Experiment No.
3
Flow Sensor
Name: Baldorado, Joanna Marielle G. Section: CHE41S2
Date Performed: February 28, 2024 Date Submitted: March 6, 2024
Instructor: Engr. Efren Chavez
1. Objective(s):
The activity aims to show the characteristic of a flow transducer as position transducer.
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
The students shall be able to:
1. Describe the characteristics of a flow sensor.
3. Discussion:
In nearly any process industry, materials must flow from one location to another. Liquid raw materials
flow to a reaction vessel, finished product flows to a storage tank. Steam flows through heating coils,
cooling water flows through condenser coils. Even solid materials flow certain cases. In all of these
examples, the rate of flow must be controlled. By controlling the flow rate, you can usually control
reaction rate. Controlling the flow rate can also regulate other process variable, such as temperature
and pressure. How flow is measured depends on the magnitude of the flow and the type of substance
flowing.
BASIC PROPERTIES OF FLUIDS
DENSITY
The density of a fluid is simply the weight or mass of a unit volume of that fluid. It is measured in units
such as g/cm3, kg/m3.
SPECIFIC GRAVITY
For liquids, specific gravity is the ratio between the measured density of one liquid and the measured
density of water.
VISCOSITY
Viscosity is its resistance to flow.
Figure 4.1 below shows a fluid moving through a pipe. Because of friction with the pipe wall, the fluid
flow faster in the centre of the pipe than it does near the wall. This causes layers of fluid to slip over
each other. The amount of resistance to this internal slippage is the fluid’s viscosity.
Some fluids have a very high resistance (high viscosity), others very low. The higher a fluid’s viscosity,
the more difficult it is to get the fluid to flow. Imagine pouring a bucket of water, a bucket of honey, and a
bucket of road tar. One pours freely, but the other two very slowly. Viscosity strongly affects the
measurement of fluid flow.
[ 0 7 23 19 11 18 14 1 5 22 6 20 17 13 4 12 3 9 21 15 24 16
4. Resources:
DL2314
Digital Multimeter
Set of Leads
5. Procedure:
1. Connect, through leads, bush N°18 of the LINEAR DRIVER to the bush of SET POINT 1,
bush N°19 to bush N°19 and bush N°20 to bush N°20.
2. Check if the water level in the tank is 10 cm.
3. Press the main switch (ON).
4. Start the pump regulating the voltage on SET POINT 1 at 10V.
5. Regulate the valve MAN VALVE to read on the FLOW METER 100 lt/h: if the flow is
slightly lower, regulate MAN VALVE to reach the value closely higher.
6. Slightly turn counter-clockwise the knob NEEDLE VALVE and/or the knob DRAIN VALVE
to bring the water level back to 10cm and close the valves.
7. Starting the pump regulating the voltage on SET POINT 1 at 10V and at the same time
start the chronometer.
8. Read the value shown on the FLOW METER and write it down.
9. Wait until the water level reaches 13cm, stop the chronometer and stop the pump.
10. Write down the value read on the chronometer.
11. Slightly turn counter-clockwise the knob NEEDLE VALVE and/or the knob DRAIN VALVE
to bring the water level back to 10cm and close the valves.
12. Repeat the procedure from step 4: the two values read on the chronometer must be
equal.
13. Put OFF the main switch.
14. Calculate the flow of the pump and verify that the value is equal to the value read on the
flowmeter.
NOTE: Diameter of the tank 17.5 cm
Volume of the tank = area of the base x height
= 240.406 x 3 = 721.218 cm3
Flow = Volume/time (cm3/sec)
1 cm3/sec = 3.6 l/h
15. Connect bushes N°5 and 6 of the flow sensor FLOW to bushes N°5 and 6 of the relevant
interface.
16. Insert one terminal of the digital voltmeter, set in dc, in bush N°13 and the other one in the
earth bush.
17. Regulate the trimmer OFFSET to read the value 0V on the multimeter.
18. Put OFF the main switch.
19. Slightly turn counter-clockwise the knob NEEDLE VALVE and/or the valve DRAIN VALVE.
20. Start the pump regulating the voltage on SET POINT 1 at 10V.
21. Regulate the trimmer GAIN to read on the multimeter the value 10V, in case the flow read
and calculated is 100 l/h, or 9Vm, in case the flow is 90 l/h; in this way we have calibrated
the flow sensor establishing 1V per 10 l/h.
22. Regulate the valve MAN VALVE for all the value of flow listed and write down the voltage
values read on the voltmeter.
23. Put OFF the main switch.
24. Close the valves NEEDLE VALVE and DRAIN VALVE.
25. Remove all the connections.
26. Draw the diagram of the voltage as a function of the flow.
6. Data and Results:
Course: CHE 415 Experiment No: 1
Group No: 1 Section: CHE41S2
Group Members: Ang, Lorenzo Date Performed: February 28, 2024
Baldorado, Joanna Marielle Date Submitted: March 13, 2024
Baylon, Ianna Instructor: Engr. Efren B. Chavez
Diaz, Maryjean
Gamban, Juan Carlos
Olarve, Ryan Jasper
Sandoval, Roheim Carol
Soneja, Nelali
Tolentino, Timothy Kevin
Flow 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10
(litres/s)
Voltage (V) 10 8.33 7.8 7.2 6.66 6.03 5.48 4.83 4.30 3.36
7. Conclusion:
In conclusion, flow sensors serve an important role in many industries by accurately
measuring fluid flow rates. These sensors detect flow rates using a variety of principles,
including thermal, ultrasonic, and mechanical. One critical factor to examine is the link
between voltage and sensor output. Typically, flow sensors have a linear relationship
between voltage and flow rate, with variances depending on the sensor type and design.
Understanding this relationship is critical for accurate sensor data calibration and
interpretation, assuring dependable and efficient functioning in a wide range of applications,
including industrial operations, environmental monitoring, and healthcare.
Documentation:
8. Assessment (Rubric for Activity Performance):
BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT
CRITERIA SCORE
1 2 3
I. Laboratory Skills
Members do not
Manipulative Members occasionally Members always demonstrate
demonstrate needed
Skills demonstrate needed skills needed skills
skills
Members are able to Members are able to set-up the
Experimental Members are unable to
set-up the materials with materials with minimum
Set-up set-up the materials
supervision supervision
Members do not Members occasionally
Members always demonstrate
Process Skills demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted
targeted process skills.
process skills. process skills.
Members follow safety
Safety Members do not follow Members follow safety
precautions most of the
Precautions safety precautions. precautions at all times.
time.
II. Work Habit
Time
Members do not finish on Members finish ahead of time
Management / Members finish on time
time with incomplete with complete data and time to
Conduct of with incomplete data.
data. revise data.
Experiment
Members do not know Members have defined Members are on tasks and have
their tasks and have no responsibilities most of the defined responsibilities at all
Cooperative
defined responsibilities. time. Group conflicts are times. Group conflicts are
and Teamwork
Group conflicts have to cooperatively managed cooperatively managed at all
be settled by the teacher. most of the time. times.
Clean and orderly
Clean and orderly workplace at
Neatness and Messy workplace during workplace with occasional
all times during and after the
Orderliness and after the experiment. mess during and after the
experiment.
experiment.
Ability to do Members require Members require
Members do not need to be
independent supervision by the occasional supervision by
supervised by the teacher.
work teacher. the teacher.
Other Comments / Observations:
TOTAL SCORE
RATING = ( 𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒
24 )𝑥 100%
