FLOW CALIBRATION

Calibration and Standards

Flow rate calibration depends on standards of volume(length) and
time or mass and time.
Classified into two: (a) Primary calibration & (b) Secondary calibration
Primary calibration based on the establishment of steady flow
through the flowmeter to be calibrated and subsequently
measurement of volume or mass of flowing fluid that passes through
in a accurately timed interval.
Any stable and precise flow meter calibrated by such primary
methods becomes a secondary flow rate standard against which less
accurate flow meters may be calibrated conveniently.
Calibration and Standards Continued…
Significant deviations of the conditions of use from those at
calibration will invalidate the calibration
Possible sources of error in flow meters include variation in
(a) fluid properties - density, viscocity and temperature
(b) orientation of meter
(c) pressure level
(d)flow disturbances-elbows,tees,valves etc,upstream and to a lesser
extend down stream etc
Calibration of Flow meters
Flow meters are classified into gas flow meters , liquid flow meters
and solid flow meters
Avoided the solid flow meter calibration in this presentation
Focusing on gas flow meter and liquid flow meter
Both gas flow meter and liquid flow meter can either be
volumetric(volumetric flow) or gravimetric (mass flow)
Calibration of Flow meters Contd...
Difference between liquid and gas is that liquid can be collected and
measured easily.
For eg. A bucket can be used to collect the water and weigh it before
and after collecting the certain volume of water which has flown
through the system.
By collecting and measuring the volume or mass of the liquid which
has flown through the flow meter for a certain period of time, we can
find volumetric rate or mass flow rate
Gas Flow Calibration Contd
We have a meter on test eg. Rotameter and have gas supply which
flows through a vertical burette as shown in the figure.
At some particular time, allow a soap film/soap bubble to enter the
burette.
 Gas flow is going to carry film across the burette.
Using the photocell along with timing device we can find out the
amount of time taken in sweeping a certain volume of burette.
By dividing volume sweeped by period of time ,actual volume flow
rate can be obtained.
By comparing the measured and actual value, we can calibrate the
flow meter.
Liquid Flow Meter Calibration Contd
Using pump the liquid is circulated across testmeter and either to
sump or weighing tank(as per diverter/control valve action)
We start measuring process by allowing it to come to weighing tank
and after a certain length of time, divert it to sump.
Either weigh or measure volume of liquid which is collected.
Volume or mass divided by time will give actual volume rate or mass
rate.
Using the actual value and measured value from meter, we can plot
calibration curve.
Flow Calibration(Calibration Curve) contd.
Flow Calibration(Calibration Curve) contd.
From Calibration curve we can see the variation between actual value
and measured value.
We can use the variations as calibration information and can apply
correction factor.
 Examples of Commercial Flow rate
Calibrators
Calibrators using dynamic weighing scheme(using liquid)
Ballistic flow prover(using liquid)
Gas flow calibrator(piston driven by motor)
Liquid Flow rate Calibration using dynamic
weighing scheme
Liquid Flow rate Calibration using dynamic
weighing scheme Contd…
Available in models to cover the range 0.5 to 150,000 lbm/h and have
overall accuracy of +/-0.1 %
Procedure for carrying out dynamic weighing test are:
a) Running operation before test-
• Fluid contained in the reservoir is pumped through a closed hydraulic
circuit
• First, it enters the filter and heat exchange equipment,which controls
temperature within +/- 1Degree Fahrenheit.
• It then passes through control valves, meter undertest,backpressure
valves, weigh tank,then back into reservoir
Liquid Flow rate Calibration using dynamic
weighing scheme Contd…

b)Start of preliminary fill (Tare Time)

