provided with such a sophistication. The only calculating capability provided is a square root extractor and further a constant meter factor is assumed. Meter factor ;— Ideal ‘Typical calibration Valu used in calculations -—=4 33 x 100 Flow rate (%) Design flow rate Fig. 13.1 Optimum sizing of a differential pressure flow meter (using a square root extractor) ‘The flow charts presented earlier in this handbook calculate the flow factor at only one point on the above curve. This point is so chosen in order to minimize the errors resulting from a flow meter over its, whole workeable range, see Fig. 13.1. In general, the evaluation point "X" is taken close to the normal reading, ie. the desiga flow rate. ‘The flow meter reads true only at this flow rate. Higher on the scale it reads slightly higher than true, lower on the scale it reads slightly lower than true, Fig, 13.1 ilustrates this situation, 133 THE UNCERTAINTY OF FLOW MEASUREMENT 13.3.1 General discussion Many factors, including engineering tolerances in the flow meter primary and secondary parts, varia- tions in fluid characteristics, etc., contribute an element of uncertainty to the flow rate indicated by a flow meter in relation to the actual, true rate of flow through-the device. Itis therefore necessary to estimate the uncertainty of the measurement. The more realistic the estimate, the more useful the measurement. ‘The uncertainty in a flow measurement can be expressed in either absolute or relative terms as follows: absolute rate of flow = q + 8q (flow units) relative rate of flow = q (flow units) + (6q/q) x 100%. ‘The causes of the uncertainty 8q are of such a nature that one cannot say with absolute certainty that a flow meter will indicate a flow rate q within the band q + 8q. The criterion for determining 8q for any flow meter should be such that, meaningful information is conveyed to the user. The usual criterion is that there is 295% probability that the flow meter’s output reading will agree with the true reading within the limits q + 6q, To arrive at an overall &q with reference to the total flow meter's performance, it is ‘common to assume that the component errors have anormal” (or gaussian’) distribution. In reality this is seldom exactly true but the closeness to this distribution and the mathematical simplification achieved by the assumption, are well worth accepting the slight error in the error calculation. Manufacturers of proprietary flow meter designs also provide accuracy figures for their products. For example, the manufacturer of a vortex meter, a basically pulse-producing device, may quote the 185