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Electromagnetic Flow Meters Working Principle

July 20, 2015 S Bharadwaj Reddy Leave a comment

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Magnetic ow meter, simply known as mag ow meter is a volumetric ow meter which is ideally used for wastewater applications
and other applications that experience low pressure drop and with appropriate liquid conductivity required. The device doesnt
have any moving parts and cannot work with hydrocarbons and distilled water. Mag ow meters are also easy to maintain. Adsby Google

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Principle of Magnetic Flow Meter Based on Faradays Law

Magnetic ow meters works based on Faradays Law of Electromagnetic Induction. According to this principle, when a conductive
medium passes through a magnetic eld B, a voltage E is generated which is proportional to the velocity v of the medium, the
density of the magnetic eld and the length of the conductor. Latest Comme

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D A Chowdary
Thank u for inform

fady mohamed
Many Thanks , he

Mike Overell
A "Positioner" is a
Irrespective of wh

pr patil
plz...added plc pro
In a magnetic ow meter, a current is applied to wire coils mounted within or outside the meter body to generate a magnetic eld. Queation and ans
The liquid owing through the pipe acts as the conductor and this induces a voltage which is proportional to the average ow Er Krishnanunni M
velocity. This voltage is detected by sensing electrodes mounted in the Magow meter body and sent to a transmitter which Turn down is rela
calculates the volumetric ow rate based on the pipe dimensions. measurement, bu

S Bharadwaj Red
Mathematically, we can state Faradays law as Hi, I am facing pro
option, some cod

E is proportional to V x B x L Jerome Stephen

Good work sir. Bu
your work....
[E is the voltage generated in a conductor, V is the velocity of the conductor, B is the magnetic eld strength and L is the length of
the conductor].

It is very important that the liquid ow that is to be measured using the magnetic ow meter must be electrically conductive. The
Faradays Law indicates that the signal voltage (E) is dependent on the average liquid velocity (V), the length of the conductor (D)
and the magnetic eld strength (B). The magnetic eld will thus be established in the cross-section of the tube.

Basically when the conductive liquid ows through the magnetic eld, voltage is induced. To measure this generated voltage
(which is proportional to the velocity of the owing liquid), two stainless steel electrodes are used which are mounted opposite
each other. The two electrodes which are placed inside the ow meter are then connected to an advanced electronic circuit that
has the ability to process the signal. The processed signal is fed into the microprocessor that calculates the volumetric ow of the Like us on Face
liquid.

Electromagnetic Flow Meters Formulas:

Electromagnetic ow meters use Faradays law of electromagnetic induction for making a ow measurement. Faradays law states
LikePage
that, whenever a conductor of length l moves with a velocity v perpendicular to a magnetic eld B, an emf e is induced in a
mutually perpendicular direction which is given by

Language Tran
e = Blv (eq1)

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where
B = Magnetic ux density (Wb/m2)
l = length of conductor (m) Download And
v = Velocity of the conductor (m/s)

The volume ow rate Q is given by

Q = (d2/4) v (eq2)

where
d = diameter of the pipe

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v = average velocity of ow (conductor velocity in this case)

From equation (eq1)

v = e/Bl
Q = d2e/4Bl
Q = Ke

where K is a meter constant.

Thus the volume ow rate is proportional to the induced emf. In Practical applications we have to enter the meter constant K
value in magnetic owmeter which is available in vendor catalogue/manual.

Limitations of electromagnetic Flow Meters

(i) The substance being measured must be conductive. Therefore, it cant be employed for metering the ow rate of gases and
steam, petroleum products and similar liquids having very low conductivity.

(ii) To render the meter insensitive to variations in the resistance of liquid, the eective resistance of the liquid between the
electrodes should not exceed 1% of the impedance of the external circuit.

(iii) It is a very expensive device.

(iv) As the meter always measures the volume rate, the volume of any suspended matter in the liquid will be included.

(v) To avoid any trouble which would be caused by entrained air, when the ow tube is installed in a horizontal pipe-line, the
electrodes should be on the horizontal diameter.

(vi) As a zero check on the installation can be performed only by stopping the ow, isolating valves are required and a bypass may
also be necessary through which the ow may be directed during a zero check.

(vii) The pipe must run full, in case regulating valves are installed upstream of the meter.

