Flow Handbook

Flow Handbook
Chapter 1:
Basic properties of fluids............... 2
Chapter 2:
Positive displacement meters ........ 8
Chapter 3:
Inferential meters ........................ 12
Chapter 4:
Oscillatory flow meters ............... 17
Chapter 5:
Differential pressure meters ........ 24
Chapter 6:
Electromagnetic flow meters ....... 35
Chapter 7:
Ultrasonic flow meters ................ 45
Chapter 9:
Open channel flow measuring..... 60
Chapter 10:
Common installation practices .... 66
Chapter 11:
Bibliography................................ 69
Over the past 50 years, the importance of flow measure-
ment has grown, not only because of its widespread use
for accounting purposes, such as the custody transfer of
fluid from supplier to consumer, but also because of its
application in manufacturing processes. Throughout this
period, performance requirements have become more
stringentwith unrelenting pressure for improved
reliability, accuracy, lincariiy, repeatability and rangeability.
These pressures have been caused by major changes in
manufacturing processes and because of several dramatic
circumstantial changes, such as an increase in the cost of
fuel and raw materials and the need to minimise pollution.
Industries involved in flow measurement and control
include:
food and beverage
medical
mining and metallurgical
oil and gas transport
petrochemical
pneumatic and hydraulic transport of solids
power generation
pulp and paper
water distribution
Fluid properties can vary enormously from industry to
industry. The fluid may be toxic, flammable, abrasive, radio-
active, explosive or corrosive; it may be single-phase (clean
gas, water or oil) or multi-phase (for example, slurries, wet
steam, unrefined petroleum, or dust laden gases). The pipe
carrying the fluid may vary from less than 1 mm to many
metres in diameter. Fluid temperatures may vary from close
to absolute zero to several hundred degrees centigrade,
and the pressure may vary from high vacuum to many
atmospheres.
Because of these variations in fluid properties and flow
applications, many flow meter techniques have been
developed: each suited to a particular area. However, of
the numerous flow metering techniques that have been
proposed in the past, only a few have found widespread
application and no one single flow meter can be used for
all applications.
Why measure flow?
There is of course no single answer. Most flow measure-
ments are concerned with either how much is produced or
how much is used. Flow measurement is also used in
process control for flow control, blending, and batching.
Lastly, it is concerned with custody transfer (fiscal and legal
metering).
Basic fluid properties
One of the most important primary properties of a fluid
(liquid or gasj is its viscosityits resistance to flow or to
objects passing through it. Conceptually, viscosity might
be thought of as the thickness of a fluid. In essence it is
an internal frictional force between the different layers of
the fluid as they move past one another. In a liquid, this is
due to the cohesive forces between the molecules whilst
in a gas it arises from collisions between the molecules.
Different fluids possess different viscosities: treacle is more
viscous than water and gearbox oil (SAE 90) is more viscous
than light machine oil (for example 3-in-l). A comparison
of various fluids is shown in Table 1.1.
Table 1.1:
Comparison of the viscosities of various fluids
If ihe fluid is regarded as a collection of moving plates, one on top of the
other, then when a force is applied Lo the fluid, shearing occurs and the
viscosity is a measure of the resistance offered by a layer between
adjacent plates.
Figure 1.1 shows a thin layer of fluid sandwiched between
two flat metal plates of area Athe lower plate is stationary
and the upper plate moves with velocity v. The fluid directly
in contact with each plate is held to the surface by the
adhesive force between the molecules of the fluid and those
of the plate. Thus the upper surface of the fluid moves at
the same speed v as the upper plate whilst the fluid in
contact with the stationary plate remains stationary. Since
the stationary layer of fluid retards the flow of the layer
just above it and this layer, in turn, retards the flow of the
next layer, the velocity varies linearly from zero to V, as
shown.
Figure 1.1:
When a thin layer of fluid is sandwiched between two flat metal plates,
shearing occurs and the upper surface of the fluid moves at the same
speed as the upper plate whilst the fluid in contact with the stationary
plate remains stationary
The relative force acting on the layers is called the shear
stress (the force per unit area). In Figure 1.1, the fluid
flows under the action of the shear stress due to the motion
of the upper plate. It is also clear that the lower plate exerts
an equal and opposite shear stress to satisfy a no-slip
condition at the lower stationary surface.
It follows, therefore, that at any point in the flow, the
velocity at which me layers move relative to each other,
referred to as the shear rate, is directly proportional to the
shear stress:
where is the viscositythe ratio of shear stress and shear
rate.
Chapter 1: Basic properties of fluids
Shear rate = Shear stress
or: Shear stress = . Shear rate
Fluid Temperature (C) Viscosity (Pa.s)
Molasses 20 100
Glycerine 20 1.5
Engine oil (SAE 10) 30 0.2
Milk 20 5.0 x 10
-3
Blood 37 4.0 x 10
-3
Water 0 1.8 x 10
-3
Ethyl alcohol 20 1.2 x 10
-3
Water 20 1.0 x 10
-3
Water 100 0.3 x 10
-3
Air 20 0.018 x 10
-3
Water vapour 100 0.013 x 10
-3
Hydrogen 0 0.009 x 10
-3
These days, viscosity is expressed as absolute or dynamic
viscosity measured in Pascal-Seconds (Pa.s).
Formerly, viscosity was expressed as relative viscosity
the ratio of Ihe liquids absolute viscosity with respect to
the viscosity of water. Here, the unit of measurement was
the centipoise (cPj or. in the case of gases, micropoise (U.PJ
where:
1 Pa.s = 1000cP
As shown in Figure 1.2, the viscosity of a fluid depends
strongly on temperature and generally decreases when the
temperature increases. Gases, however, show the opposite
behaviour andtheviscosity increases for increasing
temperature.
Figure 1.2:
The viscosity of fluids depends strongly on temperature
Subsequently, Table 1.1 lists the viscosity of various fluids
at specified temperatureswith the viscosity of liquids such
as motor oil, for example, decreasing rapidly as temperature
increases.
The viscosity of a fluid also depends on pressure but,
surprisingly, pressure has less effect on the viscosity of
gases than on liquids.
A pressure increase from 0 to 70 bar fin air) results in an
approximate increase of 5% in viscosity. However, with
methanol, for example, a 0 to 15 bar increase results in a
10-fold increase in viscosity. Some liquids are more sensitive
to changes in pressure than others.
Viscosity related to the density of a fluid is termed the
kinematic viscosity. Kinematic viscosity is given by:
v = U./P where:
v = kinematic viscosity measured in m
2
/s u, = dynamic
viscosity measured in Pa.s p = density of the liquid (kg/
m
3
)
Kinematic viscosity was formerly measured in centistokes
(cSt) where: 1 m
2
/s= 10
6
cSt
Non-Newtonian fluids
Most fluids used in engineering systems exhibit Newtonian
behaviour in that, for a given value of pressure and
temperature, the shear stress is directly proportional to
the shear rate. Thus, if the shear stress is plotted against
shear rate the result is a straight line passing through the
origin (Figure 1.3).
Certain fluids, however, do not exhibit this behaviour.
Examples include: tar. grease, printers inks, colloidal
suspensions, hydrocarbon compounds with long-chain
molecules and polymer solutions. In addition, some fluids,
called viscoelastic fluids, do not immediately return to a
condition of zero shear rale when stress is removed.
The ideal plastic
The so-called Ideal plastics or Bingham fluids exhibit a
linear relationship between shear stress and shear rate.
However, such substances only flow after a definite yield
Figure 1.3:
The sheaf stress plotted against shaar rate for 3 number of materials.
Fur Newtonian materials the shear stress plotted against shear rate
results in a straight line passing through the origin
point has been exceeded (Figure 1.3). When at rest, these
materials possess sufficient rigidity to resist shear stresses
smaller than the yield stress. Once exceeded, however, the
rigidity is overcome and the material flows in much the
same manner as a Newtonian fluid.
Examples of materials exhibiting this type of behaviour
include: tar; chewing gum; grease: slurries; sewage slugs;
and drilling muds.
Pseudoplastic
A pseudoplastic substance, such as printers ink, is
characterised by polymers and hydrocarbons which possess
long-chain molecules and suspensions of asymmetric
particles. Although exhibiting a zero yield stress, the
relationship between shear stress and shear rate is non-
linear and the viscosity decreases as the shear stress
increases.
Dilatant
Dilatant materials also exhibit a non-linear relationship
between shear stress and shear rate and a zero yield stress.
However, in this case, the viscosity increases as the shear
stress increases. This type of behaviour is found in highly
concentrated suspensions of solid particles. At low rates
of shear, the liquid lubricates the relative motion of adjacent
particles, thereby maintaining relatively low stress levels.
As the shear rate increases, the effectiveness of this
lubrication is reduced and the shear stresses are increased.
Velocity profiles
One of the most important fluid characteristics affecting
flow measurement is the shape of the velocity profile in
the direction of flow.
Ideal profile
In a friction less pipe in which there is no retardation ai the
pipe walls, a ilat ideal
1
velocity profile would result (Figure
1.4) in which all the fluid particles move at the same
velocity.
Laminar flow
We have already seen, however, that real fluids do not slip
at a solid boundary but are held to the surface by the
adhesive force between the fluid molecules and those ofthe
pipe. Consequently, at the fluid/pipe boundary, there is no
relative motion between the fluid and the solid.
Figure 1.4: A flat
ideal velocity profile
At low flow rates the fluid particles move in straight lines
in a laminar mannereach fluid layer flowing smoothly
past adjacent layers with no mixing between the fluid
particles in the various layers. As a result the flow velocity
increases from zero, at the pipe walls, to a maximum value
at the centre of the pipe and a velocity gradient exists
across the pipe. The shape of a fully developed velocity
profile lor such a laminar flow is parabolic, as shown in
Figure 1.5, with the velocity at the centre equal to twice
the mean flow velocity. Clearly, it not corrected for, this
concentration of velocity at the centre of the pipe can
compromise the flow computation.
Figure 1.5: A laminar
parabolic velocity
profile
Turbulent flow
One of the earliest investigators into fluid flow was Osborne
Reynolds (1842-1912) who conducted a number of
experiments using what is now termed a Reynolds
instrument, a device that injects ink into the flow stream
(Figure 1.6).
Figure 1.6: Reynolds
instrument injects ink
into the flow stream
to observe the flow
regime (courtesy
Fisher Rosemount)
Figure 1.7:
Transition from
laminar
through to
turbulent flow
For a given pipe and liquid, as the flow rale increases, the
laminar path of an individual particle of fluid is disturbed
and is no longer straight. This is called the transitional
stage (Insure 1.7). As the velocity increases further the
individual paths start, to intertwine and cross each other
in a disorderly manner so that thorough mixing of the fluid
takes place. This is termed turbulent flow. Since the flow
velocity is almost constant in all of the pipe cross section,
the velocity profile for turbulent flow is flatter than for
laminar flow and thus closer approximates the ideal or
one dimensional ficj-w (Figure 1.8).
Figure 1.7:
Transition from
laminar through to
turbulent flow
Figure 1.8:
A turbulent velocity
profile
Reynolds number
The onset of turbulence is often abrupt and to be able to
predict the type of flow present in apipe, for any application,
use is made of the Reynolds number, Rea dimensionless
number given by:
Re =
Where:
= density of fluid (kg/m
3
)
= viscosity of fluid (Pa.s)
= mean flow velocity (m/s)
d = diameter of pipe (m)
Irrespective of the pipe diameter, type of fluid or velocity.
Reynolds showed that the flow is:
Laminar: Re <2000
Transitional: Re =2000-4000
Turbulent: Re >4000
From the foregoing it is seen that, in addition to viscosity,
Re also depends on density. Since most liquids are pretty
well incompressible, the density varies only slightly with
temperature.
d
However, for gases, the density depends strongly on the

temperature and pressure in which (for ideal gas):
PV= mRT
where:
P = pressure (Pa)
V = volume of the gas (m
3
)
T = temperature (K)
m = number of moles
R = universal gas constant (8,315 J/(mol.K))
Since:
p = m/V = P/RT
Most gases may be considered ideal at room temperatures
and low pressures. Both.laminar and turbulent flow profiles
require time and space to develop. At an entrance to a
pipe, the profile may be very flateven at low Re. And it
may stay laminar, for a short time, even at high Re.
Disturbed flow profiles
Obstructions in a pipe, such as bends, reducers, expanders,
strainers, control valves, and T-pieces, can all affect the
flow profile in a manner that can severely affect
measurement accuracy. Such disturbcdllow, which
shouldnot be confused with turbulent flow, gives rise to a
number of effects that include:
swirlfluid rotation about the pipe axis
vorticesareas of swirling motion with high local
velocity which are often caused by separation or a
sudden enlargement in pipe area
asymmetrical profilesee Figure 1.9
symmetrical profile with high core velocity
caused by a sudden reduction in pipe area
Figure 1.9:
Asymmetric flow
profile due to
disturbed flow
Ultimately the flow profile will be restored by the natural
mixing action of the fluid particles as the fluid moves
through the pipe. However, the effect of such disturbances
can have an important bearing on accuracy for as much as
40 pipe diameters upstream of the measuring device. Figure
1.10 shows the ongoing disturbance in a pipe following a
simple elbow.
Figure 1.10:
Ongoing disturbance in a pipe following a simple elbow
Flow measurement
In flow measurement a number of parameters can be used
to describe the rate at which a fluid is flowing:
Volumetric flow rate
The volumetric flow rate, Q, represents the total volume of
fluid
flowing through a pipe per unit of time and is usually
expressed in litres per second {1/sJ or cubic metres per
hour (mVh). The measurement of volumetric How rate is
most frequently achieved by measuring the mean velocity
of a fluid as it travels through a pipe of known cross
sectional area A (Figure I.I I). Thus:
Q = V A
Figure 1.11:
The volumetric flow rate, Q, represents the total volume of fluid
Velocity
The term velocity is often used loosely to describe the speed
at which the fluid passes a point along the pipe. In
reality, most modern flow meters measure either the point
velocity or the mean velocity.
Point velocity
The point velocity is the flow velocity in a localised region
or point in the fluid and is generally of little use in practice.
Tt is used mainly in research to determine, for example,
velocity profiles or flow patterns.
Mean flow velocity
The mean flow velocity, v can be obtained by measuring
the volumetric flowrate, Q, and dividing it by the cross-
sectional area of the pipe, A:
v =
Alternatively, if the velocity profile is known the mean flow
velocity can be obtained by averaging the velocity over
the velocity profile, giving equal weighting to equal annular
regions.
An example of the calculation of the mean velocity of the
flow conduit by area-weighting point-velocity
measurements is illustrated in Figure 1.12. As shown, a
number of velocity bands are scaled across the cross-
sectional area of a 320 mm diameter conduit.
Figure 1.12:
Example of area
weighted technique
for determining the
mean velocity of a
fluid
Q
A
The mean velocity can be determined using standard
averaging techniques in which the velocities of each band
are summed and then divided by the number of bands:
In the area-weighted technique, the scaled areas, velocities
and products of each area, times its local velocity, are
tabulated for each velocity band (Table 1.2). The area-
weighted mean velocity is calculated by summing the
velocity-area products, and dividing the sum of the cross-
sectional area of the flow conduit.
Table 1.2:
Calculations for determining area-weighted mean velocity
Mass flow rate
Most chemical reactions are largely based on their mass
relationship and, consequently, to control the process more
accurately, it is often desirable to measure the mass flow
of the product. The mass flow rate, W, gives the total mass
of fluid flowing at any given time. A knowledge of volume
flow rate, Q and the fluid density, p, determines the mass
flow rate from:
W = Q. p (kg/s)
Some flow meters, such as Coriolis meters, measure the
mass flow directly. However, in many cases, mass flow is
determined by measuring the volumetric flow and the
density and then calculating the mass flow as shown above.
Sometimes the density is inferred from the measurement
of the pressure and temperature of the fluid. This type of
measurement is referred to as the inferred method of
measuring mass flow.
Multi-phase flows
For multi-phase flows, the mass or volume flow rate of
one of the constituents is often of interest. For example, in
the case of slurry, the mass flow rate of the solid phase is
usually the required variable.
Flow range and rangeability
Whilst there is considerable confusion regarding basic
terminology, nowhere is this more evident than in the
difference between the terms flow range, turndown ratio,
span, and rangeability.
Flow range
The flow range is simply the difference between the
maximum and minimum flow rate over which a meter
produces acceptable performance within the basic accuracy
specification of the meter. This is illustrated in Figure 1.13.
For flow meters that exhibit a minimum flow rate, the flow
range is thus the interval from the minimum flow rate to
the maximum flow rate. If the meter does not exhibit a
minimum flow rate, the flow range is the interval from
zero flow to maximum flow.
Figure 1,13:
The flow range is the difference between the maximum and minimum flow
rate over which a meter produces acceptable performance within the
basic accuracy specification of the meter
Turndown ratio
The turndown ratio is the ratio of the maximum flow rate
to the minimum flow rate for a measuring range that is
within a stated accuracy. For example, the measuring range
of a magnetic flow meter might be 0.3 m/s to 12 m/s within
an accuracy of 0.3%. This would be stated as having a 40:1
turndown ratio (0.3 %). In addition the measuring range
might extend from 0.2 m/s to 12 m/s within an accuracy
of 0.5%. In this case the turndown ratio is 60:1 (0.5%). It is
therefore meaningless to express the turndown ratio
without a specified accuracy.
Span
The term span relates to the flow meter output signals and
is the difference between the upper and lower range values
assigned to the output signal.
For example, for a Coriolis meter with a 4-20 mA analog
output, the upper and lower range values might be assigned
as:
Lower range value: 0 mA = 0 kg/h
Upper range value:20 mA = 5000 kg/h
The span is therefore the difference between the two values,
ie 5000 - 0 = 5000 kg/h. The minimum span is the lowest
flow rate able to produce full-scale output and the maximum
span is equal Lo the maximum range of the sensor.
Rangeability
Rangeanility is a measure of how much the flow range of
an instrument can be adjusted and is defined as the ratio
of the maximum How range (maximum span) and the
minimum span. The term rangeability is often confused
with turndown ratio and users should be careful as to what
is meant when the terms are used.
Accuracy
The accuracy of a flow meter is the maximum deviation
between the meters indication and the true value of the
flow rate or the total flow. Accuracy, also referred to as
uncertainty, is the interval within which the true value of
the measured quantity can be expected to lie within a stated
probability (generally taken to be 95 % unless otherwise
specified).
V
AV
= = 108.25
V
A
+ V
B
+ V
C
+ V
D
4
Band Radius Velocity Area V
n
A
n
(cm) (cm/s) (cm)
A 4.0 130 50.26 6533
B 8.0 120 150.80 18096
C 12.0 107 251.33 26892
D 16.0 76 351.86 26741
Total 804.25 78262
It includes the combined errors due to linearity, hysterisis
and repeatability and can be expressed in any one of three
ways: as a percentage of span; as a percentage of a rate; or
as a percentage of the upper range value.
To illustrate this difference, consider three flow meters:
one with an accuracy of 1% of span; one with an accuracy
of \% of a reading; and one with an accuracy of 1 % of
URL (Upper Range Limit). The URL is defined as the highest
flow rate that a meter can be adjusted to measure whilst
the Upper Range Value (URV) is defined as the highest flow
rate that the meter is adjusted to measure. Each meter has
a URL of 100 1/min, and is calibrated 0 to 50 l/min.
For the percentage of span instrument, the absolute error
is determined at the 100 % span reading, and then used to
determi ne the accuracy at lower flow rates. Since the span
is 501/min the absolute error would be I % of 50, or
0.51/min. The accuracy of the meter at 50 1/min would
be 50 1/min 0.5 1/min. orl %. At 25 1/min the accuracy
would be 25 1/min 0.5 1/min, or 2 % (Figure 1.14). For
the percentage of reading instrument, the absolute error
is determined at the actual reading, and varies with flow
rate. The absolute error at 501/min is 1 % of 50, or 0.51/
min. The absolute error at 251/min is I %of25,or0.25 1/
min. This means the meter has a constant accuracy of 1 %
at all readings (Figure L15).
Figure 1.14: In the percentage of span instrument, the absolute error is
determined at the 100 % span reading, and then used to determine the
accuracy at lower flow rates
Figure 1.15: In the percentage of reading instrument, the absolute error
is determined at the actual reading, and varies with flow rate
Figure 1.16: In the percentage of URL instrument, the absolute error is
determined at the URL and then used to determine the accuracy at lower
flow rates
For the percentage of URL instrument, the absolute error
is determined at the URL and then used to determine the
accuracy at lower flow rates. The absolute error would be
1 %of 100, or 1 1/min. The accuracy of the meter at 50
l/inin would be 50 1/min 1 1/min, or 2 %. The accuracy
at 25 1/min would be 25 1/min at I 1/min, or 4 % (Figure
1.16). In the above example, two of the three meters would
have the same accuracy, 1 %, when calibrated at the URL,
100 1/min. Percentages of rate meters are generally
preferred when operating over a wide flow rate range.
Positive displacement meters (sometimes referred to as
direct volumetric totalisers) all operate on the general
principle where defined volumes of the medium are
separated from the flow stream and moved from the inlet
to the outlet in discrete packages.
Totalising the number of packages provides the total
volume passed and the total volume passed in a given time
provides the flow rate, for example, litres/min.
Because they pass a known quantity, they are ideal for
certain fluid batch, blending and custody transfer
applications.
They give accurate information and are generally used for
production and accounting purposes.
There are many different configurations of positive
displacement meters and this chapter discusses some of
themost popular types.
Sliding vane
Used extensively in the petroleum industry for gasoline
and crude oil metering, the sliding vane meter is one of
the highest performance liquid positive displacement
meters. In its simplest form it comprises a rotor assembly
fitted with four spring-loaded sliding vanes so that they
make constant contact with the cylinder wall (Figure 2.1),
The rotor is mounted on a shaft which is eccentric to the
centre of the meter chamber.
Chapter 2: Positive displacement meters
The disadvantages of the sliding vane meter are:
suitable for clean liquids only
limitations due to leakage
high unrecoverable pressure loss
Oval gear meters
Oval gear flow meters comprise two identical precision
moulded oval rotors which mesh together by means of
gear teeth around the gear perimeter. The rotors rotate on
stationary shafts which are fixed within the measuring
chamber (Figure 2.2).
Figure 2.1:
Sliding vane positive displacement meter comprising a rotor assembly
fitted with four spring-loaded sliding vanes
As liquid enters the measuring chamber the pressure on
the exposed portion of vane 1 causes the rotor to turn.
While the rotor turns on its shaft, vane 2 moves to seal off
the inlet portrotating to occupy the position formerly
occupied by vane 1.
This process is repeated, without pulsations, as the vanes
move around the measuring chamberwith packets of
fluid trapped and passed to the outlet manifold as discrete
known quantities of fluid.
A mechanical counter register or electronic pulse counter
is attached to the shaft of the rotor so that flow volume is
directly propoitional to shaft rotation.
Close tolerances and carefully machined profiles of the
casing ensure the blades are guided smoothly through the
measuring crescent to give high performance.
Advantages of the sliding vane meter are:
suitable for accurately measuring small volumes
high accuracy of 0.2%.
high repeatability of 0.05%
turndown ratio of 20:1
suitable for high temperature service, up to 180C
pressures up to 7 MPa
not affected by viscosity
Figure 2.2:
Construction of the oval gear meter (courtesy Fisher Ftosemount)
The meshed gears seal the inlet from the outletflow,
developing a slight pressure differential across the meter
that results in movement of the oval rotors.
When in the position shown in Figure 2.3(a), Gear A receives
torque from the pressure difference while the net torque
on Gear B is zero, (b) Gear A drives Gear B. (c) As Gear B
continues to rotate, it traps a defined quantity of fluid until,
in this position, the net torque on Gear A is zero and Gear
B receives torque from the pressure difference, (d) Gear B
drives Gear A and a defined quantity of fluid is passed to
the outlet. This alternate driving action provides a smooth
rotation of almost constant torque without dead spots.
Figure 2.3:
Principle of the oval gear meter: (a) Gear A receives torque from the
pressure difference while the net torque on Gear B is zero, (b) Gear
A drives Gear B. (c) As Gear B continues to rotate it traps a defined
quantity of fluid until, in this position, the net torque on Gear A is zero
and Gear B receives torque from the pressure difference, (d) Gear
B drives Gear A and a defined quantity of fluid is passed to the outlet
With flow through the meter, the gears rotate and trap
precise quantities of liquid in the crescent shaped
measuring chambers. The total quantity of flow for one
rotation of the pair of oval gears is four times that of the
crescent shaped gap and the rate of flow is proportional to
the rotational speed of the gears. Because the amount of
slippage between the oval gears and the measuring
chamber wall is minimal, the meter is essentially unaffected
by changes in viscosity and lubricity of the liquids.
An output shaft is rotated in direct proportion to the oval
gears by means of a powerful magnetic coupling. Oval gear
meters find widespread use in the measurement of solvents,
with close tolerances ensuring that leakage is minimised.
The major disadvantage of this meter is that the alternate
driving action is not constant and, as a result, the meter
introduces pulsations into the flow.
Further, the viscosity of the fluid can affect the leakage or
slip flow. If the meter is calibrated on a particular fluid, it
will read marginally higher should the viscosity increase.
Newer designs of this type of meter use servomotors to
drive the gears. These eliminate the pressure drop across
the meter and the force required to drive the gear. This
applies mainly to smaller sized meters and significantly
increases the accuracy at low flows.
Advantages of the oval gear meter are:
high accuracy of 0.25%
high repeatability of 0,05%
low pressure drop of less than 20 kPa
high operating pressures, up to 10 MPa
high temperatures, up to 300C
wide range of materials of construction
The disadvantages of the oval gear meter are:
pulsations caused by alternate drive action
accuracy dependent on viscosity
Lobed impeller
Similar in operation to the Oval meter, the lobed impeller
type meter (Figure 2.4) is a non-contact meter comprising
two high precision lobed impellers which are geared
externally and which rotate in opposite directions within
the enclosure. For each revolution four measured cups of
the fluid are transferred through the meter with an accuracy
of up to 0,2% under controlled conditions. The lobed
impeller meter is suitable for a wide range of fluids ranging
from LPG through to tar in the ranges 41 to 200 kl/hr,
process temperatures up to 300 C, and pressures up to 10
MPa.
