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FOR CURRENT COMMITTEE PERSONNEL
PLEASE E-MAIL CS@asme.org
REAFFIRMED 2005
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I FLOW IN
FLOWMETERS
MEASUREMENT OF
I G VORTEX

ASME MFC-6M-1998
A NA M E R I C A NN A T I O N A LS T A N D A R D

FLUD
PIPES USN
The American Society of
Mechanical Engineers
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Date of Issuance: July 4, 1998

This Standard will be revised when the Society approves the issuance of
a new edition. There will be no addenda or written interpretations of the
requirements of this Standard issued to this edition.

ASME is the registered trademark of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

This codeor standard was developed under procedures accredited as meeting the criteria for
American National Standards. The Standards Committee that approved the code or standard
was balanced to assure that individuals from competent and concerned interests have had an
opportunity to participate. The proposed code or standard was made available for public review
and comment which provides an opportunityfor additional publicinput fromindustry, academia,
regulatory agencies, and the public-at-large.
ASME does not "approve," "rate," or "endorse" any item, construction, proprietary device,
or activity.
ASME does not take any position with respect to the validity ofany patent rights asserted in
connection with any items mentionedin thisdocument, and does not undertake to insure anyone
utilizing astandard against liability forinfringement of any applicable Letters Patent, nor assume
any such liability. Users of a code or standard are expressly advised that determination of the
validity of any such patent rights, and the risk of the infringement of such rights, is entirely their
own responsibility.
Participation by federal agency representative(s1or person(s) affiliated with industry is not to
be interpreted as government or industry endorsement of this code or standard.
. ASME acceptsresponsibilityfor onlythoseinterpretations issued in accordancewith governing
ASME procedures and policies which preclude the issuance of interpretations byindividual ,.

volunteers.

No part of this document may be reproduced in any form,

in an electronic retrieval system or otherwise,
without the prior writtenpermission of the publisher.

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Three Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5990

Copyright (9 1998 by
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERS
All Rights Reserved
,Printed in U.S.A.
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FOREWORD
(This Foreword is not a part of ASME MFC-6M-1998.)

This Standard has been prepared by ASME/MFCC/SC16 - Vortex Shedding Flowmeters.

It isone of a series ofstandards covering a variety of devices thatmeasure the. flow
offluidsin closed conduits.
The vortex shedding principle has become an accepted basis for fluid flow measurement.
Meters based on this principle are available for measuring the flowof fluids ranging from
cryogenicliquidstosteamandhigh-pressuregases.Vortexsheddingflowmeters are also
referred to as vortex meters. Their designs are proprietary and, therefore, their design details
and associated uncertainty bands cannot be covered in this document. However, these devices
have in common the shedding of alternating pairs of vortices from some obstruction in the
meter.Thenaturallaws of physicsrelatethesheddingfrequency, 5 tothevolumetric
flowrate, qy, of thefluidinthe conduit. The vortexpairscanbecountedover a given
periodoftimetoobtaintotalflow.
This Standard contains therelevantterminology,testprocedures,list of specifications,
application notes, and equations with which to determine the expected performance character-
istics.
This Standard was approved by theAmericanNationalStandardsInstituteonFebruary
20, 1998.

...
111
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ASME STANDARDS COMMllTEE MFFCC
Measurement of Fluid Flow in Closed Conduits
(The following is the roster of the Committee at the time of approval of this Standard.)

OFFICERS
R. W. Miller, Chair
E. H. Jones, Vice Chair
K. M. Padilla, Secretary

COMMITTEE PERSONNEL
N. A. Alston, Measurement & Control, Inc.
C. J. Blechinger, Ford Motor Co.
R. W. Caron, Ford Motor Co.
G. P. Corpron, Equimeter, Inc.
R. J. DeBoom, Micro Motion, Inc.
R. H. Fritz, Saudi Aramco
T. L. Hillburn, Turnbow Engineering
Z. D. Husain, Texaco, Inc.
E. H. Jones, Chevron Petroleum Technology
T. M. Kegel, Colorado Engineering Experiment Station, Inc.
D. R. Keyser, NAWC
C. G. Langford, Consultant
J. Mahieu, Kansas City, Missouri Water & Pollution Control Department
W. M. Mattar, Foxboro Co.
0 . E. Mattingly, U.S. Department of Commerce
M. P. McHale, McHale & Associates, Inc.
R. W. Miller, R. W. Miller & Associates
J. W. Nelson, Consultant
W. F. Seidl, Colorado Engineering Experiment Station, Inc.
P. Skweres, Dow Chemical
D.W. Spitzer, Nepera Inc.
D. H. Strobel, Badger Meter, Inc.
S. H. Taha, Preso Industries
S. A. Ullrich, Barnant Co.
J. H. Vignos, Foxboro Co.
D. E. Wiklund, Rosemount, Inc.
1. Williamson, Nova Research & Technology Corp.
D.C. Wyatt, Priman/ Flow Signal, Inc.

