THERE IS NEED FOR A TWO-PHASE FLOWMETER TO MEASURE MASS FLOWRATE OF EACH PHASE OF LIQUID/VAPOR FLOW IN CONDUITS FOR LAUNCH PROPELLANT MANAGEMENT.

THERE IS NEED FOR A TWO-PHASE FLOWMETER TO MEASURE MASS FLOWRATE OF EACH PHASE OF LIQUID/VAPOR FLOW IN CONDUITS FOR LAUNCH PROPELLANT MANAGEMENT. A GREAT VARIETY AND COMBINATIONS OF FLOW MEASURING DEVICES AND METHODS HAVE BEEN USED FOR TWO-PHASE FLOW, INCLUDING VIBRATORY TUBULAR TRUE MASS FLOWMETERS. SUCH FLOWMETERS AREDEFICIENT FOR MEASURING HORIZONTALLY STRATIFIED TWO-PHASE FLOW, AND EXISTING CONDUIT SHAPES PROVIDE VAPOR TRAPS WHICH AFFECT THE CALIBRATION IN ANY ORIENTATION. THE PROPOSED METER OVERCOMES THESE DRAWBACKS BY USING A VIBRATING CONDUIT WITH A VERTICAL COMPONENT OF FLUID VELOCITY AT EVERY POINT, WHICH IS ACHIEVED BY A HELICAL CONDUIT WITH A VERTICAL AXIS. DYNAMIC REACTIONS TO VIBRATION ARE SENSED AS A MEASURE OF TOTAL MASS FLOW RATE; THE FREQUENCY OF THE RESONANT VIBRATION IS SENSED AS A MEASURE OF MEAN FLUID DENSITY; AND PHASE DENSITIES ARE DETERMINED BY A PRESSURE MEASUREMENT. A PROCEDURE IS DESCRIBED FOR CALCULATING MASS FLOW RATES OF INDIVIDUAL PHASES WITHIN A USEFUL ENVELOPE OF OPERATING CONDITIONS.