Figure 2.4:
Lobed impeller
meter (courtesy
Tokico Ltd)
Oscillating piston
The oscillating or rotating piston meter consists of a
stainless steel housing and a rotating piston as shown in
Figure 2.5. The only moving part in the measuring chamber
is the oscillation piston which moves in a circular motion.
Figure 2.5:
Basic layout of
oscillating or
rotating piston
meter
To obtain an oscillating motion, movement of the piston is
restricted in two ways. First, the piston is slotted vertically
to accommodate a partition plate which is fixed to the
chamber. This plate prevents the piston from spinning
around its central axis and also acts as a seal between the
inlet and outlet ports of the chamber. Second, the piston
has a central vertical pin which confines the pistons
movement to a circular track, which is part of the chamber.
Differential pressure across the meter causes the piston to
sweep the chamber wall in the direction of flowdisplacing
liquid from the inlet to the outlet port in a continuous
stream.
The openings for filling and discharging are located in its
base and thus in Figure 2.6 (a), areas 1 and 3 are both
receiving liquid from the inlet port (A) and area 2 is
discharging through the outlet port (B).
Figure 2.6:
Oscillating or rotating piston meter showing principle of operation
In Figure 2.6 (b), the piston has advanced and area 1, which
is connected to the inlet port, has enlarged. Area 2, which
is connected to the outlet port, has decreased, while area
3 is about to move into position to discharge through the
outlet port.
In Figure 2.6(c), area 1 is still admitting liquid from theinlet
port, while areas 2 and 3 are discharging through the outlet
port. In this manner known discrete quantities of the
medium have been swept from the inlet to the outlet port.
The rotating piston meter is particularly suitable for
accurately measuring small volumes and its advantages
are:
accuracy of 0.5%
performance largely unaffected by viscosity (from
heating oil to paste)
Disadvantages of the oscillating piston meter are:
leakage and maximum permissible pressure loss
Nutating disc
The term nutation is derived from the action of a spinning
top whose axis starts to wobble and describe a circular
path as the top slows down.
In a nutating disc type meter the displacement element is
a disc that is pivoted in the centre of a circular measuring
chamber (Figure 2.7). The lower face of the disc is always
in contact with the bottom of the chamber on one side,
and the upper face of the disc is always in contact with the
top of the chamber on the opposite side.
The chamber is therefore divided into separate
compartments of known volume.
Figure 2.7:
Nutating disc meter in which the displacement element is a disc pivoted in
the centre of a circular measuring chamber
Liquid enters through the inlet connection on one side of
the meter and leaves through an outlet on the other side
successively filling and emptying the compartments and
moving the disc in a nutating motion around a centre pivot.
A pin attached to the discs pivot point drives the counter
gear train.
Although there are inherently more leakage paths in this
design, the nutating disk meter is also characterised by its
simplicity and low-cost.
It tends to be used where longer meter life, rather than
high performance, is required, for example, domestic water
service. The meter is also suitable for use under high
temperatures and pressures.
Figure 2.8:
Physical construction of
the axial radial fluted
Birotor meter (courtesy
Fisher Rosemount)
Figure 2.9:
Operation of the axial
radial fluted Birotor
meter (courtesy Fisher
Rosemount)
Fluted rotor meters
The axial and radial fluted rotor meters work on the same
principal.
The axial fluted rotor meter (Figure 2.8) makes use of two
aluminium spiral fluted rotors working within the same
measuring chamber - with the rotors maintained in a
properly timed relationship with one another by helical
gears.
As the product enters the intake of the measuring unit
chamber, (Figure 2.9) the two rotors divide the volume
being measured into segments; momentarily separating
each segment from the flowing inlet stream and then
returning them to the outlet of the measuring unit chamber.
During this liquid transition
1
, the segments of flow are
counted and the results are transferred to a totalising
counter or other flow recording device by means of a gear
train.
In the radial fluted rotor meter, Figure 2.70, two specially
shaped hydraulically unbalanced rotors are maintained in
a properly timed relationship by helical gears. The rotors
are neither in metal-to-metal contact with one another nor
with the housing in which they rotate. Again, as shown, as
the product enters the intake of the measuring unit chamber
the two rotors divide the volume being measured into
segments; momentarily separating each segment from the
flowing inlet stream and then returning them to the outlet
of the measuring unit chamber.
Figure 2.10:
Operation of the radial fluted Birotor meter (courtesy Fisher Rosemount)
Wet-type gas meters
The wet-type gas meter (Figure 2.11) comprises a gas-tight
casing containing a measuring drum, with four separate
compartments, mounted on a spindle that is free to revolve.
The casing is filled to approximately 60% of its of volume
with water or light oil.
Under normal operation the gas passes through the
measuring drum so that each compartment of the drum
must, in turn, be emptied of water and filled with gas
thus forcing the drum to rotate. In an alternative
arrangement the gas is introduced into the space above
the water in the outer casing and then passes through the
drum to the outlet of the meter.
The calibration of the measuring drum (ie the quantity of
gas passed for each revolution) is determined by the height
of the water in the casing. Consequently, the normal
calibration point
Figure 2.11:
The wet-type gas meter
is a shown by a water level indicating point that is visible
in the site box located on the side of the meter casing. The
spindle on which the measuring drum is mounted is
connected through gears to record the quantity of gas
passing through the meter. Such meters are available in
capacities ranging from 0.25 to 100 dm-
3
with accuracy
down to 0.25%
General summary
Because of their high accuracy, positive displacement
meters are used extensively in liquid custody transfer
applications where duty is applicable on such commodities
as petrol, wines, and spirits. In use. some of the following
application limitations should be noted:
owing to mechanical contact between the component
parts, wear and tear is aproblem. In general, herefore,
positive displacement meters are primarily suited to
clean, lubricating and non-abrasive applications
in some cases, filters (down to 10 urn) may be
required to filter debris and clean the fluid before the
meter. Such filters require regular maintenance. If
regular maintenance is not carried out, the added
pressure drop may need to be considered
their working life depends on the nature of the fluid
being measured, especially with regard to solids
build-up and medium temperature
positive displacement meters are an obstruction to
the flow path and consequently produce an
unrecoverable pressure loss
because many positive displacement meters have the
same operating mechanisms as pumps, they may be
driven by a motor and used as dosing or metering
purnps
one of the drawbacks of the positive displacement
meter is its high differential pressure loss. This,
however, may be reduced by measuring the differen-
tial pressure across the meter and then driving it with
a motor that is controlled by a feedback system
positive displacement meters are limited at high and
low viscosities. Errors can occur due to leakage
(slippage) around the gears or pistons. Slippage may
be reduced by using viscous luids which have the
ability to seal the small clearances. However, if the
fluid is too viscous it can coat the inner chambers of
the meter and reduce the volume passedcausing
reading errors. Thus, whilst low viscosities limit the
use at low flows (due to increased slippage), high
viscosities limit the use at high flows due to the high
pressure loss
if slippage does occur, and is calibrated for, it can
change with temperature as the viscosity varies
positive displacement meters can be damaged by
overspeeding
in certain cases (for example, the oval gear meter)
positive displacement meters give rise to pulsations,
which may inhibit the use of this type of meter in
certain applications
positive displacement meters are used primarily for
low volume applications.
Chapter 3: Inferential meters
Inferential meters, loosely referred to as turbine meters
1
,
are indirect volumetric totalisers, in which packages of the
flowing media are separated from the flow stream and
moved from the input to the output. However, unlike the
positive displacement meter, the enclosed volume is not
geometrically defined.
Inferential meters have rotor-mounted blades in the form
of a vaned rotor or turbine which is driven by the medium
at a speed proportional to the flow rate. The number of
rotor revolutions is proportional to the total flow and is
monitored by either a gear train or by a magnetic or optical
pick-up.
Competing with the positive displacement meter for
accuracy and repeatability, the turbine flow meter is used
extensively in custody transfer applications on such
products as crude oil or petroleum.
Turbine meters
Available in sizes from 5 to 600 mm, the turbine meter
usually comprises an axially mounted bladed rotor
assembly (the turbine) running on bearings and mounted
concentrically within the flow stream by means of upstream
and downstream support struts (Figure 3.1). The support
assembly also often incorporates upstream and
downstream straightening sections to condition the flow
stream. The rotor is driven by the medium (gas or liquid)
impinging on the blades.
Figure 3.1:
The turbine meter consists of a bladed rotor suspended in the flow stream.
Upper and lower straightening vanes are normally included (courtesy
Fisher Rosemount)
The simplest method of measuring the rotor speed is by
means of a magnet, fitted within the rotor assembly, which
induces a single pulse per revolution in an externally
mounted pick-up coil. To improve the resolution, the
externally mounted pick-up coil is integrated with a
permanent magnet and the rotor blades are made of a
magnetically permeable feiTous material. As each blade
passes the pick-up coil, it cuts the magnetic field produced
by the magnet and induces a voltage pulse in the coil.
To improve the resolution even further, especially in large
turbine meters (200 mm and above) where the rotor
operates at much lower angular velocities, small magnetic
bars are inserted in a non-magnetic rim that is fitted around
the blades. This modification can improve the pulse
resolution by as much as ten times.
K-factor
The number of pulses produced per unit volume is termed
the K-factor. Ideally, the meter would exhibit a linear
relationship between the meter output and the flow rate
a constant K-factor, In reality, however, the driving torque
of the fluid on the rotor is balanced by the influence of
viscous, frictional and magnetic drag effects.
Since these vary with the flow rate, the shape of the K-
factor curve (Figure 3.2) depends on viscosity, flow rate,
bearing design, blade edge sharpness, blade roughness
and the nature of the flow profile at the rotor leading edge.
In practice, all these influences have differing effects on
the meter linearity and thus all turbine meters, even from
the same manufacturing batch, should be individually
calibrated.
The linear relationship of the K-factor is confined to a flow
range of about 10:1sometimes extending up to 20:1.
Figure 3.2:
The K-factor (the meter constant) should, ideally, be flat. The actual
plot exhibits a drop off at low flow rates and a viscosity hump
At low flows, the poor response of the meter is due to
bearing friction, the effect of fluid viscosity and magnetic
drag on the rotor due to the use ofamagneticpick-off. It is
possible to extend the lower limit of the meters response
by using, for example, a radio pick-off coupled with the
use of high quality rotor bearings. The humping section of
the curve flattens as the viscosity decreaseswith resultant
increase in accuracy.
Selection and sizing
Although turbine meters are sized by volumetric flow rate,
the main factor that affects the meter is viscosity.
Typically, larger meters are less affected by viscosity than
smaller ones. This would indicate that larger meters are
preferred; in fact the opposite is true. By using a smaller
meter, operation is more likely to occur towards the
maximum permitted flow rate, and away from the non-
linear hump
1
response at low flows.
Turbine meters are specified with minimum and maximum
linear flow rates which ensure the response is linear and
the other specifications are met. For good rangeability, it
is recommended that the meter be sized so the maximum
flow rate of the application is about 70% to 80% of that of
the meter.
Application limitations
In liquids, the maximum flow rate is usually limited by the
effect of cavitation. This occurs when the system pressure
falls to a point at which the liquid itself, and/or the dissolved
gases in the liquid, boils-off at critical points in the meter
where hydrodynamic forces cause a low pressure region.
Cavitation can be avoided by retaining a sufficiently high
back pressure and by keeping the pressure loss through
the meter at a minimum. Because the rotor, stator,
measuring pipe and bearings all come in contact with the
medium, the meters resistance to aggressive fluids depends
on the materials from which it is constructed. Generally
the measuring pipe, rotor and stator are fabricated from
stainless steel, while the bearings are made of ceramic
materials suchas aluminium oxide, or PTFE used in
conjunction with metal or other materials.
Density changes have little effect on the meters calibration.
Because turbine meters rely on the flow impinging on the
rotor blades, they absorb some pressure. As a result, the
pressure drop is typically around 20 to 30 kPa at the
maximum flow rate and varies depending on the flow rate.
Advantages
Because the rotation of the turbine is measured by non-
contact methods, no tapping points are required in the
pipe. The result is that, depending on pipe diameter and
materials of construction, pressures of up to 64 MPa can
be applied.
When properly installed and maintained, turbine meters
are capable of high accuracy ( 0,5 % of flow over a 10:1
range) and excellent repeatability (0,05 %). They also
exhibitawide flow capacity range (from 4 litres/min 800
kilolitres/min).
Temperature limitations are imposed only by the limitations
of the materials of construction, and turbine flow meters
can operate in high process media temperatures (up to
600 C) and low temperatures (cryogenic fluids down to -
220 C). The advantages can be summarised as follows:
suitable for pressures up to 64 MPa
high accuracy (up to 0,2 % of flow)
excellent repeatability ( 0,05 %)
wide rangeability up to 20:1
wide range of temperature applications from -220 to
600 C
able to measure non-conductive liquids
capability of a heat measuring device
suitable for low flow rates
Disadvantages
The main limitation of a turbine meter is that because it
has a moving part (the rotor), it is subject to wear.
Consequently, it is unsuited to dirty fluids and requires
regular maintenance and calibration to maintain its
accuracy. Another disadvantage is that because the K-factor
depends on the viscosity, the viscosity of the liquid must
be known and each meter must be calibrated for its
applicationespecially at low flow rates.
Turbine meters are not suitable for use with high viscosity
fluids since the high friction of the fluid causes excessive
losses leading to excessive non-recoverable pressure losses.
The disadvantages of turbine meters can be summarised
as follows:
unsuitable for high viscous fluids
viscosity must be known
10 diameter upstream and 5 diameter downstream
of straight pipe is required
ineffective with swirling fluids
only suitable for clean liquids and gases ; . ...
pipe system must not vibrate
specifications critical for measuring range and
viscosity
subject to erosion and damage
relatively expensive
Woltman meters
The Woltman meter, used primarily as a water meter, is
similar in design to the turbine meter. The essential
difference is that the measurement of rotation is carried
out mechanically using a low friction gear train connecting
the axle to the totaliser.
Figure 3.3: Horizontal turbine Woltman meter
The Woltman meter is available in two basic designs
one with a horizontal turbine (Figure 3.3) and one with a
vertical turbine (Figure 3.4). The vertical design offers the
advantage of minimal bearing friction and therefore a higher
sensitivity resulting in a larger flow range. Whilst the
pressure drop of the vertical turbine meter is appreciably
higher, because of the shape of the flow passage, it is widely
used as a domestic water consumption meter.
Figure 3.4: Vertical turbine
Woltman meter
In many designs, an adjustable regulating vane is used to
control the amount of deflection and thus adjust the meter
linearity.
Propeller type flow meters
In the propeller type flow meter (Figure 3.5) the body of
the meter is positioned above the flow path and only the
propeller is in the flow line.
With the bearings outside of the main flow, the effects of
contamination from dirty liquids are eliminated or reduced
to a minimum. The use of a three-bladed propeller with
large clearances between each blade, enables particles in
suspension to pass with ease and, in addition, the
transmitter and all working parts can be removed and
Figure 3.7:
A Tee-mount flow sensor
suitable for pipe sizes
ranging from 10 to 100
mm (courtesy GLI
Internationa!)
Other versions are available for use with welded-on pipe
threads that allow the same meter to be used on pipe sizes
ranging from 75 mm to 2.5 m diameter. This technique
also allows its use in a hot tap mode whereby it may be
removed and replaced on high pressure lines without the
need for a shutdown.
Another form of the impeller type meter, the Pelton wheel
turbine (Figure 3.8) is able to measure extremely low flow
rates down to 0,02 litres/min, coupled with a turn-down
ratio of up to 50:1.
Figure 3.8:
Cross-section of Pelton wheel system
The incoming low velocity fluid is concentrated into a jet
that is directed onto a lightweight rotor suspended on jewel
bearings. The rotational speed is linear to flow rate and is
detected by means of ferrite magnets, located in the rotor
tips, which induce voltage pulses in a sensing coil. One
drawback is that the nozzle can cause a rather large
pressure drop.
As with turbine meters, most such sensors employ multiple
blades with a permanent magnet embedded in each blade.
A pick-up coil in the sensor acts as a generator stator
generating an electrical pulse each time the blade passes
near it. The use of such a magnetic pick-up, however, has
some serious drawbacks. Firstly, the signal is susceptible
to interference by extraneous magnetic fields in the vicinity
of the coil. In addition, ferrous contamination, present in
many industrial applications, causes particles to be
attracted to the magnets in each blade. This not only affects
sensor accuracy, but can impede or stop the impeller from
replaced in a few minutes, without breaking the pipeline.
Another advantage of this type of meter is that
manufacturing costs are significantly reduced. On the
negative side performance is correspondingly lower with
the linearity typically 2% and repeatability typically 1%
of full scale.
Figure 3.5: Propeller
type flow meter with the
meter body positioned
above the flow path and
only the propeller in the
f/ow line (courtesy
Rhodes & Son)
Impeller meters
As opposed to the vane-axial blades of turbine-type models,
the rotating blades ofimpeller-type sensors are
perpendicular to the flowmaking them inherently less
accurate than turbine sensors. However, their typical 1%
accuracy and excellent repeatability makes them ideal for
many applications.
Impeller sensors are especially suitable for measuring flow
rates of low-viscosity liquids that are low in suspended
solids over line velocities of between 0.15 and 10 m/s
(Figure 3.6).
Figure 3.6:
Reading versus velocity for a typical impeller type meter
At lower flow rates, the fluid cannot maintain the force
needed to overcome bearing friction, impeller mass inertia
and fluid drag. At flow rates above 10 m/s, cavitation can
occur and cause readings to increase more than the increase
in flow velocity. As velocity continues to increase under
cavitation conditions, the reading eventually decreases with
respect to true velocity.
The most common form ofimpeller-type meter is the in-
line insertion format in which the main bearing is located
out of the main flow stream and thus provides only a
minimal pressure drop. Figure 3.7 illustrates a Tee-mount
flow sensor suitable for pipe sizes ranging from 10 to 100
mm.
Figure 3.9:
The problem of magnetic drag may be overcome through the use of a Hall-
effect transducer that picks up the signal from magnets embedded in the
impeller blades (courtesy FTE)
rotating. Further, at low flows, the magnetic attraction
between each rotating blade and the pick-up coil increases
the force required to turn the impellerresulting in poor
linearity.
One method of overcoming this problem is shown in figure
3.9 in which permanent magnets embedded in the impeller
blades pass close to a Hall-effect transducer.
Another method of overcoming the problem is through
the use of a non-magnetic ferrite rods embedded in the
impeller blades. Although the ferrites are not magnetic,
they form a low permeable path for a magnetic field.
As shown in Figure 3.10, the pickup comprises a composite
transmitting and sensing coil. In the absence of a ferrite
rod the magnetic coupling is loose and the signal produced
by the receiving coil is small. However, in the presence of
a ferrite rod, the magnetic coupling is strong, resulting in
a much larger output signal.
Figure 3.10:
in the absence of a ferrite rod the magnetic coupling is loose and the
signal produced by the receiving coil is small. When a ferrite rod is
present, the magnetic coupling is strong resulting in a much larger output
signal (courtesy GLI Internationa!)
Because permanent magnets are not used, there is no
magnetic drag and no accumulation of magnetic particles
lo degrade the accuracy or cause clogging.
Installation recommendations
To reap the benefits of high accuracy the following
installation practices should be observed:
at least 10 pipe diameters of straight approach and 5
pipe diameters of straight outlet piping are required
turbines should never be subjected to a swirling flow
flow must not contain any solidsespecially fibre
do not exceed the measuring range
a turbine for liquids should never be subjected to gas
flow (danger of over-speeding)
never clean with compressed air
Chapter 4: Oscillatory flow meters
Oscillatory flow measurement systems involve three
primary metering principles: vortex, vortex swirl
(precession) and Coanda effect. Tn all three, the primary
device generates an oscillatory motion of the fluid whose
frequency is detected by a secondary measuring device to
produce an output signal that is proportional to fluid
velocity.
Vortex flow meters
Vortex flow meters for industrial flow measurement were
first introduced in the mid-1970s but the technology was
poorly applied by several suppliers. As a result, the
technology developed a bad reputation and a number of
manufacturers dropped it. Since the mid-1980s many of
the original limitations have been overcome and vortex
flow metering has become a fast growing flow technology.
Vortex meters are based on the phenomenon known as
vortex shedding which takes place when a fluid (gas, steam
or liquid) meets a non-streamlined obstacletermed a bluff
body. Because the flow is unable to follow the defined
contours of the obstacle, the peripheral layers of the fluid
separate from its surfaces to form vortices in the low
pressure area behind the body (Figure 4.1). These voitices
are swept downstream to form a so-called Karman Vortex
Street. Vortices are shed alternately from either side of the
bluff body at a frequency that, within a given Reynolds
number range, is proportional to the mean flow velocity in
the pipe.
Figure 4.1:
The Karman vortex streetwith vortices formed on alternate sides in the
low pressure area of bluff body
In vortex meters, the differential pressure changes, that
occur as the vortices are formed and shed, are used to
actuate the sealed sensor at a frequency proportional to
the vortex shedding.
Formation of vortices
At low velocitiesthe laminar flow region (Figure 4.2(a))
the fluid flows evenly around the body without producing
turbulence. As the fluid velocity increases the fluid tends
to shoot past the body, leaving a low pressure region behind
it (Figure 4.2(5)). As the fluid velocity increases even further,
this low pressure region begins to create a flow pattern as
shown in Figure 4.2(c)the beginning of the turbulent flow
region. The action momentarily relieves the pressure void
on one side of the low pressure region and the fluid forms
into a vortex. The interaction of the vortex with the main
stream fluid releases it from the surface of the body and it
travels downstream. Once released, the low pressure region
shifts towards the other rear side of the body to form
another vortex. This process is repeated, resulting in the
release of vortices from alternate sides of the bluff body
as illustrated in Figure 4.1.
Figure 4.2: Formation
of vortices: (a) laminar
flow region with fluid
flowing evenly around
the body; (b) at higher
velocities a low pressure
region starts to form
behind the bluff body;
and (c) beginning of
turbulent flow region
and formation of vortex
Vortex shedding occurs naturally throughout nature and
can he observed in the whistling tone that the wind
produces through telephone wires or in a flag waving from
a flagpole. Because the flagpole acts as a bluff body, vortex
shedding occurs. As the wind speed increases the rate of
vortex shedding increases and causes the flag to wave
faster.
Strouhal factor
In 1878 Strouhal observed that the frequency of oscillation
of a wire, set in motion by a stream of air, is proportional
to the flow velocity. He showed that:
f =
where:
f = vortex frequency (Hz)
d = diameter of the bluff body (m)
v = velocity of liquid(m/s)
St = Strouhal factor (dimensionless)
Unlike other flow sensing systems, because the vortex
shedding frequency is directly proportional to flow velocity,
drift is not a problem as long as the system does not leave
its operating range. Further, the frequency is unaffected
by the mediums density, viscosity, temperature, pressure
and conductivity, as long as the Reynolds number (Re) stays
within defined limits. Consequently, irrespective of whether
the meter is used for measuring steam, gas or liquids, it
will have virtually the same calibration characteristic and
the same meter factor although not necessarily over the
same volumetric flow velocity ranges.
Figure 4.3:
Relationship
between Strouha!
factor and
Reynolds number
for both a round
and a delta bluff
body (courtesy
Endress + Hauser)
St. v
d
In reality, the Strouhal factor is not a constant but, as
illustrated in Figure 4.3, varies with the shape of the bluff
body and the Reynolds number. The ideal vortex flow rneter
would, therefore, have a bluff body shape that features a
constant Strouhal number over as wide a measuring range
as possible.
Meters based on this relationship are shown to have a
linearity of better than 0.5 % over a flow range of as high
as 50: 1 for liquids and 100:1 for gases. The limits are
determined at the low-end by viscosity effects and at the
upper end by cavitation or compressibility.
Another major advantage of the vortex meter is that it has
a constant, long-term calibration that does not involve any
in-service adjustment or tuning. For a given size and shape
of bluff body, the vortex shedding frequency is directly
proportional to flow rate.
Shedder designs
Meters differ only in the shape of the bluff body and in the
sensing methods usedwith each manufacturer claiming
specific advantages. Some of the bluff body shapes are
shown in Figure 4.4.
Tests have shown that changes in the dimensions of the
bluff body have a negligible effect on calibration. For
example, tests with a rectangular bluff body indicate that
with a body-to-meter bore ratio of 0.3, the body width can
vary by as much as 10 % to produce a change in the meter
factor of < 0.4 %. Similarly, radiussing the edges of the
bluff body by as much as 4 mrn will not cause the calibration
to deviate outside the standard accuracy band.
(Compare this with an orifice plate where radiussing the
sharp edge of the orifice by as little as 0.4 mm produces a
reading inaccuracy of approximately 4%.) The major benefit
of this insensitivity to dimensional changes of the bluff
body is that the vortex meter is virtually unaffected by
erosion or deposits.
Figure 4.4:
Various bluff body shapes: (a) round: (b) rectangular; and (c) two-part
rectangular; (d) Tee-bar; (e) delta-shaped (courtesy Endress + Hauser)
Cylindrical
Early bluff bodies were cylindrical. However, as the
boundary layer changes from laminar to turbulent, the
vortex release point fluctuates backwards and forwards,
depending on the flow velocity. The frequency,
subsequently, is not exactly proportional to velocity. Asa
result, use is made of bluff bodies with a sharp edge that
defines the vortex shedding point.
Rectangular bodies
Following the cylindrical body, the rectangular body was
used for many years. However, current research indicates
that this body shape produces considerable fluctuation in
linearity in varying process densities.
