Volume Flow Measurements

Obstruction Meters

Orifice Meters

Venturi Meters

Flow Nozzles

Flow through a Nozzle

1 m
2
m
Av
m

Basic Equations:
a.) Continuity:
mass in = mass out
b.) Bernoullis Eqn.

1A1 v1 2 A 2 v 2

Total pressure is
constant throughout

incompressible
1 2
A 1 v1 A 2 v 2

1
m
1
A1
v1

2
m
2
A2
v2

Flow through a Nozzle

Bernoulli
P0 Total Pr essure const.
1 2
v P
2
1
1
2
2
1 v1 P1 2 v 2 P2 P0
2
2
P static pressure
P0 total pressure
1 2
v dynamic pressure
2

Flow through a Nozzle

v2

2 P

1
A2

1
A1

Flow Rate
Q A2 v2 A2

1
A2

1
A1

2 P

For Re al Flow
Q YCA 2

1
A2

1
A1

2 P

Ideal

Flow through a Nozzle

P P1 P2

1
1
2 v22 1v12
2
2
2

1
1 A2 2
2
v2
2 v2 1
2
2 A1

A2
1 2

v2 1
2

A1
when

1 2

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

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
e

Based upon the conditions in the pipe

approaching the meter

Back to the Nozzle

P1

P2

P1
P
P2

The Nozzle Flowmeter

Shorter and cheaper than venturi
But larger pressure drop.
Thus, more power lost in operating.
0.98

0.86
10

Re

105

Flow Through an Orifice

Meter

Flow Through an Orifice

Meter
P1

P2

P1

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

Re

0.85

A
1 2
A1

5000

10k

CM

100k

0.6
0.1

=d/D

0.8

Elbow Flowmeter

Laminar
Flowmeter

Pitot-Static Tubes

Rotameter, variable-areaflowmeter
Force balance

Drag Force
Gravity
Buoyancy

(usually negligible)

m use m cal
Derived on next
slide

use
cal

Rotameter
Equations

m A V
V2
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

use

m use m cal

use
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 Faradays 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

Vibrating Flow Tube

Fluid Force is Reacting to Vibration

of Flow Tube
Twist Angle

Twist Angle

End View of Flow Tube

Showing Twist

Coriolis Mass Flow Meter

Positive
Displacement
Meters