Embedded system for in-line ultrasound velocity profile detection

The in-line assessment of the rheological properties of fluids is fundamental for the production process optimization and for ensuring a high product quality in chemical, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries. The rheology of a fluid flowing in a pipe can be investigated through the combination of Pressure Difference (PD) and Pulsed Ultrasound Velocimetry (PUV) methods. In particular PUV is a non-invasive Doppler technique capable of measuring the velocity profile, i.e. the radial velocity distribution of the fluid. Till now, few PUV systems are available to industries, and they are often minimal acquisition cards connected to computers where the flow velocity distribution is calculated in post-processing. In this work, a complete PUV system for in-line measurement, is presented. It includes the analog electronics required for the ultrasound frontend and the digital devices for the on-board calculation of the velocity profile. The system, currently integrated in the Flow-Viz platform (SP, Sweden), is fully programmable, suitable for industrial applications, and capable of producing, in real time 45 profiles per second.