What is a Rotameter?
A rotameter is a type of flow meter that determines the volumetric flow rate of a gas or fluid. It is made up of a tapered tube with an interior float that moves. Mechanical flow meters, gravity flowmeters, and variable area flowmeters are some other names for these. The gravity phrase refers to the fact that the rotameter must be mounted vertically since the flow rate is dictated by the balance of forces beneath the float caused by gravity.
The metering tube starts with the smaller taper at the bottom and expands to the top, with the scale graduations on the tube. The float is at the bottom of the tube when there is no flow. As the fluid flow increases, the float rises until an equilibrium is maintained with the viscous forces and gravity.
What Affects the Accuracy of a Rotameter?
Because rotameters are only designed for a single flow condition, many situations, such as changes in temperature, pressure, humidity, viscosity, gas or fluid types, vibration, installation misalignment, dirt, float damage, pulsations, instability with float, and unknown reference conditions, can cause additional errors in flow measurement. A rotameter’s usual accuracy is between 1 and 10% of FSD, and they frequently have a limited turndown ratio of 10:1.
Nevertheless, rotameters are simple, low-cost devices that can provide very good flow measurement solutions for many applications.
Why Use Rotameter?
- No external power required: Rotameters are mechanical devices that do not require power to provide gas or liquid flow measurements. Users install rotameters in dangerous and distant regions where power is expensive to supply since power is not required.
- You can see the process: Users can easily read the flow measurement and view their process. Is the process, for example, unclean or cloudy? If this is the case, the filters may need to be modified. Is the process also the correct color? Is there air in the liquid?
- Rotameters are cost-effective: Both the price and the function contribute to savings on the job. Rotameters can be deployed alongside other flow-measuring technologies and utilized to supplement each other at a reasonable cost.
- Easyto install and maintain:Â Install rotameters by connecting the process line to the inlet and the outlet. Make sure the meter is vertical before full operation.
- Low-pressure drop: Most small rotameters have only a few inches of water column pressure drop, which means rotameters are often installed in many places. Small pressure drops mean smaller pumps!
- Repeatability: Under the same process conditions, a rotameter will accurately repeat the flow measurement day after day.
These six features and benefits demonstrate how rotameters will continue to be important products in measuring gas and liquid flow now and in the future.
Applications of Rotameters
Rotameters are used in municipalities and industries for accurate level measurements. They are used to purge corrosive fluids. Rotameters measure and control machinery, such as shutting down a cooling unit when it reaches a predetermined temperature. They are also useful in machinery that requires continuous lubrication.
Rotameters are used as gas analyzers to determine the concentration of known gases in a complex atmosphere. For successful measurement, accurate density rotameters are also utilized. Furnaces and gas burners in industrial sites must be controlled to avoid damaging equipment; therefore, rotameters are used for monitoring. This apparatus is also used in industries to manage the flow of refrigerant.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Rotameter
- Flow rate: When choosing a rotameter, the first parameter to examine is flow rate. Flow rates are classified into two types: liquid volumetric flow rate and gas volumetric flow rate. Only liquid volumetric flow meters employ liquid volumetric flow rate. This rate is defined as the volume flow change per unit of time. Meanwhile, the gas volumetric flow rate only applies to gas volumetric flow sensors and is expressed in the change in gas volume per unit of time.
- Operating pressure: The total pressure of media that the meter can withstand is represented by the operating pressure. Operating pressure is essential because it can change the density of a gas.
- Fluid temperature: The liner and construction materials’ tolerance determines the fluid’s temperature that can be used.
- Pipe diameter: It is important to consider the pipe diameter during installation to understand the rotameter’s correct dimensions.
- Scale type: To aid in record-keeping, scale types such as percentiles must be stated.
- Valve requirements: The needle valve is the most popular.
- In-line flanged flow meters: In-line flanged flow meters must be parallel to the flow route, which must be between two existing pieces of flanged process pipe.
- Mounting meters (invasive vs. non-invasive): Some meters, such as external clamp-on flow meters, do not need to be directly mounted to the process flow. Non-invasive meters are those that can be utilized in closed pipe systems.
- End fittings: Compression fittings, which prevent leakage by tightening a sleeve over a joint, or a socket weld/union, which can be a weld neck, are examples of end fittings.
- Operating conditions: The minimum and maximum flow rates of rotameters depend on the pressure and temperature.
- Needed accuracy: One must understand the accuracy needed to use the equipment.
- Straightforward readings: A rotameter must be able to offer simple readings.
- Pipe size: Each rotameter needs to fit inside its pipe.
- Flow regulation valves: Flow control valves are optional. However, depending on how the rotameter is used, they can be advantageous.