SUBCOMMITTEE 16 PERSONNEL
W. M. Mattar, Chair, Foxboro Co.
G. P. Corpron, Equimeter, Inc.
R. J. DeBoom, Micro Motion, Inc.
T. M. Kegel, Colorado Engineering Experiment Station, Inc.
G. E. Mattingly, U.S.Department of Commerce
P. Skweres, Dow Chemical
D. W. Spitzer, Nepera Inc.
J. A. Storer, Vortek Instruments
J. H. Vignos. Foxboro Co.
D. E. Wiklund, Rosemount, Inc.

V
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CONTENTS

...
Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Committee Roster ....................................................................... v

1 Scope ......................................................................... :. . . 1

2 References and Related Documents .............................................. 1

3 Definitions ........................................................................ 1

4 Principle of Measurement ........................................................ 4

5 Flowmeter Description ........................................................... 5

5.1 Physical Components........................................................... 5
5.2 Equipment Markings ........................................................... 5

6 Application Considerations ...................................................... 5

6.1 Sizing ......................................................................... 5
6.2 Process Influences .............................................................. 6
6.3 Safety ......................................................................... 6

7 Installation ....................................................................... 6
7.1 Adjacent Piping ................................................................ 7
7.2 Flowmeter Orientation .......................................................... 7
7.3 Flowmeter Location ............................................................ 7
7.4
New Installations ............................................................... 7

8 Operation ......................................................................... 7

9 K Factor Determination .......................................................... 7

Figures
Curve .......................................................
1 Example of a K Factor 3
2 Vortex Formation ................................................................... 4
Table
1 Symbols ........................................................................... 2
Appendix
A Period Jitter
andIts Effect on Calibration ............................................ 9

vii

MEASUREMENT OF FLUID FLOW IN PIPES USING VORTEX
FLOWMETERS
1 SCOPE
This Standard:
(a) describes vortex shedding flowmeters in which
alternating vortices are shedfromone or morebluff
bodies installed in a closed circular conduit;
(6) describes how the frequency of the vortex pairs
is a measure of the fluid velocity; how volume, mass,
and standard volumeflowrateis determined; and how
the total fluidthathasflowedthrough the meterin a
specifiedtimeintervalcanbe measured;
( c ) applies only to fluid flow that is steady or varies
only slowly with time, is considered single-phased, and
whenthe closed conduit is full;
(d) provides only generic information on vortex shed-
ding flowmeters, including a glossaryand a set of
engineering equations useful in specifying performance;
( e ) describes the physical components of vortex shed-
ding flowmeters and identifies the need for inspection,
certification, andmaterial traceability;
If, addresses phenomena that may negatively affect
vortex detection, as well as shift the K factor, and
describes guidelines for reducing or eliminating their
influences; and
( 8 ) provides calibration guidance.
2 REFERENCES AND RELATED DOCUMENTS
Unless otherwise indicated, the latest issue of a
referenced standard shall apply.
ASME MFC-IM, Glossary of Terms Used in the Mea-
surement of FluidFlowin Pipes
ASME MFC-2M, Measurement Uncertainty for FluidIEC
Flow in Closed Conduits
ASME MFC-7M, Measurement of Gas Flow by Means
of CriticalVenturi
Flow Nozzles
ASME MFC-9M, Measurement of Liquid Flow in
Closed Conduits by Weighing Method
ASME MFC- IOM, Method for Establishing Installation
Effects on Flowmeters
Publisher: The American Society of Mechanical Engi-
neers (ASME), Three Park Avenue, New York, NY
10016-5990
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ASME MFC-6M-1998
IS0 4006, Measurement of Fluid Flow in Closed Con-
duits - Vocabularyand Symbols
IS0 4185, Measurement of Fluid Flow in Closed Con-
duits - WeighingMethod
IS0 5168, Measurement of FluidFlow - Evaluation
of Uncertainty
IS0 7066- I , Assessment of Uncertainty in the Calibra-
tion and Use of Flow Measurement Devices - Part
1 : Linear Calibration Relationships
IS0 7066-2, Assessment of Uncertainty in the Calibra-
tion and Use of Flow Measurement Devices - Part
2: Non-Linear Calibration Relationships
IS0 8316, Measurement of Liquid Flow in Closed
Conduits - Method by Collection of the Liquid in
a Volumetric Tank
IS0 DIS 9368, Installations for Flowrate Measurement
by the WeighingMethod - TestMethods - Part
1: Static Weighing Systems
IS0 TR 12764, Measurement of Fluid Flow in Closed
Conduits - FlowrateMeasurement by Means of
Vortex Shedding Flowmeters Inserted in Circular
Cross-section Conduits RunningFull
IS0 DTR 12765, Measurement of Fluid Flow in Closed
Conduits - FlowrateMeasurement by Means of
Ultrasonic Flowmeters
Publisher: International Organization for Standardization
(ISO), 1 me de Varembk, Case postale 56, CH-1211
Gene& 20, Switzerland
IEC PUB 359, Expressions of the Functional Perform-
ance of Electronic Measuring Equipment
IECPUB381-1 d.c., Current Transmission
PUB 381-2 d.c., "Itage Transmission
IEC PUB 529, Ingress ProtectionClassificationand
Testing Procedures
Publisher: International Electrotechnical Commission
(IEC), 3 me de Varembk, Case postale 131, CH-
121 1 Genevi 20, Switzerland
3 DEFINITIONS (See Table 1 for Symbols)
For the purposes of this Standard, the following
definitions are
useful
particularly in describing the
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MEASUREMENT OF FLUID FLOW IN PIPES
ASME MFC-6M-1998 USING VORTEX FLOWMETERS

