Tag: flow meters

Applications for a Turbine Flow Meter

Posted on by Chris Theriot

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:

Exploring the Different Types of Water Meters

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Water Meters | Flowmetrics

Flowmeters are devices designed to measure the rate of flow of a fluid moving past a certain point within a specific system, such as water moving through a pipe. They are commonly used by water utilities, but also have uses in industrial and manufacturing capacities. The precise purpose often dictates which design is ideal. Take a look at some of the different types of water meters below.

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Who Uses Flowmeters? You May Be Surprised by the Answer

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Flowmeters | Flowmetrics

Flowmeters are devices that measure the rate of flow for a variety of liquids or gasses that are transported through pipes. But this description by itself doesn’t provide much of an indication regarding who uses them. The fact is that flowmeters are more prevalent than you may realize, and are an important part of operations in a wide range of industries and business types.

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How to Choose a Flowmeter for Chemical Processing

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Chemical Processing | Flowmetrics

Installing the correct flowmeter is a vital part of chemical processing and choosing the wrong product could lead to losses within your business.

When it comes to chemical processing, there is little room for mistakes when adhering to regulations and providing accurate data. So, this means that purchasing a meter should not be something you take lightly.

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A Guide to Positive Displacement Flow Meters

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Positive Displacement Flow Meters | Flowmetrics

Positive displacement flow meters are mechanical instruments that measure the volumetric flow rate of a fluid. The main advantage of these types of flow meters is their ability to handle high viscous and corrosive fluid, and they typically do not require filtration prior to processing. Here is a guide to positive displacement flow meters which includes an overview of the basic design, operation and benefits of this type of mechanical flow meter.

 

General Components and Operation

Though the details of each design vary, positive displacement flow meters all contain these major components:

  • Inlet and outlet ports
  • Measuring chamber
  • One or more rotors

Fluid enters the measuring chamber through the inlet port and imparts energy on the rotor. The rotation of the rotor corresponds to the volume of fluid entering the chamber, and a signal is collected by the connected flow meter transmitter. The fluid then exits the chamber through the outlet port.

Two gears are commonly used as rotors for this type of flow meter. The gears can be aligned vertically or horizontally, and they can either be circular or oval shaped. In either case, the purpose of having two gears is to create a seal within the measuring chamber so that all fluid is measured before passing through. Other positive displacement flow meter designs may utilize two helical or screw-shaped gears, while some use one or more pistons or diaphragms to physically push fluid through the chamber.

 

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Choosing the Right Flow Meter For Your Needs

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Flow Meter | Flowmeters

Types of Flow Meters

Flow meters measure the rate at which mass moves through a pipe or tube. The rate can be expressed as the volume moved per unit time such as gallons per minute or the quantity of mass moved per unit time such as kilograms per second. The flow measured is usually considered a fluid, either liquid or gas. It is important to measure flow for any application so that you know how much mass is transported through the system. Some application examples include:

  • Measuring the flow of water on the suction side of a pump to ensure the proper amount of fluid is entering the system
  • Measuring the flow of sludge on the discharge side of a pump to determine the pumping efficiency
  • Measuring the flow of polymer entering a holding tank to determine how much time it will take to fill the tank
  • Measuring the flow of pressurized air through a backwash line so that the proper amount of pressure is applied

There are a variety of flow meters that utilize different principles of physics to measure fluid dynamics. For example, there are mechanical, pressure-based, thermal and electromagnetic types of flow meters. Each type of flow meter is useful for a specific set of applications. This article discusses three mechanical types of flow meters: turbine, positive displacement and variable area.

 

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How to Use a Batch Controller

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Batch Controller | FlowmetricsA batch controller calculates the number of items or the volume of things that are being processed at any given time. If these are solid objects, they work in the form of counters to calculate individual things, but when it comes to gas or liquid, these batches need to be counted by other means. Liquids and gasses pass through tubes when they are transferred and the volume of material must be communicated in the form of velocity, such as through rate per minute. A flow meter deals with volume and the batch controller displays the amount of liquid and gas that is passing through the tanks to the tubes.

When looking for a batch controller, you may select one that accepts pulses per second and gives rates and total readings for batching functions. You should also see hardware and software features and clear monitoring that is accurate and easy to read. You could find a controller that can monitor remotely or up close and can print out results as needed.

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Best Rotameter Designs

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Rotameter | Flowmetrics    

Rotameters, also referred to as variable area flow meters, are widely used to measure gas and liquid flow. The basic principle of rotameter design includes a float that rotates as it is pushed by the flow. The rotation speed of the float indicates the rate of the flow. With today’s new technology, the basic rotameter has evolved its capabilities to provide highly precise flow rate measurements and to withstand a variety of extreme temperature and pressure conditions.

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Roles of Flow Computers

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Flow Computers | Flowmetrics

 

An Overview of Flow Computers and Their Function

Flow computers are essential components of large scale systems with multiple flows that need to be continuously analyzed and managed. They automate the data collection and data management processes so that operators can get a snapshot of the system status and make decisions quickly.

Flow computers also provide a means to calculate corrected values and interpret data from compensated flow meters. Compensated flow meters are those that need a certain amount of pressure to accurately measure flow rate. If the flow meter does not receive the required pressure, the flow rate reading can vary significantly from the actual flow rate within the pipe.

Uncompensated flow meters, also known as non-compensated flow meters, do not rely on specific pressure values and usually work within a defined pressure range. For applications where pressure is consistent, compensated flow meters work fine. For all other applications where pressure varies within a range, uncompensated flow meters should be used. Regardless, flow computers can collect data from compensated or uncompensated instruments and identify the actual flow rate by performing calculations.

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What Is the Role of the Field Indicator in Your Flow Meter?

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Field Indicator | Flowmetrics

Flow meters have become a necessary tool throughout a range of industries and are integral to many companies in the industrial, chemical, energy, scientific laboratory and aerospace sectors. Understanding chemical make up and flow rates are essential to maintaining efficient and safe operations across industries. Magnetic particle testing can be an important component in particular flow meter designs, and a field indicator is a major factor in the functioning of any magnetically based system. Understanding the role and types of field indicators is critical to understanding the overall effectiveness of your magnetic flow meter.

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