Rectangular two-part bodies
In this configuration, the first body is used to generate the
vortices and the second body to measure them. The two-
part body generates a strong vortex (hydraulic
amplification) that requires the use of less complicated
sensors and amplifiers. On the negative side, the pressure
loss is almost doubled.
Delta-shaped bodies
The delta-shaped shedder has a clearly defined vortex
shedding edge and tests (including those carried out by
NASA) indicate that the delta shape provides excellent
linearity. Accuracy is not affected by pressure, viscosity or
other fluid conditions. Many variations of the Delta shape
exist and are in operation.
Delta-shaped two-part bodies
Claimed to combine the best features of modern
technology, here, the delta-shaped bluff body generates
the vortices and the second body is used to measure them.
Tee-shaped bar
Also claimed to combine the best features of the delta-
shapedbody with a high hydraulic amplification.
Sensors
Since the shedder bar is excited by kinetic energy, the
amplitude of the vortex signal depends on the dynamic
pressure of the fluid:
p
d
= v
where:
p
d
= dynamic pressure
= fluid density
v = velocity
As shown, the sensor amplitude is thus proportional to
the fluid density and to the square of the velocity (Figure
4.5).
Consequently, the dynamic sensitivity range of the vortex
sensor needs to be quite large. For a turn-down ratio of
1:50 in flow velocity, the magnitude of the vortex signal
would vary by 1:2500. This leads to small signal levels at
the low end of the measuring range.
Figure 4.5:
Amplitude as a function of velocity and process density
While the vortex shedding frequency decreases as the size
of the bluff body or meter increases, the signal strength
falls off as the size decreasesthus generally limiting the
meter size to within the range 15 to 200 mm bore.
There are several methods for measuring vortex frequency,
but there is no sensor currently available which will suit all
operating conditions.
Many vortex meters use non-wetted, external sensors
connected to internal parts that move or twist due to vortex
shedding. Formerly, this technology was plagued by
sensitivity to pipeline vibration which produces a similar
motion to vortex shedding when there is no flow in the
pipe and can cause an erroneous output at zero flow.
However, modern instruments have largely overcome this
problem and systems as illustrated in Figure 4.6 are
insensitive to vibrations in each axis up to at least 1 g
covering the frequency range up to 500 Hz.
Figure 4.6: Use of separate
mechanically balanced sensor
positioned behind the bluff
body (courtesy Endress +
Hauser)
Thermal sensing
Thermal sensors (Figure 4.7) make use of electrically heated
thermistors (heat-sensitive semi-conductor resistors) with
a high temperature coefficient and a rapid time response.
As the vortices are shed, on alternate sides of the fluff
body, heat is convected away from the preheated
elementsresulting in a change in resistance that is in
phase with the shedding frequency.
Depending on their location, the thermistors are sensitive
to dirt and are generally incapable of withstanding
temperature shocks. In addition, the upper frequency limit
500 Hz precludes their use with small diameter pipes (for
example, 25 mm) particularly with gas where vortex
frequencies of 3300 Hz or more can be encountered.
Mechanical sensors
Sometimes called a shuttle ball sensor, a magnetic ball or
disc moves from side to side, under the influence of the
vortices, along a lateral bore that connects both sides of
the bluff body (Figure 4.8). This movement is detected by
a magnetic pickup.
Figure 4.7:
Basic configuration of thermal sensor (courtesy Endress + Hauser)
Figure 4.8:
Shuttle ball or disc sensor (courtesy Endress + Hauser)
The main problems with this sensor are that it is easily
blocked by dirt and in saturated steam the movement of
the ball or disc can be slowed by condensation.
Further, condensed water can cause the ball or disc to
adhere to one side or other.
Capacitive sensors
In the form illustrated in Figure 4.9, stainless steel
diaphragms are welded onto the sides of the bluff body
and the assembly filled with oil and sealed. Since the oil is
incompressible it fully supports the diaphragms against
high static pressure. However, under the influence of an
asymmetric differential pressure, as occurs during vortex
shedding, the diaphragms deflect and the oil transfers
through the internal port from one side to the other. When
the diaphragms deflect there is a change in the capacitance
between the diaphragms and the electrodes one side
increases and the other decreases.
Figure 4.9:
The vortices act on two diaphragms. As the diaphragms deflect the oil
transfers through the internal ports from one side to the other changing
the capacitance between the diaphragms and the electrodes (courtesy
Endress + Hauser)
Since the capacitance is inversely proportional to the
distance between the electrodes and directly proportional
to the plate area, pressure differences can be used to vary
the plate overlap area or the electrode distance. Modern
capacitive sensors are available for use with superheated
steam for temperatures up to 426C.
Piezoelectric sensor
Like the capacitive sensor, the alternating vortices, shed
on each side of the shedder, act on two diaphragms
mounted on each side of the sensor. In this case, (Figure
4.10) the flexing motion is coupled to a piezoelectric sensor,
outside the flow line, which senses the alternating forces
and converts them to an alternating signal.
Figure 4.10: Use of
piezoelectric sensor
positioned outside the How
line (courtesy Fisher
Ftosemount)
The piezo elements produce a voltage output that is
proportional to the applied pressure. Whilst piezoceramic
materials produce a high output for a given pressure (a
high coupling factor) they have a limited operating
temperature range (about 250 C). The piezoelectric material
Lithium Niobate (LiNbO,) offers only medium coupling
factors but can be operated at temperatures above 300 C.
Generally, piezoelectric materials are unsuitable for
temperatures below -40 C since below this point, the
piezoelectric effect becomes too small.
Because the piezoelectric element produces an output that
is affected by movement or acceleration, it is also sensitive
to external pipe vibration. This problem can be overcome
by using a second piezoelectric element to measure the
vibration and use it in a compensating circuit to ensure
that only the clean vortex shedding frequency is obtained.
Strain gauge sensors
The vortices created by the bluff body cause the body itself
to be mechanically displaced by small amountsof the
order of 10 (im. This elastic movement can be detected
using strain gauges attached directly or indirectly to the
bluff body. Movement of the body produces a change in
resistance of the strain gauges.
The main drawbacks of this technology are the upper
temperature limitation of the strain gauges (about 120C)
and the fact that diameters above 150 mm are sensitive to
vibration.
Ultrasonic sensing
An ultrasonic detector system (Figure 4.11) makes use of
an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver placed behind the
bluff body. The vortices modulate die ultrasonic beam and
the resultant output is the vortex signal. This sensor system
has a good turndown ratio and, since there is no mass
associated with the sensor that would experience a force
Figure 4.11:
General
configuration of
the ultrasonic
sensor (courtesy
Endress +
Hauser)
under vibration, the sensor is virtually vibration
insensitive. The main problem associated with this
technique is that extraneous sound sources can
affect measurements.
Application guidelines for vortex flow metering*
In general, a voitex shedding flow meter works well on
relatively clean low viscosity liquids, gases and steam to
obtain specified accuracy.
Viscosity
The pipe Reynolds number should be above 30 000
minimum. This means vortex meters can only be used on
low viscosity liquids. Highly viscous fluids (>3 Pa.s (30
cP)) and slurries are not recommended applications. As a
rule of thumb, the viscosity should be 0.8 Pa.s (8 cP) or
less (a viscosity of 0.8 Pa.s would correspond to cooking
oil). Higher viscosity fluids can be metered, but at the
expense of rangeability and head loss.
Low flow
The voitex meter cannot measure flow down to zero flow
since, at low flow rates, vortex shedding becomes highly
irregular and the meter is totally inaccurate. This generally
corresponds to a Reynolds number between 5 000 and 10
000 and therefore depends on the pipe diameter and the
fluid viscosity. Forwater, typical minimum velocity flow rate
values would vary from about 2.4 m/s for a 15 DN pipe to
0.5 m/s for a 300 DN pipe.
Whilst the minimum Reynolds number requirement imposes
a limitation on the usability of the vortex meter, this is not
a serious limitation for many applications. For example,
water flow in line sizes 25 DN and higher generally
corresponds to Reynolds numbers in the tens of thousands
to hundreds of thousands. Gas and steam applications
generally correspond to Reynolds numbers in the low
hundreds of thousands to the millions.
Most voitex meters include a low flow cut-in point, below
which the meter output is automatically clamped at zero
(for example, 4 mA for analog output).
For many applications the low flow cut-off point does not
pose a problem. However, it can be a serious drawback for
applications that see low flows during start-up and
shutdown operations (ie, flows much lower than normal
conditions, often by a factor of 10 or more). While users
may not want to measure flow accurately during such times,
they may want to get some indication of flow. The vortex
meter is not a good choice for such an application.
Batching operations
Vortex meters may or may not be suitable for typical
batching applications involving intermittent (on/off) flow
especially if the pipe does not remain full at zero flow. The
vortex meter will not register flow as the fluid accelerates
from zero to the low flow cut-in value, and again when the
flow decelerates from the low flow cut-in value to zero.
This lost flow may or may not create a significant error
depending on the dynamics of the system, and the size of
the batch being measured. In addition, the vortex meter
can only measure flow in one direction. Any back flow
through the meter (for example, the result of turning
* These application guidelines have been compiled from a series of notes
supplied by Krohne
a pump off) will not be measured and will not be deducted
from the registered batch total. One way to minimise errors
on intermittent flows is to install check valves with the
vortex meter on horizontal lines to keep the line full during
zero flow conditions.
Rangeability
Note that in vortex meters, rangeability is fixed for a given
application and meter size. Although it depends on the
specific application it is generally > 20:1 on gases and
steam, and >10:1 on liquids. A 50 mm vortex meter
typically has a flow range of 1 to 15 1/s on water (15:1
rangeability). If we need to measure over the range 0.5 to
3 1/s there is nothing that can be done to the 50 DN meter
to allow it to measure a lower range and it would be
necessary to use a 25 DN meter. For this reason, vortex
meters are sized to the desired flow range, rather than to
the nominal pipe diameter. To get the proper rangeability
(Figure 4.12), it is often necessary to use a smaller diameter
meter than the nominal diameter of the pipe.
Figure 4.12:
Use of reducer and expander to obtain the correct rangeability
(courtesy Krohne)
When buying a flow meter, the instrument engineer often
does not know the exact flow range and has to make an
educated guess. Since vortex meter rangeability is fixed
for a given line size by the process conditions, a meter
sized on an educated guess may not meet the process
conditions.
Consequently if the user does not have a good ball park
figure in regard to rangeability it is often better to opt for
a more forgiving technology such a magnetic flow meter.
Process noise
Process noise from pumps, compressors, steam traps,
valves, etc., may cause the meter to read high, by triggering
a higher than expected frequency output from the sensor,
or by indicating a false flow rate when the system is at
zero flow. Process noise is generally not a problem on
liquids because the sensors signal-to-noise ratio is at a
maximum. However, gases and steam produce a much
weaker sensor signal, which may not be as easily
discernible from process noise at low flow.
Process noise cannot be quantified before the meter is
installed and, therefore, it should always be assumed that
some process noise exists. It can be eliminated using built-
in noise filtering circuitry. However, this raises the threshold
value of the low flow cut off. Thus, the more filtering used
to eliminate process noise, the less the net rangeability of
the meter. To avoid this, vortex flow meters need to be
sized properly to ensure a desired rangeability and there
are two general sizing guidelines that should be followed:
i the user Upper Range Value (URV)mustnot be less
than20% of the meter Upper Range Limit (URL) JVote:
URL is the highest flow rate that a meter can be
adjusted to measure whilst the URV is the highest
flow rate that a meter is adjusted to measure. The
URV will always be equal to or lower than the URL
ii the minimum desired flow rate must be > 2 times the
value of the meters low flow cut-in rate
Accuracy
Vortex meter accuracy is based on the known value of the
meter factor (K-factor), determined from a water calibration
at the factory. Accuracy for liquids is typically stated as
0.5% of flow rate for Reynolds numbers above 30 000.
Water calibration data cannot precisely predict K-factor
values for gases and steam, which can flow at Reynolds
numbers well outside the test data range. For this reason,
gas and steam accuracy is typically stated as 1.0% of flow
rate for Reynolds numbers above 30 000.
Long term accuracy depends on the stability of the internal
dimensions of the flow tube and shedder body. Only
significant changes in these dimensions (due to corrosion,
erosion, coatings, etc) can affect accuracy with time. Whilst
vortex meter K-factors can only be determined by wet
calibration, the dimensions of the flow tube inside diameter
and bluff body thickness can be used as a flag to determine
if recalibration is necessary. Prior to installation, inspect
the flow tube and carefully measure and record the two
reference dimensions. After a period of time in service,
the meter can be removed, cleaned, and re-measured. The
meter does not require recalibration if there has been no
significant change in the two reference dimensions.
Effects of erosion
Although vortex shedding flow meters are primarily
designed for measuring the flow of clean liquids and gases,
they can still be used if small amounts of foreign matter
are present. Since there are no moving parts, or ports with
active flow, there is little concern for erosion, physical
damage or clogging. The effect of erosion on the salient
edges of the bluff body is small and often poses no
significant accuracy degradation.
Low density gases
Measuring gas flows can be a problem when the process
pressure is low (ie low density gases) because a vortex
produced under such conditions does not have a strong
enough pressure pulse to enable a sensor to distinguish it
from flow noise. For such applications, minimum
measurable flow becomes a function of the strength of the
pressure pulse (a function of the product of fluid density
and the square of fluid velocity) rather than Reynolds
number. Low-density gases can be measured with a vortex
meter; however, minimum measurable flow may correspond
to a high fluid velocity, and rangeability may be significantly
less than 20:1.
Orientation
Vortex meters can be installed vertically, horizontally or at
an angle. However, for liquid measurements the meter must
be full at all times. The meter should also be installed to
avoid formation of secondary phases (liquid, gas or solid)
in the internal sensor chambers.
Pressure drop
If the inside meter diameter is the same as the nominal
diameter of the process piping (ie a 50 DN meter is used in
a 50 DN line), then the pressure drop will normally be less
than 40 kPa on liquid flow at the URL (usually in the 14 to
20 kPa range at the users URV). However, when downsizing
the vortex meter to achieve a desired rangeability, the
unrecoverable pressure loss through the meter is increased.
It must be ensured that this increased pressure loss is not
enough to cause a liquid to flash or cavitate within the
pipe. Flashing and cavitation have an adverse effect on
meter accuracy, and can cause damage to the meter itself.
Multi-phase flow
Measurement of two- or three-phase flow (for example,
water with sand and air, or wet1 steam with vapour and
liquid) is difficult and if multi-phase flow is present the
vortex meter will not be as accurate.
Because the vortex meter is a volumetric device, it cannot
distinguish which portions of the flow are liquid and which
portions of the flow are gas or vapour. Consequently, the
meter will report all the flow as gas, or all the flow as
liquid, depending on the original configuration of the
device. Thus, for example, if the meter is configured to
measure water in litres, and the actual water has some
entrained air and sand mixed in, a litre registered by the
meter will include the water, air and sand that is present.
Therefore if the area of interest were the amount of water,
a reading from the meter would be consistently high, based
on the proportions of air and sand present. A user therefore
would need to separate the phases prior to metering or
live with this inherent error.
Steam
Water converts from its liquid phase to its vapour phase (steam) at its boiling point of 100 C at atmospheric pressure,
rising as the system pressure increases.
Steam that is fully vaporised, but has not been heated to a temperature above the boiling point temperature, is called
saturated steam. Steam that is fully vaporised and heated to temperature above the boiling point is called superheated
steam.
Steam that is not fully vaporised is called wet steam. The percentage, by weight, of the water droplets in wet steam
is known as the percentage moisture, and subtracting the percentage moisture from i 00 gives the percentage quality
of the steam.
The measurement of wet low quality steam is possible with a vortex meter depending on the distribution of the
liquid phase within the steam. Ideally, the secondary phase should be homogeneously dispersed within the primary
phase (Figure 4.13). This tends to be the case with low amounts of secondary phase due to the high velocities and
turbulence produced by the meter.
However, for low quality steam the distribution of the liquid phase within the steam may be stratified. In horizontal
pipes the water phase travels continuously along the bottom of the pipe and the vapour phase travels as a continuous
stream along the top. Here, the best installation for the vortex meter would be in a horizontal line with the shcdder
positioned in the horizontal plane (Figure 4.14 courtesy Krohne).
In vertical pipes the trend is towards slug flow in which the water phase travels as discontinuous slugs down the
pipeline, suspended between the vapour phase (Figure 4. IS).
Again, however, users should be aware that the meter will, at best, measure the total volume and performance will
not be to standard specifications. Most meters cannot make a measurement if slug flow exists and many meters will
be destroyed by slug flow.
Figure 4.13:
Homogeneous distribution of wet tow
quality steam (courtesy Krohne)
Figure 4.14:
Recommended installation for wet, low quality
steam with stratified flow in horizontal pipes
Figure 4.15:
Slug flow in vertical pipes (courtesy
Krohne)
Material build-up
Fluids that tend to form coatings arc bad applications for
vortex meters. Coating build-up on the bluff body will
change its dimensions, and therefore, the value of the K-
factor.
Piping effects
The specification for vortex meter accuracy is based on a
well-developed and symmetrical fluid velocity profile, free
from distortion or swirl, existing in the pipe. The most
common way to prevent errors is to provide sufficient
lengths of straight, unobstructed pipe, upstream and
downstream of the meter, to create a stable profile at the
meter site.
Generally, vortex meters require similar amounts of
upstream and downstream pipe runs to orifice plates,
turbine meters and ultrasonic meters. Vortex meters are
not usually recommended for tight piping situations, with
limited runs of straight pipe, unless repeatability is more
important than accuracy.
Typical manufacturers recommendations are shown in
Figure 4.16, when flow conditioners are not being used.
Figure 4.16:
Typical manufacturers recommendations for straight pipe lengths
(courtesy Fisher Rosemount)
Most performance specifications are based on using
schedule 40 process piping. This pipe should have an
internal surface free from mill scale, pits, holes, reaming
scores, bumps, or other irregularities for a distance of 4
diameters upstream, and 2 diameters downstream of the
vortex meter. The bores of the adjacent piping, the meter,
and the mating gaskets must be carefully aligned to prevent
measurement errors.
For liquid control applications, it is recommended that the
vortex meter be located upstream of the control valve for
a minimum of 5 diameters. For gas or steam control
applications, it is recommended that the vortex meter be
located a minimum of 30 diameters downstream of the
valve. The only exception to this rule is for butterfly valves.
In this instance the recommended distances are increased
to 10 diameters for liquids, and 40 to 60 diameters for
gases and steam.
Mass measurement
Pressure and/or temperature measurements are generally
used in conjunction with a vortex meter measurement when
the user wants an output in mass.
pressure taps should be located 3.5 to 4.5 diameters
downstream of the meter
the temperature tap should be located 5 to 6
diameters downstream of the meter, and the smallest
possible probe is recommended to reduce the
chances of flow disturbance
Avoiding problems
The following guidelines will help prevent application and
measurement problems with a vortex meter and ensure
premium performance;
improper configuration
improper sizing
insufficient upstream/downstream relaxation piping
improper meter orientation
partially full piping
accumulation of secondary phase (gas, liquid or solid)
inside the meter
improper temperature/pressure taps
flows below Reynolds numbers of 30000
flows below the low flow cut-in
process noise (at low flows or zero flow)
presence of multiple phases
Vortex precession
The Swirlmeter1, a patented technology with
manufacturing rights ceded to Bailey-Fischer & Porter, is
based on the principle known as vortex precession.
The inlet of the Swirlmeter (Figure 4.17) uses guide vanes,
whose shape is similar to a turbine rotor, to force the fluid
entering the meter to spin about the centreline. This
swirling flow then passes through a venturi, where it is
accelerated and then expanded in an expansion chamber.
The expansion changes the direction of the axis about
which the swirl is spinningmoving the axis from a straight
to a helical path. This spiralling vortex is called vortex
precession. A flow straightener is used at the outlet from
the meter. This isolates the meter from any downstream
piping effects that may affect the development of the
vortex.
Figure 4.17
Basic principle of a vortex precession Swirlmeter (courtesy Bailey-Fischer &
Porter)
Above a given Reynolds number, the vortex precession
frequency, which lies between 10 and 1500 Hz and is
measured with a piezoelectric sensor, is directly
proportional to the flow rate. Although the Swirlmeter can
be used with both gases or liquids, it finds its main
application as a gas flow meter.
A major advantage of the vortex precession technique over
thai of vortex shedding is thatithas amuch lower
susceptibility to the flow profile and hence only three
diameters of straight line are required upstream of the
meter. Tn addition, the Swirlmeter features: linear flow
measurement; rangeability between 1:10 and 1:30; no
moving parts; and installation at any angle in the pipeline.
Because of the higher tolerance in manufacture of this type
of meter, it is more expensive than comparative meters.
Fluidic flow meters
The fluidic flow meter is based on the wall attachment or
Coanda effect. Wall attachment occurs when a boundary
wall is placed in proximity to a fluid jetcausing the jet to
bend and adhere to the wall.
This effect is caused by the differential pressure across the
jet, deflecting it towards the boundary (Figure 4.18). Here
it forms a stable attachment to the wall, which is little
affected by any downstream disturbances.
In the fluidic meter (Figures 4.19 and 4.20), the flow stream
attaches itself to one of the wallswith a small portion of
the flow fed back through a passage to a control port
(Figure 4.19).
Figure 4.18:
Explanation of the
Coanda effect
resulting in stable
attachment of the
flow stream to the
wall
This feedback, diverts the main flow to the opposite side
wall where the same feedback action is repeated (Figure
4.20).
The result is a continuous oscillation of the flow between
the sidewalls of the meter body whose frequency is linearly
related to the fluid velocity. Flow in the feedback passage
cycles between zero and maximum which is detected by a
built-in thermistor sensor.
The main benefit offered by the fluidic meter is that
feedback occurs at much lower Reynolds numbers and it
may thus be used with fairly viscous media. In addition,
since a fluidic oscillator has no moving parts to wear with
time, there is no need for recalibration during its expected
lifetime. Other benefits include: rugged construction, high
immunity to shock and pipe vibration and high turndown
ratio.
The main drawback of the fluidic oscillator is its relatively
high pressure loss and its poor performance at low flow
rates.
Figure 4.19:
Once attached to one side of the wall a feedback passage diverts a portion
of stream back onto the main flow (courtesy Moore Products)
Figure 4.20:
Main stream is diverted to the other wall by virtue of the feedback control
action, and the procedure is then repeated (courtesy Moore Products)
Chapter 5: Differential pressure meters
Differential pressure flow meters encompass a wide variety
of meter types which includes: orifice plates, venturi tubes,
nozzles, Dall tubes, target meters, Pitot tubes and variable
area meters. The measurement of flow using differential
pressure is still the most widely used technology.
One of the features of the differential flow meter, sometimes
referred to as a head meter, is that flow can be accurately
determined from: the differential pressure; accurately
measurable dimensions of the primary device; and
properties of the fluid. Thus, an important advantage of
differential type meters over other instruments is that they
do not always require direct flow calibration. In addition,
they offer excellent reliability, reasonable performance and
modest cost.
Another advantage of orifice plates in particular, is that
they can be used on liquid or gas applications with little
change.
Basic theory
Differential pressure flow rate meters are based on a
physical phenomenon in which a restriction in the flow
line creates a pressure drop that bears a relationship to the
flow rate. This physical phenomenon is based on two well-
known equations: the equation of continuity and Bernoullis
equation.
Consider the pipe in Figure 5.1 which rapidly converges
from its nominal size to a smaller size followed by a short
parallel sided throat before slowly expanding to its full
size again. Further, assume that a fluid of density p flowing
in the pipe of area Ap has a mean velocity v, at a line
pressure Pr It then flows through the restriction of area A,,
where the mean velocity increases to v2 and the pressure
falls to P,.
Figure 5.1:
Basic definition of terms
The equation of continuity states that for an incompressible
fluid the volume flow rale, Q, must be constant. Very simply,
this indicates that when a liquid flows through a restriction,
to allow the same amount of liquid to pass (to achieve a
constant flow rate) the velocity must increase (Figure 5.2).
Mathematically:
Q = v
1
A
1
= V
2
A
2
where: v
1
and v
2
and A
1
and A
2
are the velocities and cross-
sectional areas of the pipe at points 1 and 2 respectively.
In its simplest form, Bernoullis equation states that under
steady flow conditions, the total energy (pressure + kinetic
+ gravitational) per unit mass of an ideal fluid (ie one with
a constant density and zero viscosity) remains constant
along a flow line.
Figure 5.2:
To allow the same amount of liquid to pass the velocity must increase ie Q
= v
1
A
1
= v
2
A
2
P/p + v/2+ gz = K
where:
P =the pressure at a point
v =the velocity at that point .
P =the fluid density
g =the acceleration due to gravity
z =the level of the point above some arbitrary horizontal
reference plane
Thus, in the restricted section of the flow stream, the kinetic
energy (dynamic pressure) increases due to the increase in
velocity and the potential energy (static pressure) decreases.
The difference between the static pressures upstream and
the pressure at or immediately downstream of the
restriction can be related to flow by the following
expression:
where:
Q = flow rate
k = constant
C
d
= discharge coefficient
AP = differential pressure (P
1
- P
2
)
P = density of fluid
The discharge coefficient C
d
is a function of the diameter
ratio, the Reynolds number Re, the design of the restriction,
the location of the pressure taps and the friction due to
pipe roughness. Reference texts and standards are available
that list typical values and tolerances for Cd under certain
flows in standard installations.
The foregoing formula highlights two major limitations
that are applicable to all differential pressure systems:
the square root relationship between differential
pressure (AP) and flow (Q) severely limits the turn-
down ratio of such techniques to a maximum of 5:1
if density (p ) is not constant, it must be known or
measured. In practice, the effect of density changes is
insignificant in most liquid flow applications and
need only be taken into account in the measurement
of gas flow.
