Flow Measurement Technical Tips

Phil Black - PII Editor 13/11/2009

219 1 minute read

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Technical documents provide guidance for implementing turbine flow meter technology

A supplier of precision flow measurement instrumentation for the world”s most demanding applications, has announced a new series of flow measurement “technical tips.” These technical documents provide guidance for the implementation of precision turbine flow meter technology in a wide range of industrial, aerospace and automotive applications, among others.

The technical tips describe end-user considerations for turbine flow meters, which offer advantages such as: exceptional precision and repeatability, fast response time (typically a few milliseconds), wide flow range options for both single and multiple viscosity calibrations, combined with installation flexibility and associated digital readout devices including flow computers with control options for PCs, PLCs, etc.

Tech Tip topics on the website include:
•    Turbine Helical Dual-rotor Performance
•    Flow Range Affect on Cost and Performance
•    Importance of Fluid Properties
•    Operating Temperature Range vs. Turbine Meter Costs
•    Passivation of Austenitic Stainless Steels
•    Secured Internals: Key to Repeatability

The advanced dual-rotor design provides extended performance not obtainable with traditional single-rotor turbine meters. This design enhances Universal Viscosity Curves (UVCs) and extends the usable flow measurement range. The meters offer other significant benefits such as bearing diagnostics, improved accuracy, pressure compensation, long-life ceramic bearings and high-shock internals.

Additional benefits are found in the use of helical rotors for both dual- and single-rotor turbine flow meters, which optimize energy transfer over the entire surface of the blade, enhancing speed of response to step changes in flow rate. Helical rotors also produce less pressure drop across the meter, as compared with the traditional flat-bladed rotor design. This reduction, translated into force, reduces bearing wear, allowing the meter to maintain its original calibration over a longer period of time.