• When control valves have been adjusted for desired flow,a tare weight
is placed on the weigh pan.
• Then the cycle start button is pushed, resetting the timer, closing the
dumb valve which starts the filling of the weigh tank.
c)End of prefill,start of weighing cycle
• As the weigh tank fills, the weigh pan rises, tripping the timer actuator,
and the electronic timer begins counting in millisecond, starting the
actual weighing cycle
Liquid Flow rate Calibration using dynamic
weighing scheme Contd…
• The preliminary fill, balanced out by the tare weight before actual weighing
begins, permits a net measurement of the new fluid added after
preliminary fill.
• The preliminary fill method permits measurement of only a portion of the
cycle,eliminating the mechanical errors in the start and stop portions and
allowing dynamic errors to be cancelling.
d)Weighing cycle in operation
• The weighing cycle is continued as the precision weight is placed on the
weigh pan,again deflecting the beam
• The cone shape deflector at the inlet of weigh tank permits the even
distribution of the metered fluid
Liquid Flow rate Calibration using dynamic
weighing scheme Contd…
e)End of weighing cycle
• As the tank fills, the weigh pan rises, until it again trips the timer actuator,
stopping the timer and indicating the time within a thousandth of a
second.
• By combining the precision test weight with the timed interval, the actual
flow rate in pounds/hour is easily accurately determined.From these basic
mass units, other flow units can be accurately calculated.
f) Emptying for recycling
• After the beam movement trips the timer, weigh tank automatically
empties in less than 25 seconds,even at maximum flow.
• The calibrator is now ready for next flow setting.This cuts total calibrating
time as much as 50%.
 Ballistic flow prover calibator
• Useful for fast-response, high resolution flowmeters such as turbine,
positive displacement,vortex shedding etc, types, where steady state
can be achieved quickly and the integration of the flow rate to get
total flow is accomplished accurately by accumulating the meter
pulse rate output in a counter.
• The Integration gives accurate total flow even if the flow rate is not
perfectly steady.
• One such calibrator uses Teflon sealed air driven free piston travelling
down a precision honed tube to dispense a precise volume of
calibration fluid through the attached flowmeter to be calibrated.
 Ballistic flow prover calibrator Contd…
• Precise time and displacement measurements on moving piston are
utilised in a microprocessor data reduction system to achieve a
claimed flow rate accuracy of +/- 0.02%
• The small flow volume(above 5 gal for a 700 gal/min full scale unit)
involved in checking a single flow rate allows rapid calibration, 20
repeats of a single point typically being achieved in 8 minutes for a
300 gal/min flow rate.
• Units are available with maximum flow rates of 100 to 6000 gal/min.
• A similar type of gas flow calibrator is shown in next slide (except that
the piston is driven by electric motor is available for gas flow)
Gas flow Calibrator
(piston driven by electric motor)
Important Points
• The calibration of flow meters to be used with gases often can be
carried out with liquids as long as the pertinent similarity
relations(Reynold no.) are maintained and theoretical density and
expansion corrections are applied.
• If this procedure is felt to be insufficient accuracy, a direct calibration
with actual gas to be employed can be carried out by means of the
gasometer system as shown in next slide.
• Here the gas flowing through the flowmeter during a time interval is
trapped in the gasometer bell and its volume is measured.
Gas-flow Calibration
Important Points Contd..
• Temperature and pressure measurements allow calculation of mass
and conversion of volume to any desired standard condition.
• By filling the bell with gas, raising it to the top and adding appropriate
weights, such a system may be used as a gas supply to drive gas
through a flow meter as the bell gradually drops at a measured rate.
• By using a precision analytical balance to measure the mass
accumulated in a storage essel overtime, accuracies of 0.02% were
obtained for flow rates up to 9 Kg /s (20 lbm/s)
• The size of the equipment makes it more economical for flow rate;
however accuracy is less(+/- 0.08%)
Important Points Contd..
• When the above primary methods cannot be justified,comparison
with secondary standard flowmeter connected in series with the
meter to be calibrated may be sufficiently accurate.
• Turbine flowmeters and their associated digital counting equipment
have been found particularly suitable for such secondary standards.
• With attention to details of such standards can closely approach the
accuracy of primary standards.
THANK YOU