Flow Measurement Applications
answer these questions in detail from the subject
instrumentation
Here are the detailed answers to the review questions from the subject Instrumentation
regarding flow measurement:
1. Applications of Flow Measurements and Influencing Factors
Applications of Flow Measurement: Flow measurement is essential in many engineering
and industrial processes. Common applications include:
Water and wastewater management: Monitoring water consumption, leak detection,
and sewage treatment.
Oil and gas industry: Measuring crude oil, natural gas, and refined product flow rates in
pipelines.
Chemical processing: Controlling reaction rates by measuring reactants.
Food and beverage industry: Accurate dosing of ingredients.
Pharmaceuticals: Ensuring correct fluid proportions during drug manufacturing.
HVAC systems: Measuring air and water flow for energy efficiency.
Power plants: Monitoring steam, feed water, and fuel flows.
Factors Influencing the Choice of Flow Measurement Method:
Nature of the fluid: Liquid, gas, or slurry; clean or dirty; corrosive or non-corrosive.
Required accuracy: High-precision industries like pharmaceuticals demand precise
instruments.
Flow rate range: High or low flow rates influence device sensitivity.
Operating conditions: Temperature, pressure, and density of the fluid.
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Cost and maintenance: Budget constraints and required maintenance frequency.
Installation requirements: Available space, piping configuration, and orientation.
2. Methods of Flow Measurement with Examples
(i) Inferential Methods:
These methods do not measure flow directly but infer it from other measured parameters
like pressure drop.
Examples:
Orifice meter: Measures pressure drop across an orifice plate to infer flow rate.
Venturimeter: Measures pressure drop across a narrowing passage (Venturi) for flow
calculation.
Pitot tube: Measures fluid velocity using stagnation and static pressure.
Advantages: Simple and inexpensive.
Disadvantages: Accuracy affected by flow profile, requires calibration.
(ii) Positive Displacement (PD) Methods:
These methods directly measure the volume of fluid passing through the meter.
Examples:
Gear flow meter: Measures flow by the movement of meshed gears.
Rotary vane meter: Uses rotating vanes in a chamber.
Reciprocating piston meter: Uses piston movement to measure flow.
Advantages: High accuracy, suitable for viscous fluids.
Disadvantages: Not suitable for dirty or high-speed flows, prone to wear and tear.
(iii) Mass Measurement Methods:
These directly measure the mass flow rate of a fluid.
Examples:
Coriolis flow meter: Measures mass flow based on Coriolis effect.
Thermal mass flow meter: Measures heat transfer to determine flow rate.
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Advantages: Highly accurate, suitable for compressible fluids.
Disadvantages: High cost, complex electronics.
3. Why True Mass Flow Meters Are Rarely Used in Industrial
Applications + Effect of Temperature and Pressure
Reasons True Mass Flow Meters Are Rarely Used:
High cost: Instruments like Coriolis meters are expensive.
Complex installation: Sensitive to vibrations and require straight pipe lengths.
Maintenance challenges: Difficult to clean and maintain, especially in harsh
environments.
Calibration complexity: Requires accurate calibration for varying fluid types.
Effect of Temperature and Pressure on Fluids:
1. Viscosity:
Increases with decreasing temperature.
Decreases with increasing temperature.
Slightly influenced by pressure (especially in gases).
2. Density:
Decreases with increasing temperature (thermal expansion).
Increases with increasing pressure (compressibility effect).
3. Compressibility:
More significant in gases than liquids.
Affected by both temperature and pressure. High temperature generally increases
compressibility; high pressure decreases it.
These variations can affect flow measurement accuracy, particularly in volumetric flow
meters. Mass flow meters provide more accurate results under such changing conditions
but at a higher cost.
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