Flowmeter

Selection
Department Editor: Kate Torzewski

W
hen a flowmeter is needed, the selec-
Fluids Tem-
tion process should include study- Accuracy
Turn- (liquid, Pipe Sizes,
Maximum
perature
ing the characteristics of respective Flowmeter (full scale, pressure,
down gas, solid, in. range,
measurement technologies and analyzing the F; rate, R) psig
slurry) (º F)
advantages/disadvantages for different plant
environments. This effort will help ensure Square-edged,
orifice differential 0.5–1.5% R 4 to 1 L, G, S 0.5–40 8,800 –4–2,300
that a meter with the right performance and pressure
reliability, for a particular installation, is
selected. Some of the most common industrial Electromagnetic 0.2–2% R 10 to 1 L 0.15–60 5,000 –40–350
flowmeter designs are described here.
Turbine 0.15–1% R 10 to 1 L, G 0.5–30 6,000 –450–600

DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE Ultrasonic

A differential pressure meter operates by
measuring the pressure differential across the
meter and extracting the square root. These
meters have a primary element that causes
a change in kinetic energy, which in turn
creates differential pressure in the pipe. A
secondary element measures the differential
pressure and provides a signal or readout,
which is converted to the actual flow value.
Two basic types of primary elements rely
on this measurement: orifice plates and
Venturi tubes. Both element types rely on the
law of conservation of energy and Bernoulli’s
energy equation to determine volumetric
flowrates.
ELECTROMAGNETIC
Electromagnetic meters (commonly referred to
as “mag” meters), employ Faraday’s law of
electromagnetic induction, which states that
voltage will be induced when a conductor
moves through a magnetic field. The liquid
serves as the conductor. Energized coils out-
side the flow tube create the magnetic field.
The amount of voltage produced is directly
proportional to the flowrate.
Magnetic flowmeters are only applicable
for fluids with some electrical conductivity,
typically those with conductivity values above
5 μS/cm. Most aqueous solutions contain
enough conductive dissolved solids to meet
this requirement. However, ultrapure water,
some solvents, and most hydrocarbon-based
solutions do not.
CORIOLIS
Coriolis meters provide mass-flow data by
measuring fluid running through a bent tube,
which is induced to vibrate in an angular,
harmonic oscillation. Due to the Coriolis
forces, the tube will deform, and an ad-
ditional vibration component will be added
to the oscillation. This causes a phase shift
over areas of the tube, and this shift can be
measured with sensors. Density measure-
ments are made by analyzing the frequency
shift of the vibrating pipe as the fluid flows
past the pickup.
THERMAL MASS
Thermal mass meters utilize a heated sensing
element that is isolated from the path of fluid
flow. The flow stream conducts heat from
the sensing element, and this heat is directly
proportional to the mass flowrate. The meter’s
electronics include the flow analyzer, temper-
ature compensator and a signal conditioner
1–30% R 50 to 1
(doppler)
Ultrasonic down to
0.5–5% R
(transit time) zero flow
Vortex 0.5–2% R 20 to 1
Positive
displacement
0.152% R 10 to 1
Coriolis 0.1–0.3% R
10 to 1, to
L, G
80 to 1
Thermal (gases) 1% F 50 to 1
Thermal (liquids) 0.5% F 50 to 1
that provides a linear output, which is directly
proportional to mass flow.
The electrical current required to maintain
the temperature at the temperature sensor
is proportional to the mass flow through the
flowmeter. These flowmeters are commonly
used in automobiles to determine the air
density as it travels into the engine.
VORTEX SHEDDING
In this instrument, fluid vortices are formed
against the meter body. These vortices are
produced from the downstream face of the
meter in an oscillatory manner. The shed-
ding is sensed using a thermistor, and the
frequency of shedding is proportional to
volumetric flowrate.
TURBINE
Turbine meters incorporate a freely suspend-
ed rotor that is turned by fluid flow through
the meter body. Since the flow passage is
fixed, the rotor's rotational speed is a true
representation of the volumetric flowrate. The
rotation produces a train of electrical pulses,
which are sensed by an external pickoff and
then counted and totalized. The number of
pulses counted for a given period of time is
directly proportional to flow volume.
Turbine meters are used extensively to
measure refined petroleum products, such as
gasoline, diesel fuel or kerosene in custody-
transfer applications.
POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT
