GUIDE TO FLOW MEASUREMENT

1 MAGNETIC
Service: Electrically conductive liquids or slurries (>0.05s/cm) Design Pressure: Up to 3600 psig Design Temperature: Up to 360F 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 ends available in larger sizes. Sizes: 1/25" to 120" Advantages: Excellent for slurry measurement. Unaffected by change in fluid density, viscosity; zero head loss; bi-directional; no flow obstruction; easy to respan; versions for dc power. Limitations: Moderate cost; liquids or slurries only; required minimum electrical conductivity varies with manufacturer; larger sizes big and heavy. Service: Design Pressure: Design Temperature: Flow Range: Scale: Accuracy: Rangeability:

2 MASS
Coriolis Effect Liquids and slurries (limited gas service) Up to 6500 psig Up to 400F Up to 23,000 Ib/min Linear 0.25% of rate or better 10:1 or better Thermal Gas (some designs for liquid) 500 psig and higher Up to 150F 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 gas measurement. Affected by coatings. Some designs are fragile.

3 OSCILLATORY
Vortex Shedding (Bluff body) Service: Design Pressure: Liquids and gases including steam Up to 3600 psig Fluidic (Coanda Effect) Liquids Up to 600 psig 0 to 250F 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 Swirlmeter Liquids, gases, and steam Up to 2400 psig - 40F to 608F 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 or steam 25:1 turn down average (determined by size, application) Flanged only 150 thru 600 pound

4 POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT
Service: Clean liquids and gases Design Pressure: Up to 1400 psig for liquid or gas Design Temperature: Up to 600F liquids; up to 250F gas Flow Range: 0.1* to 9000 gpm liquid; 0 to 100,000 scfh gas. Scale: Linear Signal: Pulse or analog electronic Accuracy: 1/2% of rate on liquid; 1% of full scale on gas; factory calibrated Rangeability: Typically 10:1 End Connections: Flanged or threaded Sizes: Up to 12" Advantages: Ideal for viscous liquids; good for custody transfer, batching, blending; simplest versions dont require electrical power; very little straight upstream pipe required. Limitations: Subject to mechanical wear; requires periodic proving; sensitive to dirt and may require upstream filters; larger sizes are excessive in size and weight, may require special installation care. *Ultra-low flow rate versions also available.

Design Temperature: Up to 750F Flow Range: Scale: Signal: Accuracy: Rangeability: End Connections: 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 meter around mainline orifice. 1/2" thru 16"; larger sizes available (sampling and by-pass types available) No moving parts; suitable for wide variety of fluids; excellent combination of price and performance. Straight piping required; sensitive to increasing viscosity below a given Reynolds number. Abrasive Slurries Fibrous Slurries Low Velocity Flows

End Connections: Threaded, flanged, Tri-Clover Sizes: Advantages: 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. Recommended installation requirements. Head loss may be high. Be careful with 2-phase flows. Sensitive to plant vibrations and pulsations.

Sizes:

1" thru 4"; by-pass types available

0.5" thru 16"

Limitations:

Advantages:

No moving parts; suitable for wide variety of liquids; excellent combination of price and performance. Straight piping required; sensitive to increasing viscosity below a given Reynolds number. Vapor or Gas Hi Temp. Service Cryogenic Service

No moving parts, 3 upsteam pipe diameters, ideal for light gases, works with entrained liquid. Viscosity

5 TARGET
Service: Liquids and gases including steam Design Pressure: Up to 10,000 psig Design Temperature: Up to 750F 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 and sediment bearing fluids. Limitations: Need 20 diameters upstream and 10 diameters downstream of straight 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. Clean Liquids Dirty Liquids

Limitations:

Corrosive Liquids

Viscous Liquids

Semi-Filled Pipes

NonNewtonians

Open Channel

6 TURBINE
Service: Clean liquids and gases Design Pressure: Up to 60,000 psig Design Temperature: - 450 to 1200F Flow Range: 0.001 through 40,000 gpm liquids; to 10,000,000 scfh gases Scale: Linear when Reynolds number is 10,000 or higher Signal: Frequency or analog electronic Accuracy: 0.25% of rate liquids; 1% of rate gas; factory calibration should simulate operating viscosity and lubricity for liquids. Rangeabillty: 10:1 to 50:1 End Connections: Flanged, threaded,Tri-Clover, Grayloc

1 2

MAGNETIC MASS Coriolis Thermal Vortex Shedding

3 4 5 6

OSCILLATORY

Fluidic Swirlmeter

POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT TARGET TURBINE Transit Time ULTRASONIC Doppler Orifice Venturi DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE

Sizes: Up to 24" (sampling types available); also used as by-pass meter around mainline orifice. Advantages: One of the most accurate liquid meters; good operating range, easy-to-install and maintain, very low flowrate designs available; small in size; lightweight. Versions optimized for gas; sampling types for steam. Some versions do not require external power. Limitations: Sensitive to increasing viscosity; avoid use where state may change from liquid to gas; gas versions require care when used in varying flow rate applications straight upstream pipe is required; flow straighteners may be recommended.

