Transit Time (Pulsed type)

Relatively clean liquids (somedesigns for flare gas)

Wetted transducers; 1000 psigup, Clamp-on; pipe rating

- 300°F to 500°F

Typically to 40 ft/sec

Linear

Analog electronic or digital

± 1% of rate of ± 5% of fullscale depending on type andcalibration

Up to 40:1

Flanged and clamp-on design

1/2" up

No flow obstruction; can bebidirectional; use with practi-cally any relatively clean liquid.Versions for gas. Clamp-onversions available.

Straight upstream pipingrequired to provide uniformflow profile; clean liquids only.

Service:

Design Pressure:

Design Temperature:

Flow Velocity:

Scale:

Signal:

Accuracy:

Rangeability:

End Connections:

Sizes:

Advantages:

Limitations:

Doppler (Frequency shift)

Liquids with entrained gas orsuspended solids

Wetted transducers; 1000 psigup, Clamp-on; pipe rating

- 300°F to 500°F

Typically to 40 ft/sec

Linear

Analog electronic or digital

± 5% of full scale or better

Typically 10:1

Clamp-on; body versions avail-able (Sampling type available)

1/4" up

Can handle inorganic slurriesand aerated liquids; clamp-onversion can be installed with-out process shut-down.

Not suitable for clean liquids;requires straight upstreamupstream piping.

Coriolis Effect

Liquids and slurries (limited gas service)

Up to 6500 psig

Up to 400°F

Up to 23,000 Ib/min

Linear

±0.25% of rate or better

10:1 or better

Threaded, flanged, Tri-Clover®

1/16" to 6"

Measures mass flow and fluid density directly. Handles difficult applications.Unaffected by changes in fluid density, viscosity and temperature

Moderate to expensive cost. Recommendedinstallation requirements. Head loss may behigh. Be careful with 2-phase flows.Sensitive to plant vibrations and pulsations.

Thermal

Gas (some designs for liquid)

500 psig and higher

Up to 150°F and higher

Up to 4000 gpm liquid Up to 1500 scfm of gas

Exponential

± 1% of full scale

10:1 or better

Threaded, flanged, hose

1/8" to 10"; Sampling types available; by-pass type available.

Measures mass flow directly. Very low pressure loss. Good for low velocity gasmeasurement.

Affected by coatings. Some designs are fragile.

Service:

Design Pressure:

Design Temperature:

Flow Range:

Scale:

Accuracy:

Rangeability:

End Connections:

Sizes:

Advantages:

Limitations:

Service: Electrically conductive liquids or slurries (>0.05µs/cm)

Design Pressure: Up to 3600 psig

Design Temperature: Up to 360°F

Flow Range: 4 cc/min to 1,200,000 gpm

Scale: Linear

Signal: Analog electronic; digital; Smart protocols

Accuracy: up to ± 0.25% of rate; factory calibrated

Rangeabillty: 75:1

End Connections: Flanged, sanitary, or wafer; Dresser and Victaulic endsavailable in larger sizes.

Sizes: 1/25" to 120"

Advantages: Excellent for slurry measurement. Unaffected by change in fluiddensity, viscosity; zero head loss; bi-directional; no flow obstruction; easy torespan; versions for dc power.

Limitations: Moderate cost; liquids or slurries only; required minimumelectrical conductivity varies with manufacturer; larger sizes big and heavy.

Service: Clean liquids and gases

Design Pressure: Up to 60,000 psig

Design Temperature: - 450° to 1200°F

Flow Range: 0.001 through 40,000 gpm liquids; to10,000,000 scfh gases

Scale: Linear when Reynolds number is 10,000 orhigher

Signal: Frequency or analog electronic

Accuracy: ±0.25% of rate liquids; ±1% of rate gas;factory calibration should simulate operating viscosityand lubricity for liquids.

Rangeabillty: 10:1 to 50:1

End Connections: Flanged, threaded,Tri-Clover®,Grayloc

Sizes: Up to 24" (sampling types available); alsoused as by-pass meter around mainline orifice.

Advantages: One of the most accurate liquidmeters; good operating range, easy-to-install andmaintain, very low flowrate designs available; smallin size; lightweight. Versions optimized for gas; sam-pling types for steam. Some versions do not requireexternal power.

Limitations: Sensitive to increasing viscosity; avoiduse where state may change from liquid to gas; gasversions require care when used in varying flow rateapplications straight upstream pipe is required; flowstraighteners may be recommended.

Service: Clean liquids and gases

Design Pressure: Up to 1400 psig for liquid or gas

Design Temperature: Up to 600°F liquids; up to250°F gas

Flow Range: 0.1* to 9000 gpm liquid; 0 to 100,000scfh gas.

