Liquid flow meters are international components used to determine the flow of liquids. They measure linear, nonlinear mass and the volume of liquid flow rates. It would help if you always were careful when selecting a meter for your application. Also, make sure the meter that you are selecting fits the application.
Liquid flow meters are used in large cities, and they collect a large amount of water. They come in different types, and each type of liquid flow meter has a different working principle. The following are different types of flow meters that are used in the market today.
Liquid Flow Meter Types
Liquid flow meters are widely available for closed-piping systems. Here are some of the most popular flow meter types.
Coriolis Flow Meters
Coriolis flow meters are the most popular and accurate flow meters in the market. They measure the mass of liquids and can also cause pressure drops. Coriolis flow meters measure fluids that have high viscosity.
You can find these meters in various shapes. The most known one has a u-shaped flow pipe sheltered in a meter housing fixed to an electrical unit. You can install the sensing unit directly to the process. These meters are easy to use, and maintenance cost is low.
Thermal-Type Mass Flow Meter
These meters were traditionally meant for gas measurement. However, some designs are meant to measure the flow of liquids. These mass meters do not depend on density, pressure, and thickness to work. The flow path of fluids conducts heat from the meter. The conducted heat is usually directly related to the mass flow rate of fluids. The meters do not usually come into contact with the fluid, though. If you want to get accurate measurements from this meter, make sure to do proper calibrations.
Electromagnetic Flow Sensors
Magnetic flow meters are used to measure slurries and fluids. The main parts of magnetic flow sensors are the flow tube which is directly fixed into the pipe. These meters do not have pressure drops, and also, they do not have moving parts that might wear or tear.
You can attach the voltmeter directly to the flow pipe, or you can mount it remotely. These meters operate using Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction. This law says that the energy will be induced when the conductor goes over a magnetic field. The liquid, in this case, acts as a conductor. The energized coil will then create the magnetic field.
The amount of energy created is directly related to the flow rate of fluids. Two electrodes fixed in the pipe wall detect the energy that is determined by the secondary element. These meters have main benefits. They can measure hard and corrosive fluids and slurries. They can also measure liquids in both directions with the same accuracy.
Earlies are used to consuming a lot of energy, though. However, the recent advancements were able to remove those limitations. They now have reduced power intake, and you will no longer need zero settings.
Ultrasonic Flow Sensors
These meters come in two different types. These types are; doppler and transit meters.
Doppler meters; these meters measure the speed shifts that result from the liquid flow. During the installation, you will have to fix two transducers to one side of the flow channel. One of these transducers will transmit the signal while the other will have to receive it. The speed shift is related to the energy of the fluid. These meters are not fit for clean fluids because they measure solid substances or entrained gases. These meters are cheap but less accurate.
Transit-Time Flow Sensors
These meters are more accurate if you compare them to doppler. They also have a transducer that is fixed on each side of the tube. The difference between the doppler meters and transit time is that the latter will not measure fluids with solid substances or entrained gases.
Vortex Flow Meters
Vortex meters are among the most popular meters in the market. They measure liquids the flow of liquids using natural phenomena that happen when the liquids pass over a round object. The vortices are usually shed as the fluids go through the object. The vortex shedding is usually directly related to the energy of the fluid flowing through the meter. You can use these meters to measure the flow of thick and dirty fluids.
Turbine Flow Meters
These meters are accurate and are widely used in many applications. The turbine flow meter has a multi-bladed rotor fixed with a tube that is related to the flow. The rotor will then rotate as the fluid passes over the blades. The speed at which these blades rotate is directly related to the flow rate, and you can sense it using magnetic, photocell, or gears. Make sure to install these meters well to get accurate measurements.
Conclusion
Liquid flow meters are critical in measuring the flow of fluids. Most industries require these meters. Cost matters when it comes to buying a flow sensor for your application. However, you should also consider the installation and calibration. If you install your meters incorrectly, you will get an inaccurate outcome.
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Naman Modi is a Professional Blogger, SEO Expert & Guest blogger at proteusind.com, He is an Award-Winning Freelancer & Web Entrepreneur helping new entrepreneur’s launches their first successful online business.