TECHNOLOGICAL

INSTITUTE OF THE
PHILIPPINES

College of Engineering and Architecture

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

PRACTICAL COURSEWORK NO. 2

“An Adaptive Calibration Circuit for Flow
Measurement Using Venturi”

DELA CRUZ, JOHN RENDLE J.

FRANCISCO, JOHN DAVID G.
GAVIN, JUDITH CLAIRE O.
LAYSICO, BERNARD C.
MELGAR, REYMELSON D.

CE411/CE42FA2-A1
Course/Section

ENGR. JOHN PEPARD M. RINCHON

Instructor
DELA CRUZ, FRANCISCO, GAVIN, LAYSICO, MELGAR

Paper Critique

K. V. Santhosh and B. K. Roy (2013) "An Adaptive Calibration Circuit for Flow

Measurement Using Venturi," 2013 International Conference on Computer Communication

and Informatics, Coimbatore, pp. 1-6, doi: 10.1109/ICCCI.2013.6466261

The article is about the proposed adaptive calibration circuit for flow measurement using

venturi meter utilizing optimized artificial neural network (ANN) with the used of MATLAB

considering the variation in the coefficient of discharge, liquid densities and liquid’s temperatures.

Calibration of flow measurement is an essential factor to be considered to have an accurate and

precise reading in the flow meter. The venturi flow meter is one of many devices that has a

capability to measure volumetric flow rate of a fluid and this is the device chosen by the

researchers. The said device is discussed in Section II of this paper. Bernoulli’s equation was

applied to determine the relationship of pressure and velocity. The advantage of this device is its

accuracy towards the nature of the fluid that would give efficient results with respect to its

parameters such as discharge coefficient, liquid density, and liquid temperature as discussed in the

study. On the other hand, it has a limited space application. The traditional technique is presented

in a block diagram in Section III of the paper which includes the conventional data conversion unit

comprising of pressure to voltage converter. Testing the conventional data conversion unit will

give them the downsides or problems of the said technique which they will address in their

proposed adaptive calibration.

In the problem statement, the researchers stated the values that they will use in the

simulation as well as in their adaptive calibration are the three ratios of diameter between venturi

and pipe, three specific densities, three coefficient of discharge and three temperatures. On the

other hand, the researchers did not explain the basis for their chosen values. One of the objective

of the article is to extend the linearity range of measurement to 100 percent of full scale input range

which is achieved in their results and discussion. The researchers presented the resulting graphs
DELA CRUZ, FRANCISCO, GAVIN, LAYSICO, MELGAR

for the nonlinearity result in Section IV and stated that only 10 to 60 percent of linearity is observed

from the said graphs as input range but then again they did not explain the basis for this estimation.

In their problem solution, the researchers explained the steps that they have done to develop

a neural network for their adaptive calibration. Artificial neural networks are algorithms that are

used to accomplish nonlinear arithmetical modeling. These neural networks apply several

advantages, which includes less requirement of recognized statistical training, capacity to

indirectly sense complex nonlinear relationships between dependent and independent variables,

aptitude to detect all probable connections between predictor variables, and the convenience of

numerous training algorithms. Also, these neural networks have disadvantages, which includes the

requirement of its designated processors to fulfill work, unexpected negative behavior of the

network, unknown duration of the network, and difficulty in determining proper neural networks,

which requires trial and error that consumes a lot of time. The researchers first develop a database

and stored the considered factors as input data matrix. Their goal is to find a neural network model

having minimum number of hidden layers. To do this, radial basis function by ant colony

optimization, artificial bee colony, genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization are used.

The training is completed from one hidden layer up to 5 hidden layers. The researchers stated that

the radial basis function by particle swarm optimization with 1 hidden layer is the most optimized.

Table VI shows the results of measurements technique using OANN where the percent error

contains negative and positive values which is very small and almost equal to zero. The results

really indicates the 100 percent input in linearity.

With the help of the said research, it introduced the idea of neural networks to determine

the positive and negative side of pressure of flow. Additionally, the application of the DMD 331

transmitter in the research would be an effective medium to produce accurate results of flow

measurement. With the aid of neural networks, it can be used for future innovation references

in aiding flow measurement devices such as venturi meter to measure the behavior of fluid with
DELA CRUZ, FRANCISCO, GAVIN, LAYSICO, MELGAR

regards to its parameters. The researchers used the device venturi meter for flow measurement.

There are technology based devices such as Water Optimized Vortex Shedders, Coriolis flow

meter, etc. which can also be used as an instrument for flow measurement. The critiques suggest

that the researchers should also try their adaptive calibration circuit in other flow measurement

devices. In addition, the critiques suggest that the authors of the said journal to consider other

factors that may affect the calibration of flow measurement such as viscosity, pressure and type

of pipe to be used because in real life no matter how straight the pipe is, there will always be

bends, valves, etc. that will still affect the flow measurement of the fluid.