DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

NATIONAL DIPLOMA IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

PRACTICAL PROGRAMME

REPORT TITLE:

VOLUMETRIC FLOW MEASUREMENTS

STUDENTS SURNAME: MDLOKOVANE

SUBJECT: CHEMICAL PLANT III: OPERATIONS

STUDENTS NAME: ASIPHE

DATE PERFORMED: 19 SEPTEMBER 2016

STUDENT NUMBER: 214310655

DUE DATE: 19 SEPTEMBER 2016

Mark

Title page
Table of Content
List of symbols
Structure
Executive Summary
Introduction
Theory
Procedure
Results
Discussion
Conclusions
Bibliography
Total

Declaration:

Date:

1
3
2
2
5
5
15
10
25
25
5
2
100

I certify that this report is my own unaided work, except for the
assistance received by the teaching staff. I undertake not to pass this
report on to any other student.

_______________

Signed:

_______________

LIST OF SYMBOLS
Symbol

Definition

Units

Volumetric Flow rate

m3/s

Volume

m3

Time

Density

Kg.m-3

Viscosity

Pa.s

yn

Expected value

Not specific

xn

Measured value

Not specific

Average set of measurements

Not specific

x n

Executive Summary

This practical was conducted to understand the principles on which the various instruments
for measuring volumetric flow operate. The water was pumped using a centrifugal pump and
the inlet flow rate was measured using a rota-meter. In this practical, the rota-meter was the
sensor as it sensed the flow rate. The flow rate of the water inlet to the tank was the
manipulated variable as it was always changed throughout the practical. This was done by
increasing or decreasing the speed of the centrifugal pump. The time taken to capture a
known volume of water was measured using a stopwatch.
Rota-meter is a particular kind of flow-meter, based on the variable area principle. It is a
simple and precise means of indicating flow rates in fluid systems. The operating principle is
based on a float of given density's establishing an equilibrium position where, with a given
flow rate, the upward force of the flowing fluid equals the downward force of gravity

Introduction
The design of flow measurement systems involves a wide variety of multidisciplinary
activities including modeling the flow sensor, the fluid flow and the sensor-fluid interactions
through the use of computation techniques, the development of advanced transducer
systems and their associated signal processing and the laboratory and field assessment of
the overall system under ideal and disturbed conditions, etc. (Delsing, 2016)
Centrifugal pumps are used to induce flow or raise pressure of a liquid. Its working is simple.
At the heart of the system lies impeller. It has a series of curved vanes fitted inside the
shroud plates. The impeller is always immersed in the water. When the impeller is made to
rotate, it makes the fluid surrounding it also rotate. This imparts centrifugal force to the water
particles, and water moves radially out. In Fig.1 this process is illustrated

Since the rotational mechanical energy is transferred to the fluid, at the discharge side of the
impeller, both the pressure and kinetic energy of the water will rise. At the suction side, water
is getting displaced, so a negative pressure will be induced at the eye. Such a low pressure
helps to suck fresh water stream into the system again, and this process continues (Learn
Engineering, 2014)

Theory
The measurement of flow of fluid is very important in industrial applications. The best
performance of the some equipments and operations require specific flow rates. The cost of
many liquids and gases are based on the measaured flowrate through a pipeline making it
necessary to accurately measure and controlthe flowrate for accounting purposes.
Aflowmeter is a device that is used to emasure the rate of fluid movement at a given point in
the pipe of tube. It is usually secured to a break in the pipe and the fluid is allowed to flow
through it.
Some of the types of flowmeters are:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Differential Pressure Flowmeter

Mechanical Flowmeter
Electronic Flowmeter
Mass Flowmeter

The above mentioned types of flowmeters are used in many industrial applications to measure
flowrate of fluids. The flow

Procedure
1. The compressor was started and the pressure was allowed to build up to its set point.
2. All the devises for measuring the flow-rate were switched on.
3. The pump was started and the flow-rate was manipulated by remotely adjusting the
valve setting to 20% of full scale deflection.
4. The flow-rate was allowed to stabilize. This was done by observing the rota-meter
outputs or any outputs from the various other devices.
5. A volumetric measuring container (bucket and volumetric cylinder) and a stopwatch were
used to determine the volumetric flow-rate by collecting known volume of water for a
measured period of time
6. Step 5 was repeated at four different flow rates.
7. The results from measuring devices were recorded.
8. Steps 1-7 were repeated for different settings on the valve (from 30% to 70%).
9. Finally the system was shut down by first closing the valve, shutting of the pump, and
shutting down the power to the compressor and the various meters.

Results
Table 1: Results obtained for fully open globe valve.
Rota-meter
Flow rate
(m3/hr.)
2.3
3.4
3.9

Measured volume

Time taken (s)

1380
1920
1800

1.08
1.63
1.63

4.5

1640

1.1

5.5

1580

0.96

Measured
flowrate,Q
(m3/h)
4.60
4.24
3.98
5.37
5.93

Table 2: Results obtained for partially closed globe valve.

Rota-meter
Flow rate
(m3/hr.)
2.2
3.2
4.2
5.2
5.9

Measured
volume

Time taken (s)

1160
1360
1560
1900
1880

1.16
1.31
1.21
1.02
1.16

Measured
flowrate,Q
(m3/h)
3.60
3.74
4.64
6.71
5.83

Nate: Calculation of measured flow rate (m3/h) are shown at the APPENDIX page at the
end
Table 1: Comparison of the actual and measured volumetric flow rate of a fully open globe
valve
No.
1
2
3
4
5

Actual (m3/hr.)

Measured (m3/hr.)
6.27
4.24
3.98
5.37
5.93

2.3
3.4
3.9
4.5
5.5

Table 4: Comparison of the actual and measured volumetric flow rate of the turned twice
globe valve.

No.

Actual (m3/hr.)

Measured (m3/hr.)

1
2
3
4
5

3.60
3.74
4.64
6.71
5.21

2.2
3.2
4.2
5.2
5.9

Comparison of flow rates vs number of runs

7
6
5
4
Actual Flowrate(m3/h)
Volumatric Flowrate (m3/hr) 3

Measured (m3/hr.)

2
1
0
0.5

1.5

2.5

3.5

Number of runs

Figure 1: The graph of actual and measured flow rate at fully open valve

4.5

5.5

Comparison of flow rates vs number of runs

12
10
8
Volumatric Flowrate (m3/hr)

Actual (m3/hr.)

Measured (m3/hr.)

4
2
0
0

8 10 12

Number of runs

Figure 2: The graph of actual and measured flow rate at partially open valve

1. Bibliography
1. Katz, Eric; Light, Andrew; Thompson, William (2002). Controlling technology:
contemporary issues (2nd Ed.). Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books. Retrieved 9
March 2016.
2. PERRY, R. H., GREEN, D. W. and MALONEY, J. O. (Eds) (1997) Perrys Chemical
Engineers Handbook, 7th edn. New York. McGraw-Hill.

Sample Calculations
Only one sample will be calculated and all the other calculations follow the same
order.
Sample calculations are for run

Vol=1380 ml
t=1.08 s

m3 1880 ml 3600 sec 102

Q
=

hr
1.6 s
1 hr
cm

( )

( )

m3
5.83
hr

Absolute error , e= y n x n
5.95.83
0.07

| |

error =

y nx n
100
yn

100
|59.5.83
5.9 |

1.19

| |

Relative accuracy , A=1

59.5.83
5.9

0.99

Accuracy = A 100
0.99 100

99

y nx n
yn

Precision , P=1

x n xn
x n

x n=4.90

P=1
0.81

5.834.90
4.90