A third limitation of meters based on differential pressure
measurement is that, as shown in Figure 5.3, they create a
permanent pressure loss. This head loss depends on the
type of meter and on the square of the volume flow (Figure
5.4).
Figure 5.3:
Defining the head loss
Figure 5.4:
The permanent head
loss for various
measurement
techniques. The orifice
plate produces the
most drop whilst the
Dall tube causes the
least (courtesy Kent
Instruments)
Gas flow
Vapour or gas flow through a restriction differs from liquid
flow in that the pressure decrease in the throat is
accompanied by a decrease in density. Thus, for the mass
flow to remain constant, the velocity must increase to
compensate for the lower density. The result is that the
formula for gas flow is slightly modified by the addition of
the term Y:
Here, Y is termed the upstream expansion factor that is
based on the determination of density at the upstream of
the restriction. Tables and graphs are available for the
expansion factor as a function of the pressure ratio across
the restriction and the specific heat of the gas (BS 1042).
Alternatively the expansion factor may be calculated by
standard equations listed in BS 1042. The mass flow rate
for both liquids and gases is found by multiplying the
theoretical mass flow equation by the expansion factor and
the appropriate discharge coefficient.
Orifice plates
The orifice plate is the simplest and most widely used
differential pressure flow measuring element and generally
comprises a metal plate with a concentric round hole
(orifice) through which the liquid flows (Figure 5.5). An
integral metal tab facilitates installation and carries details
of the plate size, thickness, serial number, etc. The plate,
usually manufactured from stainless steel, Monel, or
Figure 5.5:
Concentric orifice plate with
integral metal tab
phosphor bronze, should be of sufficient thickness to
withstand buckling (3-6 mm). The orifice features a sharp
square upstream edge and, unless a thin plate is used, a
bevelled downstream edge.
A major advantage of the orifice plate is that it is easily
fitted between adjacent flanges that allow it to be easily
changed or inspected (Figure 5.6).
Figure 5.6:
Orifice plate fitted between adjacent flanges
It is commonly assumed that, since the orifice is essentially
fixed, its performance does not change with time. In reality
the orifice dimensions are extremely critical and although
the uncertainty may be as low as 0,6% for a new plate, this
measurement accuracy is rapidly impaired should the edge
of the orifice bore become worn, burred or corroded.
Figure 5.7:
Errors Incurred as a result of wear and contamination on the orifice plate.
Independent tests carried out by Florida Gas Transmission Co (courtesy
Dieterich Standard)
Indeed, damaged, coated or worn plates that have not been
examined for some time can lead to dramatic measurement
uncertainties as shown in Figure 5.7. Even radiussing the
sharp edge of the orifice by as little as 0.4 mm produces a
reading inaccuracy of approximately 4%. Although a
correctly installed new plate may have an uncertainty of
0,6%, most orifice meters measure flow only to an accuracy
of about 2 to 3%. This uncertainty is due mainly to errors
in temperature and pressure measurement, variations in
ambient and process conditions and the effects of upstream
pipework.
An adaptation of the sharp, square edge is the quadrant
edge orifice plate (also called quarter circle and round edge).
As shown in Figure 5.8 this has a concentric opening with
a rounded upstream edge that produces acoefficient of
discharge that is practically constant for Reynolds numbers
from 300 to 25 000, and is therefore useful for use with
high viscosity fluids or at low flow rates.
Figure 5.8:
The quadrant
edge orifice
plate with a
rounded
upstream edge
The radius of the edge is a function of the diameters of
both the pipe and the orifice. In a specific installation this
radius may be so small as to be impractical to manufacture
or it can be so large that it practically becomes a flow
nozzle. As a result, on some installations it may be
necessary to change maximum differentials or even pipe
sizes to obtain a workable solution for the plate thickness
and its radius.
Orifice plate configurations
Although the concentric orifice (Figure 5.9 (a)) is the most
frequently used, other plate configurations are used;
Eccentric
Figure 5.9:
Various types of orifice plate configurations: (a) concentric; (b) eccentric;
and (c) segmental
In the eccentric bore orifice plate (Figure 5.9 (b)), the orifice
is offset from the centre and is usually set at the bottom of
the pipe bore. This configuration is mainly used in
applications where the fluid contains heavy solids that
might become trapped and accumulate on the back of the
plate. With the orifice set at the bottom, these solids are
allowed to pass. A small vent hole is usually drilled in the
top of the plate to allow gas, which is often associated
with liquid flow, to pass. Eccentric plates are also used to
measure the flow of vapours or gases that carry small
amounts of liquids (condensed vapours), since the liquids
will carry through the opening at the bottom of the pipe.
The coefficients for eccentric plates are not as reproducible
as those for concentric plates, and in general, the error
can be three to five times greater than on concentric plates.
Segmental orifice plates
The opening in a segrnental orifice plate (Figure 5.9 (c)} is
a circular segmentcomparable to a partially opened gate
valve. This plate is generally employed for measuring
liquids or gases that carry non-abrasive impurities, which
are normally heavier than the flowing media such as light
slurries, or exceptionally dirty gases.
Tapping points
The measurement of differential pressure requires that the
pipe is tapped at suitable upstream (high pressure) and
downstream (low pressure) points. The exact positioning
of these taps is largely determined by the application and
desired accuracy.
Vena contracta tapping
Because of the fluid inertia, its cross-sectional area
continues to decrease after the fluid has passed through
the orifice. Thus its maximum velocity (and lowest pressure)
is at some point downstream of the orificeat the vena
contracta. On standard concentric orifice plates these taps
are designed to obtain the maximum differential pressure
and are normally located one pipe diameter upstream and
at the vena contracta about ! /2-pipe diameter
downstream (Figure 5.10).
Figure 5.10:
For maximum differential pressure the high pressure tap is located one
pipe diameter upstream and the low pressure tap at the vena contracta
about /s-pipe diameter downstream
The main disadvantage of using the vena contracta tapping
point is that the exact location depends on the flow rate
and on the orifice sizean expensive undertaking if the
orifice plate size has to be changed.
Vena contracta taps should not be used for pipe sizes under
150 mm diameter because of interference between the
flange and the downstream tap.
Pipe taps
Pipe taps (Figure 5.11) are a compromise solution and are
located 2'/2 pipe diameters upstream and 8 pipe diameters
downstream. Whilst not producing the maximum available
differential pressure, pipe taps are far less dependent on
flow rate and orifice size.
Figure 5.11:
Pipe taps are far less dependent on flow rate and orifice size and are
located 2'/s pipe diameters upstream and 8 x pipe diameters downstream
Pipe taps are used typically in existing installations, where
radius and vena contracta taps cannot be used. They are
also used in applications of greatly varying flow since the
measurement is not affected by flow rate or orifice size.
Since pipe taps do not measure the maximum available
pressure, accuracy is reduced.
Flange taps
Flange taps are used when it is undesirable or inconvenient
to drill and tap the pipe for pressure connections. Flange
taps are quite common and are generally used for pipe
sizes of 50mm and greater. They are typically located
25 mm either side of the orifice plate (Figure 5.12).
Figure 5.12:
Flange taps are located 25 mm either side of the orifice plate
Flange taps are not used for pipe diameters less than 50
mm, as the vena contracta starts to become close to and,
possibly, forward of the downstream tapping point.
Usually, the flanges, incorporating the drilled pressure
tappings, are supplied by the manufacturer. With the taps
thus accurately placed by the manufacturer the need to
recalculate the tapping point, when the plate is changed,
is eliminated.
Corner taps
Suitable for pipe diameters less than 50 mrn, corner taps
are an adaptation of the flange lap (Figure 5.13) in which
the tappings are made to each face of the orifice plate. The
taps are located in the corner formed by the pipe wall and
the orifice plate on both the upstream and downstream
sides and require the use of special flanges or orifice holding
rings.
Orifice platesgeneral
At the beginning of this chapter it was stated that an
important feature of differential type meters is that flow
can be determined directlywithout the need for
calibration. This is particularly true for the orifice plate
where there is a comprehensive range of standard designs
that require no calibration.
Figure 5.13:
Comer tap Is made to
each face of the
orifice plate
The major advantages are: simpie construction;
inexpensive; robust; easily fitted between flanges; no
moving parts; large range of sizes and opening ratios;
suitable for most gases and liquids as well as steam; well
understood and proven and price does not increase
dramatically with size.
Disadvantages include: high permanent pressure loss of
head (Figure 5.4), from 32 % to 70% or more; inaccuracy,
typically 2 to 3%; low turn-down ratiotypically from 3 to
4:1; accuracy is affected by density, pressure and viscosity
fluctuations; erosion and physical damage to the restriction
affects measurement accuracy; viscosity limits measuring
range; requires straight pipe runs to ensure accuracy is
maintained; pipeline must be full (typically for liquids);
output is not linearly related to flow rate.
The inaccuracy with orifice type measurement is due mainly
to process conditions and temperature and pressure
variations. Ambient conditions and upstream and
downstream piping also affect the accuracy because of
changes to the pressure and continuity of flow.
Standard concentric orifice plate devices should not be used
for slurries and dirty fluids, or in applications where there
is a high probability of solids accumulating near the plate.
Half-circle or eccentric bores can be used for these
applications.
Venturi tube meters
The venturi tube (Figure 5.14) has tapered inlet and outlet
sections with a central parallel section, called the throat,
where the low pressure tapping is located.
Figure 5.14:
The venturi tube has tapered inlet and outlet sections with a central
parallel section (courtesy Fisher Rosemount)
Generally, the inlet section, which provides a smooth
approach to the throat, has a steeper angle than the
downstream section. The shallower angle of the
downstream section reduces the overall permanent
pressure loss by decelerating the flow smoothly and thus
minimising turbulence. Consequently, one of the main
advantages of the venturi tube meter over other differential
pressure measuring methods is that its permanent pressure
loss is only about 10 % of the differential pressure (Figure
5.4). At the same time, its relatively streamlined form allows
it to handle about 60 % more flow than, for example, that
of an orifice plate.
The venturi tube also has relatively high accuracy: better
than 0,75 % over the orifice ratios (d/D) of 0,3 to 0,75.
This order of accuracy, however, can only be attained as
long as the dimensional accuracy is maintained.
Consequently, although the venturi tube can also be used
with fluids carrying a relatively high percentage of entrained
solids, it is not well suited for abrasive media.
Although generally regarded as the best choice of a
differential type meter for bores over 1000 mm, the major
disadvantage of the venturi type meter is its high cost
about 20 times more expensive than an orifice plate. In
addition, its large and awkward size makes it difficult to
install since aim bore venturi is 4 - 5 m in length.
Although it is possible to shorten the length of the divergent
outlet section by up to 35%, thus reducing the high
manufacturing cost without greatly affecting the
characteristics, this is at the expense of an increased
pressure loss.
The advantages are: less significant pressure drop across
restriction; less unrecoverable pressure loss; requires less
straight pipe up and downstream.
The disadvantages are that it is more expensive and it is
bulky so it requires large section for installation.
Venturi and flow nozzle meters
Venturi nozzle
The venturi nozzle is an adaptation of the standard venturi
that makes use of a nozzle shaped inlet (Figure 5.15), a
short throat and a flared downstream expansion section.
Whilst increasing the permanent pressure loss to around
25 % of the measured differential pressure of the standard
venturi, the venturi nozzle is cheaper, requires less space
for installation, and yet still retains the benefits of high
accuracy ( 0,75%) and high velocity flow.
Flow nozzle
The flow nozzle (Figure 5.16) is used mainly in high velocity
applications or where fluids are being discharged into the
atmosphere. It differs from the nozzle venturi in that it
retains the nozzle inlet but has no exit section.
Figure 5.15: The
venturi nozzle is an
adaptation of the
standard venturi
using a nozzle
shaped inlet
Figure 5.16:
The flow nozzle Is used mainly in high velocity applications (courtesy
Fisher Rosemount)
The main disadvantage of the flow nozzle is that the
permanent pressure loss is increased to between 30% to
80% of the measured differential pressuredepending on
its design. Offsetting this disadvantage, however, accuracy
is only slightly less than for the venturi tube ( 1 % to 1,5
%) and it is usually only half the cost of the standard venturi.
In addition it requires far less space for installation and,
because the nozzle can be mounted between flanges or in
a carrier, installation and maintenance are much easier than
for the venturi.
The Dall tube
Although many variations of low-loss meters have appeared
on the market, the best known and most commercially
successful is the Dall tube (Figure 5.17).
Figure 5 .17:
The Dall tube low-loss meter
The Dall tube is virtually throatless and has a short steep
converging cone that starts at a stepped buttress whose
diameter is somewhat less than the pipe diameter. Following
an annular space at the throat, there is a diverging cone
that again finishes at a step.
A maj or feature of the Dall tube is the annular space
between the liner and tube into which the flowing media
passes to provide an average throat pressure. With a
conventional venturi, upstream and throat tappings are
taken at points of parallel flow where the pressures across
a cross section are constant. If the streamlines were curved
the pressure would not be constant over the cross section
but would be greater at the convex surface and less at the
concave surface.
In the Dall tube, the upstream tapping is taken immediately
before the buttress formed by the start of the converging
cone, where the convex curvature of the streamlines is at
a maximum.
At the throat, where there is an immediate change from
the converging to diverging section, the throat tapping is
thus taken at the point of maximum concave curvature.
This means that a streamlined curvature head is added to
the upstream pressure and subtracted from the throat
pressure and the differential pressure is considerably
increased. Thus, for a given differential head the throat
can be largerreducing the head loss.
Because of the annular gap, no breakaway of the liquid
from the wall occurs at the throat and the flow leaves the
throat as a diverging jet. Since this jet follows the walls of
the diverging cone, eddy losses arc practically eliminated,
while friction losses are small because of the short length
of the inlet and outlet sections. The main disadvantages
are: high sensitivity to both Reynolds number and cavitation
and manufacturing complexity.
Target meters
The target flow meter is, in effect, an inside out orifice
plate used to sense fluid momentum. Sometimes called a
drag disc or drag plate, the target meter usually takes the
form of a disc mounted within the line of flowing fluid
(Figure 5.18). The flow creates a differential pressure force
across the target and the resultant deflection is transmitted
to a flexure tubewith strain gauge elements mounted
external to the flowing medium indicating the degree of
movement.
Figure 5.18:
The target flow meteran inside out orifice plate
The major advantages of the target rneter include: ability
to cope with highly viscous fluids at high temperatures
(hot tarry and sediment-bearing fluids): free passage of
particles or bubbles; and no pressure tap or lead line
problems.
Disadvantages include: limited size availability; limited flow
range; and high head loss.
Pilot tubes
The Pitot tube is one of the oldest devices for measuring
velocity and is frequently used to determine the velocity
profile in a pipe by measuring the velocity at various points.
In its simplest form the Pitot tube (Figure 5.19) comprises
a small tube inserted into a pipe with the head bent so that
the mouth of the tube faces into the flow. As a result, a
small sample of the flowing medium impinges on the open
end of the tube and is brought to rest. Thus, the kinetic
energy of the fluid is transformed into potential energy in
the form of a head pressure (also called stagnation
pressure).
Mathematically this can be expressed by applying Bernoullis
equation to a point in the small tube and a point in the free
flow region.
Figure 5.19:
Basic Pitot tube
illustrating principle of
operation
From Bernoullis general equation:
P
1
+ pv
1
2
+ pgh
1
= P
2
+ pv
2
2
+ pgh
2
we can write:
P
h
/p + 0 + gh
1
= P
s
/p + v
2
/2 + gh
2
where:
p = static pressure
p = stagnation pressure
v = liquid velocity
g = acceleration due to gravity
h1 and h2 = heads of the liquid at the static and stagnation
pressure measuring points respectively
If h
1
= h
2
then:
Because the Pitot tube is an intrusive device and some of
the flow is deflected around the mouth, a compensatory
flow coefficient K
p
is required. Thus:
For compressible fluids at high velocities (for example.
> 100 m/s in air) a modified equation should be used.
By measuring the static pressure with a convenient tapping,
the flow velocity can he determined from the difference
bet ween the head pressure and the static pressure. This
difference, measured by a differential pressure cell, provides
a measurement of flow that, like a conventional differential
pressure measurement, obeys a square root relationship
to pressure. Low flow measurement at the bottom end of
the scale is thus difficult to achieve accurately.
A problem with this basic configuration is that the flow
coefficient K depends on the tube design and the location
of the static tap. One means of overcoming this problem is
to use a system as shown in Figure 5.20 that makes use of
a pair of concentric tubesthe inner tube measuring the
full head pressure and the outer tube using static holes to
measure the static pressure.
Both these designs of Pitot tube measure the point velocity.
However it is possible to calculate the mean velocity by
sampling the point velocity at several points within the
pipe.
Figure 5.20:
Integrated Pitot tube system in which the inner tube measures the head
pressure and the outer tube uses static holes to measure the static
pressure
Alternatively, provided a fully developed turbulent profile
exists, a rough indication of the average velocity can be
obtained by positioning the tube at a point three-quarters
of the way between the centreline and the pipe wall.
Point averaging
Another method of determining the average velocity is with
a point averaging Pitot tube system (Figure 5.21).
Figure 5.21:
Multiport Annubar
Pitot averaging system
(courtesy Dieterich
Standard)
Essentially, this instrument comprises two back-to-back
sensing bars, that span the pipe, in which the up- and
downstream pressures are sensed by a number of critically
located holes. The holes in the upstream detection bar are
arranged so that the average pressure is equal to the value
corresponding to the average of the flow profile.
Because the point at which the fluid separates from the
sensor varies according to the flow rate (Figure 5.22)
extreme care must be taken in positioning the static
pressure sensing holes. One solution is to locate the static
pressure point just before the changing separation point.
Figure 5.22:
Variation in flow velocity can affect point of separation and the
downstream static pressure measurement
Figure 5.23:
Shaped bluff body establishes a fixed separation point (courtesy Dieterich
Standard)
Alternatively, a shaped sensor (Figure 5.23) can be used
to establish a fixed point where the fluid separates from
the sensor. These multi-port averaging devices, commonly
called Annubars after the first design, are used mainly in
metering flows in large bore pipesparticularly water and
steam. Properly installed, Annubar1 type instruments have
a repeatability of 0,1% and an accuracy of 1% of actual
value.
Although intrusive, averaging Pitot type instruments offer
a low pressure drop and application on a wide range of
fluids. Because they average the flow profile across the
diameter of the pipe bore, they are less sensitive to the
flow profile than, for example, an orifice plate and can be
used as little as 2l/2 pipe diameters downstream of a
discontinuity. On the negative side, the holes are easily
fouled if used on dirty1 fluids.
On a conventional integrated Pitot tube, the alignment can
be critical. Misalignment causes errors in static pressure
since a poll facing slightly upstream is subject to part of
the stagnation or total pressure. A static port facing slightly
downstream is subjected to a slightly reduced pressure.
Elbow
In applications where cost is a factor and additional pressure
loss from an orifice plate is not permitted, a pipe elbow
can be used as a differential pressure primary device. Elbow
taps have an advantage in that most piping systems have
elbows that can be used.
If an existing elbow is used then no additional pressure
drop occurs and the expense involved is minimal. They
can also be produced in-situ from an existing bend, and
are typically formed by two tappings drilled at an angle of
45 through the bend (Figure 5.24). These tappings provide
the high and low pressure tapping points respectively.
Whilst 45" tappings are more suited to bi-directional flow
measurement, tappings at 22.5 can provide more stable
and reliable readings and are less affected by upstream
piping.
A number of factors contribute to the differential pressure
that is produced and, subsequently, it is difficult to predict
the exact flow rate accurately.
Some of these factors are:
force of the flow onto the outer tapping
turbulence generated due to cross-axial flow at the
bend
differing velocities between outer and inner radius of
flow
pipe texture
relationship between elbow radius and pipe diameter
Generally, the elbow meter is only suitable for higher
velocities and cannot produce an accuracy of better
than 5% .
However, on-site calibration can produce more accurate
results, with the added advantage that repeatability is good.
Although the elbow meter is not commonly used, it is
Figure 5.24:
Elbow meter
geometry
underrated since its low cost, together with its application
after completion of pipework, can be a major benefit for
low accuracy flow metering applications.
Suitable applications would include plant air conditioning,
cooling water metering, site flow checkpoints possibly with
local indicators and check flow applications, where the cost
of magnetic meters is prohibitive.
For installation, it is recommended that the elbow be
installed with 25 pipe diameters of straight pipe upstream
and at least 10 pipe diameters of straight pipe downstream.
Troubleshooting
One of the most common inaccuracies induced in
differential pressure flow meters is not allowing enough
straight pipe. When the flow material approaches and
passes some change in the pipe, small eddies are formed
in the flow stream. These eddies are localised regions of
high velocity and low pressure and can start to form
upstream of the change and dissipate further downstream.
Flow meter sensors detect these changes in pressure and
consequently produce erratic or inaccurate readings for
flow rate.
Variable area meters
The variable area flow meter is a reverse differential
pressure meter used to measure the flow rate of liquids
and gases.
Operating principle
The instrument generally comprises a vertical, tapered glass
tube and a weighted float whose diameter is approximately
the same as the tube base (Figure 5.25).
Figure 5.25: Basic
configuration of a
variable area flow
meter (courtesy
Brooks Instruments)
In operation, the fluid or gas flows through the inverted
conical tube from the bottom to the top, carrying the float
upwards. Since the diameter of the tube increases in the
upward direction the float rises to a point where the upward
force on the float created by differential pressure across
the annular gap, between the float and the tube, equals
the weight of the float.
As shown in Figure 5.25, the three forces acting on the
float are:
constant gravitational force W
buoyancy A that, according to Archimedes principle,
is constant if the fluid density is constant
force S, the upward force of the fluid flowing past the
float For a given instrument, when the float is
stationary, W and A are constant and S must also be
constant. In a position of equilibrium (floating state)
the sum offerees S + A is opposite and equa! to W and
the float position corresponds to a particular flow
rate that can be read off a scale.
A major advantage of the variable area flow meter is that
the flow rate is directly proportional to the orifice area that,
in turn, can be made to be linearly proportional to the
vertical displacement of the float. Thus, unlike most
differential pressure systems, it is unnecessary to carry
out square root extraction. The taper can be ground to
give special desirable characteristics such as an offset of
higher resolution at low flows. In a typical variable area
flow meter, the flow q can be shown to be approximately
given by:
where:
q = flow
C = constant that depends mainly on the float
A = cross-sectional area available for fluid flow past
the float p = density of the fluid
Indicated flow, therefore, depends on the density of the
fluid which, in the case of gases, varies strongly with the
temperature, pressure and composition of the gas. It is
possible to extend the range of variable area flow meters
by combining an orifice plate in parallel with the flow meter.
Figure 5.26:
Float centring in which a slotted
float head rotates and
automatically centres itself
Floats
A wide variety of float materials, weights, and configu-
rations is available to meet specific applications.
The float material is largely determined by the medium
and the flow range and includes: stainless steel, titanium,
aluminium, black glass, synthetic sapphire, polypropylene,
Teflon, PVC, hard rubber, monel, nickel and Hastelloy C.
Figure 5.27: Float centring
in which the float is centred
by three moulded ribs
parallel to the tube axis
Float centring methods
An important requirement for accurate metering is that
the float is exactly centred in the metering tube. One of
three methods is usually applied:
i Slots in the float head cause the float to rotate and
centre itself and prevent it sticking to the walls of the
tube (Figure 5.26}. This arrangement first led to the
term Rotameter, a registered trademark of KDG
Instruments Ltd, being applied to variable area flow
meters. Slots cannot be applied to all float shapes
and, further, can cause the indicated flow to become
slightly viscosity dependent.
ii Three moulded ribs within the metering tube cone
(Figure 5.27), parallel to the tube axis, guide the float
and keep it centred. This principle allows a variety of
float shapes to be used and the metering edge
remains visible even when metering opaque fluids.
Figure 5.28: Float is
centred by (a) fixed
centre guide rod; or (b)
guide rod attached to the
float (courtesy Bailey-
Fischer & Porter)
iii A fixed centre guide rod within the metering tube
(Figure 5.28 (a)) is used to guide the float and keep it
centred. Alternatively, the rod may be attached to the
float and moved within fixed guides (Figure 5.28 (b)).
The use of guide rods is confined mainly to
applications where the fluid stream is subject to
pulsations Hkely to cause the float to chatter and
possibly, in extreme cases, break the tube. It is also
used extensively in metal metering tubes.
Figure 5.29:
(a) ball float: (b) rotating (viscosity non-immune) float; (c) viscosity
immune fioat; and (d) float for low pressure losses (courtesy Bailey-Fischer
S Porter)
Float shapes
The design of the floats is confined to four basic shapes
(Figure 5.29):
ball float
rotating (viscosity non-immune) float
viscosity immune float
float for low pressure losses
Bail float
The ball float (Figure 5.29 (a)) is mainly used as a metering
element for small flow meterswith its weight determined
by selecting from a variety of materials. Figure 5.30 shows
the effect of viscosity on the flow rate indication. Since its
shape cannot be changed, the flow coefficient is clearly
defined (1) and, as shown, exhibits virtually no linear
region. Thus, any change in viscosity, due often to small
changes in temperature, results in changes in indication.
Figure 5.30: Viscosity
effect for various float
shapesfcourtesy Bailey-
Fischer & Porter)
Rotating float
Rotating floats (Figure 5.29 (b)) are used in larger sized
meters and are characterised by a relatively narrow linear
(viscosity-immune) region as shown in Figure 5.30 (2).
Viscosity immune float
The viscosity immune float (Figure 5.29 (c)} is appreciably
less sensitive to changes in viscosity and is characterised
by a wider linear region as shown in Figure 5.30 (3).
Although such an instrument is unaffected by relatively
large changes in viscosity, the same size meter has a span
25% smaller than the previously described rotating float.