TABLE 1
SYMBOLS
Symbol Quantity Dimensions SI Units
~

a Averaging Time T S
D Diameter of meter bore L m
A Cross-sectional area of meter bore L2
f Frequency of vortex shedding r1 HZ
d Width of bluff body normal to the flow L m
K Kfactor L-3 m-3
N Number of vortex pulses dimensionless
9v Volume flowrate L~ r 1 m3/s
9m Mass flowrate M T1 kgls
Qv Totalized volume flow L3 m3
0, Totalized mass flow M kg
Re Reynolds number dimensionless
St Strouhal number dimensionless
U Average fluid velocity in meter bore Lrl mls
a Coefficient of linear expansion of material 8‘ K-’
CL Absolute viscosity (dynamic) ML-‘ r1 Pals
P Fluid density ML-3 kg/m3
T Temperature 0 “K
s % Error in the average period dimensionless
t Two-tailed Student’s t at 95% confidence dimensionless
U Estimate of standard deviation of the T S
average period
7 Average period of vortex shedding T S
n Number of period measurements dimensionless
P Pressure ML-l r2 Pa
Pdmin Minimum downstream pressure limit ML-’ r2 Pa
c1 c2 Empirical constant dimensionless
r2
I

AP Overall pressure drop ML-l Pa

P”,, Liquid vapor pressure at the flowing ML-’ r2 Pa
temperature
~~~ ~

GENERAL NOTES:
(a) Fundamental dimensions: M = mass, L = length, T = time, 0 = temperature
(b) Subscript:
b = base conditions
flow = flowing fluid conditions
D = unobstructed diameter of meter bore, see
above
m = mass unit
o = refers to reference condition
v = volume units, reference conditions
v = volume units, flowing conditions
mean = average of extreme values
max = maximum value
min = minimum value
I = the ith measurement

dmin = minimum downstrean value

2
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MEASUREMENT OF FLUID FLOW IN PIPES
USING VORTEX FLOWMETERS ASME MFC-6M-1998

Linearity
(+/-%) 1
The upperandlower limits of thelinearrange are
specified by the manufacturer.
lowest local pressure: thelowestpressurefound in
themeter. This isthepressure of concernregarding
Either Reg or qv of a specific fluid
at specific thermodynamic conditions flashing and cavitation. Some of the pressure is recov-
ered downstream of themeter.
FIG. 1 EXAMPLE OF A K FACTOR CURVE meter bore Reynolds number: the meter bore Reynolds
number is a dimensionless ratio of inertialtoviscous
forces which is used as a correlating parameterthat
combines the effects of viscosity, density, andpipe
characteristics of vortex shedding flowmeters. ASME
linevelocity. Itisdefined as:
MFC-IM provides a more extensive collection of defi-
nitions and symbols pertainingtothemeasurement of
fluidflow in closed conduits. I S 0 7066-1and IS0 DUP
ReD = -
CL
7066-2 provide additional definitions, statistical tech-
niques, and analytical concepts pertainingtomeasure-
ment uncertainty. meter factor: thereciprocal ofmean K factor.

cavitation: theimplosion of
vapor
bubblesformed pressure loss: the difference betweentheupstream
after flashing when thelocalpressurerises above the pressureandthepressuredownstream of themeter
vapor pressure of the liquid. after recovery.

flashing: theformation of vaporbubbles in a liquid random error: component of the error of measurement
when thelocalpressure falls t o or belowthevapor which, in the course of a number of measurements of
pressure of the liquid, often due tolocalloweringof thesamemeasurand,varies in an unpredictableway.
pressure because of an increase in the liquid velocity. Note: It is not possible tocorrect for random error.
K factor: the K factor, in pulsesper unit volume,is
the ratio of themeter output in number of pulsesto random uncertainty: component of uncertainty associ-
the corresponding total volume of fluid passing through ated with a random error. Its effect onmean values
the meter during a measuredperiod.Variations in the canbereduced by taking many measurements.
K factor maybepresented as a function of either the
rangeability: flowmeter rangeability is the -ratio of the
meterbore Reynolds number or of theflowrate of a
maximum to minimumflowrates or Reynoldsnumber
specific fluid at a specific set of thermodynamic condi-
in therange over whichthemetermeets a specified
tions (see Fig. 1).
