Volumetric Flow Meter

In the past, the farming system was practiced in areas that received considerable rainfall in order to enhance plant growth. With volumetric flow meters invention, farming has become easy as they ensure plants get the right amount of water. Volumetric flow meter basically measures the water, vapor or gas amounts flowing through a pipe in a particular timeframe.

A flow meter has a primary element, transmitter, and transducer. The volumetric flow transducer will sense fluid flowing across the primary element then sanctions the transmitter to create a running flow signal. Here are a few types of volumetric flow meters available nowadays.

Ultrasonic flow meters

The ultrasonic flow meter uses sound waves to measure the velocity of a liquid as it flows through a piping system. Ultrasonic flow meters are of two types; “Transit time” and “Doppler”. “Transit time” sends and receives ultrasonic waves in the middle of upstream and downstream transducer directions as the liquid flows in the pipes. Liquid’s flow velocity is directly proportional to the upstream and downstream flow. On the other hand, the “Doppler” meter measures sound waves frequency as they bounce off air bubbles or particles in the stream. As the flow increases, shift in frequency becomes directly proportional to velocity of the particles.

Vortex flow meters

Vortex flow meters use a shedder bar or bluff body to interrupt the fluid flow. Swirls or vortices are created downstream in alternating patterns as the liquid flows through the pipes or body. A transducer (pressure sensor, piezoelectric crystal, ultrasonic sensor) senses the vortices – vortices frequency is relative to flow velocity. Vortex flow meters are used to measure flows in water, wastewater, pulp and paper, steam, chemicals, and petrochemicals.

Magnetic flow meters

Electromagnetic flow meters use Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction to measure fluid velocity. In this meter’s functionality, magnetic fields are channeled into a conductive fluid passing through the piping system. Liquid ions passing through the magnetic field causes voltage signals that are sensed by electrodes installed on the walls of the pipe. The voltage is proportional to the velocity of the liquid according to Faraday’s Law. Applications common to magnetic meters are measuring moving conductive fluids like water, caustic, slurries and acids.mag meter is a kind widely used volumetric digital flow meters.

Turbine flow meters

Turbine meters use fluid’s kinetic energy to measure the flow. They usually rotate a submerged turbine which turns proportionally to flow of the liquid – a sensor placed on the turbines picks blades movements. More pulses sent by a fast fluid movement allows the turbine meter to determine velocity. These meters are used to measure flows in hydrocarbons, water, chemicals, air, cryogenic liquids as well as industrial gases.

Paddle wheel

The paddle wheel is similar to the turbine meter in that fluid flow rotates the wheel at a proportional rate to velocity. Paddle wheel's ability for measuring flows at lower rates is the only difference. Generally, paddle wheels are to a greater degree a flow indicator rather than giving highly precise measurements. These volumetric flow meters are actually limited when it comes to both operating pressure and temperature but are best utilized with clean fluids that don’t contain particulates.

In a nutshell, the choice is yours when choosing the right volumetric flow meter to use. Remember that periodic use requires regular care and maintenance to enhance optimal functioning.