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FLOWMETERS
FLOWMETER DEFINITION TYPES
DP Flowmeters a) Also called differential producers 1) Orifice plate
b) It measures the differential pressure 2) Pitot tube
caused by an obstruction in the flow 3) Flow Nozzle
stream. The DP is the difference in 4) Venturi tube
pressure between a point before the 5) Wedge
obstruction and a point after the 6) V-cone
obstruction. 7) Rotameter
Velocity They work by producing an output based 1) Magnetic flowmeter
flowmeters upon fluid velocity that is linear to the 2) Vortex Flowmeter
volumetric flow rate. They are less 3) Turbine meter
sensitive to flow profile and have a greater 4) Ultrasonic
rangeability than DP flowmeters flowmeter
Mass Often used to control chemical reactions by 1) Coriolis mass
Flowmeters assessing the safe level of component flowmeter
ratios. 2) Thermal mass
flowmeter
Positive Positive displacement flowmeters measure
Displacement volumetric flowrate by repeatedly trapping
Flowmeters and measuring a sample of process fluid.
(Volumetric Total volume = (sample vol)*(no. of sample)
Flowmeters)

DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE FLOWMETERS

NOTE:
1. Check Table 10-4, page 10-15 Perry’s Handbook 8th edition: Comparison of Flowmeter
Technologies
2. Turndown Ratio = maximum flow / minimum flow
For example, if a given flow meter has a 50:1 turndown ratio the flow meter is capable of
accurately measuring down to 1/50th of the maximum flow. So, suppose a flow meter has a
full scale rating of 20 l/min the flow meter will measure down to 0.4 l/min of flow.

Insertion Meters Pitot Tube

Orifice
Head Meters
(Full-bore Venturi
DP Flowmeters meters)
Nozzles
Area Meter Rotameters
Rectangular Weir
Meters for Open
Channel Flow Triangular – notch
Weir

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GEN. FORMULA for Orifice, Venturi &Nozzle

Perry’s Handbook: Eq’n 10-22

NOTE:

SYMBOL DEFINITION
w Weight rate of discharge or mass flowrate of discharge
q1 Volumetric rate of discharge measured at upstream pressure & temp.
1 Density of the fluid at upstream pressure and temperature
C Coefficient of discharge (dimensionless)
Y Expansion factor (dimensionless) or Coefficient of Volume expansion
A2 Cross-sectional area of throat
gC Dimensional constant
P1 Pressure at upstream static pressure tap
P2 Pressure at downstream static pressure tap
 Ratio of throat diameter to pipe diameter

GEN. FORMULA for Orifice, Venturi &Nozzle

Perry’s Handbook: Eq’n 10-22

SYMBOL DEFINITION
Y Coefficient of volume expansion:
a) For Liquids: Y = 1
b) For Gases: see Fig. 10-18 or Eq’n 10-23 at Perry’s Handbook
8th ed.
C Discharge Coefficient
1) For square or sharp edged orifices
a) C = 0.61 for   0.2 for all taps except pipe tap
b) C = 0.61 for Nre > 30,000 or See Fig. 10-15 Perry 8th
edition
2) If Nre < 30,000 see Fig 10-16 Perry 8th edition
3) For VENTURI METERS
If Nre > 10,000, C = 0.98

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Square or sharp edged

orifices

GEN. FORMULA for Orifice, Venturi &Nozzle)

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Coefficient of Discharge - ORIFICE

Coefficient of Discharge - ORIFICE

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DP FLOWMETERS: ORIFICE PLATE

Conditioning Orifice Plate

DP FLOWMETERS: VENTURI TUBE

3 SECTIONS DEFINITION
Converging It gradually decreases the pipe diameter and creates a pressure
inlet cone drop. A high pressure tap is located at the start of the inlet
cone.
Throat The inlet cone ends at the throat, where the low pressure tap is
found. Fluid velocity is neither increasing nor decreasing in the
throat.
Diverging It increase in cross-sectional area, which enables the fluid to
outlet cone return to very near its original pressure. It also eliminates air
pockets and minimizes frictional losses.

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ORIFICE AND VENTURI METER

Apply Bernoulli’s Theorem, if we neglect the head lost in the equation, the
values we get are the theoretical velocity or theoretical discharge.
Considering head lost, we get the actual values (actual velocity and
actual discharge.

PROBLEMS:
1. A horizontal 150mm diameter pipe gradually reduces its section to 50
mm diameter, subsequently enlarging into 150mm section. The
pressure in the 150 mm pipe at a point just before entering the
reducing section is 140 kPa and in the 50 mm section at the end of the
reducer, the pressure is 70 kPa. If 600 mm of head is lost between
the points where the pressures are known compute the rate of flow of
water through the pipe. What is the meter coefficient?
ANS: Q actual = 22.3727 L/s, Cd =0.9570
2. A 150 mm diameter horizontal venturi meter is installed in a 450 mm
diameter water main. The deflection of mercury in the differential
manometer connected from the inlet to the throat is 375 mm. What
is the discharge if the head lost from the inlet to the throat is 300
mm water and what is the meter coefficient?
ANS: Q actual = 0.1657 m3/s, Cd =0.968

ORIFICE AND VENTURI METER

PROBLEMS:
3. Water at 700F is flowing through a 3 inch ID pipe at a rate of 150
gpm.
a) If a standard sharp edge orifice 1 ¾ inch in diameter is inserted
in the line, what would be the manometer reading?
ANS: 1.15 ft Hg
b) If a venturi meter with a throat diameter of 1 ¾ inch is used
instead of the orifice, what would be the manometer reading?
ANS: 0.44 ft Hg
c) What would be the % saving in power if a venturi is used instead
of an orifice
ANS: % saving = 94.22%