uncertainty (accuracy).
In practice, the K factor thatiscommonlyusedis
the mean K factor, whichisdefinedby: response time: for a step change in flowrate, response
timeisthetimeneeded for theindicatedflowrateto
differ fromthetrueflowrate by a prescribedamount
(e.g., 10%).
Strouhalnumber: the Strouhal numberis a dimen-
where sionless parameterthatrelatesthemeasuredvortex
Kmax = the factor Over a designated shedding frequency to the fluid velocity and the
bluff
range body characteristic dimension. It isgivenby:
Kmin = the minimum K factor over the same range
linearity: linearityvariations
relates
the to of the K St = f-
x d
(4)
factor over a specified range, defined either by ReD or U
qv of a specific fluid at specific thermodynamic condi-
tions (see Fig. I). In equation form it isdefined as: In practicethe K factor, whichisnot dimensionless,

3
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MEASUREMENT OF FLUID FLOW IN PIPES
ASME MFC-6M-1998 USING VORTEX FLOWMETERS

Shear layer
7 ,- Bluff body r Conduit

Flow Velocity
d
t
D
pair

FIG. 2 VORTEX FORMATION

replaces the Strouhal number as thesignificantpa- dimension, d, andthefluid velocity, CJ.

rameter.
systematic error: a component of the error of measure- u = f- x d
st
ment which, in the course of a number of measurements
of the same measurand, remains constant or variesin
For certain bluffbody shapes, the Strouhal number
a predictable way.
remains essentially constant within a large range of
Note: Systematic errors andtheir causes may be known orunknown. Reynolds numbers. This means that the Strouhal number
is independent of density, pressure, viscosity, and other
systematic urtcertainty: a component of uncertainty physical parameters. Given this situation, the flow veloc-
associated with a systematic error. Its effect cannot be ityisdirectly proportional to the frequency atwhich
reduced by taking manymeasurements. the vortex pairsare being shed; i.e., the vortex pulserate,
uncertainty: an estimate characterizing therange of
valueswithinwhichthetruevalue of a measure-
ment lies.
where 5 is a constant equal to "/s, and the volumetric
Note:Uncertaintyis also referred toasaccuracy. flowrate at flowing conditions, i.e., the volume flowrate,
is givenby:
4 PRINCIPLE OF MEASUREMENT
q v = A x U = [ V ] x f (7)
If a bluffbodyisplaced in a pipe in whichfluid
isflowing, a boundarylayer forms and grows along
the surface of the bluffbody.Due to insufficient The K Factor for a vortex shedding flowmeter is
momentum and an adverse pressure gradient, separation relatedtothe Strouhal number by:
occurs and an inherently unstable shear layer is formed.
This shear layer rolls up into vorticesthatshed alter-
nately from the sides of the body and propagate down-
stream. This series of vortices is called a von Karman-
like vortex street (see Fig. 2). The frequency at which Hence,
pairs of vortices are shed is directly proportional to the
fluid velocity. Since the shedding process is repeatable it f
canbeusedto measure flow. 4v = (9)
Sensors are usedto detect shedding vortex pairs,
i.e., to convert the pressure or velocity variations associ- When the density at flowing temperature and pressure
atedwith the vortices to electrical signals. is known,themassflowrate (see Eq. 10) and the
The Strouhal number, St, relates the frequency, J of volumetric flowrate at base conditions, i.e., standard
generated vortex pairs, thebluffbody characteristic volumeflowrate (see Eq. 1 l), can be determined.

4
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MEASUREMENT OF FLUID FLOW I N PIPES
USING VORTEX FLOWMETERS ASME MFC-6M-1998

f intended
imply to a preferred shape.
4m = Pfx- (10)
K The sensor detects the shedding vortices (see Section
f 4). Sensor technology and location vary with flowmeter
4v = (;)x K
- (11) design.

5.1.2 Transmitter. The transmitter converts sensed

Assume that
theflowrate
can
be
considered constant signals to one or of the following:
over thetime it takes a vortexpairtoshed,i.e., over (a) a digitalflowrate readout;
one cycle of period T. In this case, theamount of fluid (b) a digitaltotal flow readout;
