What is a Rotameter : Working &

Its Applications
The first rotameter including turning float was invented by Karl Kueppers in
Aachen in the year 1908. After that, this invention was improved through new
float shapes & the glass tube. Karl Kueppers designed the special model
within the glass tube to recognize a symmetrical flow scale. The rotameter is
also known as the variable area flow meter.

The Rotameter brand name was listed by the British company namely “GEC
Elliot automation. Similarly in Germany, this brand name is registered by Rota
Yokogawa GmbH & Co. KG. So at present, it is owned by Yokogawa Electric
Corp. This article discusses an overview of a rotameter and its working with
applications.

What is a Rotameter?
Rotameter is a reliable, simple, and low-cost flow measuring instrument. So
this instrument is used to measure the flow rate of a liquid or a gas. This
meter includes a tapered tube through a moving internal float. Sometimes,
rotameters are also called gravity flow meters, mechanical flow meters or
variable area flow meters. In gravity flow meters, the term gravity means, the
rotameter must be installed vertically. The rotameter would look as shown
below.

Rotameter
Rotameters’ working principle is to measure the flow rate of liquid because the
liquid supplies throughout a tapered tube. Once the liquid supplies throughout
the tube then its cross-sectional region will become higher.
Rotameter Construction
The rotameter construction can be done by using different components like
transparent tube, scale, float, and transmitter.

Rotameter Construction
 In the construction, the shape of the transparent tube is conical which
includes a scale and floats within it. This transparent tube is very helpful in
observing the measurements directly.
 A float is a small device within the tube of a rotameter with precise
dimensions. The float is used to indicate the rate of flow of liquid within the
tube, which can be designed with plastic, glass, or metal.
 The scale on this meter displays the flow measurements by showing with
float.
 Transmitters are very helpful in recording the flow measurements precisely
as compared to we observer on the scale directly.
 It includes a float and a tapered tube where the float is arranged within the
tapered tube. At both ends of the device, nets are arranged through a
pipeline using flanged connections. Rotameters are connected vertically
always in the pipelines and a scale is available on the tube to check the
flow rate values directly.
Rotameter Working
In a rotameter, liquid flows from the base of the tapered tube, after that some
of the liquid directly hits the bottom of the float & the remaining liquid will flow
away from the float. So, the float in the rotameter experiences two forces in
the reverse direction, the gravitational force is a downside, and the drag force
is on the upside.
The flow of liquid pushes the float up from gravity. After some time, the flowing
region achieves a position wherever the force induced on the floating body
accurately matches the float’s weight. So the float will discover equilibrium
once the area in the region of float produces sufficient drag which is
equivalent to weight.

When both the gravity & float weight are stable, then the distance float moved
upward is relative to the flow velocity of the liquid which is flowing throughout
the tapered tube.