Checklist: Vortex Flow Meter Advantages and Disadvantages

16 Dec.,2024

 

Checklist: Vortex Flow Meter Advantages and Disadvantages

What are the advantages and disadvantages of vortex flowmeters? Understanding Vortex Flow Meter Advantages and Disadvantages can help us better choose the right flow meter.

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The vortex flowmeter is a volume flowmeter based on the Karman vortex principle to measure the volume flow of gas, steam or liquid, the volume flow under standard conditions, or the mass flow of gas, steam or liquid. A vortex is formed when fluid flows through the collection rod of a vortex flowmeter. The frequency of vortex shedding is proportional to fluid velocity and can be configured for temperature and pressure compensation.

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Vortex Flow Meter Advantages

Advantages of vortex flowmeter:

  1. The pressure loss is small, about 1/4 to 1/2 of the throttling differential pressure flowmeter.
  2. The output pulse signal is proportional to the flow rate, without zero drift.
  3. The structure is simple and firm, easy to install and maintain. No pressure guide tube, three-valve manifold, etc., reducing leakage, clogging and freezing. The measuring element has the advantages of simple structure, reliable performance and long service life.
  4. High precision, generally ±(1&#;1.5)%R.
  5. Wide measurement range. A vortex flowmeter with a reasonable caliber has been determined, and the measuring range can reach 20:1.
  6. Within a certain Reynolds number range, the output frequency of the orifice flowmeter is not affected by the physical properties (density, viscosity) and composition of the fluid. That is, the gauge factor is only related to the shape and size of the vortex generator and piping.
  7. The volume flow rate of the vortex flowmeter is not affected by thermal parameters such as temperature, pressure, density or viscosity of the measured fluid. Usually, no separate calibration is required. It can measure the flow of liquid, gas or steam.

Vortex Flow Meter Disadvantages

Disadvantages of Vortex Flowmeters

  1. The volume flow rate of the vortex flowmeter is not affected by the temperature, pressure, density and other thermal parameters of the measured fluid. But the final measurement for liquids or vapors should be mass flow.
    For gases, the final measurement should be the standard volume flow.
    Both mass flow and standard volume flow must be converted to fluid density. Changes in fluid density due to changes in fluid conditions must be considered.
  2. The main factors causing flow measurement error are:
    Measurement error caused by uneven pipeline flow velocity;
    The medium density cannot be accurately measured when the fluid working condition changes;
    Wet saturated steam is measured assuming dry saturated steam.
    If these errors are not limited or eliminated, the total measurement error of the vortex flowmeter will be very large.
  3. Poor vibration resistance.
    External vibration will cause measurement errors of the vortex flowmeter, or even fail to work properly.
    The high-speed impact of the channel fluid will generate additional vibrations on the cantilever of the vortex generator, which will reduce the measurement accuracy. The effect of large pipe diameter is more obvious.
  4. Poor adaptability to measuring dirty media.
    The generating body of the vortex flowmeter is easily soiled by the medium or entangled with dirt. Variations in geometry size have a great impact on measurement accuracy.
  5. High requirements for straight pipe sections.
    Experts pointed out that the straight pipe section of the vortex flowmeter must ensure that the front end 40D and 20D meet the measurement requirements.
  6. Poor temperature resistance.
    Vortex flowmeters generally only measure the fluid flow of media below 300°C.

Read More About: Vortex Flowmeter Technology

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Flow Measurement Solutions

Vortex flowmeters are also called vortex flowmeters or Karman vortex flowmeters. Sino-Inst is a manufacturer of vortex flowmeters. We offer more than 10 vortex flowmeters. It is mainly used for flow measurement of industrial pipeline media fluids, such as gas, liquid, steam and other media.

Vortex street generally measures steam and water and other media, such as steam generated by thermal power plants. The steam can be reused for heating and production, so thermal power plants can sell steam to outsiders. Therefore, it is necessary to install a flowmeter to measure how much steam is output to the user, that is, to measure the flow of steam, which uses a vortex flowmeter. Of course, there is more than one kind of flowmeter that can measure steam. For example, our tower flowmeter also measures steam, gas, etc.

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    Vortex flow meter function: Overview and guide - IFM

    Founded in , ifm efector is an industry-leading provider of sensor and control technologies in the U.S. A subsidiary of the worldwide ifm electronic gmbh, we support over 23,000 U.S. clients across automotive, material handling, food processing, and many other industries, generating upwards of $260 million yearly. ifm USA production exceeds 800,000 temperature sensors and connectors for the U.S. and international markets.

    ifm specializes in vortex flow meters for water-based media. This general article provides a comprehensive guide to a wider variety vortex flow meter functions. It also touches on the various types of vortex flowmeters and their applications in various industries.

    However, there are nuances to their function and some limitations to what they can do. As such, it's important to understand how they work as well as vortex flow meter pros and cons in different capacities.

    Vortex flow meters measure volumetric flow rate within a pipeline. They're relatively inexpensive and require minimal maintenance since they have no moving parts. As a result, they're useful in many industrial, production, and commercial capacities.