volume that flows through the meter during onecycle is:
(c) a pulse or scaled pulse signal; or
( d ) a current proportional to flowrate.
f X T 1
qyXT = -= - (12)
K K 5.2 Equipment Markings

Since K is a constant independent ofthe

flowrate
Meters
shall
be
marked by themanufacturer to
and, hence, frequency, thetotal flow Over N cycles is: identify themanufacturer, Serial number,Pressurerating,
mean K factor, or Meter factor, and hazardous location
N certification, if any. The direction
flow of shall be
Q =- (13) permanentlyindicated by themanufacturer on theme-
' K
ter body.
where N is the total number of vortex pairs shed, i.e.,
totalnumber of vortexpulses, over thattime interval. 6 APPL~CAT~ON
CONS~DERAT~ONS
Assuming further that the fluid density remains con-
stant over the measurement time interval, then There are several considerations related
application
to
of vortex meters, but the three primary ones are sizing,
N processand
influences, safety.
Q, = pflOw X - (14)
K
6.1Sizing
and Size themeter according tothedesired flow range
ratherthanthenominalpipe size. The flowmetersize
shall be selected such that the expected process flowrate
falls between the maximumandminimumflowrates
within therequired uncertainty.
5FLOWMETERDESCRIPTION
6.1.1 Maximum Flow. The maximumflowfor a
vortex meter is usually limited by the structural integrity
5.1 PhysicalComponents
ofthe device. These limits vary by manufacturer.
The vortex shedding flowmeter consists of two ele- Pressure loss increases with flowrate but isusually
ments: theflowtubeandthe transmitter. notthelimiting factor in sizing a vortexflowmeter,
except possibly in low pressure applications. However,
5.1.1 Flowtube. The flowtube is madeupofthe pressure loss resultingfromtheflowmeterandthe
meterbody, the bluff body(s), andthe sensor. associated connections mustbeconsidered in system
The meter body is normally available in two styles: design.
a flangedversionthatboltsdirectlytotheflanges on
the pipeline and a wafer version that is clamped between 6.1.2 Minimum Flow. The minimumvolumetric
two adjacent pipeline flangesviabolts. flowrate depends on the Reynolds number (see Fig. 1).
The bluffbody is the shedding element positioned If used outside the stated Reynolds number range, the
in the cross-section of themeterbody.Its shape and manufacturer should be consulted for details regarding
dimensions and the ratio of the frontal area in relation correctionproceduresandthe expected magnitude of
to the open area in the meter body cross-section influ- themeasurement uncertainty.
ence thelinearity of the K factor. Figure 2 shows it The minimum volumetric flowratemay also be limited
as a square cross-section bluffbody,butthisisnot by the sensor(s). As the volumetric flowrate is reduced

5

ASME MFC-6M-1998
below a certainvalue for a givenfluid density, the
vortexsheddingweakenstothepointatwhichthe
sensorcanno longer distinguish betweenthevortex
signalandnoisedueto flow or vibration. To handle
this situation, many designs mayemploy a lowflow
cutoffpointwherethemeter output. isautomatically
settozeroregardless of whetherthereis flow in the
pipe or not.
6.2 Process Influences
6.2.1 Temperature and Pressure
6.2.1.1 Affecton Uncertainty. Measurement
accuracyis directly relatedto K factor uncertainty.
Process temperatures that differ significantly from those
during calibration can affect the geometry of the flow-
tube, andhence, affect the K factor ofthemeter.
When thebluffbodyand the meter body are made
of the same material, the change in K factor for a
given change in temperature is estimated by:
K = KO X [I - 3a X ( T f - To)]
Whenthebluffbodyand the meter body are made
of different materials, the change in K factor for a
given change in temperature is estimated by:
K = K O x [I - (2al+ a*)x ( T f - &)]
where
a l = the thermal expansion coefficient of the meter
bodymaterial
a2 = the thermal expansion coefficient of the bluff
bodymaterial
Process pressure effects on the K factor are generally
negligible.
The manufacturer should be consulted for information
