Titan Enterprises has published a technical paper, expanding on the investigation and resolution of calibration limitations experienced during ultrasonic flowmeter development for ultra-low flow applications
Titan, innovators in flowmeter technology, has developed bespoke calibration rigs to support the design and testing of its next-generation ultra-low flow and clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters. Titan decided to engineer the rigs in-house after determining a commercially available system would not be able to meet the specific requirements of its latest research and development projects.
The company's current production flow calibration rigs are comprised of three certified piston provers operating with distilled water across flow ranges from 2m/min to 200l/min and an uncertainty of ±0.05%. Although due to practical availability, they are in constant use for production calibration, and the novel testing parameters needed for research into ultra-low flow measurement, an alternative calibration tool was required.
A new ultra-low calibration rig was significant to the development of two advancements in Titan's ultrasonic flow measurement technology:
- An ultra-low flow ultrasonic flowmeter with measurement capability down to 0.2ml/min or below, targeting flows ten times lower than Titan's current Atratp meter.
- A clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter for use with disposable medical tubing, developed to measure small batches of medical-grade fluids for applications including kidney dialysis equipment and bolus drug delivery monitoring, where precision, sterility, and affordability are vital.
To meet the new targets, Titan created a miniature piston prover system, powered by dual synchronised stepping motors with rotational encoders for precision tracking. This system includes computer-controlled flow ranges, bolus simulation capabilities, and data output for in-depth performance analysis.
The design also considered mechanical and hydraulic factors, including:
- System bleeding
- Valve synchronisation
- Linear motion stability
- Drive system stiffness
- Temperature effects
- Tubing compliance
- Calibration accuracy
- Safety features such as end-of-stroke detection
Neil Hannay, senior R&D engineer at Titan Enterprises, said, “This custom-built rig represents a major step forward in Titan’s commitment to precision flow measurement and advancing our R&D capabilities. By developing our own calibration infrastructure, we’re unlocking new performance frontiers to both industrial and medical flow applications.”
