Acoustic chemometrics for fluid flow quantifications - II: A small constriction will go a long way

A new approach for non-invasive quantitative measurement of volume flow rar e, multicomponent mixture concentrations as well as density and other physi co-chemical intensive parameters of liquid mixtures flowing in pipelines is presented, based on novel application extensions of the well-known orifice plate principle (extensively used for flow measurement in pipes). By delib erately transgressing the conventional usage limits, the orifice plate conf iguration may now also be used for a range of new measurement types, all ba sed on acoustic sensor technology. R&D has been carried out since 1987 by S ensorteknikk A/S and since 1994 in collaboration with ACRG. The acoustic chemometrics concept is characterized by easy 'clamp-on' deplo yment of acoustic sensors (primarily accelerometers), followed by an essent ial, integrated signal analysis/multivariate calibration data modelling, we ll known from chemometrics. The signal analysis step in this endeavour is o ften critical although rarely outside conventional electrical engineering s copes. We present three fluid/fluid or fluid/solid mixture application type cases: (1) trace oil-in-water determination (representing one-analyte syst ems); (2) jet-fuel/ glycol mixture determination (representing two-analyte systems); (3) paper-pulp constituent(s) determination (representing analyte -interferents systems). We also describe extension studies of these first q uantitative acoustic chemometrics forays, e.g. for alternative measurement of(conventional) flow velocities of both fluid/fluid and fluid/solid (slurr ies) systems (average volume flow rate of heterogeneous multiphase systems) , for flow regime characterization and for measurement of the effective in- line density of (fluid/fluid and fluid/solid) mixtures. There would appear to be a vast potential for technological and industrial applications of thi s new type of acoustic chemometric process and product characterization/mon itering. Copyright (C) 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.