and relevant correction procedures regarding a specific
flowmeter.
6.2.1.2 Affect on Range. The range of a vortex
meter depends in general on the following parameters:
the K factor, fluid density, and Reynolds number. The
K factor, as described in para. 6.2.1.1, depends from
a practical viewpoint only on the process temperature.
The fluid density depends on the processtemperature
and pressure. The Reynolds number is a function of
geometry, fluid density, andfluidviscosity,andhence
depends on temperature and pressure.
The manufacturer should be consulted for specific
information regarding these effects.
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MEASUREMENT OF FLUID FLOW IN PIPES
USING VORTEX FLOWMETERS
6.2.2 Flow. The fluidstream should be steady or
slowly varying. Pulsations in flowrate or pressure may
affect flow measurement.
6.2.3Flashingand Cavitation. Local lowering
of pressure occurs when the fluid velocity is increased
by thereduced cross-section around thebluffbodyof
the meter. In a liquid, thiscanleadtoflashingand
cavitation. Operation under conditions of flashing a n d
or cavitation isbeyond the scope of this Standard.
Note: Flashing and cavitationcan lead to measurement errors a n d
or structural damage.
To avoidflashingand cavitation, the downstream
pressure after recoverymustbe equal to or greater
than Pdmin as given by:
where
Pdmin = minimum allowable downstream pressure
after recovery
(15) P v a p = vapor pressure of the liquid at the flowing
temperature
AP = overallpressure drop
C I , C 2 = empirical constants for each design and size
Because thepressurereduction is dependent on the
(16) construction of themeter, the manufacturer should be
contacted for the values of cl and c2.
6.3 Safety
6.3.1 Mechanical. Since vortexflowmeters are an
integral part of the process piping (in-line instrumenta-
tion), it is essential that the instrument be designed
and manufactured to meet or exceed industry standards
for piping codes.
Requirements for specific location, piping codes,
material traceability, cleaning requirements, nondestruc-
tive evaluation (NDE), etc. are the responsibility of
the user.
6.3.2 Electrical. The watertightness and hazardous
area certification shall be suitable for the intended
location. See IEC PUB 529 (Ingress Protection).
7 INSTALLATION
Adjacentpiping,fluid flow disturbances, flowmeter
orientation and location may affect flowmeter perform-
ance. The manufacturer’s installation instructions should
be consulted regarding installation effects. The following
6

MEASUREMENT OF FLUID FLOW IN PIPES
USING VORTEX FLOWMETERS
are some ofthe factors tobe considered.
7.1 Adjacent Piping
A vortex meter issensitive to distorted or undeveloped
velocityprofilesandswirl caused by changes in pipe
size or schedule and flow through pipe fittings, valves,
and other process control elements. Proceduresfor
eliminating these effects are as follows.
(a) The diameter of the adjacent pipe should bethe
same nominal diameter as the flowmeter. Pipe schedule
should be the same as that of the pipe used in calibration
unless appropriate corrections are applied.
(b) The flowmeter must be mounted concentric with
the pipe according to the manufacturer’s recommenda-
tions.
( c ) Gaskets mustnot protrude inside thepipe.
( d ) The flowmetershouldbemounted with straight
runs of pipeupstreamand downstream. The straight
runs should be free of changes in pipe size or schedule,
pipe fittings, valves and other internal obstructions. The
minimum lengths of straight piperequiredto obtain
thespecified accuracy at operating conditions differ
depending on flowmeter construction and the nature of
thepiping configuration.
( e ) If more than one pipe section is used within the
minimum length of straight pipe, the joined pipe should
be straight, with minimal misalignment. Welding rings
should be avoided within the required numberof straight
pipe lengths.
cf) The requiredlength of straight pipemaybe
reducedthroughtheuse of known correction factors,
an appropriate flow conditioner or acceptance of higher
