Magnetic Flowmeter for Fast Sodium Reactors

Abstract

A magnetic flowmeter for liquid sodium is described. The inductor in this device consists of an electromagnet generating a pulsed, low-frequency, magnetic field. The use of a pulsed magnetic field made it possible to separate the informative component of the signal from all electromagnetic interference whose time variation is not a multiple of the frequency of the excitation magnetic field. Thus, all interferences at the industrial frequency and the thermo-emf are eliminated. This increases the accuracy of flow rate measurements significantly and makes it possible to reduce the magnetic field in the channel. The power of the inductor does not exceed 0.5 W. There is no need to adjust the zero point, and it is possible to measure low flow rates and the reverse flow. The physical principles of the method of measurement, the design particulars and technical characteristics of the device, and the results of tests are examined.