Flow Sensing

&
                       
Measurement

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Course map

Flow Sensing and Measurement.

At the end of this session, the participant will be able to :
•Understand the general measurement concept of Flow meters
•Understand different methods of measurement
•Different instruments and principles used for measurement
•Understand Pros & Cons of the Measurement
Flow Sensing & Measurement
Flow Meter Classifications
1
2 Flow Measurement Basics

Flow
3 Differential Pressure Type Flow Meters

4 Positive Displacement type Flow Meters

5 Vortex Flow Meters

7
Sensors
6 Magnetic Flow Meters

Ultrasonic Flow Meters

8 Mass Flow Meters

Flow Measurement - Introduction

The flow rate is determined inferentially by

measuring the liquid's velocity or the change in
Kinetic Energy.
Velocity depends on the pressure differential
that is forcing the liquid through a pipe. As the
pipe's cross-sectional area remains constant,
the average velocity is an indication of the flow
rate.

The basic relationship for determining the liquid's flow

rate in such cases is :

Where
Q=VxA Q = liquid flow through the pipe
V = average velocity of the flow
A = cross-sectional area of the pipe
Flow Meter - Classification

• Differential Pressure Type ( Head Meters ) using

- Orifice
- Pitot Tube
- Ventury Tube

• Positive Displacement Type

• Vortex Flow Meter
• Magnetic Flow Meter
• Corriolis Mass Flow Meter
Flow Sensing & Measurement
Flow Meter Classifications
1
2 Flow Measurement Basics

Flow
3 Differential Pressure Type Flow Meters

4 Positive Displacement type Flow Meters

5 Vortex Flow Meters

7
Sensors
6 Magnetic Flow Meters

Ultrasonic Flow Meters

8 Mass Flow Meters

Flow Measurement Basics - Bernoulli’s Theorem

Bernoulli’s Theorem

“In a flowing Stream the sum of Pressure head, the

velocity Head and elevation head at one point is
equal to their sum at another point moved in the
direction of the flow from the first Point plus the
loss due to friction between the two points.”
Reynolds Number

Reynolds Number is dimensionless unit . It is defined as

the ratio of the liquid's inertial forces to its drag forces.

Where:
Re = Reynolds number
Q = liquid's flow rate, gpm
SG = liquid's specific gravity
ID = inside pipe diameter, in. Laminar Flow = Re < 2000
µ = liquid's viscosity, cp
Turbulent Flow = Re > 3000
Conservation of Energy for Fluid Flow.
Increase in the
velocity of a flowing
fluid increases its
Kinetic energy
while decreasing its
Static energy.

It is for this
reason that a
flow restriction
causes an
increase in the
flowing velocity
and also causes
a drop in the
static pressure
of the flowing
fluid.
Flow Sensing & Measurement
Flow Meter Classifications
1
2 Flow Measurement Basics

Flow
3 Differential Pressure Type Flow Meters

4 Positive Displacement type Flow Meters

5 Vortex Flow Meters

7
Sensors
6 Magnetic Flow Meters

Ultrasonic Flow Meters

8 Mass Flow Meters

Differential Pressure Type Flow Meters

The basic operating principle of

differential pressure flow
meters is based on the premise
that the pressure drop across
the meter is proportional to the
square of the flow rate. The
flow rate is obtained by
measuring the pressure
differential and extracting the
square root.
Venturi Type Flow meter

A venturi tube is
essentially a section of
pipe with a tapered
entrance and a straight
throat. As liquid passes
through the throat, its
velocity increases,
causing a pressure
differential between the
inlet and outlet regions
Flow nozzle type flow meter

Flow Nozzles, at high

velocities, can handle
approximately 60 percent
greater liquid flow than
orifice plates having the
same pressure drop. Liquids
with suspended solids can
also be metered.
Pitots Tube Type Flow Meter

Pitot tubes sense two pressures

simultaneously, impact and
static. The impact unit consists
of a tube with one end bent at
right angles toward the flow
direction. The static tube's end
is closed, but a small slot is
located in the side of the unit
 Variable Area Flow Meters - Rotameters

The fluid to be measured enters at the

bottom of the tapered tube, passes
upward around the float, and exits the
top. The float moves up and down in
proportion to the fluid flow rate and the
annular area between the float and the
tube wall. As the float rises, the size of
the annular opening increases. As this
area increases, the differential pressure
across the float decreases. The float
reaches a stable position when the
upward force exerted by the flowing fluid
equals the weight of the float.
Flow Sensing & Measurement
Flow Meter Classifications
1
2 Flow Measurement Basics

Flow
3 Differential Pressure Type Flow Meters

4 Positive Displacement type Flow Meters

5 Vortex Flow Meters

7
Sensors
6 Magnetic Flow Meters

Ultrasonic Flow Meters

8 Mass Flow Meters

Positive Displacement Type flow Meters – PD Meters
Operation of PD Meters
These units consists of separating liquids
into accurately measured increments and
moving them on. Each segment is counted
by a connecting register.