uncertainties. The meter manufacturer shouldbecon-
sulted regardingtheuse offlow conditioners. This
includes thetype offlow conditioner, its sizing and
itslocation relative totheflowmeter.
(g) The location of additional process measurements,
such as pressure, temperature, or density, may impact
the performance of a vortex flowmeter. The flowmeter
manufacturer’s literature should be consulted for recom-
mendations.
( h ) In order to satisfytheminimummeasureable
flow requirement, a meter size smaller thanthepipe
size may havetobeused.Pipereducers maybeused
upstreamanddownstreamtoinstallsuchflowmeters.
Whenpipe reducers areinstalledwithoutsufficient
straight length of pipe, adjustment of the K factor a n d
or uncertainty mustbemade.
(i) In some applications it may be desirable to
periodically inspect andlorcleantheflowmeter. If a
bypass is installed to facilitate this, thefittingsmust
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ASME MFC-6M-1998
beahead of theupstream straight length ofpipe or
flow conditioner andbeyondthedownstreamstraight
section. The valve(s) used to shut off main flow should
be positive closing.
( j ) When a particular meter installation is expected
to deviate fromthe manufacturer’s recommendations,
theuser may desire toperform in situ calibration.
7.2 Flowmeter Orientation
Proper orientation of the flowmeter in the pipe may
dependonthenature of the fluid.Flowmetersshould
beinstalledwiththe orientation recommended by the
manufacturer.
In liquid flow measurement the pipe must be flowing
full. One way to ensure this istoinstallthemeter in
a verticalpipewiththe flow upwards.
7.3 Flowmeter Location
The flowmeter shall be properly supported to reduce
any effects of vibrationandpipe stress.
Commonmode electrical noise may interfere with
themeasurement.RFI (radio frequency interference),
EM1 (electromagnetic interference), improper grounding
(earthing), andinsufficientsignalshielding may also
interfere withthemeasurement. In some cases it may
not be possible to check the noise in the output signal
withno Row. The manufacturer should be contacted
for advice if it is suspected thatany of thesenoise
levels is highenoughto cause an error.
7.4 New Installations
New installations require that the line be cleaned to
remove any collection of welding beads, rust particles,
or other pipeline debris. It is usually good practice to
removetheflowmeterbefore cleaning andprior to
pressuretesting for leaks.
8 OPERATION
Flowmeters shall be operated within the manufactur-
er’s recommended operating limits to achieve the stated
uncertaintyandnormal service life.
The manufacturer’s recommended startup procedures
should be followed to avoiddamage to the bluff body(s)
or sensor(s) by overrange, waterhammer, etc.
9 K FACTOR DETERMINATION
Themetermanufacturershallsupplythemeter’s
mean K factor andthe expected uncertaintyunder

ASME MFC-6M-1998
stated reference conditions and provide a certificate of
calibration on request. The following considerations
apply:
( a ) The mean K factor is usually established by flow
calibrations with a suitable fluid. It is possible, butat
reduced accuracy, to derive the factor from dimensional
measurements. The method employed mustbe stated.
(b) Where possible, measurement uncertainty can be
improved by in situ calibration.
8
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MEASUREMENT OF FLUID FLOW IN PIPES
USING VORTEX FLOWMETERS
(c) All calibrations should be performed according
to acceptable standards (see Section 2). For gas flows,
the reference flow measurement device is usually a
transfer device, volumetric tank with pressure and tem-
perature corrections, or critical flow nozzles. For liquid
flows, transfer,weighing,orvolumetrictechniques
are used.
( d ) The K factor depends upon geometric changes
in the meter body produced by temperature and pressure
onthe meter material (see para. 6.2).
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APPENDIX A - PERIOD JITTER AND ITS EFFECT O N CALIBRATION
(This Appendix is not a part of ASME MFC-6M-1998 and is included for information purposes only.)

