Difference between Orifice & Restriction Orifice Instrumentation Tools Page 1 of 6

INSTRUMENTATION TOOLS

Difference between Orifice & Restriction

Orifice

This article discusses the differences between the orifice and the restriction
orifice of the physical form, functionality and applications in the oil and gas
facilities

preliminary

Do you want to measure the flow of a fluid or if you want to reduce the
pressure of a fluid drastically and permanently? Both of these can be done
by objects whose names both contain the word Orifice, the first and the
second Orifice Restriction Orifice. Generally, the orifice has the shape as a
plate that has a hole in the middle. Examples of the orifice as shown below:

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Approximately what are the differences between the Orifice for flowmeter
and Restriction Orifice? Let us examine the figure below is an example of
the image for the flowmeter and Restriction Orifice Orifice.

The shape of the orifice flowmeter and orifice above restriction is a common
form and in general there is a difference in the profile of thehole of the
second orifice. Orifice flowmeter generally have a profile for the first pit
straight, but then notched (bevel) with a slope of about 45 °. While the
restriction orifice hole has a straight profile.

Differences Orifice and Restriction Orifice

Whether from the shape of the hole will make the difference between them?
Yes, generally so. To find out let’s look at the difference between the
pressure profile of a fluid passing and Restriction Orifice Orifice on their
design conditions of each of the image below.

Do you see the difference? If we look carefully, the amount of lost press
(pressure loss) caused by narrowing of the fluid at the orifice area was not
as big as in restriction orifice.

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At orifice flowmeter, because the shape of the hole that has notches – which
means reducing the mileage of flow are experiencing differences in cross-
section – then the pressure profile which occurs after passing through the
orifice will decrease, but then tried to get back into the pressure was and
there is a little lost tap a permanent ( permanent pressure loss) so that the
difference between the pressure upstreamand downstream pressure is not
too great.

While on the Restriction Orifice, because the shape of the hole is straight
and long enough – depending on the thickness of the plate – then the
amount lost permanent press is large enough so that the difference between
the pressure upstream and downstream pressure is quite striking. In this
case, the fluid flow in a state of being strangled (choked flow).

In the matter of design, orifice for flowmeter always designed to flow in a

subsonic velocity in order to ensure the accuracy of flow measurement, while
the restriction orifice always designed to flow in the sonic velocity to ensure
choked flow.

Indeed RO main function is to limit the flow (flow-limiting). Function pressure

restriction (limiting pressure) of the RO is essentially a consequence of the
relationship between pressure drop and flowrate.The phenomenon of
choked flow itself is the mass flowrate constant downstream pressure
despite its decline due to sonic velocity. In a real application in the plant, the
function of flow restriction and pressure restrictions can equally be applied to
the use of RO.

Flow restriction between the pressure vessel system with a flare

system

There is a new pressure vessel to be installed and the existing flare system
that has a certain capacity. The capacity of the existing flare system actually
has been designed to not take into account the presence of a new pressure
vessel, while additional flare to create a new system to increase the capacity
of the existing flare system is not economical. On one hand, the capacity of
the flare is certainly not to be missed and one solution is to install RO which
has a function as a flow restrictor.

Installation in the downstream RO BDV is generally done on the advice of

study over pressure protection and blowdown study, in order to flare its
capacity is not exceeded.

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Simple sketch pressure vessel, RO and flare system

Press a different division of the control valve

There are a recycle line of a high pressure system (discharge of

areciprocating compressor) and into the low-pressure system (separator
vessel). It is desirable to regulate the pressure of the fluid which you want to
recycle by using a control valve that is not a special design. Control valve
essentially has the function of regulating a fluid flow by creating a pressure
difference between upstream and downstream. So the fact that there will be
a high enough pressure drop in the control valve.

With such high pressure difference between upstream and downstream,

control valve has a load large enough to reduce the fluid pressure. Slightly
deviated from the main topic, there are some considerations when designing
a control valve that has a high compressive lost:

1. At high pressure drop which means you can develop erosion, abrasion or
cavitation on the trim of the control valve.
2. In the high pressure drop hydrate / liquid droplets / solid material makes it
possible to form within the valve (depending on the fluid and other materials that
shipped).
3. High pressure drop will cause the outlet temperature of the control valve is very
low (a decrease of pressure is usually followed by a decrease in temperature =
Joule-Thomson effect), so in some valve materials can become brittle / brittle
which can lead to rupture valve
4. High speed due to high pressure drop that can be eroded downstream piping.

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5. High pressure drop which means the amount of energy dissipated in turbulence
is quite large and cause noise (noisy).

Alternative application lost control valve for high pressure is to use special
design of the control valve or the division of the difference between the
control valve tap with another device, namely Restriction Orifice.

To reduce the load can be mounted Restriction Orifice after the control
valve. Installation restriction orifice as shown below.

Simple sketch control valve and pressure vessel

For applications in the downstream RO control valve, basically used the

principle / correlation that for a given flow rate and Bore certain size there
are differences in pressure (differential pressure) specific.Generally,
Differential Pressure needed by those in the control valve between the
control valve and Restriction Orifice. By division Differential Pressure (DP
share) the expected effects of the vibrations that would occur in the pipe was
not so great due to the change in pressure differential is too great in one
device.

It should be noted carefully that the actual control valve is the main tool that
bear different press, so that the portion of the largest division of the
differential pressure control valve is not in the RO. DP-sharing applications
such as described above can use a special design of a control valve that is
capable of working in high pressure differential, of course taking into account
that there is a regulated flow of critical line due to the special design of the
control valve will certainly have a special fee as well.

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Also Read: Calibration of DP Capillary Seal Level Transmitter

author-avatar POSTED BY S BHARADWAJ REDDY

Instrumentation Professional Working in a reputed Oil & Gas
Company.

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