Applications for a Turbine Flow Meter

Turbine Flow Meter Overview:

A turbine flow meter is a volume sensing device. As liquid or gas passes through the turbine housing, it causes the freely suspended turbine blades to rotate. The velocity of the turbine rotor is directly proportional to the velocity of the fluid passing through the flow meter.

The external pickoff mounted on the body of the flow meter, senses each rotor blade passing, causing the sensor to generate a frequency output. The frequency is directly proportional to the volume of the liquid or gas.

Either a magnetic or modulated carrier (RF) pickup can be used to sense the rotational speed of the turbine rotor.

Depending on your flow meter application, there are many types of turbine flow meters to choose from. And after understanding the application several factors come into effect when choosing a flow meter, such as:

  • Fluid Type
  • Viscosity
  • Connection
  • Pipe Sizing
  • Process Temperature (min & max)
  • Flow Range (min & max)
  • Pressure Range (min & max)
  • Accuracy Range
  • Specific Application

If you need volumetric total flow and/or flow rate measurement, a turbine flow meter is the ideal device. Turbine flow meters are used in a wide variety of liquid and gas flow sensing applications. They can be built to endure high pressure, and high and low temperatures. They offer a high turn-down with minimum uncertainty and excellent repeatability. Turbine flowmeters are also simple to install and maintain only requiring periodic recalibration and service.

Specifications:

Accuracy is generally expressed as a percentage of true volume, measuring how close the instrument indicates actual flow.

Repeatability is determined on how well the flow meter can indicate the same reading whenever the same flow conditions exist. It also ensures quality measurement of fluids over a wide range of flow rates, temperatures, compositions and viscosities.

Depending on the type of turbine flow meter, the specifications vary.

Turbine Meter – (FM Series)
Tangential Turbine Flowmeter – (FMT Series) capable of measuring extremely low flow rates.
Insertion Turbine Flow Meter – (FMP Series) used economically usually in pipes 6” and larger in diameter

Liquid Service
Flow Range: 0.03 – 15,000 GPM
Accuracy:

±0.5% Linearity over Normal Range 10:1 Turndown
±0.05% Repeatability
Sizes: 1/4″ to 72″
Gas Service
Flow Range: 0.25 – 1500 ACFM
Accuracy:

±0.1% Linearity over Normal Range 10:1 Turndown
±1% Repeatability
Sizes: 1/4″ to 72″

Industries:

How to Calibrate a Positive Displacement Flow Meter

Positive Displacement Flowmeter | Flowmetrics

A flow meter is a device designed to measure the rate of flow of a fluid through a space within a larger system. In fact, the use of flow meters is incredibly common amongst businesses and other organizations including:

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Professional Calibration Services Keep Your System Flowing

Professional Calibration Services | Flowmetrics

Flow is a crucial measurement in any system, large or small. It helps indicate the status and efficiency of the upstream equipment and what to expect for downstream equipment. It also helps operators determine the process output, balance mass throughout the system and determine characteristics about the transported fluid. Continue reading “Professional Calibration Services Keep Your System Flowing”

5 Best Practices for Calibrating Your Flow Meter

Calibrating Your Flow Meter | Flowmetrics

Flow meters are constantly utilized to ensure the proper function of various industrial machines. Its function is to measure the rate at which fluids or gases flow through it. Too much or too little flow could result in malfunction of a machine, so it is important that the flow meter present a proper reading. For this reason, it is generally critical that flow meters be regularly calibrated to ensure that the readings they provide are accurate. There are some standard practices regarding calibrating your flow meter that should be applied, but here are five best practices that you should keep in mind to make sure that your flow meter works at its optimum capacity.

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7 Steps to Selecting the Proper Flow Meter

Proper Flow Meter | FlowmetricsFlow meters help to ensure the proper function of a variety of industrial machinery. Just as the machines vary, so do their flow needs, therefore they may benefit from different types of flow meters. To determine the proper flow meter for your needs, it may be helpful to follow these seven steps.

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Turbine Flow Meters Pros and Cons

Turbine flow meters are the preferred method for clean, filtered and low viscosity fluids. These meters also are known for their accuracy. The inner workings and design of these meters are very well known within the industry. However, like anything, there are pros and cons of using turbine flow meters. 

Let’s start with the pros. Turbine flow meters are low cost and easy to install and operate. They rarely have performance issues, as their technology is rather simple. These meters are great for gases and liquids and have a relatively wide envelope of flow to them. 

Now the drawbacks. They require frequent calibration. Their installation has to be exact and precise to avoid any errors. They require the fluids passing through to be clean. There are also issues with cavitations and errors due to viscosity changes. 

 

For more on this subject visit AZO HERE

 

 

Video: Flow Meter Calibration Instructions

In this video by the team at Cal State University in San Bernadino, the students walk through the proper instructions of how flow meter calibration works. As a note the gas flow calibration should be done first before any liquid calibration is done. Also included in the demonstration is the software that is used to provide the most accurate readings and compare past calibrations. Flow meter calibration is necessary before starting any project. 

 

For more about flow meter calibration visit the CSUSB Human Performance Lab HERE

Flow Meter Demonstration

 

The inner workings of a flow meter is quite an interesting thing. The way they work and calibrate the matter that is running through them is truly remarkable. This video shows a flow meter used in chemical engineering.

Flow meters are becoming a vastly used tool in the engineering, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing fields. These tools, give accurate readings of the materials that flow through them. 

 

For more information and experiments visit Ahmed Elkhatat HERE