Low pressure loss float
For gas flow rate metering, light floats (Figure 5.29 (d))
with relatively low pressure drops can be used. The pressure
drop across the instrument is due, primarily, to the float
since the energy required to produce the metering effect
is derived from the pressure drop of the flowing fluid. This
pressure drop is independent of the float height and is
constant.
Further pressure drop is due to the meter fittings
(connection and mounting devices) and increases with the
square of the flow rate. For this reason, the design requires
a minimum upstream pressure.
Metering tube
The meter tube is normally manufactured from borosilicate
glass that is suitable for metering process medium
temperatures up to 200 C and pressures up to about 2 - 3
MPa. Because the glass tube is vulnerable to damage from
thermal shocks and pressure hammering, it is often
necessary to provide a protective shield around the tube.
Variable area meters are inherently self-cleaning since the
fluid flow between the tube wall and the float provides a
scouring action that discourages the build-up of foreign
matter. Nonetheless, if the fluid is dirty, the tube can
become coated affecting calibration and preventing the
scale from being read. This effect can be minimised through
the use of an in-line filter.
In some applications use can be made of an opaque tube
used in conjunction with a float follower. Such tubes can
be made fromsteel, stainless steel, or plastic. By using afloat
with a built-in permanent magnet, externally mounted reed-
relays can be used to detect upper and lower flow limits
and initiate the appropriate action.
The temperature and pressure range may be considerably
extended (for example, up to 400 C and 70 MPa) through
the use of a stainless steel metering tube. Again, the float
can incorporate a built-in permanent magnet that is coupled
to an external field sensor that provides a flow reading on
a meter.
In cases where the fluid might contain ferromagnetic
particles that could adhere to the magnetic float, a magnetic
filter should be installed upstream of the flow meter.
Typically (Figures. 31) such a filter contains bar magnets,
coated with PTFE as protection against corrosion, arranged
in a helical fashion.
Conclusion
Generally, variable area flow meters have uncertainties
ranging from 1% to 3% of full scale. Precision instruments
arc, however, available with uncertainties down to 0,4% of
full scale.
Figure 5.31: Typical
magnetic filter
(courtesy Krohne)
The variable area meter is an exceptionally practical flow
measurement device. Its advantages include:
wide range of applications
linear float response to flow rate change
10 to 1 flow range or turndown ratio
easy sizing or conversion from one particular service
to another
ease of installation and maintenance
simplicity
low cost
high low-flow accuracy (down to 5 cm3/ min)
easy visualisation of flow Its disadvantages are:
limited accuracy
susceptibility to changes in temperature, density and
viscosity
fluid must be clean, no solids content
erosion of device (wear and tear)
can be expensive for large diameters
operates in vertical position only
accessories required for data transmission
Differential pressure transmitters
Tn modem process control systems, measurement of
differential pressure is normally carried out by a differential
pressure transmitter whose role is to measure the
differential pressure and convert it to an electrical signal
that can be transmitted from the field to the control room
or the process controlling system.
As illustrated in Figure 5.32, most industrial differential
cells make use of i solation diaphragms that isolate the
transmitter. Movement of the isolation diaphragms is
transmitted via the isolating fluid (for example, silicon fluid)
to the measuring diaphragm whose deflection is a measure
of the differential pressure.
Figure 5.32:
Basic construction of a iioating ceil capacitive differential pressure sensor
in which movement of the isolation diaphragms is transmitted via the
isolating fluid (for example, silicon fluid) to the measuring diaphragm
whose deflection is a measure of the differential pressure (courtesy Fuji
Electric)
Measurement of the deflection of the measuring diaphragm
may be carried out by a number of methods including
inductance, strain gauge, and piezoelectric. However, the
most popular method of measuring differential pressure,
adopted by a large number of manufacturers, is the variable
capacitance transmitter.
As shown, the upstream and downstream pressures are
applied to isolation diaphragms on the high and low
pressure sides, which are transmitted to the sensing
diaphragm, which forms a movable electrode. As the
electrode changes its
distance from the fixed plate electrodes, this results in a
change in capacitance.
Capacitance based transmitters are simple, reliable,
accurate (typically 0.1 % or better), small in size and weight,
and remain stable over a wide temperature range. The main
advantage of the capacitive transmitter is that it is extremely
sensitive to small changes in pressuredown to 100 Pa
pressure.
Other manufacturers (including Honey well) make extensive
use of the piezoresistive element, in which piezoresistors
are diffused into the surface of a thin circular wafer of N-
type silicon and the diaphragm is formed by chemically
etching a circular cavitywith the unetched portion
forming a rigid boundary and surface. Such silicon-on-
insulator devices are now capable of providing continuous
operation at temperatures up to 225 C at pressures of up
to 7 MPa.
Multivariable transmitters
At the beginning of this chapter it was shown that the
differential pressure can be related to flow by the
expression:
In practice this expression is inadequateespecially in
applications involving, for example, the mass flow of sleam.
The most commonly used expression (AIME) for mass flow
of liquids, gases and steam is:
where:
Qm = mass flow rate
N = units factor
Cd = discharge coefficient
Ev = velocity of approach factor
Y1 = gas expansion factor (= 1 for liquid)
d = bore diameter
AP = differential pressure
p = density of fluid
Using this equation, the approach has been to make use of
three separate transmitters to measure differential pressure,
static pressure and temperature to infer the mass flow. As
shown in Figure 5.33 the density of a gas may be deduced
from the measurement of static pressure and temperature
combined with the entry of certain known constants: i.e.
the compression factor, gas constant, molecular weight,
and fluid constant.
Figure 5.33:
Computation of fully compensated mass flow requires the measurement of
DP, static pressure and temperature (courtesy Fisher Rosemount)
In recent years both Honeywell and Fisher-Rosemount have
developed a single transmitter solution that makes
simultaneous measurement of differential pressure, static
pressure and temperature and provides the on-board
computation.
Apart from providing tremendous cost savings in purchase
price as well as installation, such multivariable transmitters
provide accurate mass flow measurements of process gases
(combustion air and fuel gases) and steam, whether
saturated or superheated. Other applications include: DP
measurement across filters and in distillation columns
where the user is concerned with the static pressure and
temperature measurements to infer composition; and in
liquid flow rate applications where density and viscosity
compensation is required due to large temperature changes.
Special transmitters
Continued emphasis on safely shut-down systems in the
petrochemical industries has lead to the development of a
new Critical high availability transmitter from Moore which
provides complete hardware and software redundancy;
comprehensive self testing and primary and secondary
current sources to ensure safe fault indication. These
capabilities allow a single Critical transmitter to be installed
where two conventional transmitters are usually installed
on a critical application or two Critical transmitters to be
installed where three conventional transmitters are required
in a safety shutdown system.
Chapter 6: Electromagnetic flow meters
Electromagnetic flow meters, also known as Magflows *
or Magmeters, have been in widespread use for over 40
years and were the first modern meters with no moving
parts and zero pressure drop.
Measuring principle
The principle of the EM flow meter is based on Faradays
law of induction which states that if a conductor is moved
through a magnetic field a voltage that is proportional to
the velocity of the conductor will be induced in it.
Referring to Figure 6. /, if the conductor of length (1) is
moved through the magnetic field with a magnetic flux
density (B) at a velocity (v), then a voltage will be induced
where:
6 = B.l.v and:
e = induced voltage (V)
B = magnetic flux density (Wb/m2)
I = length of conductor (m) v = velocity of conductor
(m/s)
Figure 6.1:
Illustration of Faradays Law of electromagnetic induction
In the electromagnetic flow meter (Figure 6.2) a magnetic
field is produced across a cross-section of the pipewith
the conductive liquid forming the conductor (Figure 6.3).
Two sensing electrodes, set at right angles to the magnetic
field, are used to detect the voltage which is generated
across the flowing liquid and which is directly proportional
to the flow rate of the medium.
It can be seen that since v is the flow rate (the parameter
to be measured) the generated voltage is limited by the
length of the conductor (the diameter of the pipe) and the
flux density. In turn, the flux density is given by:
B = .H
where:
m = permeability
H = magnetising field strength (ampere-turns/m)
Because the permeability of the magnetic circuit is largely
determined by the physical constraints of the pipe (the
iron-liquid gap combination), the magnetic flux density B
(and hence the induced voltage) can only be maximised by
increasing Ha function of the coil (number of windings
and its length) and the magnetising current.
The term Magflo is a proprietary name used by Danfoss
Instrumentation.
Figure 6.2:
Basic principle of the electromagnetic flow meter
Figure 6.3:
The conductive liquid forms the conductor in contact with the electrodes
Construction
Because the working principle of the electromagnetic flow
meter is based on the movement of the conductor (the
flowing liquid) through the magnetic field, it is important
that the pipe carrying the medium (the metering tube)
should have no influence on the field. Consequently, to
prevent short circuiting of the magnetic field, the metering
tube must be manufactured from a non-ferromagnetic
material such as stainless steel or nickel-chromium.
Liners
It is equally important that the signal voltage detected by
the two sensing electrodes is not electrically short circuited
through the tube wall. Consequently, the metering tube
must be lined with an insulating material. Such materials
have to be selected according to the application and their
resistance to chemical corrosion, abrasion, pressure and
temperature (Tab!e 6.1).
Table 6.1: Commonly used magnetic flow meter liner materials
Material General Corrosion Abrasion Temperature Pressure limit
resistance resistance limit C (bar)
Teflon PTFE Warm deformable Excellent Fair 180 40
resin with excellent anti-stick
properties and suitable for
food and beverage
Teflon PFA Melt-processable resin with Excellent Good 180 40
better shape accuracy,
abrasion resistance and
vacuum strength than PTFE
Polyurethane Extreme resistance to wear Wide range Excellent 50 250
and erosion but not suitable
for strong acids or bases
Neoprene Combines some of the Wide range Good to excellent 80 100
resistance to chemical
attack of PTFE with a good
degree of abrasion resistance
Hard rubber Inexpensive finds its main Fair to excellent Fair 95 250
(Ebonite) application in the water and
waste water industries
Soft rubber Mainly used for slurries Fair Excellent 70 64
Modified Developed for harsh Very high Good 200 Yield strengt
phenolic environments containing of pipe
H
2
S/CO
2
concentrations
and acids
Fused Highly recommended for Excellent Excellent 180 40
aluminium very abrasive and/or
oxide corrosive applications
Teflon PTFE
A warm deformable resin, Teflon PTFE is the most widely
used liner material. Characteristics include:
high temperature capability (180C)
excellent anti-stick characteristics to reduce build-up
inert to a wide range of acids and bases
approved in food and beverage applications
Teflon PFA
Teflon PFA is a melt-processable resin that offers:
a better shape accuracy than PTFE
better abrasion resistance
better vacuum strength because of the ability to
incorporate stainless steel reinforcement
Polyurethane .......
Teflon PTFE/PFA does not have adequate erosion resistance
for certain applications and, often, the best choice when
extreme resistance to wear and erosion is required is
polyurethane. Other characteristics include:
cannot be used with strong acids or bases
cannot be used at high temperatures since its
maximum process temperature is 40 C
A long history
The first reported attempt to use Faradays laws of
electromagnetic induction to measure flow, was in 1832, in an
experiment conducted by Michael Faraday himself.
With the aim of measuring the water flow of the River Thames,
Faraday lowered two metal electrodes into the river from
W aterloo bridge. Both electrodes were then connected to a
galvanometer which was intended to measure the induced
voltage produced by the flow of water through the earths
magnetic field.
The failure of Faraday to obtain any meaningful results was
probably due to electrochemical interference and polarisation
of the electrodes.
It was left to a Swiss Benedictine monk, Father Bonaventura
Thuriemann OSB, who had lived and worked in the Benedictine
monastery in Engelberg since 1929, to lay the foundations of
this flow measuring technology. With the publication of his
scientific work, A method of electrically measuring the rate of
fluids in 1941, Father Bonaventura was the first to show that,
by proper application of Faradays law of induction, it was
possible to measure the volume flows of liquids in pipes.
The reason that his
measuring principle was not
immediately developed lies in
the fact that the electronic
measuring equipment of the
day was insufficient to do the
job, Breakthrough to a
general acceptance in
industry arrived in the mid
1970s when progress in
electronics made it possible
to produce a low voltage,
interference free, measuring
amplifier that was sufficiently
sensitive and drift free.
Father Bonaventura never
thought fo commercialise his
discovery. But, as is so often
the case in technological
history, others were quick to
see the advantages and
acted accordingly.
Neoprene
resistant to chemical attack
good degree of abrasion resistance
temperature of 80 C
Hard rubber (Ebonite)
inexpensive general purpose liner
wide range of corrosion resistance
main application in the water and waste water
industries
Soft rubber
relatively inexpensive
high resistance to abrasion
main application in slurries
Modified phenolic
Developed by Turbo Messtechnik for harsh environments
containing H,,S/CO7 concentrations and acids. This is a
powder based line with high-resistant fillers and organic
pigments; it is suitable for high temperatures (200 C) and
high pressures.
Fused aluminium oxide
Highly recommended for abrasive and/or corrosive
applications and suitable for high temperatures up to 180C,
this line is used extensively in the chemical industry.
Electrodes
The electrodes, like the liners, are in direct contact with
the process medium and again the materials of construction
must be selected according to the application and their
resistance to chemical corrosion, abrasion, pressure and
temperature.
Figure 6.4: The electrode
seal is maintained through
the use of five separate
sealing surfaces and a coil
spring (courtesy Fisher
Rosemount)
Commonly used materials include: 316 stainless steel,
platinum/ rhodium, Hastelloy C, Monel and tantalum.
One of the main concerns is the need to ensure that there
is no leakage of the process medium. In the construction
design shown in Figure 6.4, the electrode seal is maintained
through the use of five separate sealing surfaces and a coil
spring. However, to ensure that the overall integrity of the
system is maintained, even if a process leak should occur
past the liner/ electrode interface, the electrode
compartment can also be separately sealed. Usually rated
for full line pressure, such containment ensures that in the
event of a leak, no contamination of the field coils occurs.
Where heavy abrasion or contamination of the electrodes
might occur, many manufacturers offer the option of field
replaceable electrodes (Figure 6.5).
Fouling of the electrodes by insulating deposits can
Figure 6.5:
Field replaceable electrode (courtesy Fisher Rosemount)
Figure 6.6: To develop
most of the electrode
potential (e) across the
input impedance (R
l
) of the
meter amplifier the R
l
needs to be at least 1000
times higher than the
maximum electrode
impedance R
s
considerably increase the internal resistance of the signal
circuit This would change the capacitive coupling between
the field coils and signal circuitry.
Conductivity
The two main characteristics of the process medium that
need to be considered are its conductivity and its tendency
to coat the electrode with an insulating layer. As shown in
Figure 6.6; to develop most of the electrode potential (e)
across the input impedance (R.) of the meter amplifier, and
to minimise the effect
Liquid Conductivity
(mS/cm)
Carbon tetrachloride at 18C 4x10
-12
Toluene 10
-8
Kerosene 0.017
Aniline at 25C 0.024
Soya bean oil 0.04
Distilled water 0.04
Acetone at 25CC 0.06
Phosphorous 0.4
Benzole alcohol at 25 C 1.8
Acetic acid (1% solution) 5.8 x10
2
Acetic acid (10% solution) 16 x 10
2
Latex at 25C 5x 10
3
Sodium silicate 24X10
3
Sulphuric acid (90% solution) 10.75 x 10
4
Ammonium nitrate (10% solution) 11 x 10
4
Sodium hydroxide (10% solution) 31 x10
4
Hydrochloric acid (10% solution) 63x10
4
Table 6.2:
Conductivities of some typical fluids
of impedance variations due to changes in temperature,
the R. needs to be at least 1000 times higher than the
maximum electrode impedance Rs.
Modern high input impedance amplifiers are available in
the range 10
13
to 10
14
. Consequently, with an amplifier
having, for example, an input impedance of 10
13
, the error
due to impedance matching is less than 0,01% and a change
in electrode impedance from 1 to 1000 M will effect the
voltage by only 0,001%.
The electrode impedance depends on fluid conductivity
and varies with the size of the metering tube. In older ac
driven instruments the minimum conductivity of the fluid
usually lay between 5 - 20 S/cm. However, modern ac
instruments employ a variety of technologies, including
capacitively coupled meters that can be used on liquids
with conductivity levels down to 0,05 S/cm or even lower.
In some applications, coating of the electrodes is cause for
concern and, over the years, a number of solutions have
been offered including a mechanical scraper assembly and
ultrasonic cleaning.
Figure 6.7. If the electrode is
isolated by encrustation (a) a
60 V ac voltage is applied
across the electrodes and
electrolytic action starts to
form micropomus paths
through the isolating barrier
(b). As these paths become
progressively larger, the
isolating barrier starts to break
away from the electrode (c)
A solution offered by Turbo Messtechnik employs
electrolytic electrode cleaning. If one or more of the
electrodes becomes isolated by gaseous slugs, sticky media
or encrustation (Figure 6.7 (a)); the instrument detects the
abnormally low conductivity and applies 60 V ac voltage
across the electrodes. After approximately one minute the
electrolytic action starts to form microporous paths through
the isolating barrier (Figure 6.7(b)). As thesepaths become
progressively larger, the isolating barrier starts to break
away from the electrode (Figure 6.7 (c)) to reestablish
contact with the process medium. A 2.5 minute cycle is
usually sufficient for normal flow sensing.
Most refinery products, and some organic products, have
insufficient conductivity to allow them to be metered using
electromagnetic flow meters (Table 6.2).
It should be noted that the conductivity of liquids can vary
with temperature and care should be taken to ensure that
the performance of the liquid in marginal conductivity
applications is not affected by the operating temperatures.
Most liquids have a positive temperature coefficient of
conductivity. However, negative coefficients are possible
in a few liquids.
Capacitive coupled electrodes
The foregoing solutions do not solve the problem
ofelectrode coating in which an insulating deposit
effectively isolates the electrodes. These insulating deposits
are often found in the paper manufacturing industry and
in sewage treatment applications where grease and protein
conglomerates can develop into thick insulating layers.
In the capacitive coupled flow meter developed by Bailey-
Figure 6.8:
The electrodes have been a
replaced by capacitive plates
buried in the liner
Fisher & Porter, the electrodes, which are normally wetted
by the process liquid, have been replaced by capacitive
plates buried in the liner (Figure 6.8). The capacitance is
developed when the liquid film of the medium being
measured acts as one of the plates; the meter lining acts
as the dielectric; and the second capacitive plate is formed
by the metallic electrode which is embedded in the tube
liner.
Figure 6.9: Capacitive electrodes formed by two large plates bonded to
the outside of a ceramic flow tube
In an alternative solution offered by Krohne, the electrodes
take the form of two large plates bonded to the outside of
a ceramic flow tube (Figure 6.9) with the pre-amplifer
mounted directly on the flow tube. Capable of use with
liquids with conductivity levels down to 0,05 S/cm the
capacitive coupled magnetic flow meter features: no gaps
or crevices, no risk of electrode damage due to abrasion;
no leakage; and no electrochemical effects.
Field characterisation
The purpose of a flow meter is to measure the true average
velocity across the section of pipe, so that this can be related
directly to the total volumetric quantity in a unit of time.
The voltage generated at the electrodes is the summation
of the incremental voltages generated by each elemental
volume of cross-section of the flowing fluid as it crosses
the electrode plane with differing relative velocities.
Initially, designs assumed the magnetic field to be
homogeneous over the measured cross-section and length
of the pipe to achieve precise flow measurement. However,
early
Figure 6.10: For a given
velocity (v) the medium
flowing at position A t does
not generate the same
voltage signal as that
flowing position A2
(courtesy Endress +
Hauser)
Figure 6.11:
Weighting factor
distribution in
electrode plane
(Rummel and
Ketelsen)
Figure 6.12:
The three most common forms of magnetic fields: (a) the homogeneous
field in which B is constant over the entire plane (b) a characterised field
in which B increases in the x-direction but decreases in the y-direction; and
(c) the modified field in which B increases in the x-direction but is constant
in the y-direction
investigators showed that, for a given velocity, the medium
does not generate the same voltage signal in the electrodes
at all points. Thus, for a given velocity (v) the medium
flowing at position A! (Figure 6.10) does not generate the
same voltage signal as that flowing in position A,.
Rummel and Ketelsen plotted the medium flowing at
various distances away from the measuring electrodes
(Figure 6.11) and showed how these contribute in different
ways towards the direction of the measuring signal. This
shows that a flow profile that concentrates velocity in the
area of one electrode will produce eight times the output
of that at the pipe centre leading to errors that cannot be
overlooked.
One solution to this problem is to use a non- homogeneous
field that compensates for these non-linear concentrations.
Subsequent to his research, Ketelsen designed a magnetic
flow meter that made make use of a characterised field.
As distinct from the homogeneous field in which the
magnetic flux density (B) is constant over the entire plane
(Figure 6.12 (a)), the characterised field is marked by an
increase in B in the x-direction and a decrease in the y-
direction (Figure 6.l2(b)). Because commercial exploitation
of this design is limited in terms of a patent in the name of
B. Ketelsen, assigned to Fischer & Porter GmbH, a modified
field has been developed in which the lines of magnetic
flux, at any place in the electrode-plane, are characterised
by an increase in B in the x-direction, from the centre to
the wall, and constancy in the y-direction (Figure 6.12 (c)).
This modified field1 is, therefore, a compromise between
the characterised field and the homogeneous field1.
Figure 6.13: Distribution of the flux density across the diameter of the
flow tube: (a) with a mathematically defined field; and (b) with a non-
defined field, caused by the presence of magnetite, the field becomes
distorted (courtesy Krohne)
Magnetite compensation
As seen, with the electromagnetic flow meter it is essential
to maintain the cross-sectional field density in a
mathematically defined mannerirrespective of the
medium. Figure 6.13 (a) shows how the field strength might
be characterised across the cross-section of the flow tube,
whilst Figure 6.13 (b) shows how the field can be distorted
by the presence of magnetic material such as magnetite
within the liquid medium.
In a typical magnetite compensation system the cross-
seclional field density is measured using four specially
constructed coils. With the coils wound in phase, and in
Figure 6.14: (a) with no magnetite the output V remains constant; (b)
with the presence of magnetite the output V will increase or decrease
(courtesy Krohne)
the absence of magnetite (Figure 6.14 (a)), the distribution
of the field will generate a constant voltage in each coil to
produce an output (V). However, the presence of magnetite
(Figure 6.14 (b)) distorts the field so as to change the voltage
generated in each coil and thus increase or decrease the
output. When added to the output of the current measuring
circuit, this variation can be used to control the gain of the
flow signal amplifier.
Although the magnetite compensated flow meter can be
pre-calibrated fairly accurately, based on many years of
gathered data, final calibration is usually required on-site.
Depending on the magnetite concentration, a typical system
accuracy of better than 3 % can be achieveda more than
acceptable figure for a medium that had formerly been
considered beyond the capabilities of conventional EM flow
measurement.
A final point lo consider when measuring a medium
containing magnetite is that the magnetic field of the flow
meter will attract the magnetic particles. With time, this
will form a screening layer on the flow meter lining.
Consequently, to prevent the layer from forming, the
minimum flow speed of the medium should be 2,5 m/s.
Measurement in partially filled pipes
A fundamental requirement for accurate volumetric flow
measurement is that the pipe be full. Given a constant
velocity then, as the fill level decreases, the induced
potential at the electrodes is still proportional to the media
velocity. However, since the cross sectional area of the
medium is unknown it is impossible to calculate the
volumetric flow rate.
Figure 6.15:
How meter installed in
(a) an invert or (b) a U-
section can often ensure
that the meter remains
full when the media pipe
is only partially full
(courtesy Bailey-Fischer
+ Porter)
In the water utility industry where large bore flow meters
are used and the hydraulic force is based on gravity, the
occurrence of a partially filled pipe, due to low flow, is
quite frequent.
Although this problem can be solved by installing the flow
meter at the lowest point of the pipeline in an invert or U-
section (Figure 6.15), there are still many situations where
even the best engineering cannot guarantee a full pipe
thus giving rise to incorrect volume readings.
One answer to this problem would be to determine
thecross-sectional area and thus calculate the volumetric
flow.
In the solution offered by Bailey-Fischer & Porter in its Parti
-MAG, two additional electrode pairs are located in the lower
half of the meter to cater for partial flow rate measurements
down to 10%. In addition, the magnetic field is switched
successively from a series to a reverse coil excitation. The
series excitation mode (Figure 6. 16) corresponds to the
excitation mode for a conventional meter. As a result of
this field, a voltage that is related to the medium velocity
is induced in the electrode pairs.
Figure 6.16: The series
excitation mode
corresponds to the
excitation mode for a
conventional meter
(courtesy of Bailey-Fischer
& Porter)
Figure 6.17: In the
reverse excitation mode
the induced voltages in
the upper and lower
halves of the meter are of
equal magnitude but
opposite sign (courtesy of
Bailey-Fischer & Porter)
In the reverse excitation mode (Figure 6. 17) the induced
voltages in the upper and lower halves of the meter are of
equal magnitude but opposite sign. Thus, in a full pipe the
potential would be zero at the electrode pair E
1
and some
definite value at the electrode pairs E2 and Ev As the level
falls, the signal contribution from the upper half decreases
while that from the lower half remains the sameresulting
in a change in the potential at the various electrode pairs
that can be related directly to the change in medium level.
Microprocessor technology is then used to compute the
cross-sectional area and thus the volumetric flow.
