Radioisotopes and Turbine Flow Measurement

Radioisotope techniques and equipment were developed at program completion to measure flow rates with a 2 σ error estimated to be ± 1.5%. In the five phase program, studies were made of injection equipment, pipe lengths necessary for satisfactory mixing, sampling equipment, radiation counting techniques, and probable errors in the method. The study included using radio-tracers in the velocity method and in various forms of the dilution method including integrated sample, constant rate injection, and total-count. The paper summarizes the conclusions of various phases of the program and the results of satisfactorily applying the three dilution techniques in measuring flow rates for two high-head powerplants in Phase V.