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Flowmeters

Andre Pennington Kat Witherspoon Pam Buzzetta

Introduction

Flowmeters are process instruments that measure a fluids linear or non-linear flow at volumetric or mass flow rates
A fluid can either be a liquid or a gas

Introduction

Key features to consider in flow meter selection:

Fluid properties:
Liquid or gas Temperature and pressure Density Viscosity Chemical properties Presence of other phases

Introduction

Key features to consider in flow meter selection:

Installation considerations:
Orientation Flow direction Upstream/downstream pipe work Location for servicing Location of valves Effects of local vibration Electrical connections Effects of unsteady flow

Introduction

Key features to consider in flow meter selection:

Performance considerations:
Accuracy Repeatability Linearity Rangeability (turndown) Pressure drop Output signal characteristics Response time

Introduction

Key features to consider in flow meter selection:

Economic considerations:
Cost of ownership (i.e. purchase, installation, operation, maintenance, calibration, meter life, spares) Pressure loss

Environmental considerations:
Ambient temperature effects Humidity effects Safety factors Electrical interference

Positive Displacement Flowmeters

Fluid goes through a chamber with a unit that repeatedly fills and discharges a fixed volume
The total volumetric flow rate can then be calculated from the rate of filling and discharging the discrete volumes

Positive Displacement Flowmeter


Accuracy: 0.25 to 1% Line sizes: to 3 Rangeability: 2:1 to 10:1


Common Applications:

Fluids generally need a degree of lubricity Clean, non-abrasive, medium to high viscosity liquids Good for batch operation, low-tech plants Often used in oil and gas refining, chemical, pulp and paper

Positive Displacement Flowmeter

Nutating Disc

Rotating Valve

Positive Displacement Flowmeter

Oscillating Piston

Oval Gear

Positive Displacement Flowmeter

Advantages:

Moderately inexpensive No Reynolds number constraints No upstream/downstream requirements High accuracy 0.25 to 1% of rate Can measure very low and very viscous flows

Positive Displacement Flowmeter

Disadvantages:

Moving parts Can create large pressure drops Maintenance is necessary; must disassemble to unplug if using a dirty fluid and subject to deterioration Measures discrete fluid flows instead of actual flow rate May take up a lot of space

Differential Pressure Flowmeter

Flow goes through a section with different cross section areas that cause pressure and velocity variations
Employ Bernoulli equation by observing relationship between pressure drop and velocity to get volumetric flow

Differential Pressure Flowmeter


Most common method to measure flow Smart transmitters simplify use Accuracy: 2% of full scale Line size: greater than Rangeability: 4:1 Common Applications:

Most gases and low viscosity fluids Used for chemical, oil and gas refining, power, and transfer of natural gas

Differential Pressure Flowmeter

Orifice Plates
Calculate mass flow: mactual = KAt*(2(p1-p2))0.5

Differential Pressure Flowmeter

Venturi Tube

Flow Nozzle

Differential Pressure Flowmeter

Advantages:

Well known system of measurement Versatile Line size flexibility Inexpensive initially Highly repeatable East to maintain Economical to correct sizing mistake

Differential Pressure Flowmeter

Disadvantages:

High installation costs Moderate system accuracy An abrasive or sticky process will erode accuracy and increase maintenance cost Moderate rangeability High relative pressure loss

Turbine Flow Meters Overview


Uses flow to turn a turbine rotor Magnetic sensor transmits a voltage pulse to a processor Axial-vane rotor is free turning Rotor continuously moving under pressure of the liquid
Accuracy in the range of +/0.25% with 10:1 turndowns.