Positive displacement (PD) meters separate
liquid into specific increments. The accumula-
tion of these measured increments over time
is given as the flowrate. As the fluid passes
through the meter, a pulse, which represents
a known volume of fluid, is generated.
Some of the design types included in
the positive-displacement flowmeter family
L, G, SL 0.5–200 6,000 –40–250
L, G 1–540 6,000 –40–650
L, G, S 0.5–16 1,500 –330–800
L 0.25–16 2,000 –40–600
0.06–12 5,700 –400–800
G 0.125–8 4,500 32–572
L 0.06–0.25 4,500 40–165
include oval gear, rotary piston, helical,
nutating disk and diaphragm flowmeters. In
all design types, the fluid or gas forces a me-
chanical element, such as a set of gears, a
disk, or a piston, to move within the primary
device. For every revolution of a gear, or the
complete movement of a piston or plate, a
known volume of material is displaced.
ULTRASONIC
Ultrasonic meters operate by comparing the
time for an ultrasonic signal to travel with
the flow (downstream) against the time for
an ultrasonic signal to travel against the flow
(upstream). The difference between these
transit times is proportional to the flow, and
the flowmeter converts this information to
flowrate and total flow.
They are particularly useful for measuring
the flow of non-conductive fluids, such as
solvents and hydrocarbons in large pipes —
applications for which a magnetic flowmeter
will not work. Ultrasonic flowmeters are also
often used in district heating and chilled-
water systems.
Doppler ultrasonic flowmeters have one
transducer mounted at an oblique angle to
the pipe. The transducer generates a signal
into the fluid, which is reflected back from
suspended particles or air bubbles.
Transit-time ultrasonic flowmeters have two
transducers, likewise mounted at an oblique
angle to the pipe, on opposite sides of the
pipe. Allternating, one transmitter sends
sound waves through the fluid to the other.
References
1. Keith, J., Evaluating Industrial Flowmeters
Chem. Eng., April 2007, pp. 54–59.
2. Kohlmann, M., Selecting the Right Flowmeter
for the Job. Chem. Eng., September 2004, pp.
60–64.
3. “Perry’s Chemical Engineers’ Handbook,” 8th
ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2008.
 Flowmeter
selection
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General selection criteria
There are well over 20 different types
of flowmeters, even if we lump the
various positive-displacement flowmeters
together as one type. Unless the process
engineer knows the pros and cons of
each type, it can be a daunting task to
properly select one. Here are just some
of the factors to consider before select-
ing a flowmeter:
• Its size and measuring range of the
flowmeter
• Chemical compatibility
• Process accuracy requirements
• Pressure requirements
• Acceptable pressure drop
• Cleaning requirements (i.e., do you
need, and does the unit offer, clean-in-
place capabilities?)
• Desired measurement units (such as
volume, velocity or mass)
Accuracy and turndown
Accuracy can be a very nebulous term.
Take for instance a typical accuracy
statement of “±0.5%”. The manufacturer
certainly means to indicate that the flow-
meter is ±99.5% accurate; not merely
0.5% accurate. Thus, the specification
should really read ±0.5% “uncertainty”.
In addition, with such a designation,
there is no mention of what the ±0.5%
refers to (i.e., percentage of “rate” or
of “full scale.” ) This often disregarded
term should be a major consideration
in flowmeter selection (or that of any
other measuring device, for that matter).
Consider, for instance, that a flowmeter
based on “full scale” has a very large
error as the flowrate is reduced. By con-
trast, a flowmeter based on “rate” has the
same accuracy all the way down to the
low flow specification.
When evaluating flowmeters, one
should also be mindful of claims of exag-
Turndown ratio is an easy, but
often erroneous or incomplete, way
to express the rangeability of a flow-
meter. Turndown ratio is simply the
high end of the measurement range
compared to the low end of the mea-
surement range.
For example, a flow range of 1–33
ft/s equals a 33:1 turndown ratio. A flow
range of 0.01 to 33 ft/s equals a 3,300:1
turndown ratio.
What isn’t shown in either example
is the accuracy or uncertainty over the
range. While it is possibly true that the
second flowmeter is capable of 3,300:1
turndown-ratio measurement, the uncer-
tainty of the device may be as high as
37.5%. In addition to the turndown ratio
specification, look for the uncertainty
specification.
References
1. F CI Guide to Better Gas Flow Measurement,
Fluid Components International, LLC., 2003.