All methods of on-line measurement offluidflow n = thenumber of periodmeasurements

are affected more or less by the fluctuations associated
with turbulent flow (often referred to as “flow noise”).
In the case of vortex measurement, this “noise” causes
the time(i.e., period) between vortices to vary in a
manner called “period jitter.” 7; = ith period measurement
6 = error in the average period in percent
Note: Period jitter and the associated frequency jitter is of no concern Once a hasbeen determined, N , thenumber of
for most applications. pulsesthatmustbe counted in order to determine a
There are several influencesthat affect thevortex flowrate to within a pre-assigned uncertainty of 2 6%,
shedding characteristics of flowmeters. They range from isgivenby:
thephysicalphenomena onwhichthemeasurement

’=( )
2
depends to the electronic signal processing techniques 100 x t x u
used to process the basic measurement. The following 6x7
discussion is confined to the physical principle of vortex
shedding.
Regarding period jitter,’ it is generally knownthat The timerequiredtoobtainthis average, a = N x
small, random variations may occur in the vortex T, is related to the flowrate by:
shedding period from one cycle to another even though
the flowrate is held constant. As a result, a determination
of theperiodwouldinvariablyleadto an average a=- N x d
period (7)and a standard deviation (a)for that average. St x J
!.
If a sufficiently large number of period measurements
is obtained, increasing that number wouldnolonger
significantly affect thestandard deviation. or equivalently
The randomuncertainty of the average period to
95% confidence wouldthenbe given by:

100 x t x u
6 =
7 (4O.5
where
where
T = -
C T i U
n f = vortex shedding frequency
r = student’s t with n-1 degrees of freedom for a U = flow velocity in themeterbore
95% confidencelevel (equal to 2.0 for 30 or d = widthofthe face of the bluff body(s) normal
moremeasurements) tothe flow

’ It is known that the strength and relative positions of successive
vortices can differ from their mean values. These changes are
associated with the nature of the turbulent flow phenomena and
can cause frequency jitter and amplitude variations in the output
of a detector. Frequency jitter can affect the response time of a
meter. Amplitude variations, if severe, can affect the performance
of a meter, particularly at low flowrates, by causing dropped
counts or pulses. The meter manufacturer should be contacted if
the turbulence level is such that it causes concern about these
phenomena.

9
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K = mean K factor TABLE A-1
qv = volumetricflowrate TIME, a, NEEDED FOR A FLOWRATE
a = averagingtime UNCERTAINTY OF 0.25%
Meter Size
It cantherefore be seenthat if St does notvary Flow
with flowrate(notnecessarily a good assumption), the Velocity, mls D=25mm D = 145 mm
averagingtime ofthemeterassociated with onlythe 0.31 13.0 76.0
period uncertainty of vortex shedding is inversely pro- 3.1 1.3 7.6
portional to the fluid velocityor the volumetric flowrate. 6.35 0.51 3.0
For example, if a meter hasa Strouhal number of0.24 63.5 0.051 0.30
and if the standard deviation for period measurementsis GENERAL NOTE: a = sec
givenby:

100xa
--
7
- 1.5%
a =
(& 2
x 1.5) x d d
D
= 6 0 0 ~ -= 1 6 0 ~ -
0.24 x U U U
and if dlD = 0.27, then the time, a, required to obtain
an averageflowratewith anuncertaintyof 0.25% is The calculated averagingtimesfor25 mmand 145
givenby: mm metershavingthese characteristics aregiven in
Table A-I.

( 'oo"s",'Tx cr xd
Thus, the averaging time for low velocityflows in
large conduits is large enough to require a considerable
a = -N- x d - integrationtimetoobtainhighaccuracy after upsets
st x u st x u in the flowrate. Note that, if 1 0 0 x "/, = 3%, the times
in the above tablemustbemultiplied by 4.
which, upon substituting the above mentionedvalues The manufacturershould be consulted for details
andassuming N islarge,becomes: regarding the effect of this phenomena on hisher meter.

IO
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