Flowmeters, weirs

The flow of fluids is most commonly measured using head flowmeters. The operation of these flowmeters is based on the Bernoulli equation. A constriction in the flow path is used to increase the flow velocity. This is accompanied by a decrease in pressure head and since the resultant pressure drop is a function of the flow rate of fluid, the latter can be evaluated. The flowmeters for closed conduits can be used for both gases and liquids. The flowmeters for open conduits can only be used for liquids. Head flowmeters include orifice and venturi meters, flow nozzles, Pitot tubes and weirs. They consist of a primary element which causes the pressure or head loss and a secondary element which measures it. The primary element does not contain any moving parts. The most common secondary elements for closed conduit flowmeters are U-tube manometers and differential pressure transducers. 

Other sensors which are described in Volume 1 (Sections 6.3.7-6.3.9) are the variable area meter, the notch or weir, the hot wire anemometer, the electromagnetic flowmeter and the positive displacement meter. Some of these flowmeters are relatively less suitable for producing signals which can be transmitted to the control room for display (e.g. weir, rotameter) and others are used in more specialist or limited applications (e.g. magnetic flowmeter, hot wire anemometer). The major characteristics of different types of flow sensor are summarised in Table 6.1. Brief descriptions follow of the principles underlying the more important types of flowmeter not described in Volume 1. In many instances such flow sensors are taking the place of those more traditional meters which rely upon pressure drop measurement. This is for reasons of versatility, energy conservation and convenience. 

Head-type flowmeters include orifice plates, venturi tubes, weirs, flumes, and many others. They change the velocity or direction of the flow, creating a measurable differential pressure, or "pressure head," in the fluid. Head metering is one of the most ancient of flow detection techniques. There is evidence that the Egyptians used weirs for measurement of irrigation water flows in the days of the Pharaohs and that the Romans used orifices to meter water to households in Caesar s time. In the 18th century, Bernoulli established the basic relationship between the pressure head and velocity head, and Venturi published on the flow tube bearing his name. 

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See also in sourсe #XX -- [ , , , , , , , , , , , , ]

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