A slightly different scheme is used in Krohne s TTD ALFLUX
meter. This instrument combines an electromagnetic flow
meter with an independent capacitive level measuring
system. The electromagnetic flow measuring section
functions like a conventional electromagnetic flow meter,
using a single set of electrodes that is placed near the
bottom of the pipe as shown in Figure 6.18. In this manner,
even when the filling level falls
Figure 6.18: The two
sensing electrodes are
positioned so that the
electrodes are still
covered when the
filling level falls to less
than 10% of the pipe
diameter (courtesy
Krohne)
Figure 6.19: The level
measuring section makes use
of insulated transmission and
detection plates embedded in
the flow meter (courtesy
Krohne)
to less than 10% of the pipe diameter, the electrodes are
still covered and capable of providing a flow velocity-related
output. The level measuring section makes use of a system
of insulated transmission and detection plates embedded
in the flow meter liner (figure 6../9) in which the change in
capacitive coupling is proportional to the wetted cross-
section. Using these two measured values it is now possible
to compute the actual volumetric flow (Figure 6.20) from:
Q = v.A
where:
Q = volumetric flow
v = velocity-related signal
A = wetted cross-sectional area
Figure 6.20: The
volumetric flow is computed
using the two measured
values of velocity and cross-
sectional area (courtesy
Krohne)
Empty pipe detection
In many cases, measurement of partially filled pipes is not
required. Nonetheless, to draw attention to this situation,
many meters incorporate an Empty Pipe Detection option.
In the most common system (Figure 6.21) a conductivity
probe, mounted on top of the pipe, senses the presence of
the conductive medium. If the medium clears the sensor,
due to partial filling of the pipe, the conductivity falls and
an alarm is generated.
An alternative scheme is to use a high frequency current
generator acrosstheflowmeter sensing probes. Because
normal flow measurement uses relatively low frequencies,
the high frequency signal used to measure the conductivity
is ignored by the flow signal amplifier. Empty Pipe
Detection is not only used to indicate that the volume
reading is incorrect. For example, in a two-line standby
system, one line handles the process and the other line is
used for standby. Since the standby line does not contain
any of the process medium, the flow meter
Figure 6.21:
Conductivity probe for empty pipe detection
sensing electrodes are open circuit and the amplifier output
signal will be subject to random drifting. The resultant
falsely generated inputs to any process controllers,
recorders, etc, connected to the system will give rise to
false status alarms. Here, the Empty Pipe Detection system
is used to freeze the signal to reference zero.
Another application for Empty Pipe Detection is to prevent
damage to the field coils. Magnetic flow meters based on a
pulsed dc magnetic field, generate relatively low power
to the field coils typically between 14 and 20 VA. This is
usually of little concern regarding heat generation in the
field coils. However, flow sensors based on ac generated1
magnetic fields, consume power in excess ofa
fewhundredVA. Toabsorb the heat generated in the field
coils, a medium is required in the pipe to keep the
temperature well within the capability of the field coil
insulation. An empty pipe will cause overheating and
permanent damage to the field coils and, consequently,
this type of flow meter requires an Empty Pipe Detection
system to shut down the power to the field coils.
Insertion meters
As shown in Figure 6.22, in-line insertion magnetic flow
meters are installed using a flange, welded to the flow
tube, with the measuring section penetrating into the
medium flow.
Figure 6.22:
In-line insertion magnetic flow meter suitable for pipe sizes ranging
from 100 to 2000mm (courtesy Arad Ltd. Daliaj
In the meter illustrated in Figure 6.23, both the field coils
and electrodes are contained within the insertion probe
and the voltage is measured between the centra! electrode
and the outer casing of the probe.
Typically such devices are available for measurement in
the range 0,3 m/s to 10 m/s at pressures to 16 bar and
process medium temperatures to 150C.
Figure 6.23:
Both the field coils and electrodes are contained within the insertion probe
and the voltage is measured between the centra/ electrode and the outer
casing of the probe
Measuring accuracies range down to 1 to 2 % depending
on the application. This technique also allows its use in a
hot tap mode whereby it may be removed and replaced
on high pressurelines without the need for a shutdown. A
unique adaptation of the insertion probe is shown in Figure
6.24 in which the coils and electrodes form a single
encapsulated unit. Designed specifically for the water and
wastewater industries, the UniMag eliminates the need for
a liner since the meter, in effect, comprises two separate
insertion devices. Since the flow tube itself forms part of
the magnetic circuit, the magnetic field is concentrated to
a far higher extent than is normally found with a resultant
increase in the signal-to-noise ratio.
Figure 6.24: The coils
and electrodes form a
single encapsulated unit
and the flow meter
comprises two separate
insertion devices and
eliminates the need for a
liner (courtesy Isco)
Field excitation
The metallic electrodes in contact with the flowing liquid
form a galvanic element that creates an interfering
electrochemical dc voltage. This voltage depends on the
temperature, the flow rate, the pressure and the chemical
composition of the liquid as well as on the surface condition
of the electrodes. In practice, the voltage between the liquid
and each electrode will be differentgiving rise to an
unbalanced voltage between the two electrodes.
To separate the flow signal from this interfering dc voltage,
an ac excitation field is usedallowing the interfering dc
voltage to be separated easily from the ac signal voltage
by capacitive or transformer coupling.
ac excitation
The ac electromagnetic flow meter is a relatively low cost
system with an accuracy of around 1 to 2%. Its major
advantage is that it produces a strong magnetic field
resulting in a high signal amplitude. This makes it
particularly useful for use with problem media such as paper
pulp and mining slurries. The relatively high frequency of
50 Hz also results in more samples per second of
measurement to produce an averaged signal that,
theoretically, improves the signal representation of flow
rate.
There are however many disadvantages. The 50 Hz supply
derived from the mains power has a superimposed voltage
error which is in phase with the flow signal. This is as a
result of eddy currents flowing in the conductive parts of
the pipe and in the medium.
The eddy currents produced in the medium itself should
cancel and the error can be factory-tuned to an acceptable
level. However, in many sewage and waste water
applications it is often found that, at low flow rates, layers
of different density and conductivity are formed. As a
consequence the eddy current distribution that is created
by the time derivative of the induction, is completely
deformed and interference voltages, which cannot be fully
suppressed in the converter, are produced.
Another major disadvantage of ac excitation is its high
power consumptionoften of the order of 1 kVA or more.
While ac electromagnetic flow meters have been used
successfully for many years, the use of an alternating field
excitation make them susceptible to both internal and
external sources of error. A further problem with mains
derived ac excitation is that it is impossible to separate
the signal voltage from external interference voltages.
Interference voltages can be transferred by either capacitive
or inductive coupling from heavy-current carrying cables
laid in proximity to the signal cable. Although these
interference voltages may be largely suppressed by multiple
screening of the signal cable, they might not he completely
eliminated.
In addition, stray currents from other systems are
occasionally carried by the pipeline and/or the flowing
media that generate voltages at the electrodes that cannot
be distinguished from the signal voltage.
These interference voltages require a manually operated
zero control adjustment and make it necessary to stop the
flow in order to check the setting.
The pulsed dc field
Originally hailed as a general solution to all of the problems
encountered using ac excitation, pulsed dc excitation
considerably improves zero stability with power
consumptions of 20 VA or less. However, because the
magnetising current and hence the fundamental signal
voltage is generally lower, the signal quality when used
with pulp or slurries is usually unacceptable. Further, the
excitation frequency of most pulsed dc systems is typically
10 times less than that of ac excitation systems.
The pulsed dc field is designed to overcome the problems
associated with ac and dc interference. In the pulsed dc
meter, the dc field is periodically switched on and off at
specific intervals. The electrochemical dc interference
voltage is stored when the magnetic field is switched off
and then subtracted from the signal, representing the sum
of the signal voltage and interference voltage when the
magnetic field is switched on.
Figure 6.25 illustrates the voltage at the sensors in which
the measured voltage V^ is superimposed on the spurious
unbalanced offset voltage Vu. By taking (and storing)
samples during the periods A and B, the mean value Vr
may be obtained by algebraic subtraction of the two values:
V
m
= (V
u
+ V
m
) - V
u
This method assumes that the value of the electrochemical
interference voltage remains constant during the measuring
period between the samples A and B.
Figure 6.25:
The voltage at the sensors in which the measured voltage Vm is
superimposed on the spurious unbalanced offset voltage Vu
However, if the interference voltage changes serious errors
are likely to occur. Figure 6.26 shows the unbalanced offset
voltage as a steadily increasing ramp. Here, the error is as
high as the amount by which the unbalanced voltage has
changed during the measuring periods A and B, and could
result in an induction error of as much as 100 %.
One way to overcome this problem is by a method of linear
interpolation as illustrated in Figure 6.27. Prior to the
magnetic induction, the unbalanced voltage A is measured.
During the magnetic induction phase the value B (which is
the sum of unbalanced voltage and flow signal) is measured
and then, after magnetic induction, the changed unbalanced
voltage C is measured.
Figure 6.26:
With the unbalanced offset voltage a steadily increasing ramp, the error is
as high as the amount by which the unbalanced voltage has changed
during the measuring periods A and B
The mean value (A + C)/2 of the balanced voltage prior to
and after magnetic induction is electronically produced and
subtracted from the sum signal measured during magnetic
induction. So, the exact flow signal;
Vm = B-(A +C)/2
is free from the unbalanced voltage. This method corrects
the amplitude of the dc interference voltage and also its
change, with respect to time.
Figure 6.27:
The unbalanced voltage A is measured prior to the magnetic induction;
the value B (the sum of unbalanced voltage and flow signal) is measured
during the induction phase; and the changed unbalanced voltage C is
measured after magnetic induction
Bipolar pulse operation
An alternative method of compensation (shown in Figure
6.28), uses analternating (orbipolar) dc pulse. Under ideal
or reference conditions, the values of V
1
and V
2
would be
equal and would both have the value V
m
the measured value.
Thus:
V
1
- V
2
= (V
m
) - (-V
m
) - 2V
m
Now, if the zero or no-flow signal is off-set by an unbalanced
voltage in, for example, a positive direction (Figure 6.29),
then:
V
1
= V
u
+ V
m
and
V
2
= V
u
- V
m
and
V
1
- V
2
= (V
u
+V
m
) - (V
u
- V
m
) = 2V
m
Again, linear interpolation methods may be applied,
illustrated in Figure 6.30, where five separate samples are
taken during each measurement cycle. A zero potential
measurement is taken when the cycle commences; a second
measurement at the positive peak; a third at zero potential;
a fourth at negative peak and finally another zero
measurement on completion of the cycle. The result, in
this case, will be:
2V
m
= (V
1
-(Z
1
+Z
2
)/2-(V
2
-{Z
2
+ Z
3
)/2)
Figure 6.28:
Bipolar pulse compensation under ideal or reference conditions
Figure 6.29:
Bipolar pulse compensation eliminates error due to unbalanced offset
voltage
Meter sizing
Generally the size of the primary head is matched to the
nominal diameter of the pipeline. However, it is also
necessary to ensure that the flow rate of the medium lies
between the minimum and maximum full scale ranges of
the meter. Typical values of the minimum and maximum
full scale ranges are 0,3 and 12 m/s respectively.
Figure 6.30:
Bipolar pulse compensation with linear interpolation
Experience has also shown that the optimum flow velocity
of the medium through an electromagnetic flow meter is
generally 2 to 3 m/s depending on the medium. For
example, for liquids with a solids content, the flow velocity
should be between 3 to 5 m/s to prevent deposits and to
minimise abrasion.
Knowing the volumetric flow rate of the medium in, for
example, cubic metres per hour, and knowing the pipe
diameter, it is easy to calculate and thus check to see if the
flow velocity falls within the recommended range. Most
manufacturers supply nonograms or tables that allow users
to ascertain this data at a glance.
Occasionally, in cases where the calculated meter size needs
to be smaller than that of the medium pipe size, a transition
using conical sections can be installed. The cone angle
should be 8 or less and the pressure drop resulting from
this reduction can, again, be determined from
manufacturers tables (Figure 6.31).
Conclusion
The electromagnetic (EM) flow meter is regarded by many
users as the universal answer to more than 90% of all flow
metering applications. Some of the many benefits offered
by the EM flow meter include:
no pressure drop
short inlet/outlet sections (5D/2D)
Figure 6.31:
Conical section used to cater for reduced meter size
relationship is linear (not square root)
insensitive to flow profile changes (laminar to turbu-
lent) including many non-Newtonian liquids
unaffected by variations in density, viscosity,
pressure, temperature, and (within limits) electrical
conductivity
reliable no moving parts
turn-down ratio of 30:1 or better
inaccuracy of better than 0,5% of actual flow overfull
range
no recalibration requirements
bi-directional measurement
no taps, or cavities
no obstruction to flow
not limited to clean fluids
high temperature capabilities
high pressure capabilities
volumetric flow
can be installed between flanges
can be made from corrosion resistance materials at
low cost On the down side, the main limitations of
the magnetic flow meter include:
oniy suitable for conductive liquids
not suitable for gases
not suitable for entrapped air, foam or two-phase
fluids
pipeline must normally be full
egress and/or entrapment of process medium can
occur at electrodes
Chapter 7: Ultrasonic flow meters
Ultrasonic FLOW meters, suitable for liquids and gases, have
been available for more than twenty years and are currently
the only truly viable non-intrusive measuring alternative
to the electromagnetic flow meter.
Unfortunately, although originally hailed as a panacea for
the flow measurement industry, lack of knowledge and poor
understanding of the limitations of early instruments
(especially the Doppler method) often led to its use in
unsuitable applications.
Nonetheless, the ultrasonic meter is probably the only
meter capable of being used on large diameter pipes (above
3 m bore) at reasonable cost and performance (around 1%).
In essence there are three basic principles used in ultrasonic
metering: the Doppler method; the time-of-flight method;
and the frequency difference method.
Doppler method
Doppler flow meters are based on the Doppler effectthe
change in frequency that occurs when a sound source and
receiver move either towards or away from each other. The
classic example is that of an express train passing through
a station. To an observer standing on the platform the sound
of the train appears to be higher as the train approaches
and then falls as the train passes through the station and
moves away. This change in frequency is called the Doppler
shift.
In the Doppler ultrasonic flow meter, an ultrasonic beam
(usually of the order of 1 to 5 MHz) is transmitted, at an
angle, into the liquid (Figure 7.1). Assuming the presence
of reflective particles (dirt, gas bubbles or even strong
eddies) in the flow stream, some of the transmitted energy
will be reflected back to the receiver. Because the reflective
particles are moving towards the sensor, the frequency of
the received energy will differ from that of the transmitted
frequency (the Doppler effect).
Figure 7.1:
In the Doppler ultrasonic flow meter, an ultrasonic beam is
transmitted, at an angle, into the liquid
This frequency difference, the Doppler shift, is directly
proportional to the velocity of the particles.
Assuming that the medium velocity (v) is considerably less
than the velocity of sound in the medium (C), the Doppler
frequency shift (Af) is given by:
where f is the transmitted frequency. From this it can be
seen that the Doppler frequency, Af, is directly proportional
to flow rate.
The velocity of sound in water is about 1500 m/s. If the
transmitted frequency is 1 MHz, with transducers at 60,
then for a medium velocity of 1 m/s the Doppler shift is
around 670 Hz. Since this technique requires the presence
of reflecting particles in the medium, its use in ultra-clean
applications or, indeed, in any uncontaminated medium,
is generally precluded. Although some manufacturers claim
to be able to measure non-aerated liquids, in reality such
meters rely on the presence of bubbles due to micro-
cavitation originating at valves, elbows or other
discontinuities.
For a particle to be seen, it needs to be larger than
approximately V10 of the wavelength of the acoustic
frequency in the liquid. In water, a 1 MHz ultrasonic beam
would have a wavelength of about 1,5 mm so particles
would need to be larger than 150 |im to reflect adequately.
Whilst air, oil particles and sand are excellent sonic
reflectors, the presence of too many particles can attenuate
the signal so that very little of the signal reaches the receiver
transducer.
Probably the single biggest drawback of this technology is
that in multiphase flows, the particle velocity may bear
little relationship to the medium velocity. Even in single-
phase flows, because the velocity of the particles is
determined by their location within the pipe, there may be
several different frequency shiftseach originating at
different positions in the pipe. As a result, the Doppler
method often involves a measurement error of 10 % or
more.
Figure 7.2:
Insertion type Doppler probe (courtesy Dynasonics)
In the insertion type probe shown in Figure 7.2, the
reflective area is to a large extent localised and the potential
source of errors is thereby reduced.
Generally, however, Doppler meters should not be
considered as high performance devices and are cost
effective when used as flow monitors. They work well on
dirty fluids and typical applications include sewage, dirty
water and sludge. Doppler meters are sensitive to velocity
profile effects and temperature.
Transit time meters
The ultrasonic transit time measuring method is based on
the fact that, relative to the pipe and the transducers, the
flow velocity will reduce the propagation speed of an
ultrasonic pulse travelling against the medium flow.
Figure 7.3:
In the transit time meter two transducers (A and B) act alternately as
receiver and transmitter
Similarly, the fluid velocity increases the speed of
propagation of the pulse travelling downstream. The
difference between these two transit times can be related
directly to the flow velocity.
In practice, the meter comprises two transducers (A and B)
mounted at an angle to the flow and with a path length, L
(Figure 1.3) each acting alternately as receiver and
transmitter. The transit time of an ultrasonic pulse, from
the upstream to the downstream transducer, is first
measured and then compared with the transit time in the
reverse direction.
Mathematically:
where:
T
AB
= upstream travel time
T
BA
= downstream travel time
L = path length through the fluid
C = velocity of sound in medium
v = velocity of medium
The difference in transit time T is:
Since the velocity of the medium is likely to be much less
than the velocity of sound in the medium itself (15 m/s
compared to 1500 m/s), the term v
2
cos
2
will be very
small compared with C
2
and may be ignored for all practical
flow velocities. Thus:
This shows that the flow velocity v is directly proportional
to the transit time difference T.
It also illustrates that v is directly proportional to C
2
(the
square of the speed of sound) which will vary with
temperature, viscosity and material composition.
Fortunately, it is possible to eliminate the variable C
2
from
the equation:
and mean transit time,
Then:
and
now, substituting in [1]: A74L2
Since both the length L and the angle 9 arc likely to remain
constant it is only necessary to calculate the sum and
difference of the transit times to derive the flow rate
independent of the velocity of sound in the medium.
As distinct from Doppler meters, transit time meters work
better on clean fluids and typical applications include: water,
clean process liquids, liquefied gases and natural gas pipes.
The accuracy of measurement is determined by the ability
of the instrument to measure the transit time accurately.
In a 300 mm diameter pipe, for example, with the
transducers set at 45, and the medium flowing at 1 m/s,
the transit time is about 284 p,s and the time difference AT
is less than 200 ns. This means that to measure the velocity
with a full-scale accuracy of 1%, time must be measured
down to 2 ns at the very least. With smaller diameter pipes,
the measurement accuracy would therefore need to be in
the picosecond range.
Obviously, with longer path lengths, this stringent time
measurement requirement becomes easier to meet.
Performance thus tends to be better with large bore pipes,
and providing multiple traverses as illustrated in Figure
7.4 can increase the path length.
Figure 7.4:
Increasing the path length using a double traverse, single V path on the
centre line
These arrangements are frequently used for gas
measurement in lines and gas flow measurement. The
double traverse, single path flow meter is frequently used
for low-cost liquid measurement and accurate real-time
measurement of hazardous and non-hazardous gas flows
in lines from 100 to 900 mm DN.
The U-form meter as shown in Figure 7.5can he used for
very low flows.
Figure 7.5:
The U-form meter can be used for very low flows
Figure 7.6:
Average velocity along an ultrasonic path
Flow profile
The average velocity along an ultrasonic path (Figure 7.6)
is given by:
where:
D = pipe internal diameter
X = distance across the pipe
Thus, with a single path across the flow, the average flow
is made up of the sum of the instantaneous velocities at
each point across the diameter of the pipe. The transit time
meter thus provides a picture of the total flow profile along
the path of the beam.
However, the validity of the measurement can only be relied
on if the flow profile is not subject to an asymmetric velocity
profile or symmetric swirl. In addition it is important to
know the flow profile. If, for example, the flow profile is
not fully developed, then, as shown in Figure 7.7, the
laminar-to-turbulent error can be up to 33%.
Figure 7.7:
A single path produces a iaminar-to-turbulent error up to 33% (courtesy
Krohne)
Using a dual path as shown in Figure 7.8, the laminar-to-
turbulent error can be reduced to 0,5%.
An alternative method is shown in Figure 7.9. Here, internal
reflectors used to impart a helical path to a single beam
device result in high accuracy measurement for a wide flow
range, from laminar to turbulent and even in the transitional
region.
Figure 7.8:
A dual path reduces the iaminar-to-turbulent error to 0.5% (courtesy
Krohne)
Figure 7.9:
Single beam with
helical path produces
high accuracy
measurement for a
wide flow range from
laminar to turbulent
(courtesy Siemens)
In the Krohne multi-channel custody-transfer ultrasonic flow
meter, ten sensors form five measurement paths located
in the cross-section of the flow tube (Figure 7.10).
Figure 7.10: Five
measurement paths
provide a measurement
that is essentially
independent of the flow
profile (courtesy Krohne)
This approach provides a wealth of information on the flow
profile (Figure 7.11) in laminar and in turbulent flow
conditions, and provides highly accurate flow even in the
presence of non-symmetric flow profiles and swirithus
providing a measurement that is essentially independent
of the flow profilewith accuracies to 0,15% and
repeatability to 0,02%.
Figure 7.11:
Determination of the flow profile (courtesy Krohne)
Another advantage of multiple measurement channels is
the obtained redundancy.
Frequency difference
The frequency difference or sing-around flow meter makes
use of two independent measuring pathseach with a
transmitter (A and A) and a receiver (B or B) (Figure 7.12).
Each measuring path operates on the principle that the
arrival of a transmitted pulse at a receiver triggers the
transmission of a further pulse. As a result, a pair of
transmission frequencies is set upone for the upstream
direction and another for the downstream direction. The
frequency difference is directly proportional to the flow
velocity.
Figure 7.12:
Sing-around flow meter makes use of two independent measuring paths
each with a transmitter (A and A) and a receiver (B or B)
Thus:
and:
The frequency difference AF is given by: 2 v cos 9
and:
The main advantage of this system is that because the
frequency difference is directly proportional to flow, no
maths function is required. Further, the measurement is
independent of the velocity of sound in the medium.
Clamp on instruments
Transducers that are damped externally to the walls of the
pipe provide portable non-intrusive flow measurement
systems that can be installed within a few minutes to
virtually any pipe (Figure 7.13). Pipe materials include:
metal, plastic, ceramic, asbestos cement and internal and
externally coated pipes.
Figure 7.13:
Clamp-on transducers must take into account the thickness and material
of construction of the pipe wall (courtesy Fuji Electric)
Clamp-on transducers are also often used in permanent
installations that cannot justify a permanent in-line meter,
but nonetheless require period metering.
Because the ultrasonic pulses must traverse the pipe wall
and any coatings, the thicknesses must be known. In
addition, the presence of deposits on the inside pipe surface
will affect the transmitted signal strength and, therefore,
performance.
Despite these obstacles modern clamp-on ultrasonic
meters, incorporating microprocessor technology that
allows the transducer mounting positions and calibration
factors to be calculated for each application, provide
measuring accuracies of 1 to 3%depending on the
application.
Figure 7.14:
By selecting a transmission frequency that excites a natural acoustic
waveguide mode of the pipe, the pipe itself becomes the launching point of
the acoustical signal and allows a much wider signal beam to be
transmitted from one transducer to the other (courtesy Controlotron
Corporation)
In conventional designs, a change in the characteristics of
the liquid, which affects the speed of sound, will have a
direct effect on the refraction angle. With sufficient change
in the refraction angle, the signal from one transducer will
not be received by the other. This limitation is overcome
with the wide beam approach (Figure 7.14) in which the
pipe wall is incorporated into the signal transmission
system. During set-up, the meter selects a transmission
frequency that excites a natural acoustic waveguide mode
of the pipe to induce a sonic wave, which travels axially
down the pipe wall. Tn this way the pipe itself becomes
the launching point of the acoustical signal and allows a
much wider signal beam to be transmitted from one
transducer to the other. The result is that any change in
the refraction angle will have negligible effect on the
strength of the received signal.
Velocity of sound measurement
Because ultrasonic meters measure volumetric flow which
is, in most cases, not relevant for plant operation purposes,
their output is correlated to mass flowassuming a fixed
actual density (reference density) under operating
conditions. Consequently, deviations in density will cause
a misreading in mass flow, which is inversely proportional
to the deviation compared with the reference density.
Since the velocity of sound is a characteristic property of a
fluid, its measurement, in conjunction with the temperature
and pressure of the fluid, can be used as a measure/
indication of:
actual flowing density
concentration (for example, for fluids consisting of
two distinctive components)
molecular weight (when pressure, temperature, Cp/
Cv ratio and compressibility are known)
Furthermore, since deviations of the velocity of sound
signal/range will indicate a change in fluid composition,
its output may thus be used as an interface detector
alerting operators to different plant operating conditions
and/or feed stock changes or changes in composition for
example, contamination in heavy crude.
Since the signal strength will also be measured, deviations
in signal strength could indicate viscosity changes, an
increased level of solids (crystal formation, catalyst carry
over) and/or bubbles (flashing-off of dissolved gases under
changed pressure/ temperature conditions) in the fluid. In
the Krohne five beam meter, this is carried a stage further.
Because the five beams also determine the flow profile,
the meter is able to infer the Reynolds number. Thus
equipped with data regarding the flow velocity (V) the pipe
diameter (D) and the density, the instrument can derive
the kinematic viscosity (|l).
Factors influencing the velocity of sound
Except in carbon dioxide gas service, the velocity of sound
is independent of the ultrasonic frequency. Generally the
velocity of sound:
increases with increasing density
decreases with increasing temperature for liquids
increases with increasing temperature for gases
An important exception is water which has a discontinuity
in its relationship between velocity of sound and
temperature. For water below a temperature of 74 C, the
velocity of sound will increase with increasing temperature
and decrease if the temperature increases above 74C.
Beam scattering
As indicated, beam scattering/dispersion may occur if the
fluid contains too many particles (crystals, catalyst
particles). As soon as the fluid ceases to be single phase,
beam scattering may occur under bubble flow or mist flow
conditions.