Advantages of Electromagnetic Flow Meter

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(i) The obstruction to the ow is almost nil and therefore this type of meters can be used for measuring heavy suspensions, Quality
including mud, sewage and wood pulp.
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ii) There is no pressure head loss in this type of ow meter other than that of the length of straight pipe which the meter occupies. Top DC & L
Electrical C
(iii) They are not very much aected by upstream ow disturbances.
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(iv) They are practically unaected by variation in density, viscosity, pressure and temperature.
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(v) Electric power requirements can be low (15 or 20 W), particularly with pulsed DCtypes.

(vi) These meters can be used as bidirectional meters.

(vii) The meters are suitable for most acids, bases, water and aqueous solutions because the lining materials selected are not only
good electrical insulators but also are corrosion resistant.

(viii) The meters are widely used for slurry services not only because they are obstruction less but also because some of the liners
such as polyurethane, neoprene and rubber have good abrasion or erosion resistance.

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(ix) They are capable of handling extremely low ows.

Disadvantages of Magnetic Flow Meter

(i) These meters can be used only for uids which have reasonable electrical conductivity.

(ii) Accuracy is only in the range of 1% over a ow rate range of 5%.

(iii) The size and cost of the eld coils and circuitry do not increase in proportion to their size of pipe bore. Consequently small size
meters are bulky and expensive.

Applications of Magnetic Flow Meters

This electromagnetic ow meter being non intrusive type, can be used in general for any uid which is having a reasonable
electrical conductivity above 10 microsiemens/cm. Fluids like sand water slurry, coal powder, slurry, sewage, wood pulp, chemicals,
water other than distilled water in large pipe lines, hot uids, high viscous uids specially in food processing industries, cryogenic
uids can be metered by the electromagnetic ow meter.

How to Use Magnetic Flow Meters

Magnetic owmeters measure the velocity of conductive liquids in pipes, such as water, acids, caustic, and slurries. Magnetic
owmeters can measure properly when the electrical conductivity of the liquid is greater than approximately 5S/cm. Be careful
because using magnetic owmeters on uids with low conductivity, such as deionized water, boiler feed water, or hydrocarbons,
can cause the owmeter to turn o and measure zero ow.

This owmeter does not obstruct ow, so it can be applied to clean, sanitary, dirty, corrosive and abrasive liquids. Magnetic
owmeters can be applied to the ow of liquids that are conductive, so hydrocarbons and gases cannot be measured with this
technology due to their non-conductive nature and gaseous state, respectively.

Magnetic owmeters do not require much upstream and downstream straight run so they can be installed in relatively short
meter runs. Magnetic owmeters typically require 3-5 diameters of upstream straight run and 0-3 diameters of downstream
straight run measured from the plane of the magnetic owmeter electrodes.

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Applications for dirty liquids are found in the water, wastewater, mining, mineral processing, power, pulp and paper, and chemical
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industries. Water and wastewater applications include custody transfer of liquids in force mains between water/wastewater Quality
districts. Magnetic owmeters are used in water treatment plants to measure treated and untreated sewage, process water, water
and chemicals. Mining and mineral process industry applications include process water and process slurry ows and heavy media Calibra
ows.
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With proper attention to materials of construction, the ow of highly corrosive liquids (such as acid and caustic) and abrasive Electrical C
slurries can be measured. Corrosive liquid applications are commonly found in the chemical industry processes, and in chemical Leader, Flu
feed systems used in most industries. Slurry applications are commonly found in the mining, mineral processing, pulp and paper, Calibration
and wastewater industries.
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Magnetic owmeters are often used where the liquid is fed using gravity. Be sure that the orientation of the owmeter is such that
the owmeter is completely lled with liquid. Failure to ensure that the owmeter is completely lled with liquid can signicantly
aect the ow measurement.

Be especially careful when operating magnetic owmeters in vacuum service because some magnetic owmeter liners can
collapse and be sucked into the pipeline in vacuum service, catastrophically damaging the owmeter. Note that vacuum conditions
can occur in pipes that seemingly are not exposed to vacuum service such as pipes in which a gas can condense (often under
abnormal conditions). Similarly, excessive temperature in magnetic owmeters (even briey under abnormal conditions) can
result in permanent owmeter damage.

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Author

S Bharadwaj Reddy
Ocer - Instrumentation, GSPC - Oil & Gas, Kakinada, India.

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