7 ULTRASONIC
Transit Time (Pulsed type) Service: Design Pressure: Design Temperature: Flow Velocity: Scale: Signal: Accuracy: Relatively clean liquids (some designs for flare gas) Wetted transducers; 1000 psig up, Clamp-on; pipe rating - 300F to 500F Typically to 40 ft/sec Linear Analog electronic or digital 1% of rate of 5% of full scale depending on type and calibration Up to 40:1 Flanged and clamp-on design 1/2" up No flow obstruction; can be bidirectional; use with practically any relatively clean liquid. Versions for gas. Clamp-on versions available. Straight upstream piping required to provide uniform flow profile; clean liquids only. Doppler (Frequency shift) Liquids with entrained gas or suspended solids Wetted transducers; 1000 psig up, Clamp-on; pipe rating - 300F to 500F Typically to 40 ft/sec Linear Analog electronic or digital 5% of full scale or better Typically 10:1 Clamp-on; body versions available (Sampling type available) 1/4" up Can handle inorganic slurries and aerated liquids; clamp-on version can be installed without process shut-down. Not suitable for clean liquids; requires straight upstream upstream piping.

Flow Nozzles & Tubes Pitot Tubes Wedge

9 10

VARIABLE AREA WEIRS and FLUMES FLOWMETER APPLICATIONS

Designed for this service Applicable for this service under certain conditions, consult manufacturer Normally applicable for this service Not applicable for this service

9 VARIABLE AREA (Rotameter)

Service: Liquids and gases including steam Design Pressure: Up to 300 psig (glass tube); to 720 psig (metal tube) Design Temperature: Up to 250F (glass tube); to 1000F (metal tube)

Rangeability: End Connections: Sizes: Advantages:

8 DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE
Orifice Service: Design Pressure: Design Temperature: Flow Range: Scale: Signal: Accuracy: 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 and includes transmitter; sizes smaller than 2" usually calibrated 4:1 for given transmitter span setting Mounts between flanges Determined by pipe size Easy-to-install; uses one transmitter regardless of pipe size; low cost; wide variety of types and materials available; easy-to-change capacity. Versions available that do not require power. Use eccentric orifices or segmental plates for very dirty fluids or slurries; quadrant orifice for viscous liquids; venturi, flow tube, pitot, or elbow taps to reduce energy consumption; straight run of upstream and downstream piping required. Some fluid must leave pipe except when chemical seal protectors are 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; uncalibrated and includes transmitter 4:1 for given transmitter span setting Flanged To 72" and larger Low permanent loss; good for slurries and dirty fluids; uses one transmitter regardless of pipe size. Flow Nozzles and Tubes Liquids and gases including steam Determined by transmitter Determined by materials From 5 gpm liquid; from 20 scfm gas equivalent 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; uses one transmitter regardless of pipe size; nozzle commonly used for steam and has higher capacity for same generated P. Flow tubes lack extensive background data compared to orifice plates; application on viscous liquids limited. Calibration recommended for optimum performance. 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 transmitter 4:1 for given transmitter span setting Insert probe Unlimited probe length Very low cost; uses one transmitter regardless of pipe size. Averaging types available. 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 in the calibrated range 4:1 for given transmitter span setting Mounts between flanges Up to 48" Very economical; easy-to-install; uses one 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.

Flow Range: Liquids 0.01 cc/min to 300 gpm; gases 0.3 cc/min to 2000 scfm Scale: Linear Signal: Visual; electronic or pneumatic analog Accuracy: 0.5% of rate to 10% of full scale depending 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 meter around a mainline orifice for larger pipe sizes. Advantages: inexpensive; somewhat self-cleaning; insensitive to viscosity variations below a given threshold; direct indicating; no power required; can be direct mass device; minimum piping requirements. Versions available with Teflon liners. Limitations: Requires accessories for data transmission; must be vertically mounted; gas use requires minimum backpressure.

Limitations:

Rangeabillty:

10 WEIRS and FLUMES

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 weirs and 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; PalmerBowlus 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.

End Connections: Sizes: Advantages:

Limitations:

Most expensive P producer; generally limited to air and water; big and heavy especially in larger pipe sizes.

Doesn't sample full stream; limited accuracy. Low differential pressure for given flow rate.

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

2000, 2006 ABB Inc.

Printed in USA

Wall Chart_Measurement_2

DCG

10/06

2K

ABB Instrumentation 125 E. County Line Road, Warminster, PA 18974 800-829-6001 215-674-6000 Fax: 215-674-7183 email: instrumentation@us.abb.com Visit ABB Instrumentation at www.abb.com/instrumentation