At the frequency and intensity of the ultrasonic energy
typically used in industrial applications, propagation
through liquids may be up to distances of 10 m. However,
the same energy will only propagate a few millimetres in
air. Therefore,
evenly distributed air bubbles will disperse the energy by
reflection from the liquid/air boundaries and cause
significant attenuation (Figure 7.15). The generally accepted
upper limit for entrained gases is about 1 % by volume,
and for solids about 1 to 5%.
Figure 7.15:
Sound propagation in a mixed medium
Bubble flow could appear with liquids operating close to
their boiling point where only a marginal pressure decrease
could cause the liquid to evaporate and form bubbles.
Another flashing-off phenomenon (not as well recognised
as boiling-offl occurs if gas is dissolved in liquid. Generally,
as the pressure decreases or the temperature rises, the
dissolved gas can no longer be contained in the liquid and
will flash-off until a new equilibrium is reached.
Typical examples of gases soluble in liquid are:
H
2
S in water
H
2
S in D1PA (diisopropylamine)
CO
2
in water
C0
2
in methanol
To minimise or prevent bubble flow, the meter should be
moved to a location in the line with a higher pressure, for
example, downstream of a pump. In immiscible mixtures
(for example, water/oil) beam scattering should be avoided
by thorough upstream agitation to ensure that no large
droplets (oil droplets in water or water droplets in oil) are
present at the meter section.
Product layering may also introduce beam scattering and
should be avoided by proper mixing. Product layering
occurs not just as a result of poorly mixed products, but at
locations where cold and hot streams are mixed.
Layering will most likely occur directly downstream of a
tie-in of a cold stream with a hot stream, of the same
product, as a result of density differences. To avoid product
layering, the fluid should be thoroughly mixed upstream
of the meter using reducers (d/D - 0.7) or static mixers.
Upstream/downstream piping requirements
Turbulence or even the swirling of the process fluid can
affect the ultrasonic signals. In typical applications the flow
needs to be stable to achieve good flow measurement.
Typically, sufficient straight pipe up- and downstream of
the transducers does this. The straight section of pipe
required upstream and downstream depends on the type
of discontinuity and varies for gas and liquid as shown in
Tables 7.1 and 7.2.
Classification Upstream Downstream
90bend
Tee
Diffuser
Reducer
Valve
Pump
Table 7.1:
Minimum straight line pipe lengths for general purpose liquid measurement (courtesy Fuji Electric)
Classification Upstream Downstream
90bend
Valve
Fan
Pump
Table 7.2:
Minimum straight line pipe lengths for general purpose gas measurement (courtesy Fuji Electric)
Chapter 8: Mass flow measurement
Most chemical reactions are based largely on their mass
relationship. Consequently, by measuring the mass flow
of the product it is possible to control the process more
accurately. Further, the components can be recorded and
accounted for in terms of mass.
Mass flow is a primary unit of flow measurement and is
unaffected by viscosity, density, conductivity, pressure and
temperature. As a result it is inherently more accurate and
meaningful for measuring material transfer.
Traditionally, mass flow has been measured inferentially.
Electromagnetic, orifice plate, turbine, ultrasonic, venturi,
vortex shedding, etc, all measure the flow of the medium
in terms of its velocity through the pipe (for example,
metres per second). However, because the dimensions of
thepipe are fixed, we can also determine the volumetric
flow rate (for example, litres per second). Further, by
measuring density and multiplying it by the volumetric
flow rate, we can even infer the mass flow rate. However,
such indirect methods commonly result in serious errors
in measuring mass flow.
Coriolis mass flow meters
Possibly the most significant advance in flow measurement
over the past few years has been the introduction of the
Coriolis mass flow meter. Not only does this technology
allow mass flow to be measured directly but Coriolis meters
are readily able to cope with the extremely high densities
of, for example, dough, molasses, asphalt, liquid sulphur,
etc, found in many industries.
The Coriolis force
The Coriolis meter is based on the Coriolis force
sometimes, incorrectly, known as gyroscopic action.
Consider two children, Anne and Belinda, seated on a
rotating platform. Anne is situated mid-way between the
axis and the outer edge of the platform while Belinda is
seated at the outer edge itself (FigureS.l). If Anne
nowthrowsa ball directly to Belinda, Belinda will fail to
receive the ball!
Figure 8.1:
If Anne throws a bait directly to Belinda, Belinda will fail to receive the
ball due to the Coriolis effect
The reason will have nothing to do with Annes ability to
throw a straight ball (well assume shes a perfect pitcher)
or Belindas ability to catch a ball (well assume shes a
perfect catcher). The reason is due to what is termed the
Coriolis effect.
What Anne has ignored is that although the platform is
rotating at a constant angular speed (co) she and Belinda
are moving at different circular or tangential speeds.
Indeed, the further you move away from the axis, the faster
your speed, and the tangential speeds of each are directly
proportional to the radius ie:
v = r.
where:
v = tangential velocity
r = radius
= angular speed
In this case, Belinda at the edge of the platform will have a
tangential speed twice that of Anne (Figure 8.2). Thus, when
Anne throws the ball radially outwards towards Belinda,
the ball initially has the velocity (v) radially outwards and a
tangential velocity V
A
due to the rotation of the platform. If
Belinda had this same velocity V
A
the ball would reach her
perfectly. But Belindas speed (v
B
) is twice that of V
A
. Thus
when the ball reaches the outer edge of the platform it
passes a point which Belinda has already passed and so
passes behind her.
Figure 8.2:
Belinda at the edge of the platform will have a tangential speed twice that
of Anne and thus the balls tangential speed needs to be accelerated from
VA to VB
Consequently, to move the ball from Anne to Belinda its
tangential speed needs to be accelerated from VA to VR.
This acceleration is a result of what is termed the Coriolis
force, named after the French scientist who first described
it, and is directly proportional to the product of the mass
in motion, its speed and the angular velocity of rotation:
F
cor
= 2mv
where:
F
cor
= Coriolis force
v = tangential velocity
= angularspeed
m = the mass of the ball
Looking at this from another point, if we could measure
the Coriolis force and knowing the tangential velocity and
the angular speed, we could determine the mass of the
ball.
How does this relate to mass measurement of fluids?
Consider a simple, straight liquid-filled pipe rotating around
axis A, at an angular velocity (Figure 8.3). With no actual
liquid flow, the liquid particles move on orbits equivalent
to their distance r from the axis of rotation. Thus, at distance
r
1
, the tangential velocity of a particle would be r
1
. whilst
at double the distance r
2
, the tangential velocity would
also double to r
2
.
Figure 8.3:
As the liquid flows away from the axis A, each mass particle will be
accelerated by an amount equivalent to its movement along the axis from
a low to a higher orbital velocity
If the liquid now flows in a direction away from the axis A,
at a flow velocity v, then as each mass particle moves, for
example, from r( to r2 it will be accelerated by an amount
equivalent to its movement along the axis from a low to a
higher orbital velocity. This increase in velocity is in
opposition to the mass inertial resistance and is felt as a
force opposing the pipes direction of rotationie it will
try to slow down the rotation of the pipe. Conversely, if we
reverse the flow direction, particles in the liquid flow
moving towards the axis are forced to slow down from a
high velocity to a lower velocity and the resultant Coriolis
force will try to speed up the rotation of the pipe.
Thus, if we drive the pipe at a constant torque, the Coriolis
force will produce either a braking torque or an accelerating
torque (depending on the flow direction) that is directly
proportional to the mass flow rate.
Although the possibility of applying the Coriolis effect to
measure mass flow rate was recognised many years ago, it
is little more than twenty years since the first practical
design was devised. During this development period, many
pipe arrangements and movements have been devised
with the major drawback of early systems lying in their
need for rotational seals. This problem was overcome by
using oscillatory rather than rotational movement.
A practical system
One of the simplest arrangements that incorporates all the
positive features of a Coriolis-based mass flow meter is
illustrated in Figure 8.4. Here, a tubular pipe, carrying the
Figure 8.4:
A pipe, formed in a loop, is vibrated around the z axis so that the straight
parts of the pipe, A-B and C-D, oscillate on the arcs of a circle
liquid, is formed in a loop and vibrated around the z axis.
The straight parts of the pipe, A-B and C-D, oscillate on the
arcs of a circle and without any flow will remain parallel to
each other throughout each cycle.
If a liquid now flows through the tube in the direction
shown, then the fluid particles in section A-B will move
from a point with a low rotary velocity (A) to a point with a
high rotary velocity (B). This means that each mass particle
must be accelerated in opposition to the mass inertial
resistance. This opposes the pipes direction of rotation
and produces a Coriolis force in the opposite direction.
Conversely, in section C-D, the particles move in the
opposite directionfrom a point with a high rotary velocity
(C) to a point with a low rotary velocity (D).
The resultant effect of these Coriolis forces is to delay the
oscillation in section A-B and accelerate it in section C-D.
As a result section A-B tends to lag behind the undisturbed
motion whilst section C-D leads this position.
Figure 8. 5 shows a practical arrangement in which two
tubes are vibrated in opposition to each other. Figure 8. 6
shows the oscillatory motion applied to a single tube whilst
Figure 8.7 shows the forces acting on the tube in which
there is fluid flow. As a result, the complete loop is twisted
by an amount that is directly and linearly proportional to
the mass flow rate of the fluid (Figure 8.8) with the
twisting moment lent to the pipe arrangement being
measured by sensors.
Figure 8.5:
Typical arrangement of a Coriolis type instrument (courtesy Micro Motion)
Figure 8.6:
Oscillatory motion applied to a single tube (courtesy Micro Motion)
Because of this twisting motion, one of the major design
factors of the oscillating tube is to prevent the pipe
fracturing because of stress ageing. Here, computer
simulation has given rise to a geometric design for thick-
walled tubes that does not expose them to bending stress
but to torsional strain applied evenly to the cross-section
of the tube.
A further factor in reducing stress fractures is to limit the
oscillation amplitude to approximately 1 mm which, in an
optimally designed system, would be about 20 % of the
maximum permitted value. Thus, because the distortion
caused by the Coriolis forces is about 100 times smaller (a
magnitude of about 10 (im) a measurement resolution of
0,1 % amounts to only a few nanometres.
Figure 8.7:
Forces acting on the tube as a result of fluid flow (courtesy Micro Motion)
Figure 8.8:
The complete loop is twisted by an amount that is directly and linearly
proportional to the mass flow rate of the fluid (courtesy Micro Motion)
Although the possibility of stress fractures occurring is
small, consideration must be given to the fact that a stress
fracture could occur resulting in the release of the process
medium. As a result, considerable attention has been paid
to secondary containment of the process medium.
It should be noted that secondary containment does not
necessarily match the maximum process pressure
specifications. Thus, for example, whilst the measuring
tube and flanges may be suitable for up to 400 bar, or
more, the secondary containment may only be rated up to
a pressure of 100 bar.
Multiple phase flow
While fundamentally suitable for both gaseous and liquid
media, in practice the Coriolis technique is really only
suitable for those gases with mass flow rates typical of
liquid medium. These are generally only obtained with high
density gases.
Mixtures with low admixtures of finely injected gas in
liquids or fine grain solid admixtures, react almost like a
single phase liquid in that the admixtures merely alter the
density. A Coriolis mass measurement is thus still effective.
At higher levels of non-hornogeneity, two problem areas
occur. First, a non-homogenous mixture results in an
irregular fluctuating density and, thus, a constantly
fluctuating resonant frequency that can put the system out
of phase.
A second problem is that the Coriolis method assumes that
all particles of the medium are accelerated on orbits in
accordance with the movement of the pipes. With high
proportions of gas, particles in the middle of the pipe will
no longer complete the movement of the pipe. Conversely,
the Coriolis forces of the mass particles in the centre of
the pipe will no longer affect the pipe walls. The result is
that the measuring value will be systematically reduced.
Most Coriolis-based systems can still tolerate an air-water
gas volume of between 4 and 6%. However, because the
behaviour of liquid-gas mixtures depends on the
distribution of bubbles, and on the materials involved, these
figures cannot simply be transferred to other mixtures.
With liquids having a lower surface tension than water, for
example, considerably higher proportions of gas can be
tolerated.
The conditions for solids in water are a great deal more
favourable and many good systems can tolerate
suspensions of fine grain solids of up to 20% in water
without any difficulty.
Density measurement
The measurement of mass flow by the Coriolis meter is,
fundamentally, independent of the density of the medium,
However, the resonant frequency of the oscillating pipe
will vary with density falling as the density increases. In
many instruments this effect is used to provide a direct
measurement of density by tracking the resonant oscillation
frequency.
The temperature of the pipe system changes with the
temperature of the measured medium and alters its
modulus of elasticity. This alters the oscillation frequency
and the flexibility of the loop system. Thus, the temperature
must be measured as an independent quantity and used
as a compensating variable. The temperature of the medium
is, therefore, also available as a measured output.
Loop arrangements
There are many different designs of Coriolis mass flow
meter, in the majority of which the primary sensor involves
an arrangement of convoluted tubes through which the
measured fluid flows.
In any arrangement which requires the tube to be bent to
form the desired convolutions, the outside wall is stretched
and becomes thinner while the inner wall becomes thicker.
This distortion will vary from one tube to another and,
when the flow meter requires two such convoluted tubes,
it becomes difficult to balance them dimensionally and
dynamically.
Furthermore, if the fluid to be measured is abrasive, this
already weakened part of the flow meter is likely to be
severely stressed. Abrasive material can also cause erosion
that will change the stiffness of the resonant elements and
so cause measurement errors.
In the parallel loop arrangement (Figure 8.9) the flow is
split at the inlet to follow parallel paths through the two
sections. The advantage of this is that the total cross-
sectional area of the flow path is the sum of the cross-
sections of both pipes. At the same time, since each pipe
has a relatively small cross section it may be designed to
have a high flexibility thus increasing the sensitivity to
the Coriolis effect.
A disadvantage of this arrangement is that the action of
splitting andthenre-combiningthe flow introduces a
significant pressure drop. Furthermore, the flow may not
be divided equally, in which case an unbalance is
generatedespecially if solids or gases are entrained in
the liquid flow. The same reasoning applies if the balance
of the split is disturbed by partial or complete blockage of
one sectionagain leading to measurement errors. The
balance may also be disturbed by separation of the
components in a two-phase flow, such as air or solids
entrained in liquid flow. A similar problem exists with shear-
sensitive fluids. The use of a flow splitter is prohibited in
Clean-in-Place (C1P) and Steam-in-Place (SIP) applications
since it is never certain that both tubes are clear. Further,
the splitter arrangement prohibits the use of a cleaning
pig.
Figure 8.9:
Parallel loop arrangement with flow splitter
In the serial arrangement (Figure 8.10) the total length of
the pipe is considerably greater due to the second loop
and must therefore have a larger cross-sectional area to
reduce the pressure loss. This, however, leads to increased
rigidity that makes it less sensitive to the Coriolis effect at
low flow rates. At high flow rates there is less pressure
drop, and the pipe is easier to clean.
Straight through tube
The development of a straight through tube mass flow
meter, without any loops or bends, is based on the fact
that a vibrating tube, fixed at its ends, also has a rotational
movement about the fixed points and thereby generates a
Coriolis force.
In the first of such designs, (shown in Figure 8.11) two
tubes are vibrated at their resonant frequency. Infrared
sensors are placed at two exactly defined locations at the
inlet and outlet of the pipe to detect the phase of the pipe
oscillation. At zero flow the oscillation of the system is in
phase (Figure 8.12). When liquid flows into the system the
flowing medium is accelerated on the inlet (Figure 8.13)
and decelerated on the outlet (Figure 8.14) and the
oscillation of the system is out of phase. The measured
phase difference is proportional to mass flow.
Figure 8.10:
Serial loop arrangement
In comparison with the looped type Coriolis mass flow
meter, the straight through pipe obviously offers a much
lower pressure loss and since it has no bends or loops, it is
easier to clean. Although this design avoids many of the
problems associated with the convoluted tube meter, the
flow splitter still causes a pressure drop and an unbalance
can occur due to partial or complete blockage of one
section. In more recent years several manufacturers have
introduced single straight-tube designs with no bends or
splitters. Currently these are limited to a maximum pipe
diameter of 50 mm.
Figure 8.11:
Two tubes are vibrated at their resonant frequency with sensors placed at
two exactly defined locations at the inlet and outlet of the pipe to detect
the phase of the pipe oscillation
Figure 8.12:
At zero flow the oscillation of the system is in phase (courtesy Endress +
Hauser)
Figure 8.13:
When liquid flows into the system the flowing medium is accelerated on
the inlet (courtesy Endress + Hauser)
Figure 8.14:
The flowing medium is decelerated on the outlet and the oscillation of the
system is out of phase (courtesy Endress + Hauser)
Summary of Coriolis mass measurement
Advantages
Coriolis meters provide direct, in-line and accurate mass
flow measurements of both liquids and gases. Accuracies
can be as high as 0,1% for liquids and 0,5% for gases.
The measurement is independent of temperature, pressure,
viscosity, conductivity and density of the processs medium.
Mass flow, density and temperature can be accessed from
one sensor. They can also be used for almost any application
irrespective of the density of the process medium.
Measurements range from less than 5 g/m to more than
350 tons/hr, whilst densities can be measured down to as
little as 0,0005 g/cc.
For critical control, mass flow rate is the preferred method
of measurement and, because of their accuracy, Coriolis
meters are becoming common for applications which
require tight control. Apart from custody transfer
applications, they are used for chemical processes and
expensive fluid handling.
Disadvantages
On the downside, despite tremendous strides in the
technology, Coriolis meters are still expensive and many
models are affected by vibration. Further, current
technology limits the upper pipeline diameter to 150 mm
and secondary containment can be an area of concern.
Thermal mass flow meters
Thermal mass flow measurement, which dates back to the
1930s, is a quasi-direct method, suited, above all, to
measuring gas flow. Thermal mass flow meters infer their
measurement from the thermal properties of the flowing
medium (such as specific heat and thermal conductivity)
and are capable of providing measurements which are
proportional to the mass of the medium.
In the ranges normally encountered in the process industry,
the specific heat c of the gas is essentially independent of
pressure and temperature and is proportional to density
and therefore to mass.
The two most common ways of measuring flow using
thermal techniques are to measure the rate of heat loss
from a heated body in the flow stream; or to measure the
rise in temperature of the flowing medium when it is heated.
Heat loss or hot wire method
In its simplest form, this method, sometimes referred to as
calorimetric, comprises a hot body (a heated wire,
thermistor, or Resistance Temperature Detector) placed in
the main stream of the flow (Figure 8.15). According to the
first law of thermodynamics, heat may be converted into
work and vice versa. Thus, the electrical power (I2R)
supplied to the sensor is equal to the heat convected away
from it.
Since the molecules (and hence mass) of the flowing gas
interact with the heated boundary layer surrounding the
velocity sensor and convect away the heat, the electrical
power supplied to the sensor is a direct measure of the
mass flow rate. The rate of heat loss of a small wire is
given by:
P = hA (T
w
- T
f
)
where:
P = heat loss in watts
Tw = wiretemperature
T = fluid temperature
A = surface area of the wire
h = heat transfer coefficient
Figure 8.15:
Basic schematic of hot wire method
The heat transfer coefficiency depends on the wire
geometry, the specific heat thermal conductivity and
density of the fluid as well as the fluid velocity in the
following way: Typically the heat transfer coefficient is
given by:
where C
1
and C
2
are constants that depend on the wire
geometry and gas properties. The term indicates that
the output of the hot wire flow meter is related to the
product of density and velocity, which can be shown to be
proportional to mass flow rate.
In practice, this device can be used only if the medium
temperature is constant, since the measured electrical
resistance of the hot wire cannot determine whether the
change in resistance is the result of a change in flow speed
or of a change in medium temperature. To solve this
problem the temperature of the medium must be used as a
reference value and a second temperature sensor immersed
in the flow to monitor the medium temperature and correct
for temperature changes (Figure 8.16). The mass measuring
RTD has a much lower resistance than the temperature
RTD and is self heated by the electronics. In a constant
temperature system, the instrument measures PR and
maintains the temperature differential between the two
sensors at a constant level.
Complete hot wire mass flow meters (Figure 8.17) are
available for pipes up to 200mm diameter(sizeDN200).
Above this size, insertion probes, which incorporate a
complete system at the end of a rod, are used.
The main limitation of this methodis thatbyits verypoint
measurement, it is affected by the flow profile within the
pipe as well as by the medium viscosity and pressure.
Further, since the measurement is determined by the
thermal characteristics of the medium, the system must
Figure 8.16:
A second temperature sensor monitors the gas temperature and
be calibrated for each particular gaswith each mass flow/
temperature sensor pair individually calibrated over its
entire flow range.
The measured value itself is primarily non-linear and
requires relatively complex conversion. On the positive
side, however, this inherent non-linearity is responsible for
the instruments wide rangeability (1000:1) and low speed
sensitivity (60 mm/s).
Figure 8.17:
Typical in-line hot wire
mass flow meter (courtesy
Sierra Instruments Ltd)
Such instruments also have a fast response to velocity
changes (typically 2 seconds) and provide a high level
signal, ranging from 0,5 to 8W over the range 0 to 60 m/s.
One of the .limitations of many conventional hot wire
systems is that they soon reach their performance limits
when higher mass flow speeds need to be detected. The
thermal current into the medium depends on the flow speed
and thus a constant heat input would mean that when the
flow speed is low there would be abuild-up of heat and a
corresponding temperature increase. And at high flow
speeds the temperature differential would be around zero
To overcome this problem, the heat input can be adapted
to the flow speed. This is achieved in the sensor shown in
Figure 8.18 which consists of a high thermal-conductive
ceramic substrate upon which are deposited a thick film
heating resistor (Rh) and two temperature-dependent thick
film resistors (T
1
and T
2
) (Figure 8.19).
Figure 8.16:
Sensor consists of a high thermal-conductive ceramic substrate upon
which are deposited a thick film heating resistor and two temperature-
dependent thick film resistors (courtesy Weber Sensors Group)
Figure 8.19:
As the process medium flows
along the front of the ceramic
substrate the thermal current
produced by the heating
resistor forms a temperature
gradient
As the process medium flows along the front of the ceramic
substrate the thermal current produced by the heating
resistor forms a temperature gradient as illustrated in Figure
8.19. The temperature differential between the two resistors
is then used to regulate the current controlling the heating
resistor.
Temperature rise method
In this method, the gas flows through a thin tube in which
the entire gas stream is heated by a constantly powered
source with the change in temperature being measured
by RTDs located upstream and downstream of the heating
element (Figure 8.20). Because of heat requirements this
method is used for low gas flows.
Here, the mass flow rate q
m
is:
The main disadvantages of this method is that it is only
suitable for low gas flows; the sensors are subject to erosion
and corrosion; and the multiple tapping points increase
chances of leakage.
Figure 8.20:
Basic schematic of temperature rise method
where:
External temperature rise method
An alternative arrangement places the heating element and
temperature sensors external to the pipe. In the
arrangement shown in Figures 8.21 and 8.22, the heating
elements and temperature sensors are combined so that
the RTD coils are used to direct a constant amount of heat
through the thin walls of the sensor tube into the gas. At
the same time, the RTD coils sense changes in temperature
through changes in their resistance.
The main advantage of this method is that it provides non-
contact, non-intrusive sensing with no obstruction to flow.
Capillary-tube meter
In a typical capillary-tube thermal mass flow meter the
medium divides into two paths, one (m2) through the
bypass and the other (rrij) through the sensor tube (Figure
8.23).
As the name implies, the role of the bypass is to bypass a
defined portion of the flow so that a constant ratio of bypass
flow to sensor flow (mjm.^ is maintained. This condition
will only apply iftheflowin the bypass is laminar so that
the pressure drop across the bypass is linearly proportional
to the bypass flow. An orifice by pass, for example, has
non-laminar flow so that the ratio of total flow to sensor
flow is non-linear.
One solution lies in the use of multiple disks or sintered
filter elements. Another solution is the bypass element used
by Sierra (Figure 8.24) which consists of a single machined
element having small rectangular passages with a high
length-to-width ratio. This element provides pure laminar
flow and is easily removed and cleaned.
With a linear pressure drop (P
1
- P
2
) maintained across the
sensor tube, a small fraction of the mass flow passes
through the sensor tube. The sensor tube has a relatively
small diameter and
Figure 8.21:
Thermal flow meter with external elements and heater
Figure 8.22:
In the capillary tube meter the RTD coils are used to direct a constant
amount of heat through the thin walls of the sensor tube into the gas
(courtesy Sierra Instruments)
Figure 8.23:
A typical capillary-tube thermal mass flow meter (courtesy Sierra
Instruments)
a large length-to-diameter ratio in the range 50:1 to 100:1
both features being characteristic of capillary tubes.
These dimensions reduce the Reynolds number to a level
less than 2 000 to produce a pure laminar flow in which
the pressure drop (Pl - P2) is linearly proportional to the
sensors mass flow rate (mj). In operation, the long length-
to-diameter ratio of the tube ensures that the entire cross-
section of the stream is heated by the coils with the mass
flow carrying heat from the upstream coil to the
downstream coil. This means the first law of
thermodynamics can be applied in its simplest form.
This method is largely independent of the flow profile and
the medium viscosity and pressure. It means that the flow
calibration for any gas can be obtained by multiplying the
flow calibration for a convenient reference gas by a constant
K-factor. K-factors are now available for over 300 gases,
giving capillary-tube meters almost universal applicability.
Although the output is not intrinsically linear with mass
flow, it is nearly linear over the normal operating range.
Accurate linearity is achieved with multiple-breakpoint
linearisation (for example at 0,25,50,75 and 100% of full
scale). In addition to its applicability to very low gas flows,
the capillary tube method can also be used for larger flows
by changing the bypass to effect a higher or lower value of
the bypass ratio (ir^/nij).