Scale: Linear

Signal: Pulse or analog electronic

Accuracy: ± 1/2% of rate on liquid; ± 1% of fullscale on gas; factory calibrated

Rangeability: Typically 10:1

End Connections: Flanged or threaded

Sizes: Up to 12"

Advantages: Ideal for viscous liquids; good for cus-tody transfer, batching, blending; simplest versionsdon’t require electrical power; very little straightupstream pipe required.

Limitations: Subject to mechanical wear; requiresperiodic proving; sensitive to dirt and may requireupstream filters; larger sizes are excessive in sizeand weight, may require special installation care.

*Ultra-low flow rate versions also available.

Service: Liquids and gases including steam

Design Pressure: Up to 10,000 psig

Design Temperature: Up to 750°F

Flow Range: 0.07 gpm and up liquid; 0.3 scfm and up gas

Scale: Square root

Signal: Analog electronic or pneumatic

Accuracy: ± 1/2% to ±5% of full scale; factory calibrated

Rangeability: 3:1*

End Connections: Flanged, threaded, flared tube

Sizes: Up to 8" (sampling types available)

Advantages: No moving parts; relatively inexpensive; good for hot, tarry andsediment bearing fluids.

Limitations: Need 20 diameters upstream and 10 diameters downstream ofstraight pipe to maintain accuracy; reading is per cent of scale; limited range.

* 10:1 span adjustment plus 3:1 range for any given span setting.

Service:

Design Pressure:

Design Temperature:

Flow Range:

Scale:

Signal:

Accuracy:

Rangeability:

End Connections:

Sizes:

Advantages:

Limitations:

Vortex Shedding (Bluff body)

Liquids and gases including steam

Up to 3600 psig

Up to 750°F

3 to 10,568 gpm liquid; 15,000,000 scfh gases

Linear at high Reynolds No.

Frequency or analog electronic

±.75% of rate or better on liquid; factory calibrated; ±1% of rate on gas

20:1

Flanged, threaded, wafer or insert;also can be used as by-pass meteraround mainline orifice.

1/2" thru 16"; larger sizes available(sampling and by-pass types avail-able)

No moving parts; suitable for widevariety of fluids; excellent combina-tion of price and performance.

Straight piping required; sensitive toincreasing viscosity below a givenReynolds number.

Swirlmeter

Liquids, gases, and steam

Up to 2400 psig

- 40°F to 608°F

1 to 7925 gpm liquid; 88 thru 706,300 acfh gases

Linear at high and low Reynolds Nos.

Pulse or analog output

±.5% of rate or better; liquids, gas orsteam

25:1 turn down average (determinedby size, application)

Flanged only 150 thru 600 pound

0.5" thru 16"

No moving parts, 3 upsteam pipediameters, ideal for light gases, works with entrained liquid.

Viscosity

Fluidic (Coanda Effect)

Liquids

Up to 600 psig

0 to 250°F

1 to 1000 gpm

Linear at high Reynolds No.

Analog electronic or pneumatic;pulse

± 1% of rate or better; factory calibrated

Up to 30:1

Mounts between flanges

1" thru 4"; by-pass types available

No moving parts; suitable for widevariety of liquids; excellent combi-nation of price and performance.

Straight piping required; sensitiveto increasing viscosity below agiven Reynolds number.

Service: Liquids and gases including steam

Design Pressure: Up to 300 psig (glass tube); to720 psig (metal tube)

Design Temperature: Up to 250°F (glass tube); to1000°F (metal tube)

Flow Range: Liquids 0.01 cc/min to 300 gpm; gases0.3 cc/min to 2000 scfm

Scale: Linear

Signal: Visual; electronic or pneumatic analog

Accuracy: ± 0.5% of rate to ± 10% of full scaledepending on type, size, and calibration

Rangeability: 5:1 to 12:1

End Connections: Female pipe threaded or flanged

Sizes: Up to 4"; also used as a by-pass meteraround a mainline orifice for larger pipe sizes.

Advantages: inexpensive; somewhat self-cleaning;insensitive to viscosity variations below a giventhreshold; direct indicating; no power required; canbe direct mass device; minimum piping require-ments. Versions available with Teflon® liners.

Limitations: Requires accessories for data transmis-sion; must be vertically mounted; gas use requiresminimum backpressure.Service: Liquids in open channels

Flow Range: From 1/2 gpm up

Scale: Proportional to the measured head to the 3/2 power for rectangular and trapezoidal weirsand Parshall flumes; proportional to the measured head to the 5/2 power for V-notch weirs.

Signal: Analog electronic

Accuracy: 2% to 5% full scale

Rangeabilfty: 75:1 rectangular, trapezoidal weirs, Parshall flumes; 500:1 V-notch weirs; Palmer-Bowlus flumes 10:1

Sizes: From 1 " up

Advantages: ideal for water and waste flows, flumes have low head loss, low cost

Limitations: Weirs are more accurate than flumes but require cleaning; flumes are self-cleaning.

