See low amp.
High Variamp (>10%) high degree of turbulence 1. Turn on turbulence mode
High Varitime (SNR>10 dB)
2. increase path number
3. Even path number
4. increase inlet length
5. Turn on flow direction mode
Second phase 1. Change measurement plane to
90°
2. reduce path number
3. choose transducer with lower
frequency

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 Check list 5/5

Low quality Pipe noise 1. Apply/ add densit or other

damping material
2. Move away from flanges
3. Increase path number
Pipe: uneven, inhomogen, corroded, built up 1. Reduce transducer distance
2. See (2)
Flow velocity too high 1. Reduce transducer distance
2. Reduce path number
3. Transducer with lower frequency
Distortion  See low quality
Back/forward signal are not
congruent

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