Comparison of Different Types of Flow Meters
Image Credits : toshiba.co.jp
Comparison of Flow Meters
| Flowmeter | Pipe/size | Gas/Liquid | Accuracy | Ideal for measuring | Principle |
| Orifice | 1” – 48” | Liquid/Gas | 1% | Mass flow / velocity | Diff. Pressure |
| Venturi | 6” – up | Liquid/Gas | 0.50% | Mass flow / velocity | Diff. Pressure |
| Turbine | 0.5” – 2” | Liquid/Gas | 0.30% | Mass flow / velocity | Rotating blades produce pulses |
| Positive Displacement | 1” – 24” | Liquid | 0.50% | Mass flow | Traps a specific volume |
| Magnetic | 1” – 120” | Liquid | 0.2 – 1 % | Mass flow | Faraday’s Law |
| Ultrasonic | 0.5” – 48” | Liquid/Gas | 1% | Mass flow | Speed of sound |
| Vortex | 0.5” – 16” | Liquid/Gas | 1% | Velocity | Eddies produce pulses |
| Variable area | 0.5” – 3” | Liquid/Gas | 1% | Velocity | Diff. Pressure |
| Coriolis | 2” – 150” | Liquid | 0.50% | Mass flow | Coriolis principle |
| Pitot | 3” – up | Liquid/Gas | 2% | Mass flow / velocity | Diff. Pressure |
Note :
- Pipe/Size may vary from make to make, Above shared details are for reference only.
- For measuring Mass Flow, appropriate Temperature/Pressure compensation, Density Factors etc… to be considered in calculations of the Mass Flow, if the instrument primarily a volumetric flow measuring device.
Comparison between Turbine meter and Positive Displacement meter
| Turbine Flow meter | Positive Displacement Flow meter |
| Indirect measurement | Direct measurement |
| Requires upstream/downstream straight lengths | No straight lengths required |
| Affected by fluid viscosity | Free from viscosity effect |
| For a given small range, a smaller size compared to PD meter | Larger size required to achieve a given flowrate range |
| Lower operating/maintenance/investment costs | Higher operating/maintenance/investment costs |
Credits : N Asyiddin
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2 comments
What about Cross-Correlation based Ultrasonic Flow Meter?
Very informative according to interview