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How Do Flow Meters Work - Flowmeter Types And Operation

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 have many applications. For individuals, a peak flow meter can measure the lung capacity. This is also used by people with asthma and can be used to determine if an asthma attack is imminent.

However the most varied applications are in the manufacturing industries or water management processes where precise measurements are vital for successful operations. This article will touch on how flow meters work in industry and for individuals.

Flow meters are generally classified by the principal that governs their operation or possibly by their applications. For instance, mass flow meters measure the flow rate of a medium in terms of it's mass.

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 transmitters also act as a receiver of the wave sent by the other transmitter. One pulse of sound is sent in the direction of the flow and the other is sent against the flow.

Provided some information is known about the type of pipe used and a few constants for the liquid or gas, then the flow rate can be determined from the time difference of each wave.

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 variable area flow meter is a more straightforward meter. It consists of a calibrated tube in which a liquid or gas passes through. In the tube is a float that is displaced by the substance.

The float indicates a measurement on the calibrated tube. This is a correlation of the flow rate of the substance that has just passed through the tube. An example of such a device is the peak flow meter that is used to measure lung capacity. Peak flow meters help people with asthma determine if they are likely to have an asthma attack.

Article Source: http://articles.yournetguru.com

Learn more about flow meters, specifically on peak flow meters at www.flowmetermatters.com.

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