Wedge

Liquids and gases

Determined by transmitter

Determined by materials

Determined by pipe size

Square root

Analog electronic or pneumatic

± .5% of actual flow when operated inthe calibrated range

4:1 for given transmitter span setting

Mounts between flanges

Up to 48"

Very economical; easy-to-install; usesone transmitter regardless of pipe size;can be bi-directional; low pressure loss.Minimum upstream piping required

Not good for low flow velocity; as accurate as other ∅ P types.

Service:

Design Pressure:

Design Temperature:

Flow Range:

Scale:

Signal:

Accuracy:

Rangeabillty:

End Connections:

Sizes:

Advantages:

Limitations:

Orifice

Liquids and gases including steam

Determined by transmitter

Determined by materials

From 0.1 cc/min up* or gas equivalent

Square root

Analog electronic or pneumatic

± 0.6% of max flow uncalibrated andincludes transmitter; sizes smaller than2" usually calibrated

4:1 for given transmitter span setting

Mounts between flanges

Determined by pipe size

Easy-to-install; uses one transmitterregardless of pipe size; low cost; widevariety of types and materials available;easy-to-change capacity. Versions avail-able that do not require power.

Use eccentric orifices or segmentalplates for very dirty fluids or slurries;quadrant orifice for viscous liquids; ven-turi, flow tube, pitot, or elbow taps toreduce energy consumption; straightrun of upstream and downstream pipingrequired. Some fluid must leave pipeexcept when chemical seal protectorsare used.

Venturi

Liquids and gases including steam

Determined by transmitter

Determined by materials

From 5 gpm liquid; 20 scfm gas; determined by pipe size

Square root

Analog electronic or pneumatic

±1% of max flow or better; uncalibratedand includes transmitter

4:1 for given transmitter span setting

Flanged

To 72" and larger

Low permanent loss; good for slurriesand dirty fluids; uses one transmitterregardless of pipe size.

Most expensive ∅ P producer; generallylimited to air and water; big and heavyespecially in larger pipe sizes.

Flow Nozzles and Tubes

Liquids and gases including steam

Determined by transmitter

Determined by materials

From 5 gpm liquid; from 20 scfm gasequivalent

Square root

Analog electronic or pneumatic

±1% full scale including transmitter;flow calibration recommended

4:1 for given transmitter span setting

Flanged or mounted between flanges

3” to 48”

Economical, low permanent loss; usesone transmitter regardless of pipe size;nozzle commonly used for steam andhas higher capacity for same generated∅ P.

Flow tubes lack extensive backgrounddata compared to orifice plates; applica-tion on viscous liquids limited.Calibration recommended for optimumperformance.

* Note: For less than 1" pipe size use integral orifice ∅ P transmitter.

Pitot

Liquids and gases

Determined by transmitter

Determined by materials

Determined by pipe size

Square root

Analog electronic or pneumatic

±5% full scale or better including trans-mitter

4:1 for given transmitter span setting

Insert probe

Unlimited probe length

Very low cost; uses one transmitterregardless of pipe size. Averaging typesavailable.

Doesn't sample full stream; limited accu-racy. Low differential pressure for givenflow rate.

1 MAGNETIC 4 POSITIVEDISPLACEMENT

9 VARIABLEAREA (Rotameter)

6 TURBINE

5 TARGET

7 ULTRASONIC

10 WEIRS and FLUMES

8 DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE

2 MASS 3 OSCILLATORY

GUIDE TO FLOW MEASUREMENT

© 2000, 2006 ABB Inc. Printed in USA Wall Chart_Measurement_2 DCG 10/06 2K

ABB Instrumentation125 E. County Line Road, Warminster, PA 18974800-829-6001 • 215-674-6000 • Fax: 215-674-7183email: instrumentation@us.abb.com

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Clean Dirty Corrosive Viscous Abrasive Fibrous Low Velocity Vapor Hi Temp. Cryogenic Semi-Filled Non- OpenLiquids Liquids Liquids Liquids Slurries Slurries Flows or Gas Service Service Pipes Newtonians Channel

MAGNETIC

MASS

OSCILLATORY

POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT

TARGET

TURBINE

ULTRASONIC

DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE

VARIABLE AREA

WEIRS and FLUMES

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Coriolis

Thermal

Vortex Shedding

Fluidic

Swirlmeter

Transit Time

Doppler

Orifice

Venturi

Flow Nozzles &Tubes

Pitot Tubes

Wedge

FLOWMETER APPLICATIONS Designed for this service Applicable for this service under certainconditions, consult manufacturer

Normally applicablefor this service

Not applicablefor this service