In-Line Ultrasonic Monitoring of Waste Slurry Suspended Solids

During the transport of tank waste, it is very important to quantitatively measure the percent solids concentration (PSC) of the waste, which indicates the flow conditions and the extent of solids settling. At Argonne National Laboratory, an in-line, real-time, a nonintrusive ultrasonic monitoring system has been developed to measure the PSC and flow density of tank waste by measuring sound velocity and attenuation in the flow. This system consists of a pair of longitudinal transducers bonded to waveguides on the opposite sides of the pipe and operating at IMHz simultaneously in pulse-and-echo and pitch-and-catch modes. The PSC measurement is calculated by impedance and sound velocity. A thermocouple is attached to one of the waveguides for automatic temperature correction of the measurements. This system was one of four evaluated for in-line measurement of slurry at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1998. The results indicate that the measurements are in good agreement with a Coriolis meter and that the system can be used to monitor PSC up to 40 wt.%. However, the system is greatly affected by entrained air bubbles within the solid flow during Puisair mixing. A different mixing mechanism will solve this problem.

• Record URL:
  • https://ntlrepository.blob.core.windows.net/lib/14000/14700/14717/DE00755860.pdf
• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Argonne National Laboratory

  Energy Technology Division, 9700 S Cass Avenue
  Argonne, IL  United States  60439

  Department of Energy

  1000 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20585
• Authors:
  • Chien, H T
  • Sheen, S H
  • Raptis, A C
• Publication Date: 1999-5-14

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 10p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Chemical substances; Entrained air; Mixtures; Monitoring; Slurry; Solid wastes; Thermocouples; Ultrasonic waves; Ultrasonics
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; I42: Soil Mechanics;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01103202
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: ANL-ET-CP-101734
• Contract Numbers: W-31-109-ENG-38
• Files: NTL, TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 24 2008 7:45AM