Volume Flow Measurements

Obstruction Meters
 Orifice Meters

 Venturi Meters

 Flow Nozzles
 Flow through a Nozzle
 1m
m 2 Basic Equations:
a.) Continuity:

  Av
m mass in = mass out
b.) Bernoulli’s Eqn.
1A1 v1   2 A 2 v 2 Total pressure is
constant throughout
incompressible
1   2 m
1 m
2
A 1 v1  A 2 v 2 1 2
A1 A2
v1 v2
 Flow through a Nozzle
Bernoulli
P0  Total Pr essure  const.
1 2
 v  P
2
1 1
1 v1  P1   2 v 2  P2  P0
2 2

2 2
P  static pressure
P0  total pressure
1 2
v  dynamic pressure
2
 Flow through a Nozzle
1 2 P
v2 
 A2 
2

1   
 A1 
Flow Rate
1 2 P
Q  A 2v2  A2 Ideal
 A2 
2

1   
 A1 
For Re al Flow
1 2 P
Q  YCA 2
 A2 
2

1   
 A1 
 Flow through a Nozzle

1 1
P  P1  P2   2 v22  1v12
2 2
2
1 1  A2  2
  2 v2  1   v2
2

2 2  A1 

1 2   A2  
2

 v2 1    
2   A1  
when
1   2 P
 Flow through a Nozzle

Y= Compressibility Factor
=1 for incompressible flow
or when P<< Pabs

C= Discharge Coefficient
=f(Re) and
nature of specific flow meter
P

P
 Flow through a Venturi Meter

In a venturi, 0.95 < C < 0.98

Advantage:
Pressure recovery
Uses little power
 Flow through a Venturi Meter

0.98

2 x 105

Re

d 1 v1
R  Based upon the conditions in the pipe
e  approaching the meter
 Back to the Nozzle
P1 P2

P1

P2
 The Nozzle Flowmeter

Shorter and cheaper than venturi

But larger pressure drop.
Thus, more power lost in operating.

0.98

0.86
105
103
Re
Flow Through an Orifice Meter
 Flow Through an Orifice Meter
P1 P2

d D

P1

P
 Flow Through an Orifice Meter
-Cheapest and Simplest
-But biggest pressure drop and power lost (C~0.6 - 0.7)
-Side Note:
Pressure drop caused by friction and turbulence of shear
layer downstream of vena contracta
10k
 
0.85 Re 5000
 
 1 
C   CM 100k
  A2  
2

 1    
  A1  
0.6
0.1 =d/D 0.8
Elbow Flowmeter
Laminar
Flowmeter
Pitot-Static Tubes
Rotameter, variable-area-flowmeter
 Force balance
 Drag Force
 Gravity
 Buoyancy
 (usually negligible)

 use
m use  m cal
 cal
Derived on next
slide
 m   A V
Rotameter
V2
Equations F  D  Mg
2
2 Mg
V
D
2 Mg 2 MgA2
m   A  
D D
For a fixed x-position, A is fixed. Then

 m   m 
   
   
 use   cal
 use
m use  m cal
 cal
Turbine Flow Meters
Vortex meters operate on the principle that when a non-streamlined
object is placed in the middle of a flow stream, vortices are shed
alternately downstream of the object. The frequency of the vortex
shedding is directly proportional to the velocity of the liquid
flowing in the pipeline.
Magnetic flowmeter
 Magnetic flowmeter
Based upon Faraday’s Law
The fluid is the conductor, must be electrically conductive.
E=BDVx10-8
E=voltage, volts
B=magnetic flux density, gauss
D= length of the conductor, cm
V=velocity of the conductor, cm/sec
Magnetic Flow
Meter
Coriolis Mass Flow Meter
 Coriolis Mass Flow Meter

Flow Flow
Force

Flow
Flow Force
Fluid Force is Reacting to Vibration
Vibrating Flow Tube of Flow Tube
Twist Angle

Twist Angle End View of Flow Tube

Showing Twist
Coriolis Mass Flow Meter
Positive
Displacement
Meters