Discrete-marking method for measuring the flow rate of large open-surface water flows

Summary

A method for measuring water flow rate in long large-diameter pipe, canals, and small rivers, based on observing the natural transport of probe beads of neutral buoyancy that are macroscopic models of liquid particles is considered. This approach implements the Lagrange method for describing liquid flow where the metrological feature of measuring the average flow velocity is using two basic physical quantities – length and time – by-passing the corresponding verification scheme for the quantities «flow rate and liquid amount», thereby eliminating the methodological accuracy error. The parameters of the turbulent diffusion that provides for the velocity of a probe bead self-averaging over a sufficiently large distance, are analyzed. Formulas for calculating the spatial and time parameters of the observed object while scheduling experimental measurements are presented. Estimates of the expected metrological characteristics are obtained. Options for the technological implementation of the measurement method are proposed.

Key words

water flow , large-diameter pipe and canals , turbulent diffusion , measuring technique , discrete-marking method , metrological characteristics