Flow measurement is the measurement of stream-flow. This can be performed at various scales depending on the use and application of the measurement. This has applications in several industries and scientific research areas. The common application of flow measurement is in petroleum exploration, natural gas drilling, industrial lubrication, metallography, water treatment, and chemical engineering.
Flow measurement can also be performed on the basis of pressure. This is known as hydraulic flow measurement. In this system, a flow meter is attached to the fluid. When a force is applied to the measuring cylinder, the piston moves up and down determining the flow. Measurement of pressure can also be based on the principle of gravitational force.
There are some common devices used in these methods. They include flowmeters, thermometers, and temperature probes. Flowmeter is commonly used in industries where the flow is required to be measured under pressure and temperature conditions. There are also some thermometer based flowmeters which can measure temperature and pressure simultaneously.
A flow meter should have high accuracy to achieve the best results. High accuracy means that the measurements are taken continuously at any situation and the range of temperatures is well defined. These devices must have high sensitivity to avoid situations where the measurements are out of the range. The range of temperatures and pressure can be estimated by using some basic information about the moving parts of the machine.
High accuracy can also be achieved if the measuring device is connected to a computer. Computerized programs calculate and show accurate values. Some of these programs take the form of graphical representations, which can be understood easily by a person. The program calculates the quantity of fluid used, the temperature of the fluid, and the pressure of the fluid. This way the calculation of volume and pressure of the fluid can be done accurately.
A good flow meter should have a way to measure the thermal mass of the moving parts. The thermal mass refers to the weight of the fluid. The heavier the fluid, the lower the thermal mass will be. So, a good combination of high sensitivity and high precision is needed to obtain the desired results.
The differential component in the downstream flowmeters is a part of a dual block system. It has built in circuitry that measures the differential pressure. In addition there is an upstream component called a diaphragm that separates the different components. There are many differential pressure transducers available in the market, so it is very easy to find one that suits your application best.
Another type of non-contact, self-contained, fixed device used for non-contact monitoring is called venturi gauges. The venturi gauges are normally fixed to a metal stand that is balanced on a spring. Pressure is measured through a probe attached to the gauge. The pressure loss occurs due to the air being forced into the sensor from the bottom. Usually the probe is also marked so that the user knows the pressure loss value. These gauges are available in different sizes, depending on the required measurement criterion.
There are various types of non-contact liquid flow meter that are available in the market. Some of them include mass flow meter, pressure gage, liquid flow meter etc. If you are a beginner and do not know much about liquid flow measurement, then getting help from a professional would be a good idea. A professional would be able to give you a good idea about which type of meter would be better for your application, based on your liquid mass flow rate measurements.