Application

It’s always good to know what you’re measuring, and that’s where turbine flow meters come in handy. Turbine flow meters are a type of high-accuracy motion sensor for use in efforts as varied as aerospace, cryogenic, and custody transfer, oil and gas sector, wastewater management, drinking water management, marine, etc.

How Do Our Turbine Flow Meters work?

Our new and improved turbine flow meter was designed with the latest technology, so it is perfect for use with both liquids and gases. It features a multi-bladed rotor that is positioned at right angles to the direction of the fluid and suspended in the stream on a free-running bearing.

This is true for both cases. The diameter of a turbine rotator is slightly less than the metered passage size, and it rotates according to the measured flow rate. Advanced devices like magnetic or Hall-effect sensors can detect this rotation, and the equipment can be electromechanically activated with gears.

In this reluctance pickup, the rotor is a permanent magnet, and the turbine blades are made of a material that reacts to magnets. As each blade passes by the solenoid, a voltage is generated in the coil. Every pulse represents a discrete volume of liquid. The number of pulses per unit volume is called the meter’s K factor.

Design & Construction Variations

Material

Industrial turbine flow meters are typically made out of austenitic stainless steel, but water service meters are often bronze or cast iron.

The materials for the rotor and bearing depend on what process fluid is being used and what type of service the machine will be subjected to. Rotors are usually made from stainless steel, while bearings are usually made of graphite, tungsten carbide, or ceramics. Special cases may include synthetic ruby or sapphire combined with tungsten carbide.

Friction & Resistance

Bearings and shafts have many different purposes. Some are designed for minimal friction and maximum wear, while others are made of plastic to resist corrosion.

Size

Small turbines are often machined from hexagonal stainless steel barstock. They commonly come in sizes of 3/4 to 3 inches. At this size, the turbine is suspended by a bearing between two hanger assemblies that conditions the flow. This design can handle high pressure (up to 5,000 psi).

Ranges for turbine meters vary depending on the type of pipe being measured. The expected range is between 60% and 75%. Don’t install an oversized meter (with a flow indication) for a section of pipe with a low velocity. If the tube has a high velocity, use a meter designed for high velocities, or else it will wear out too quickly. Most turbines are designed to handle up to 30 ft/sec of velocity.

A turbine flow meter should be sized for a 3-5 psi pressure drop at maximum flow. This is because, as the square of flow, the increasing pressure drop will increase with the flow rate. The next size down will create a dramatic increase in the pressure drop rate.

Accuracy

All turbine flow meters are calibrated before they’re shipped. The resulting K-factor will vary within a linearity specification. You can register multiple K-factors for different parts of the flow range and then switch between them as the measured flow changes.

How to Choose your Flow Rate Turbin

There are several anticipation points in determining the flow rate of a fluid or a gas flowing from a point in space to downstream. The insertion turbine meter can be inserted into either a liquid or a gas line and must be profiled at several points across the flow path. Using an insertion turbine, it is easier to profile these uncertainties: velocity measurements are taken at many points along the line and then averaged.

Available Products: Liquid or Gas Line Utility

These meters are used in a variety of industries, such as medical and manufacturing, to reliably measure liquids, gases, and vapors.

Gas

Gas Insertion Turbine Meters

Gas flow meters may be small and lightweight, or large and water-lubricated. They are often used in wide-diameter pipelines because it would be difficult to install a full-size meter. Gas meters can be treated through valving without requiring the process to shut down. Typical accuracy is 1% FS with a minimum velocity of about 0.2 ft/sec.

Gas Flow Turbine Meters

Gas turbine meters offer higher-rotation rates than conventional meters and are capable of handling flows up to 150,000 ft3/hr. This compensation is a result of very large rotor hubs and very light rotor assemblies. The basic requirements for these meters include a minimum of 20 pipe diameter straight upstream piping in continuous service or four piezo-electric sounders spaced upstream from the meter.

Shunt flow meters

Shunt flow meters, sometimes called bypass flow meters, are used in gas and steam service. This type of meter consists of an orifice in the main line and a rotor assembly in the bypass. The sizes start at 2 inches, and accuracy is ±2% over a range from 10:1.

Liquid

Turbine flow meters for liquids

Turbine flow meters rely on the kinetic energy of liquids, turning a rotor as it travels through the pipe. The speed of the rotor is directly proportional to the velocity of liquid traveling through the meter. These meters can be used in multiple industries to measure liquids with accuracy.

Magnetic Drive Flow Meters

This type of meter uses a sealing disc to separate the measuring chamber from the register. On the measuring chamber side, a magnet turns instead of a gear. On the register side, an opposing magnet turns the gears. This adds more protection to the register by sealing it off from any contact with liquid or other substances that might create problems.

Dual-rotor liquid turbines

Dual-rotor liquid turbines increase the operating range in small line size (under 2″ in) applications. One rotor directs the flow from the inlet to return, while the other rotor conditioners the flow and directs it to a second rotor. The rotors lock hydraulically, regardless of lowering flow rates, which can happen when using small pipes.