12-Nov-17

Fluid Mechanics (CHE F212)

Amit Jain, Ph.D.
Dept. of Chemical Engg.
BITS Pilani BITS Pilani Pilani Campus
Pilani Campus

BITS Pilani
Pilani Campus

Internal Incompressible
Viscous Flows
Part C: Flow Measurements

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Introduction
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How to measure the ow rate Q or average

velocity ?
Criteria for flow meter selection:
the accuracy required,
range,
cost,
complication,
ease of reading or data reduction, and
service life
The simplest and cheapest device that gives
the desired accuracy should be chosen.
amitjain@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in

Flow Measurement
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Direct Methods
Examples: Accumulation in a Container; Positive
Displacement Flowmeter
(A positive displacement meter is a type of flow
meter that requires fluid to mechanically displace
components in the meter i.e., it directly measure the
volume of fluid that passes though the flow meter)
Restriction Flow Meters for Internal Flows
Examples: Orifice Plate; Flow Nozzle; Venturi;
Laminar Flow Element

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Part C
Flow Measurements 5

To measure the quantities such as Q and V

various types of flow meters are available.
Direct Methods:

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Restriction Flow Meters

for Internal Flows 6
Recirculation Zone

Vena Contracta

The idea is that the change in velocity leads to a change in

pressure, which could be used to infer the flowrate.
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Restriction Flow Meters for

Internal Flows 7

Applying continuity and Bernoulli eqns. at

point 1 and 2 gives:

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Restriction Flow Meters for

Internal Flows 8

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Restriction Flow Meters for

Internal Flows 9

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Restriction Flow Meters for

Internal Flows 10

Often, the velocity at vena contracta is unknown and

is a function of Re and diameter ratio Dt/D1.
The theoretical equation is adjusted for Re and Dt/D1
by dening an empirical discharge coefcient C:

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Restriction Flow Meters for

Internal Flows 11

The discharge coefcient and velocity-of-approach

factor frequently are combined into a single ow
coefcient,

In terms of this ow coefcient, the actual mass

ow rate is expressed as

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Restriction Flow Meters for

Internal Flows 12

For the turbulent ow regime (pipe Reynolds

number greater than 4000):

&

subscript denotes the coefcient at innite

Reynolds number;
Constants b and n allow for scaling to nite
Reynolds numbers.

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Restriction Flow Meters for

Internal Flows 13

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The Orice Plate

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It is low in cost and easy to install or replace.

The sharp edge of the orice will not foul with
scale or suspended matter.
Primary disadvantages:
low dynamic range: maximum to minimum mass flow
rates only 4:1 at best
high permanent head loss; for a value of equal to
0.5, the lost head is about 73% of the orifice
differential
one must select handbook values of C or K
consistent with the location of pressure taps.
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The Orice Plate

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The Orice Plate

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Orifice Plates
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The Flow Nozzle

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Flow nozzles may be used as metering

elements in either plenums or ducts.

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The Venturi
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Discharge coefcients for venturi

meters range from 0.980 to 0.995 at
high Reynolds numbers
(ReD1 > 2 x 105).
The cone angle of converging
section is around 15-25o and that of
diverging section is around 5-8o.

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The Laminar Flow Element

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Linear Flow Meters

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Linear Flow Meters

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Linear Flow Meters

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Turbine Flow Meter:

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Linear Flow Meters

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Vortex Flow Meter:

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Linear Flow Meters

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Vortex Flow Meter:

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Linear Flow Meters

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Electro-Magnetic Flow Meters:

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Linear Flow Meters

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Ultrasonic Flow Meters:

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Traversing Methods
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Pitot tubes.
Anemometers:
Thermal anemometers:
Laser-Doppler anemometers:
Laser beams are focused to a small
volume in the ow at the location of interest,
Laser light is scattered from particles that are present in
the ow,
A frequency shift is caused by the local ow speed
(Doppler effect),
Scattered light and a reference beam are collected by
receiving optics,
The frequency shift is proportional to the ow speed;
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Thank You

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