Two-phase cryogenic flow meters: Part I – Realization of the calorimetric method

While operating with multicomponent flows, one needs to determine such characteristics as temperature, pressure, mass flow rate and component composition – mass quality, and void fraction. The main attention is given to measurement of mass flow rate of the two-phase cryogenic flows which can be used for superconducting accelerators, refueling hydrogen system for space and liquid natural gas industry, in particular. On the one hand, a two-phase flow is one of the simplest cases of multi-component flows which can be observed in cryogenics. On the other hand, this is rather sophisticated problem in cryogenics to create two-phase flow meters and estimate their metrological characteristics. This problem is discussed. Two methods are suggested – calorimetric and pressure drop ones. Features of the calorimetric method are discussed in this part.

► A system for measuring the mass flow rate of two-phase helium flow is presented.
► It is based on a calorimetric method.
► Operation for different conditions is analyzed and the error is estimated.
► The proposed measuring system has been made and successfully tested.