Liquid mass flow
Although the main application of the thermal mass flow
meter lies with gases, the same technology can also be
applied to the measurement of very low liquid flows, for
Figure 8.24:
Single machined elements having small rectangular passages with a high
length-to-width ratio provide pure laminar flow and are easily removed
and cleaned (courtesy Sierra instruments)
Figure 8.25:
A typical liquid thermal mass flow meter (courtesy Brookes-Rosemount)
example, down to 30 grams/hour. A typical meter is shown
in Figure 8.25. Here, die inlet and outlet of the sensor tube
are maintained at a constant temperature by a heat sink
with the mid-point of the sensor tube heated to a controlled
level for example, 20C above the temperature of the inlet-
outlet heat sink. These two locations, together with the
flow tube, are mechanically connected by a thermally
conductive path.
In this manner, the flowing fluid is slightly heated and
cooled along the sensor zones, 1 and 2 respectively, to
create an energy flow perpendicular to the flow tube. Two
RTDs (T, and T2), located at the mid-point of the sensor
tube determine the temperature difference. This
temperature difference is directly proportional to the energy
flow and is, therefore, directly proportional to the mass
flow times the specific heat of the fluid.
Chapter 9: Open channel flow measurement
In many applications, liquid media are distributed in open
channels. Open channels are found extensively in water
irrigation schemes, sewage processing and effluent control,
water treatment and mining beneficiation.
The most commonly used method of measuring flow in an
open channel is through the use of an hydraulic structure
(known as a primary measuringdevice) which changes the
level of the liquid. By selecting the shape and dimensions
of the primary device (a form of restriction) the rate of
flow through or over the restriction will be related to the
liquid level in a known manner. In this manner, a secondary
measuring element may be used to measure the upstream
depth and infer the flow rate in the open channel.
To ensure that the flow rate can be expressed as a function
of the head over the restriction, all such structures are
designed so that the liquid level on the upstream side is
raised to make the discharge independent of the
downstream level. The two primary devices in general use
are the weir and the flume.
The weir
A weir (Figure 9.1} is essentially a dam mounted at right
angles to the direction of flow, over which the liquid flows.
Figure 9.1:
A basic weiressentially a dam mounted at right angles to the direction
of flow
The dam usually comprises a notched metal platethe three
most commonly used being the rectangular weir, the
triangular (or V-notch) weir and the trapezoidal (or Cipolletti)
weireach with an associated equation for determining
the flow rate over the weir that is based on the depth of
the upstream pool. The crest of the weir, the edge or surface
over which the liquid passes, is bevelledwith a sharp
upstream corner. The depth (h) of the flow over the crest
of the weir (Figure 9.2) is
Figure 9.2:
For accurate flow measurement, the nappe should have sufficient fall
known as the head and is usually measured some distance
upstream of the plate (>4 x h) where the draw-down effect
is minimal. For the associated equation to hold true and
accurate flow measurement to be determined, thestream
ofwater leaving the crest (the nappe), should have sufficient
fall (Figure 9.2). This is called free or critical flow, with air
flowing freely beneath the nappe so that it is aerated.
Should the level of the downstream water rise to a point
where the nappe is not ventilated, the discharge rate will
be inaccurate and dependable measurements cannot be
expected.
Figure 9.3:
Rectangular weir (a) with no
contraction; and (b) with
lateral contraction
Rectangular weir
The rectangular weir was the earliest type in use and due
to its simplicity and ease of construction is still the most
popular.
In its simplest form (Figure 9.3 (a)), the weir extends across
the entire width of the channel with no lateral contraction.
The discharge equation (head versus flow rate) of such a
restriction, without end contractions, is:
q = k L h
1.5
where:
q = flow rate
k = constant
L = length of crest
h = the head measured upstream a distance of
> 4 x head
Generally, this means that for a 1% change in flow, there
will be a 0,7% change in the level.
A problem with rectangular weirs without contraction is
that the air supply can become restricted and the nappe
clings to the crest. In such cases a contracted rectangular
weir (Figure 9.3 (b)) is used where end contractions reduce
the width and accelerate the channel flow as it passes over
the weir and provides the needed ventilation. In this case
the discharge equation of such a restriction, with end
contractions, becomes:
q = k (L-0,2h) h15 where:
q = flow rate
k = constant (how is k evaluated)
L = length of crest
h = the head
The rectangular weir can handle flow rates in the range
1:20 from about 0 - 15 1/s to 10 000 Vs or more (3m crest
length).
Trapezoidal (Cipolletti) weir
In the trapezoidal type of weir (Figure 9.4) the sides are
inclined to produce a trapezoidal opening. When the sides
slope one horizontal to four vertical the weir is known as a
Cipolletti weir and its discharge equation (head versus flow
rate) is similar to that of a rectangular weir with no end
contractions:
q = k L h
1.5
The trapezoidal type of weir has the same flow range as a
rectangular weir.
Figure 9.4:
The trapezoidal or Cipolletti weir
Triangular or V- notch weir
The V-notch weir (Figure 9.5) comprises an angular v-
shaped notchusually of 90and is well suited to low
flows.
A major problem with both the rectangular and trapezoidal
type weirs is that at low flow rates the nappe clings to the
crest and reduces the accuracy of the measurement. In the
V-notch weir, however, the head required for a small flow
is greater than that required for other types of weirs and
freely clears the crest even at small flow rates.
The discharge equation of the V-notch weir is given by:
q = k h
2.5
where:
q = flow rate
k = constant
h - the head
This equates to a 0,4 % change in height for a 1 % change
in flow. V-notch weirs are suitable for flow rates between 2
and 100 I/s and, for good edge conditions, provide an
accuracy of 2-3%. Higher flow rates can be obtained by
placing a number of triangular weirs in parallel. The main
problem with the V-notch is that it is easily blocked by
debris.
Figure 9.5:
The triangular or V- notch weir
There is a high unrecoverable pressure loss with weirs.
This may not be a problem in most applications, however,
with the operation of a weir, the flow must clear the weir
on departure. If the liquid is not free flowing and there is
back pressure obstructing the free flow, then the level over
the weir is affected and, therefore, the level and flow
measurement. Apart from their simple operation weirs have
a good rangeabilitycapable of detecting high and low
flows.
On the negative side weirs have a high pressure loss and
encourage the build-up of silt.
The flume
The second class of primary device in general use is the
flume (Figure 9.6). The main disadvantage of flow metering
with weirs is that the water must be dammed, which may
cause changes in the inflow region. Further, weirs suffer
from the effects of silt build-up on the upside stream. In
contrast, a flume measures flow in an open channel in which
a specially shaped flow section restricts the channel area
and/or changes the channel slope to produce an increased
velocity and a change in the level of the liquid flowing
through it.
Figure 9.6:
Basic flume in which a specially shaped flow section produces an increased
velocity and a change in the liquid level
Major benefits offered by the flume include: a higher flow
rate measurement than for a comparably sized weir; a much
smaller head loss than a weir; and better suitability for
flows containing sediment or solids because the high flow
velocity through the flume tends to make it self-cleaning.
The major disadvantage is that a flume installation is
typically more expensive than a weir.
Flume flow considerations
An important consideration in flumes is the state of the
flow. When the flow velocity is low and is due mainly to
gravity, it is called tranquil or sub-critical. Under these
conditions, to determine the discharge rate, it is necessary
to measure the head in both the approach section and in
the throat.
As the flow velocity increases and the inertial forces are
equal to or greater than the gravitational force, the flow is
termed critical orsupercritical. For both critical and
supercritical states of flow, a definitive head/discharge
relationship can be established and measurement can be
based on a single head reading.
Venturi flume meters
Originally developed in India by Messrs. Inglis and Crump
of the Indian Irrigation Service, the rectangular venturi
flume (Figure 9.7), with constrictions at the side, is the
most commonly used since it is easy to construct. Normally
consisting of a converging section, a throat section, and a
diverging section, standardisation was brought about by
the BST in publication BS 3680 of 1981, Part 4a.
Figure 9.7:
Rectangular venturi flume with constrictions at the side
In addition, the throat cross-section can also be trapezoidal
or U-shaped. Trapezoidal flumes are more difficult to design
and construct, but they provide a wide flow range with
low pressure loss. A U-shaped section is used where the
upstream approach sectionis alsoU-shapedandgives higher
sensitivity especially at low (tranquil) flows.
Although the theory of operation of flumes is more
complicated than that of weirs, it can be shown that the
volume flow rate through a rectangular Venturi flume is
given by:
q = k h
1.5
where:
q = the volume flow
k = constant determined by the proportions of the
flume
h - the upstream fluid depth
Measurement is taken at a point three to four times the
maximum head upstream of the inlet.
Parshall venturi flume
Developed in the USA in the 1920s by R. Parshall for use in
the waste water industry, the Parshall Venturi Flume (Figure
9.8) differs from conventional flat bottomed venturi flumes
in that it incorporates a contoured or stepped floor that
ensures the transition from sub-critical to supercritical flow.
As shown, the floor is parallel over the inlet section and
then slopes down through the throat section and rises again
through the discharge stage. This allows it to function over
a wide operating range with only a single head
measurement. The Parshall Venturi flume also has better
self-cleaning properties and relatively low head loss.
Parshall Venturi flumes are manufaetured in a variety of
fixed sizes and are usually made of glass fibre reinforced
polyester. Users can install them in existing channels.
Because of its slightly changed shape, the discharge
equation of the Parshall Venturi flume changes slightly to:
Figure 9.8:
The Parshall Venturi Flume
incorporates a contoured
or stepped floor
q = k h
n
where:
q = flow rate
h = the head
k and n are constants determined by the
proportions of the flume
Generally, the exponent n varies between 1.522 and 1.607,
determined mainly by the throat width.
Providing excellent self cleaning properties, the venturi
flume has replaced the weir in most applications, and the
Parshall flume is, at present, possibly the most accurate
open channel flow measuring system with flow ranges from
0.15 to 4000 litres/s.
Advantages include: reliable and repeatable measurements;
no erosion; insensitive to dirt and debris; low head pressure
loss; and simple operation and maintenance. However it is
more expensive than the rectangular Venturi flume and
more difficult to install.
Palmer Bowlus
The Palmer Bowlus flume (Figure 9.9) was developed in
the USA in 1936 for use in waste water treatment and its
name derives from the inventors, Messrs. Palmer and
Bowlus. As shown it comprises a U-sectioned channel with
a trapezoidal throat section and a raised invert. Its main
advantage is its ability to match up to circular pipes and it
can be fitted inside existing pipes in special applications.
Flow ranges from 0.3 to 3500 litres/s.
Khafagi flume
Similar to the Venturi flume the Khafagi flume (Figure 9.10)
does not have a parallel throat section. Instead, the throat
Figure 9.9:
The Palmer Bowlus flume comprises a U-sectioned channel with a
trapezoidal throat section and a raised invert (courtesy Neupiast)
section is that point at which the inlet section meets the
curve of the divergent discharge section. The floor is
horizontal throughout its length. Flow range is from 0.25
to 1500 litres/s.
Figure 9.10:
The Khafagi flume does not have a parallel throat section
Level measurement
A weir or a flume restrict the flow and generate a liquid
level which is related to flow rate. A secondary device is
therefore required to measure this level. Several measuring
methods exist:
Ultrasonics
The most popular method is ultrasonic level measurement.
This makes use of a transducer, located above the channel,
which transmits a burst of ultrasonic energy that is reflected
from the surface of the water (Figure 9.11). The time delay
from the transmitted pulse to the received echo is converted
into distance and hence determines the liquid level.
Figure 9.11:
Ultrasonic level
measurement uses a
transducer mounted above
the channel, which
transmits a burst of
ultrasonic energy that is
reflected from the liquid
surface (courtesy
Milltronics)
Ultrasonic sensors have no contact with the liquid; are easy
to install; require minimal maintenance; and are not affected
by grease, suspended solids, silt, and corrosive chemicals
in the flow stream. Modern ultrasonic systems are capable
of providing high level measuring accuracies (down to
0,25%).
Most ultrasonic instruments incorporate built-in
linearisation in which a wide range of different
compensating curves are stored in the instruments
memory. During commissioning of the system, users may
then access the correct curve depending on the type and
dimensions of the weir or flume. Manufacturers of fibre-
glass flumes are also able to provide suitable linearisation
software tailored to the dimensions of their primary devices.
Float measurement
Float measurement is a direct measurement method in
which the height of the float is proportional to the water
level (Figure 9.12). As illustrated, this height is mechanically
transmitted via a cable and pulley to rotate a mechanical
cam. The profile of the cam is contoured according to the
specific level-flow rate relationship of the primary
measuring device being used and thus the position of the
cam follower is proportional to flow rate. Alternatively, the
mechanical movement may be electrically linearised and
converted to a standardised output signal. This method is
seldom used and is difficult to calibrate.
Figure 9.12:
Float-operated flow meter (courtesy Isco Inc.)
Floats are not only affected by changes in ambient air
temperature, they are also subject to build up of grease
and other deposits that can alter the immersion depth of
the float and thus affect the measured value. They generally
require the use of a stilling well and, since this method has
moving parts that are subject to wear, periodic maintenance
and repair is required.
Capacitive measuring systems
The principle of capacitive level measurement is based on
the change in capacitance between an insulated probe
immersed in the liquid and a grounding plate or tube which
is also in contact with the liquid (Figure 9.13).
Figure 9.13:
Insulated probe and grounding plate form a capacitorwith the liquid
acting as the dielectric (courtesy Endress + Hauser)
The PVC- or Teflon-coated probe and the grounding plate
form the plates of a capacitor and the liquid forms the
dielectric. As the liquid level changes, it alters the dielectric
constant of the capacitor and, therefore, its capacitance.
By measuring the capacitance a reading can be obtained
and directly related to level and flow.
The main advantages of this system are that there are no
moving parts; no mains power is required at the measuring
point; and the distance between the probe and the control
room can be up to 600 m.
The main disadvantage is that accuracy is affected by
changes in the characteristics of the liquid. Further, despite
the very smooth surface of the Teflon or PVC coating, waste
water containing grease can still lead to deposits on the
measuring probe which affect the measured value.
Hydrostatic pressure measurement
This method makes use of a submerged sealed pressure
transducer to measure the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid
above it (Figure 9.1.4). The hydrostatic pressure is the force
exerted by a column of water above a reference point and
is proportional to the height.
The transducer comprises a membrane which is firmly
attached to the channel wallwith an oil fill transmitting
the pressure on the membrane to a capacitive metering
cell. Submerged pressure transducers are not affected by
wind, steam, turbulence, floating foam and debris, or by
deposits or contamination.
However, because they are submerged, the transducers
may be difficult to install in large channels with high flow,
and may
Figure 9.14:
Hydrostatic pressure measurement uses a submerged sealed pressure
transducer to measure the hydrostatic pressure of the liquid above it
require periodic maintenance in flow streams with high
concentrations of suspended solids or silt. Further, accuracy
may be affected by changes in the temperature of the
process medium.
Bubble injection
Like the submerged pressure transducer, the bubble
injection method or bubbler measures the hydrostatic
pressure of the liquid (Figure 9.IS). The system comprises
a pressure transducer connected to a bubble tube which
is located in the flow stream and whose outlet is at the
lowest point.
Air or other gas, at a constant pressure, is applied to the
tube so that bubbles are released from the end of the bubble
tube at a constant rate. The pressure measured by the
transducer, which is required to maintain the bubble rate,
is proportional to the liquid level.
Figure 9.15:
Bubble injection system (courtesy Baiiey-Fischer + Porter)
Because the pressure transducer is not in contact with the
fluid, it is not subject to chemical or mechanical attack. In
addition, the cost of providing explosion proof protection
is minimal. When used in channels with high concentrations
of grease, suspended solids or silt, bubblers may require
occasional maintenancealthough periodic air purges of
the bubble tube minimise this problem. Additional
maintenance is also required to regenerate desiccators that
prevent moisture from being drawn into the air system of
a babbler.
Chapter 10: Common installation practices
In non-fiscal and non-custody transfer applications, flow
meters are rarely calibrated and are often left in situ for 10
or more years without any thought to their accuracy.
Further, in too many instances, the initial installation is
often so poorly undertaken, without any regard to basic
installation practices, that it is highly unlikely that the meter
in question ever met the manufacturers stated accuracy.
The data supplied by most manufacturers is based on
steady flow conditions and installation in long straight pipes
both upstream and downstream of the meter. In practice,
most meter installations rarely meet these idealised
requirementswith bends, elbows, valves, T-junctions,
pumps and other discontinuities all producing disturbances
that have an adverse effect on meter accuracy.
Both swirl and distortion of the flow profile can occur
either separately or together. Research has shown that swirl
can persist for distances of up to 100 pipe diameters from
a discontinuity whilst in excess of 150 pipe diameters can
be required for a fully developed flow profile to form.
Environmental influences
The most important feature of a flow meter is that it should
be sensitive to flow and as insensitive to environmental
influences as possible. The most important environmental
influences include:
Fluid temperature
The temperature range of the fluid itself will vary
considerably
depending on the industry in which it is to be used:
food industry: 0 to 130C to withstand CIP (cleaning
in place)
industrial steam, water, gases: 0 to 200 C
industrial superheated steam: up to 300 C
industrial outdoor usage: down to -40 C
cryogenics: down to -200 C
Pressure pulsations
Pressure pulsations can be a problem when measuring
liquids since, after they are created, they travel a long way
down the pipeline without being significantly damped. In
vortex meters, for example, such symmetrical pulsations
could be detected as a vortex signal.
The insensitivity to such common mode pressure
fluctuations should, therefore, be at least 15 Pa. Differential
Figure 10.1:
A number of flow conditioners or straighteners are available for use in the
upstream line to minimise the effects of disturbances
pressure flow measurement systems can be susceptible to
common mode pressure variations if the connection
systems on either side of the differential pressure cell are
not identical and as short as possible.
Vibration
Vibration is present on any piece of pipework in industry
and is of particular significance in Coriolis and vortex
meters. The vortex frequencies for gas, for example, lie in
the range 5 to 500 Hz. Consequently, vibration induced
signals in this range cannot be fully filtered out. Where
possible, therefore, the sensor itself should be insensitive
to pipe vibration.
Flow conditioning
While the effect of most flow disturbances can be overcome
through the use of sufficient straight pipe length, upstream
of the meter, this is not always practical. In such cases use
can be made of one of a number of flow conditioners or
straightening vanes or pipes. (Figure 10.1). Straighteners
are effective in eliminating swirl and helping to restore
grossly distorted flow profiles. However they cannot,
generally, provide the mixing action of fluid layers required
to normalise a velocity profile and some length of straight
piping is still required downstream of the conditioner to
provide the necessary mixing action.
For example, a Vortab Flow Conditioner is 3 diameters long,
and requires 4 diameters of straight pipe between it and
the meter. This reduces the total upstream pipe run
(including the flow conditioner) to just 7 diameters for any
upstream disturbance. Folded vane and fin type
straightening vanes are normally used on gases whilst the
tubular type is normally used on steam or liquids. It is
usually recommended that vanes be installed only in
extreme cases after all other alternatives have been
exhausted.
There is always a danger of straightening vanes coming
loose in the flow line and causing serious damage to
expensive equipment. They should be installed as securely
as possible and should be used only for applications where
moderate line velocities, pressures and temperatures exist.
General installation recommendations
To ensure reliable flow meter operation, the following
checklist will minimise problems:
install the meter in the recommended position and
attitude
ensure the measuring tube is completely filled at all
times
when measuring liquids, ensure there is no air or
vapour in the liquid
when measuring gases, ensure there are no liquid
droplets in the gas
to minimise the effects of vibration support the
pipeline on both sides of the flow meter
if necessary, provide filtration upstream of the meter
protect meters from pressure pulsations and flow
surges
install flow control or flow limiters downstream of the
meter
avoid strong electromagnetic fields in the vicinity of
the flow meter
where there is vortex or corkscrew flow, increase
inlet and outlet sections or install flow straighteners
install two or more meters in parallel if the flow rate
is too great for one meter
allow for expansion of the pipework and make sure
there is sufficient clearance for installation and
maintenance work
where possible provide proving connections
downstream of the meter for regular in-situ
calibrations
to enable meters to be removed for servicing without
station shutdown, provide a by-pass line
Figures 10,2 to 10.7 illustrate a number of recommended
installation practices laid down specifically for
electromagnetic flow meters. The same principles also
apply to most other flow metering devices.
Torquing
The role of a gasket is to form a sandwich between the
flanges and ensure that the medium flowing through the
meter is safely contained.
Figure 10.2:
Preferred locations. Since air bubbles collect at the highest point on a pipe
run, installation of the meter at this point could result in faulty
measurements. The meter should not be installed in a downpipe where the
pipe may be drained (courtesy Krohne)
Figure 10.3:
In a horizontal pipe run, the meter should be installed in a slightly rising
pipe section (courtesy Krohne)
Figure 10.4:
Where there is an open discharge, install the meter in a low section of the
pipe (courtesy Krohne)
Figure 10.5:
In long pipes, always install shutoff valves downstream of the flow meter
(courtesy Krohne)
Figure 10.6: Never install a flow meter on the pump suction side
(courtesy Krohne)
Figure 10.7:
Where a downpipe is 5 m lower than the main inlet pipe, install an air
valve at the highest point (courtesy Krohne)
If the flange bolts are not tightened enough the gasket will
leak. If over-tightened, the gasket may become deformed
resulting in a leakage. More seriously, many gaskets (for
example, an O-ring) are recessed, as shown in Figure ]0.8,
and are normally tightened until a metal-to-metal contact
occurs. In this case over-tightening can cause deformation
of the flangesleading to possible damage to the meter
itself. Ceramic liners, in particular, have been prone to
damage through over-tightening as their mechanical
characteristics are quite different from metals.
Figure 10.8:
Recessed gaskets are normally tightened until a metal-to-metal contact
occurs (courtesy Endress + Hauser)
During commissioning or replacement of a meter, the flange
bolts should be tightened only when the maximum process
temperature is reached. Conversely, meters should be
disconnected when the temperature is below 40C to avoid
the risk of damaging the surface of the gasket.
If a flange connection leaks, despite the fact that the bolts
are tight, then they should NOT BE TIGHTENED ANY
FURTHER. Loosen the bolts opposite the leak and tighten
the bolts by the leak. If the leak persists, then the seal
should be checked for foreign objects trapped in between.
The torque values given in Table 10.1 are based on greased
bolts and serve as guidelines only since they depend on
the material from which the bolts are manufactured.
Earthing
To ensure measuring accuracy and avoid corrosion damage
to the electrodes of electromagnetic flow meters, the sensor
and the process medium must be at the same electrical
potential. This is achieved by earthing the primary head as
well as the pipeline by any one or more of a number of
methods including: earthing straps, ground rings, lining
protectors and earthing electrodes.
Torque values DIN in Nm
DN PN Bolts Klingerite Soft rubber PTFE
15 40 4xM12 15
20 4xM12 25
25 4xM12 25 5 33
32 4xM16 40 53
40 4xM16 50 8 67
50 4xM16 64 84
65 16 4xM16 87 11 114
80 8xM16 53 11
100 8xM16 65 15 70
25 8xM16 80 22 85
150 8xM20 110 14 103
200 12xM20 108 22 140
30 137
48
53
250 12xM20 104/125 29/56 139/166
300 12xM20 191/170 39/78 159/227
350 16xM20 141/193 39/79 188/258
400 16xM24 191/245 59/111 255/326
450 10/16 20xM24 170/251 58/111 227/335
500 20xM24 197/347 70/152 262/463
600 20xM27 261/529 107/236 348/706
700 24xM27 312/355 122/235
800 24xM30 417/471 173/330
900 28xM30 399/451 183/349
1000 28xM33 513/644 245/470
Table 10.1:
Torque values based on greased
bolts for various gaskets (courtesy
Endress + Hauser)
Figure 10.10:
Earthing for conductive unlined and lined pipe with lining protectors
(courtesy Fisher Rosemount)
Figure 10.12:
Earthing for conductive lined pipe with earthing rings (courtesy Fisher
Rosemount)
Figure 10.9:
Earthing for conductive unlined pipe and conductive pipe with earthing
electrode (courtesy Fisher Rosemount)
Figure 10.11:
Earthing for non-conductive pipe with earthing rings (courtesy Fisher
Rosemount)
Figure 10.13:
Earthing for non-conductive lined pipe with earthing electrodes (courtesy
Fisher Rosemount)
Improper earthing is one of the most frequent causes of
problems in installations. If the earthing is not symmetrical,
earth loop currents give rise to interference voltages
producing zero-point shifts. Figures 10.9 to 10.13 show
the most effective earthing configurations.
Figure 10.14:
Cathodic protection installations (Courtesy Fisher Rosemount)
It is essential in cathodic protection installations to ensure
that there is an electrical connection between the two piping
runs using earthing rings or electrodes. It is also essential
that no connection is made to earth.
Bibliography
1] Hogrefe W, Kirchhof U, Mannherz E, Marchewka W,
Mecke U, Otto F. Rakebrandt KH, ThneA, Wegen-
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& Porter
2] Olin JG: An Engineering Tutorial: Thermal mass
flowmeters, Sierra Instruments, INTECH, August
1993
3] Buzzard WS: Comparison of Flowmeter Accuracy
Statements, Fischer & Porter
4] Spink LK: Principles and Practice of Flow Meter
Engineering, The Foxboro Company
5] Cusick CF: Flow Meter Engineering Handbook,
Honeywell Automation.
6] R W Miller, Flow Measurement Engineering
Handbook, McGraw-Hill
7] Considine DM: Process instruments and Control
Handbook McGraw-Hill
8] Fundamentals of Flowmetering, Rosernount Inc
9] Grimson J: Mechanics and Thermodynamics of
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15] SpinkLK: Fundamental principles of orifice plates,
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23] Vortex shedding flow meters Krohne, 1998
24] Lomas DJ: Vortex flow metering challenges the
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Controlotron Corporation, API Pipeline Conference,
1994
Electronic Reprint of
Mike Crabtrees Flow Handbook - 2nd edition
Issued November 2000

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