Sensitivity analysis on flow rate estimation using design of experiments: Application to the pressure-time method

The present work investigates the flow parameters influence over the accuracy of flow rate determination by means of Design of Experiments -a statistical procedure widely used for experiments. The method used for the estimation of the flow rate derives from the standard pressure-time method, modified and improved - the solution is obtained by solving the water hammer equations considering an unsteady friction factor. The influence of the following parameters over the final moment of the flow rate variation regime is determined: the time of valve closure, the Reynolds number of the flow and the type of the closure law. A 2
³
factorial design is chosen to test the manner the three parameters influence, separately and together, the time value that should be chosen for the end of the flow rate variation regime. The results will help understand the influence of these parameters and the way in which they should be modeled within the flow rate determination method.