FLOW MEASUREMENT

Positive Displacement Meter

Nutating Disc Oval gear type Helix type.

Positive Displacement Flow meter

Measures the volume of fluid passing through the flowmeter This achieved by repeatedly filling a bucket with fluid before dumping the contents downstream. Number of times that the bucket is filled and emptied is indicative of the flow through the flow meter

Positive Displacement Meter

Generally used for accurate measurement of steady flow They split the flow of liquids into separate known volumes based on the physical dimensions of the meter, and count them or totalize them. They are mechanical meters in that one or more moving parts, located in the flow stream, physically separate the fluid into increments. Energy to drive these parts is extracted from the flow stream and shows up as pressure loss between the inlet and the outlet of the meter. The general accuracy of these meters is dependent upon minimizing clearances between the moving and stationary parts and maximizing the length of the flowing path. For this reason, accuracy tends to increase as size increases.

Nutating Disc
also known as disk meter, is used extensively for residential water service. The moving assembly, which separates the fluid into increments consists of an assembly of a radially slotted disk with an integral ball bearing and an axial pin.

Nutating Disc

Nutating Disc
Metering chamber divided into four volumes, two above the disk on the inlet side and two below the disk on the outlet side. Pressure drop from inlet to outlet causes the disk to wobble or nutate, For each cycle to display a volume equal to the volume of the metering chamber minus the volume of the disk assembly.

Nutating Disc
The end of the axial pin, which moves in a circular motion, drives a cam that is connected to a gear train and the totalizing register. Inaccuracy : 1 to 2%. Temperature range : 150 to 120C. Max working pressure : 10 kg/cm2.

Oval Gear Type

A special variety of the rotating tube flow meter is the oval geared metering elements. These oval-geared meters are generally used on very low viscous liquid, which is difficult to measure using other flow meters. A precise volume of liquid is captured by the gap formed between housing and the gear

Oval Gear Type

Oval Gear Type

In position A, uniform forces are applied equally on the top and bottom of oval gear B, so that the gear does not rotate. Rotor A has entrapped a known volume of liquid between the rotor and the meter body, and there is a balanced force on the bottom of the gear. However, there is a force on the bottom of gear A, causing it to rotate clockwise (CW). This causes gear B to rotate in a counter clock wise (CCW) direction to position B.

Oval Gear Type

In position B, fluid enters the space between gear B and the meter body, as the fluid that was entrapped between gear A and the body simultaneously leave the area of entrapment. The higher upstream pressure oppose the lower downstream pressure at the ends of gear A and gear B, which makes gear A and gear B continue to rotate in CW and CCW directions respectively, to position C.

Oval Gear Type

In position C, a known amount of fluid has been entrapped between gear B and the meter body. This operation is then repeated, with each revolution of the gears representing the passage of four times the amount of fluid that fills the space between the gear and the meter body. Therefore, the fluid flow is directly proportional to the rotational velocity of the gears.

Oval Gear Type

If slippage between the oval-gears and the housing is small, and the flow rate and viscosity are high, these flow meters can provide high accuracies. (0.1%). These flow meters are available in the sizes suitable for 6 mm to 400 mm diameters pipelines. Their materials of construction include brass, carbon steel, and 316 stainless steel. Operating pressures are available up to 100 kg/cm2 and temperatures up to 300C.

Helix Type Flow Meters

Utilizes two uniquely nested, radically pitched helical rotors as the measuring elements. Close machining tolerances ensure minimum slippage and thus high accuracy.

Rotameter
In this meter, a weighted float or plummet contained in an upright tapered tube, is lifted to the position of equilibrium between the downward force of the plummet and the upward force of the fluid in addition to the buoyancy effect of the fluid flowing past the float through the annular orifice. The flow rate can be read by observing the position of the float.

Rotameter

Rotameter - Theory
Consists of a tapered metering tube and a float which is free to move up and down within the tube. The metering tube is mounted vertically with the small end at the bottom. The fluid to be measured enters at the bottom of the tube, passes upward around the float, and out at the top.

Rotameter - Theory
When there is no flow through the meter, the float rests at the bottom of the metering tube where the maximum diameter of the float is approximately the same as the bore of the tube. When fluid enters the metering tube, the buoyant effect of the fluid lightens the float, but it has a greater density than the liquid and the buoyant effect is not sufficient to raise it.

Rotameter - Theory
There is a small annular opening between the float and the tube. The pressure drop across the float increases and raises the float to increase the area between the float and tube until the upward hydraulic forces acting on it are balanced by its weight less buoyant force. The metering float is floating in the fluid stream. The float moves up and down in the tube in proportion to the fluid flow rate and the annular area between the float and the tube. It reaches a stable position in the tube when the forces are in equilibrium.

Rotameter - Theory
With upward movement of the float towards the larger end of the tapered tube, the annular opening between the tube and the float increases. As the area increases, the pressure differential across the float decreases. The float assumes a position, in dynamic equilibrium, when the pressure differential across the float plus the buoyancy effect balances the weight of the float.

Rotameter - Theory
Any further increase in flow rate causes the float to rise higher in the tube ; a decrease in flow causes the float to drop at a lower position. Every float position corresponds to one particular flow rate and no other for a fluid of a given density and viscosity. It is merely necessary to provide a reading or calibration scale on the tube and flow rate can be determined by direct observation of the position of the float in the metering tube.

Rotameter - Theory
According to Bernoullis Theorem

Rotameter - Theory

Rotameter - Theory