Scribd
Upload
139 views

Flow Sensors: Garfield Smith Selvin Gray

This outlines all the characteristics of flow sensors and narrows focus onto ultrasonic flow sensors.

Uploaded by

Garfield Smith
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
139 views

Flow Sensors: Garfield Smith Selvin Gray

This outlines all the characteristics of flow sensors and narrows focus onto ultrasonic flow sensors.

Uploaded by

Garfield Smith
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 17

Flow Sensors

Garfield Smith Selvin Gray


What are flow sensors?
• A flow meter (or flow sensor) is an instrument used to
measure linear, nonlinear, mass or volumetric flow rate of
a liquid or a gas.
Methods of Measuring Flow
• Flow rate is measured by the simple velocity measurement of fluid
through a conductor and then multiplying the fluid speed versus time
through the fixed-volume conductor to provide a volume quantity.
• Thermal anemometers measure the transfer/removal of heat from a
heated sensor to the flowing fluid to compute flow based upon the heat
transfer rate. These sensors are typically used in air flow measurements.
• Differential pressure measurement (DPM) sensors are the most common
type of liquid flow sensors currently used. The DPM sensor isolates the
pressure drop through the meter. The pressure drop across the meter is
proportional to the square of the flow rate.
Types of Flow Sensors
• Positive displacement flow sensors
• Turbine-based flow sensors
• Mass flowmeter sensors
• Vortex-shedding sensors
• Ultrasonic flow sensors
How Ultrasonic Flowmeters Work

• Ultrasonic flowmeters use sound waves to determine the


velocity of a fluid flowing in a pipe. At no flow conditions,
the frequencies of an ultrasonic wave transmitted into a
pipe and its reflections from the fluid are the same.
The Piezoelectric Effect
• The piezoelectric effect converts kinetic or mechanical
energy, due to crystal deformation, into electrical energy.
This is how ultrasound transducers receive the sound
waves.
Types of Ultrasonic Flow
Sensors
• The Doppler Effect Ultrasonic Flowmeter
• Time-of-travel/Flight Meters
The Doppler Effect Ultrasonic Flowmeter

● The Doppler Effect Ultrasonic Flowmeter use reflected


ultrasonic sound to measure the fluid velocity. By
measuring the frequency shift between the ultrasonic
frequency source, the receiver, and the fluid carrier, the
relative motion are measured.
● The resulting frequency shift is named the Doppler
Effect.
Advantages with the Doppler Effect Ultrasonic
Flowmeter
● Doppler meters may be used where other meters don't
work. This might be liquid slurries, aerated liquids or
liquids with some small or large amount on suspended
solids. The advantages can be summarized to:
● Obstruct less flow
● Can be installed outside the pipes
● The pressure drop is equal to the equivalent length of a
straight pipe
● Low flow cut off
● Corrosion resistant
● Relative low power consumption
Limitations with Doppler Effect Ultrasonic
Flowmeters
● The Doppler flowmeters performance are highly dependent on
physical properties of the fluid, such as the sonic conductivity,
particle density, and flow profile.
● Non uniformity of particle distribution in the pipe cross section may
result in a incorrectly computed mean velocity. The flowmeter
accuracy is sensitive to velocity profile variations and to the
distribution of acoustic reflectors in the measurement section.
● Unlike other acoustic flowmeters, Doppler meters are affected by
changes in the liquid's sonic velocity. As a result, the meter is also
sensitive to changes in density and temperature. These problems
make Doppler flowmeters unsuitable for highly accurate
measurement applications.
The Time of Flight Ultrasonic Flowmeter

●With the Time of Flight Ultrasonic


Flowmeter the time for the sound to travel
between a transmitter and a receiver is
measured. This method is not
dependable on the particles in the fluid.
●Two transmitters / receivers
(transceivers) are located on each side of
the pipe. The transmitters sends
pulsating ultrasonic waves in a
predefined frequency from one side to the
other. The difference in frequency is
proportional to the average fluid velocity.
Benefits with Ultrasonic Flowmeters

● Obstruction less flow


● Pressure drop equal to an equivalent length of straight
pipe
● Unaffected by changes in temperature, density or
viscosity
● Bi-directional flow capability
● Low flow cutoff
● Corrosion-resistant
● Accuracy about 1% of flow rate
● Relative low power consumption
Limitations with Ultrasonic Flowmeters

● The operating principle for the ultrasonic flowmeter


requires reliability high frequency sound transmitted
across the pipe. Liquid slurries with excess solids or
with entrained gases may block the ultrasonic pulses.
● Ultrasonic flowmeters are not recommended for primary
sludge, mixed liquor, aerobically digested sludge,
dissolved air flotation thickened sludge and its liquid
phase, septic sludge and activated carbon sludge.
● Liquids with entrained gases cannot be measured
reliably.
References
• Flow Sensor. Retrieved from:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/flow-sen
sor
• Doppler vs Transit Time - Let's talk Ultrasonic Flow
Meters. Retrieved from:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQWNYARWmB8

You might also like