Instruments that measure fluid flow are collectively referred to as flow meters or flow meters. The flowmeter is one of the important instruments in industrial measurement. With the development of industrial production, the accuracy and range of flow measurement requirements are getting higher and higher, and the flow measurement technology is changing with each passing day. Various types of flow meters have been introduced to suit various applications. More than 100 flow meters have been put into use. From different perspectives, flow meters have different classification methods. There are two commonly used classification methods. One is to classify according to the measurement principle adopted by the flowmeter: the second is to classify according to the structural principle of the flowmeter.
Sort by measurement principle
a. Mechanical principle:
Instruments belonging to such principles have differential pressure type, rotor type using Bernoulli's theorem;
Impulse type using the momentum theorem, movable tube type;
Direct mass equation using Newton's second law;
a target using the principle of fluid momentum;
Turbine using the angular momentum theorem;
Vortex type using vortex principle of fluid oscillation;
Use the total static pressure difference of the pitot tube type as well as volumetric and sputum, trough and so on.
b. Electrical principle:
Electromagnetic,
Differential capacitor type,
Inductive,
Strain resistance type, etc.
c. Acoustic principle:
Ultrasonic.
d. Thermal principles:
Thermal type,
Direct calorimetry,
Indirect calorimetry and so on.
General principles for electromagnetic flowmeter selection
(1) Whether the medium to be tested is a conductive liquid or slurry, thereby determining whether an electromagnetic flow meter is selected;
(2) The conductivity of the measured medium determines the type of electromagnetic flowmeter—whether it is high conductivity or low conductivity;
(3) The nominal diameter of the large, small and common flow process pipelines required by the process, determine whether the flow rate of the medium is at a more economical flow point, whether the pipeline needs to be reduced, and then determine the diameter of the flowmeter;
(4) Determine whether to use an integrated or split flowmeter, and the degree of protection of the flowmeter, etc., based on the layout of the process piping.
(5) Selecting the electrode type according to whether the measured medium is easy to crystallize or crusting;
(6) selecting an electrode material according to the corrosiveness of the measured medium;
(7) The corrosiveness, wear and temperature of the measured medium determine the lining material to be used;
(8) The high working pressure of the measured medium determines the nominal pressure of the flow meter;
(9) The insulation of the process piping determines the type of grounding ring.
Principle analysis of various types of flowmeters
(1) Principles of mechanics: Instruments belonging to such principles have differential pressure and rotor type using Bernoulli's theorem; impulse type and movable tube type using momentum theorem; direct mass type using Newton's second law; The target type of the momentum principle; the turbine type using the angular momentum theorem; the vortex type using the principle of fluid oscillation, the vortex type; the pitot tube type using the total static pressure difference; the volumetric type, the enthalpy, the trough type, and the like.
(2) Electrical principle: The instruments used for such principles are electromagnetic, differential capacitive, inductive, strain resistant, etc.
(3) Acoustic principle: Ultrasonic type, acoustic type (shock wave type), etc. are used for flow measurement using the acoustic principle.
(4) Thermal principle: The heat, direct thermal, indirect calorimetry, etc., which measure the flow using the thermal principle.
(5) Optical principle: laser type, photoelectric type, etc. are instruments belonging to such principles.
(6) Originally based on physical principles: nuclear magnetic resonance, nuclear radiation, etc. are instruments of this type.
(7) Other principles: Marking principle (trace principle, NMR principle), related principles, etc.