Types of PD Meters
Nutating Disk Type
Rotating Vane Type
Piston Type
Oval Gear Meters
Metering Pump Type
Turbine Meters
Nutating Disc Type PD Meters

The pressure of the

liquid passing through
the measuring chamber
causes the movable disk
to rock in a circulating
path without rotating
about its own axis.
Rotating-Vane PD Meters

A fixed volume of liquid is

swept to the meter's outlet
from each compartment as
the impeller rotates. The
revolutions of the impeller
are counted and registered
in volumetric units
Piston Type PD Meters

The rate of flow is

proportional to the rate
of oscillation of the
piston.
Oval Gear PD Meters
Oval Gear Meters
Two fine-toothed gears rotates opposite to each
other, creating an entrapment in the crescent-
shaped gap between the housing and the gear.
As they rotate, a fixed volume of liquid is
entrapped and then transported toward the
outlet. Rotational velocity is measured.

Oval Gear Meters

Rotating lobe Meters

Two impellers rotate in opposite
directions within the ovoid housing As
they rotate, a fixed volume of liquid is
entrapped and then transported toward
the outlet. Rotational velocity is
measured.

Rotating Lobe Meters

Metering Pumps – PD Meters
Diaphragm pumps
deliver a fixed volume of liquid with
each "out" stroke and a fixed volume
enters the chamber on each "in" stroke,
driven by the Piston.

Diaphragm pump
Piston pumps
deliver a fixed volume
of liquid with each
"out" stroke and a
fixed volume enters the
chamber on each "in"
stroke
Piston Pump
Turbine Meters

The Turbine Meter consists of a

multiple-bladed rotor mounted
with a pipe, perpendicular to
the liquid flow. The rotor spins
as the liquid passes through the
blades. The rotational speed is
a direct function of flow rate.
Flow Sensing & Measurement
Flow Meter Classifications
1
2 Flow Measurement Basics

Flow
3 Differential Pressure Type Flow Meters

4 Positive Displacement type Flow Meters

5 Vortex Flow Meters

7
Sensors
6 Magnetic Flow Meters

Ultrasonic Flow Meters

8 Mass Flow Meters

Vortex Flowmeter

When a liquid flows

around a bluff object.
Eddies or vortices are
shed alternately
downstream of the
object.

The frequency of the vortex shedding is

directly proportional to the velocity of the
liquid flowing through the meter.
Vortex Flow Meter – Principle of Operation…1

Vortex shedding frequency is

directly proportional to the velocity
of the fluid in the pipe, and
therefore to volumetric flow rate.

Where

St = Strouhal number
f = Vortex shedding frequency
d = Width of the bluff body
V = Average fluid velocity
Vortex Flow Meter – Principle of Operation…2
As the volumetric flow rate Q is the
product of the average fluid velocity
and of the cross-sectional area
available for flow (A):

where B is the blockage factor,

defined as the open area left by the
bluff body divided by the full bore
area of the pipe. This equation, in
turn, can be rewritten as:

where K is the
meter coefficient,
equal to the product
(A f d B).
Flow Sensing & Measurement
Flow Meter Classifications
1
2 Flow Measurement Basics

Flow
3 Differential Pressure Type Flow Meters

4 Positive Displacement type Flow Meters

5 Vortex Flow Meters

7
Sensors
6 Magnetic Flow Meters

Ultrasonic Flow Meters

8 Mass Flow Meters

Magnetic Flowmeters

Faraday's Law
A voltage will be induced when a
conductor moves through a
magnetic field. The liquid serves
as the conductor; the magnetic
field is created by energized
coils outside the flow tube. The
amount of voltage produced is
directly proportional to the flow
rate.
Flow Sensing & Measurement
Flow Meter Classifications
1
2 Flow Measurement Basics

Flow
3 Differential Pressure Type Flow Meters

4 Positive Displacement type Flow Meters

5 Vortex Flow Meters

7
Sensors
6 Magnetic Flow Meters

Ultrasonic Flow Meters

8 Mass Flow Meters

Ultrasonic Flowmeters
Doppler Effect

A signal of known frequency

is sent into the liquid. The
flowing liquid causes the
frequency shift , which is
proportional to the liquid's
velocity.

Transit Time Measurement

The time of flight of the ultrasonic

signal is measured between two
transducers--one upstream and one
downstream (Figure 4-7B). The
difference in elapsed time going with
or against the flow determines the fluid
velocity.
Flow Sensing & Measurement
Flow Meter Classifications
1
2 Flow Measurement Basics

Flow
3 Differential Pressure Type Flow Meters

4 Positive Displacement type Flow Meters

5 Vortex Flow Meters

7
Sensors
6 Magnetic Flow Meters

Ultrasonic Flow Meters

8 Mass Flow Meters

Mass Flow Meters – Coriolis

When a fluid is flowing in a pipe

and it is subjected to Coriolis
acceleration through the
mechanical introduction of
apparent rotation into the pipe,
the amount of deflecting force
generated by the Coriolis inertial
effect will be a function of the
mass flow rate of the fluid.
Thermal Mass Flow Meters-Operation

The mass flow (m) is

calculated on the basis of
the measured temperature
difference (T2 - T1), the
meter coefficient (K), the
electric heat rate (q), and
the specific heat of the fluid
(Cp).

m = Kq/(cp(T2-T1))
Thermal Mass Flow Meters
When placed in a moving
stream of gas, the wire
cools; the rate of cooling
corresponds to the mass
flow rate.

Hot-Wire Anemometer
Heated-tube flow
meters were developed
to protect the heater
and sensor elements
from corrosion and any
coating effects of the
process.

Heated-Tube Design
Thank You