Turbine Flow Meters Common Applications

Turbine flow meters are widely used for both liquid and gas applications Typical applications include:

Oil and gas, refining, chemical, semiconductor, agricultural, pharmaceutical, food beverage dispensing, photo development, process control, and more

High degree of accuracy at low cost, especially when combined with a flow computer Flexibility in connecting to associated electronic readout devices for flow control and computer interface Wide flow rangeability Construction materials that permit use with many process fluids Simple, durable, field-repairable construction Operation over a wide range of temperatures and pressures

Turbine Flow Meters Benefits/Advantages

Turbine Flow Meters Limitations/Disadvantages

Poor interchangeability from unit to unit Bearings depend on lubricity and cleanliness of process fluid Turbine blades are susceptible to wear and must be frequently calibrated Liquid applications may be suspect to problems involving cavitation, specific gravity, and viscosity Intended for clean fluid applications

Magnetic Flow Meters Overview

Nonmagnetic tube surrounded by coils Must pump conductive liquids Flow rate inferred by sensing linear velocity Principle of operation based on Faradays Law, E=kBDV 30:1 rangeability Accuracy 0.5% of volumetric rate Line size of 0.15 to 60

Magnetic Flow Meters Common Applications

Turbine flow meters are widely used for corrosive, dirty, or slurry-like liquids Typical applications include:

Wastewater applications or any dirty liquid which is conductive or water based (large water flows) Pulp & paper industry, acid flows or other highly corrosive liquids, abrasive fluids such as mining ore slurries and pulp stock Also ideal for applications where low pressure drop and low maintenance are required

Magnetic Flow Meters Benefits/Advantages

Relatively unaffected by changes in liquid density or viscosity (compatible with wide range of process fluids) Liquid turbulence has a very limited affect Suitable for high viscosity and slurries Low maintenance, high accuracy and rangeability No pressure loss Obstructionless flow Flow profile has minimum effect on measurement accuracy (Re# constraints and little flow conditioning needed)

Magnetic Flow Meters Limitations/Disadvantages

Measures conductive liquids only High initial cost 4-wire device (requires external power source) Must be lined with non-conductive material (lower temperature and pressure limits) Grounding problems Unstable zero with empty meter

Ultrasonic Flow Meter Overview

Use transmitted sound waves to determine flow rate Measures liquids and gases with different designs Accuracy 1-5% for microprocessor-based units Rangeability 20 to 50:1 Can be divided into 2 types

Transit Time (pulsed type) Doppler (frequency shift type)

Ultrasonic Flow Meter Transit Time (Pulsed Type)

Sonic transducers are mounted diagonally on opposite sides of a pipe Requires clean liquid and uniform flow profile Rangeability: 10:1 Accuracies:+/- 1% of rate Advantages:

Bi-directional and nonintrusive

Ultrasonic Flow Meter Doppler (Frequency Shift Type)


Established 1843 by Christian Doppler Measures the shift in frequency due to motion of particles or bubbles in the process pipe Turndowns: 10:1 Accuracy: +/- 1% of rate Not suitable for clean liquids Requires straight pipe runs for installation Pipe must have good acoustical properties

Open Channel (Weirs and Flumes)

Oldest method to measure flow, used by Romans to measure flow in their aqueducts Any time the fluid flows with a free surface Examples: aqueducts, log flumes, channels, etc. Flow measured by inserting a calibrated restriction to the channel Two types of restrictions

Weirs Flumes

Ultrasonic Flow Meters Common Applications


Liquids and some gas applications Doppler flowmeters require entrained gas or particles to reflect ultrasonic energy Where non-wetted sensors are applicable Existing installations where pipe modifications are difficult or uneconomical Where exotic materials make other flowmeter uneconomical Large pipes where in-line meters are uneconomical Temporary installations Typical applications include:

Water and wastewater, chemical, refining, oil and gas

Ultrasonic Flow Meters Benefits/Advantages

Some designs allow measurement to be made external to the pipe (utilize no wetted parts) Low maintenance

Ultrasonic Flow Meters Limitations/Disadvantages

Fluid changes (% solids, bubbles, etc) affect measurement Proper installation is critical Longer upstream/downstream straight piping requirements Minimum Reynolds number constraint 4-wire operation (external power source) Low user confidence Only mixed success in industrial flow applications

Oscillatory Flowmeters

Two types:

Vortex Shedding Fluidic

Fluidic Flowmeter

Vortex Shedding Flowmeter

Vortex Shedding

Vortex shedding is caused by fluid flowing around an object Blunt object placed in the flowing stream The frequency of the vortices is measured The relationship between flow and frequency is: V = k*d*f The frequency is directly proportional to the flow rate.