• Uni-directional or bi-directional mea- gerated turndown ratios. Some flowme- 2. Kohlmann, Michael, Selecting the Right Flow-
meter for the Job, Chem. Eng., pp. 60–64, Sep-
surement ters will provide the stated accuracy tember 2004.
• Fluid viscosity limitations over a very limited range, while others 3. Swearingen, Corte, Choosing the Right Flow-
will do so over a very wide range. meter for the Job, Chem. Eng., July 1999.
• Necessary approvals for use in haz-
ardous areas, sanitary applications
Gas flowmeter selection chart [1]
and so on (examples include Factory
Mutual, Canadian Standards Assn., 3- Clean Dry, Wet, Low Wide High Low Instal- Mainte- Mass Volu-
gas dirty dirty flow turn- temp pressure lation nance flow metric
A Standards and Accepted Practices, gas gas down loss cost flow
and Underwriters’ Laboratory approv-
Thermal dispersion 1 1 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 •
als)
Vortex shedding 1 2 4 3 2 1 1 2 2 • •
• Custody-transfer approvals
Positive displacement 1 4 4 2 2 1 3 2 3 •
• Data-output requirements (i.e., 4–20
Target 1 2 3 4 3 1 2 1 2 •
mA, relay, digital or simple display)
Ultrasonic (transit time) 1 4 4 2 2 4 1 3 2 •
• Calibration and re-calibration require-
ments Orifice (DP) 1 3 3 3 3 1 3 2 2 •

• Maintenance issues Venturi (DP) 1 2 2 3 3 1 2 3 2 •

Pitot tube (DP) 1 4 4 3 3 1 2 1 2 •
• Operating costs
Turbine 1 4 4 2 2 2 2 3 3 •
• Connection styles (flanged, wafer,
threaded, weld-on and so on) 1 = Good match; 2 = Poor match; 3 = Acceptable under certain conditions; 4 = Not acceptable

A COMPARISON OF FLOWMETER OPTIONS [3]
Attribute Variable-area Coriolis Gas mass-flow Differential- Turbine Oval-gear
pressure (DP)
Clean gases yes yes yes yes yes —
Clean liquids yes yes — yes yes yes
Viscous liquids yes yes — no yes yes, >10
(special calibration) (special calibration) centistokes (cSt)
Corrosive liquids yes yes — no yes yes
Accuracy, ± 2–4% fullscale 0.05–0.15 of reading 1.5% fullscale 2–3% fullscale 0.25–1% of reading 0.1–0.5% of reading
Repeatability, ± 0.25% of fullscale 0.05–0.10 of reading 0.5% of fullscale 1% of fullscale 0.1% of reading 0.1% of reading
Max pressure, psi 200 and up 900 and up 500 and up 100 5,000 and up 4,000 and up
Max temp., °F 250 and up 250 and up 150 and up 122 300 and up 175 and up
Pressure drop medium low low medium medium medium
Turndown ratio 10:1 100:1 50:1 20:1 10:1 25:1
Typical cost* low end high end moderate moderate moderate moderate
*Costs vary depending on process temperature and pressure, accuracy required and approvals needed.