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Hydraulic Metrology Laboratory

The Hydraulic Metrology Laboratory (UHM) of LNEC-EM is a laboratory integrated in the Hydraulics and Environment Department. It is equipped with infrastructure able to perform several types of hydraulic testing and calibration, standing out for their importance:
  • Hydraulic Testing Bench, for the calibration of standards and flow measuring equipment (flow under pressure);
  • Hydraulic Pumps testing Bench.

A Hydraulic Testing Bench has been partially structured for future use in the calibration of standards and of flow measuring equipment in open surface flow.

As a national reference infrastructure, having the experimental and metrological capabilities to perform highly accurate flow measurements, this laboratory is integrated in the LNEC-EM Quality
Management System, hence assuming the associated requirements of the NP EN ISO / IEC 17025: 2005, which supports the accreditation of several other laboratories of LNEC-EM, its formal integration in this accreditation framework being expected to occur in a near future.

Additional information can be found at this laboratory's flyer.

Field of expertise

UHM develops activity in several areas, in particular:

  • Flowmeter calibration applied to flow measurement;
  • Hydrodynamic characterization (determination of flow laws) of flow control valves in pressure flows;
  • Performance evaluation of pressure reducing valves usable in pressure flows;
  • Hydrodynamic characterization (determination of hydraulic laws for pressure drop) of pressurized pipeline accessories;
  • Determination of characteristic curves of hydraulic pumps, by establishing relationships between the flow and other quantities of interest;
  • Support to R & D & I activities of Metrology applied to Hydraulics.

In the particular case of activity in support to R & D & I, developed at UHM, it comprises experimental activities of a metrological nature which are associated with planned research and research under contract projects within the Civil Engineering domain.

Calibration and testing

UHM laboratory performs calibration and metrological testing of standards, measuring systems and equipment, this activity being particularly focused on the measurement of flow rates and pressure magnitudes, and presenting the operational capabilities as follows:

  • volumetric flow rate ≤ 0.500 m3/s;
  • mass flow rate ≤ 400 kg/s;
  • nominal diameter ≤ DN 400;
  • maximum allowable operating pressure (PMA) ≤ 1.0 MPa;
  • power ≤ 200 kW of electric pumps in power groups;
  • power ≤ 75 kW for electric pumps not coupled to drive motors.

Other services

The Metrological Hydraulics Laboratory conducts other advisory and consultation activities (both at LNEC and in the field), as well as studies and technical expertise, within the metrological field, either applied to flow or to integrated measurement networks.