    What is the purpose of a vortex flow meter?

    A vortex flow meter uses physics to measure the volumetric flow rate of fluid, gas, or steam within a pipeline. They exhibit high accuracy, reliability, and durability along with low maintenance costs, pressure loss, and installation cost.

    They work well with clean fluids with low viscosity, but reveal limitations when there's debris within the flow. 

    Why use a vortex flow meter?

    A vortex meter is one of the possible options used to measure flow rate. It offers relatively high accuracy and low pressure loss. And, it's one of the less expensive options for flow rate measurement.

    Common applications of vortex flow meters

    Flow meters are used in a wide variety of applications and industries. These include:

    Industrial process control: Regulating liquid and gas flow in chemical manufacturing, petrochemical processing, pharmaceutical production, and other applications.

    With competitive price and timely delivery, gallopsensor sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.

    Steam measurement: Measuring the flow of steam in power plants and refineries to support energy management and efficiency.

    Oil and gas industries: Measuring flow range of natural gas or oil for custody transfer, allocation measurement. They also regulate flow through distribution and transmission pipelines.

    Wastewater management: Measuring the flow of water and other fluid for accurate billing and efficient water resource management.

    Food and beverage: Regulating the flow of water, dairy products, beverages, sauces, and more during production processes.

    How does a vortex flow meter work?

    The vortex flow meter operating principle is the Von Kármán effect. When a fluid flows around an obstacle, it creates a series of alternating vortices, or swirling eddies. The phenomenon is also called the Von Kármán vortex street.

    The meter uses this principle to predict the pattern of these vortices using the the Von Kármán. From there, it can calculate the flow rate from the vortex frequency.

    The output signal of the meter is a low voltage signal proportional to the vortex frequency. It then converts to volumetric flow rate. That's the volume of fluid that flows through the system over time.

    This method can also calculate the mass flow rate if the density of the fluid is a known constant. The vortex frequency across the meter can be measured by a variety of sensors, which will be discussed below.

    Vortex flow meter shedder bar

    A shedder bar, also known as a bluff body, is the obstruction placed within the flow to produce the vortices in the meter. Various shedder bar shapes has advantages and disadvantages.

    More aerodynamic shapes like cylinders or ovals create less of a blockage, limiting the pressure drop within the meter. However, sharp corners on the sides of a bluff body generate more pronounced vortices within the meter. Diamond or arrow shaped shedder bars provide low pressure loss and high vortex production.

    A vortex shedding flow meter is unidirectional. The bluff body must be upstream of the sensor to generate the vortices that will be measured. So, the meter is installed with the flow of the process fluid in mind.

    Vortex flow meter accuracy

    Typical accuracy of a vortex meter is provided by the manufacturer. A typical uncertainty range for vortex meters is within 2% of the measured value. A meter's true accuracy depends on external factors such as vibrations, process media, installation methods, etc.

    You can determine accuracy during calibration. Introduce multiple flow rates into the system and measure those against the installed meter and a reference meter. Then, plot those to have a graph to observe the operational accuracy.

    Vortex flow meter repeatability

    Repeatability is another measurement of error. The repeatability of a flow meter is the meter&#;s ability to produce the same measurement reading given the same operating conditions. Repeatability for vortex flow meters is usually within 0.5%.

    Calibration addressed a meter that is repeatable but not accurate. But, calibration won't fix a meter that is not highly repeatable.

    Vortex flow meter rangeability

    The rangeability of a flow meter is the range of flow rate measurements that the meter can accurately measure. Manufacturers provide this as the "turndown ratio."

    Typical ratios for vortex meters are 20:1 for gasses and 10:1 for fluids. This ratio is the difference between the maximum flow rate and minimum flow rate a meter can measure.

    This is a particularly important metric to consider if your process fluid is more viscous.

    Common vortex flow meters sensor types

    There are many types of vortex flow meters. Below, we will discuss some of the common options.

    Piezoelectric sensor

    Piezoelectric materials naturally produce a small electrical charge when they experience mechanical pressure. These materials are often used in sensors that measure a measurable mechanical stress. If the vortices created within the meter are strong enough, they produce a mechanical stress that the sensor can measure. The piezo element used in sensors is usually a ceramic component.

    Capacitance sensor

    This sensor uses two probes on opposite walls of the pipe. They calculate flow rate based on the positive and negative pressure the vortices generate across the probes.

    Ultrasonic sensor

    This type of sensor emits a signal from a transducer in one wall of the pipe that bounces across the pipe and is measured by a second transducer. The number of vortices will slow the signal and that time variation can be measured to calculate the flow.

    Integrated temperature sensor

    In addition to measuring the flow rate, some flow meters can also provide temperature readings. These sensors are usually built into the shedder bar to avoid any disruption to the vortices.

    Choosing the right flow meter

    Finding the right kind of flow meter for your application or industry depends on many factors. These include pipe diameters, line size, flow velocity, various temperatures and pressures. ifm's line of vortex flow meters suit any industrial or commercial application.