What Should We Know about Vortex Flowmeters

The vortex flowmeter is based on Karman (Karman) vortex principle research and production. It is mainly used for industrial pipeline medium fluid flow measurement, such as gas, liquid, steam, and other media. Standard analog signals and digital pulse signal output, which are easy to use with computers and other digital systems, are more advanced, ideal measuring instruments.

What Should We Know about Vortex Flowmeters

1. Features of the Vortex flowmeter

1.1 Vortex flowmeter pressure loss is slight. The range is extensive and has high accuracy. When measuring the volume flow of working conditions, the vortex flowmeter is almost not affected by fluid density, pressure, temperature, viscosity, and other parameters.

1.2 Vortex flowmeter has no movable mechanical parts, so it has high reliability and low maintenance.

1.3 The instrument parameters of the vortex flowmeter can be stable for a long time.

2. Limitations of the Vortex Flowmeters

2.1  A limited range of construction materials is available.

2.2  Vortex meters are generally not suitable for slurries or high-viscosity liquids.

2.3  Users cannot check calibration.

2.4  Turbulent flow is required.

2.5  Vortex meters have over-range limitations.

2.6  Strainers may be required.

2.7  Vortex meters are affected by pulsating flow.

3. Requirements of the Vortex flowmeter

3.1 Requirements for the external environment: vortex flowmeter should avoid installation in places with significant temperature changes and receive thermal radiation from the equipment. If it must be installed, there must be insulation and ventilation measures.

3.2 The sensor should be installed in an environment where corrosive gases are present, and if it must be installed, ventilation must be provided.

3.3 The sensor should preferably be installed indoors, but it must be protected from moisture and sunlight if it must be installed outdoors. We must also ensure that water does not flow down the cable into the amplifier box and that the cable is bent into a U-shape on the outside of the electrical interface when wiring.

3.4 When we install the sensor, it must have ample space around it and lighting and power sockets for installation and regular maintenance.

3.5 The sensor must be wired away from electrical noise, such as high-power transformers, motors, and power supplies.

vortex-flow-meter

3.6 The sensor must not have a radio transceiver near the installation point; otherwise, high-frequency noise will interfere with the regular use of the sensor.

4. Main functions of the Vortex flowmeter

4.1 In the vortex flowmeter table body will simultaneously integrate the temperature and pressure compensation function. It can also measure the standard volume flow of fluid or normal mass flow.

4.2 The vortex flowmeter is a brilliant digital circuit design; it can automatically compensate for the measured fluid density or standard volume calculation.

4.3  Battery-powered type can work continuously for more than two years without an external power supply.

4.4 The vortex flowmeter is a new dot-matrix Chinese character LCD. We use the operation is more convenient.

5. Installation of the vortex flowmeters

5.1 Vortex flowmeter can only one-way measurement, installation focus on ensuring that the media flow direction and the flowmeter arrow direction consistent.

5.2 Vortex flowmeter is the best way to install vertical installation. The media should be bottom-up through the flow meter. Flowmeter established in the vertical pipeline, the flow direction from the bottom up.

5.3  Horizontal installation, the flowmeter must be installed in the entire system of the high-pressure area, and to ensure the corresponding export pressure; do not install in the highest point of the pipeline, because the highest point often gas accumulation, the pipeline is not full, the export can not be directly empty.

5.4  When measuring high-temperature fluids, we should try to use vertical installation; if you have to install horizontally, please install the transmitter part of the flowmeter vertically down, or horizontal side to avoid high temperature; focus on the installation position at the airflow or good ventilation.

5.5 Straight pipe section requirements: we need to ensure that the flowmeter before 15 times the diameter of the pipe, after the flowmeter is five times the diameter of the tube. If the flowmeter before the elbow, indentation, expansion, and other sources of interference, it is necessary to ensure that the flowmeter before 30-40 times the diameter of the pipe, after the flowmeter six times the diameter of the tube.

5.6 The flow meter should be installed upstream of the regulating valve, pressure, or temperature sensor.

5.7 Focus on the installation of the pipe diameter should be slightly larger than or equal to the internal diameter of the meter.

Installation straight distance

5.8 When using the seal, pay attention to the inner diameter of the seal should be slightly larger than or equal to the inner diameter of the meter, the center of the seal is located in the center of the pipe.

6Common Problems of the Vortex Flowmeter

6.1 Selection problems.

Some vortex street sensors in the caliber selection or the design selection after the process conditions change, selecting an extensive specification. However, the actual selection should choose the smallest possible caliber to improve the measurement accuracy.

6.2 The reason for the direction of parameter adjustment.

Incorrect parameters lead to a false indication of the instrument. For example, parameter error makes the secondary instrument’s total frequency miscalculated.

6.3 Secondary instrument faults.

This section has many faults, including broken wires in the primary instrument circuit board, a lousy display of individual bits in the range setting, and a horrible collection of individual bits in the K-factor setting, making it impossible to determine the range K-factor setting.

6.4  Circuit wiring connection problems.

Some circuits appear to be well connected on the surface. Still, on closer inspection, some joints are loose, causing circuit interruptions, and some are tightly connected. Still, the fastening screws are tightened on the wire skin due to sub-wire problems, making circuit interruptions.

6.5 Problems with the connection of the secondary instrument to the subsequent instrument.

The mA output circuit of the secondary meter is interrupted due to a problem with the subsequent meter or due to the maintenance of the following meter.

6.6 The circuit was always without indication due to a fault in the flat shaft cable of the secondary instrument.

The problem was solved by cleaning or replacing the flat shaft cable, which had failed due to long-term operation and the influence of dust.

6.7  Environmental problems.

In particular, the sensor section installed in the ground well is subject to moisture on the circuit board due to high ambient humidity.

7Conclusion

The vortex flowmeter uses micro-power technology, powered by lithium batteries for more than a year of uninterrupted operation. It saves the purchase and installation costs of cables and display instruments and can display the instantaneous flow rate, cumulative flow rate, etc.

The temperature-compensated vortex flowmeter also has a temperature sensor, which allows the temperature of saturated steam to be measured directly and the pressure to be calculated, thus indicating the mass flow rate of saturated steam.

The temperature- and pressure-compensated all-in-one version with temperature and pressure sensors are used for gas flow measurement to measure the temperature and pressure of the gas medium directly and thus display the nominal volume flow of the gas.

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