What is the Working Procedure of a Flow Sensor?

Mountain View, CA, 2022-Mar-16 — /EPR Network/ — Understanding the working principle of a flow meter allows you to select the right kind of flow meter. Read this post to understand how flow sensors work. 

The technological advancements witnessed in the world today are heading to a whole new level. Industrial instruments designed to make work easier are developed everyday using different technologies. In the flow measurement sector of Industrial processes, engineers are doing their best to produce high quality products designed to perform particular flow measurement functions. Nowadays, it is very easy to pick a flow meter that works according to the plant’s requirements. All you need to do is a list of considerations based on the flow measurement requirements. 

Although certain flow measurement technologists have not changed, a few modifications are introduced to make them more efficient, safer, and affordable. For those who have no clue what flow sensors are, this article will broadly explain what these essential instruments are and how they work when reading flow rate in different sectors, applications, or flow systems. If you are planning to shop around for the best and high quality flow meters, then you need to research first. Companies that produce different types of flow meters claim to offer high quality flow meters but in reality, very few of them deliver on their claim. Engineers at Proteus have undergone superior training to ensure they create and distribute high quality flow sensors.

In this post, we shall focus on the various types of flow measurement technologies and how they work when measuring flow rate. Read on to gain more knowledge on flow measurement tools known as flow meters.

What is a flow meter? 

The tools designed to measure the amount or intensity of gas, liquid, or vapor in mass or volume, are simply called flow sensors. The flow may be tapped in a channel or pipeline or inserted into a storage. Since flow sensors are designed differently based on their applications, the working principle. However, all flow sensors have one thing in common and that is to produce accurate and repeatable flow measurement for a particular application or flow system. The purpose can either be for semiconductor processing, research activities, or process control. This means that the plant manager needs to understand the requirements of a flow system before setting off to buy a flow meter. 

The operating principle of a flow meter 

Flow sensors are categorized into two types: those that measure flow rate in mass and those that read flow in volume. The key consideration when using a flow meter most of the time is the mass flow. This is more so when buying and selling gas substances, combustion, or chemical reactions. Many companies rely most of the time on the instruction manual provided by the flow meter manufacturer. That is how flow sensors operate generally. 

How flow sensors operations in an individual capacity

 

• Capillary Thermal Mass 

This particular flow meter is used to measure gas flow rate in mass. The flow measurement involves thermal heat transferred between a set of resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) and a gas substance passing through the capillary or a very small tube. 

• Insertion thermal mass 

In this type of flow meter, transferred thermal heat from a heated sensor that is inserted in the flow is used to measure the flow rate of the gas through mass. 

• Vortex Shedding

Another common flow measuring instrument category is the one that uses a vortex shedding operating system. Flow sensors that belong to this category measure mass and volumetric flow in gas, vapor, and liquids. They are usually immersed into the flow rate and relayed into fluid density. 

• Transit-Time Ultrasonic 

Flow measurement using ultrasonic flow meters utilizes ultrasound when measuring flow rate. You can either use them inside or outside the pipe. This means that you don’t need to cut the pipe in order to install these types of flow meters. The operating cost in ultrasonic flow meters is also low since maintenance is done after a long while. 

How to select flowmeters properly

Before you decide which type of flow measurement device you need to use in your system, there are several factors that you must consider. You need to understand the type of flow system you intend to use the flow meter for. The cost of the flow meter should also raise concerns because it will determine the return on investment (ROI). Which kind of media do you intend to use it with? You need to know the condition of the media in terms of characteristics and properties. Don’t just settle for any flow meter manufacturing company because not all produce high-quality flow meters. Research online first to compare reviews from customers and prices. 

The trick to choosing the best type of flow meter for your system is to know how to flow sensors function when reading flow rate. Without proper knowledge of flow meters, you may end up picking the wrong flow sensor and end up wasting its potential. If you doubt your capacity to select the correct flow meter, ask the manufacturer to help you.