Measuring the Vortices

Different objects manufactured to produce stable vortices Vortices are measured by:

High frequency pressure transducers Measuring variations in heat transfer from a heated resistor Ultrasonics

Pros & Cons

Pros Good accuracy (+/0.5%) and rangeability (40:1) No moving parts, less to break Moderate costs Can handle liquid, gas, and steam Low pressure drop Not affected by fluid density changes

Cons Intrusive, obstruct flow If using ultrasonics to measure the vortices, straight runs of pipe are needed Re < 20,000 (high) for linear performance Sensitive to increasing Viscosity Expensive in larger sizes

Common Applications

Low viscosity fluids Pressurized gases Steam and other utility fluids Pressurized gases with high densities Single-phase fluids (no particulate matter)

Fluidic

As fluid enters device, flows along one interior wall Some fluid diverted back to inlet (feedback flow) causing the fluid to be pushed against other wall The flow shifts from side to side creating oscillations Oscillations sensed by an electronically heated thermistor on one side Alternating flow causes the thermistor to be cooled, this signal is directly proportional to velocity

Pros & Cons

Pros Accuracy between 0.5% and 1.0% of rate Minimum maintenance Inexpensive

Cons Can only be used on clean low-viscosity fluids Re 3,000 (requires turbulent flow) Only used in pipes 4 or less diameter

Target Flowmeters

Target Flowmeter

Use an object that is placed in the fluid flow Object mounted at right angle Force exerted on the target is measured by strain gauges Gauges produce electronic output that is proportional to the square of flow rate Optimum size of target depends on liquid being studied

Drawbacks

While accuracy is good at low scale, at full scale the accuracy can vary as much as 5+% Straight pipe length requirements

20 x diameter upstream 10 x diameter downstream

Mass Flowmeters

Thermal Angular Momentum Coriolis


Two general categories

Inferred mass (uses density to convert volumetric to mass flow) Direct Mass (actually measure mass)

Thermal Mass

Measures heat loss from a heat source Measures temperature rise as flow passes a hot tube Mass flow is inferred from known physical properties of fluid Usually used for gas applications

Coriolis

Operates on gyroscopic principle Based on coriolis forces (angular velocity of earth imparts force on a moving object) Fluid flows through U- or S-shaped tube which vibrates at its natural frequency

Coriolis

Motion of fluid in the tubes resist this vibration (the tubes twist) Velocity of the tube deflection is proportional to mass flow

Pros & Cons

Pros Extremely accurate (0.15%) Directly measures mass No Re constraints Low maintenance Can measure density, temperature, mass and volumetric flow

Cons High initial capital costs Small pipe diameters needed cause large pressure drop Not recommended for measurements involving gases

Angular Momentum

Measures the force required to resist the angular momentum of flowing fluid This force proportional to mass Device consists of: Motor Impeller (imparts the momentum) Turbine to resist the angular momentum torque is applied The torque needed to resist rotation of the turbine is transmitted to a display

Drawbacks

Only clean liquids can be used Lots of moving parts that often require maintenance Expensive

Sources

http://www.manufacturing.net/ctl/article/CA185726 http://www.efunda.com/designstandards/sensors/flowmeters/flowmeter_pd.cfm http://www.efunda.com/designstandards/sensors/flowmeters/flowmeter_dp.cfm www.manufacturing.net/ctl/article/CA325984 http://www.jlcinternational.com/gas_liquid_turbine_flowmeters.htm http://www.ddc-online.org/inout/inout_chapt02_ana_06flow.aspx http://www.omega.com/prodinfo/magmeter.html http://www.envitech.co.uk/Product_Images/FlowMeter4210.jpg http://www.seilenterprise.co.kr/English/Technology/flowmetertypes.htm http://www.efunda.com/designstandards/sensors/flowmeters/flowmeter_tar.cfm http://www.omega.com/literature/transactions/volume4/images/10_Fig_01_l.GIF

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