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How Do Flow Meters Work - Flowmeter Types And Operation

by: AdrianFletcher
Total views: 8 | Word Count: 484

Liquids and gases passing through a tube or pipe often need to be measured to determine the rate at which they are moving. They are generally measured in terms of their volume or their mass. A volumetric flow rate reading is meters to the power of three divided by time. The mass flow rate is kg's divided by time.

Flow meters can be used in many ways. Some of these ways apply to individuals, like the peak flow meter that measures lung capacity and can help asthmatics to know if an attack is likely to occur.

Other than that, flow meters are used in many industries, like the food processing industry, water management, semi conductor fabrication and many others. This article will give a brief overview of how flow meters work.

There are a wide variety of types of flow meters. They are generally classified by what they do or how they operate. For instance, a mass flow meter is a general classification of flow meter that determines the flow rate of a medium in terms of mass even though the operating principles for each meter may be different.

The Coriolis flow meter in an example of the principle determining the name. The Coriolis effect is the force that a liquid experiences in a circular motion. In the flow meter, vibrating pipes cause the liquid to move in a circular motion. If the wave motion of the vibrating pipes is known before the liquid passes through the pipes then the flow rate of the liquid can be determined.

The ultrasonic flow meter and Doppler shift flow meter also use wave mechanics to determine the flow rate of the medium passing through a pipe or tube.

For an ultrasonic flow meter, flow rate is measured by contrasting the measurements of two ultrasonic waves. These two waves are set off at the same time as each other but from different directions.

The ultrasonic waves are recorded by receivers at opposite ends of the pipe. One wave is sent in the direction of the flow of the liquid to be measured. The other wave is sent in the opposite direction to the flow.

The flow rate can be determined by the difference in the timings of each ultrasonic wave provided information on the material of the pipe and some details on the medium being measured are known.

Doppler shift flow meters use the changes in the frequency and amplitude of a sound wave when it bounces off particulate matter in the liquid that is being measured to determine the flow rate.

A more traditional type of flow meter is the variable area flow meter that uses a float in a calibrated tube. When a substance passes through the tube, the float is displaced by the flow.

By taking the reading from the calibrated tube an indication of the flow rate can be determined. This is the principle of the peak flow meter used for lung capacity and asthma.

About the Author

Learn more about the flow meter, specifically on the fuel flow meter at http://www.flowmetermatters.com.

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