CE327 - CHEMICAL ENGINEERING LABORATORY I FALL 2004 FLOW METER CALIBRATION

Skill Outcomes: In completing this particular experiment, the student should develop or improve mastery of the following skills: Ability to calibrate laboratory equipment Ability to define and read a manometer Ability to measure mass or volumetric flow rate Understand the different types of flow meters, e.g., rotameter, orifice meter, venturi meter Ability to apply the basic concepts of incompressible fluid flow and Bernoulli equa tion to measuring devices (venturi meter, orifice, rotameter) Ability to estimate the meter coefficients of different flow meters Ability to safely operate the flow meter calibration apparatus located in 216 Jarvis Objective: Prepare calibration curves fo r three types of flow meter and evaluate the accuracy of the methods. System: The meters are mounted in a series of pipes through which water will be circulated. Water will flow through three types of meters: a venturi meter, a sharp-edged orifice meter, and a rotameter. U-tube manometers containing oil are used to measure the pressure drop across the venturi and orifice meters. The primary measuring instrument is a bucket and stop watch, which will be used to calibrate the meters. The venturi and orifice diameters are 0.625 (mounted on nominal 1, type L, copper tube). The entrance diameter for the meters is D1 =1.025. Single pressure taps are located 1.5 pipe diameters upstream of the inlet and at the throat of the venturi meter, as well as pipe diameters upstream and downstream of the orifice plate.

Theory: 1. Venturi Meter A venturi meter is shown in Figure 1. It has an inlet section, consisting of a short inlet section and a sharp truncated cone contraction; a throat section; and an outlet section consisting of a gradual truncated cone expansion. A manometer is connected between the upstream pressure and the throat or downstream pressure. In the venturi meter, the velocity is increased and the pressure decreased in the upstream cone. The pressure drop is used to measure the rate of flow through the instrument. The velocity is then decreased, and the pressure recovered in the downstream cone. The venturi meter is described by the Bernoulli equation, assuming the meter is horizontal, and the fluids are incompressible, and friction factors are negligible.

a 2V22 a 1V12 =

2 g c ( p1 p 2 ) ?

(1)

Where a is the kinetic energy factor, dimensionless V is the average fluid velocity, ft/s Subscript 1 is for the inlet location Subscript 2 is for the throat location Since the density is constant
D2 2 V1 = (2) D V 2 = V2 1 where D is the diameter of the pipe. If V1 is eliminated from Equations 1 and 2,
2

V2 =

1 a2 4 a1

2 g c ( p1 p 2 ) ?

(3)

Equation 3 accounts for frictionless flows. To include the effect of friction in the venturi meter, and the small effect of the kinetic energy factors, an empirical Cv is introduced

V2 =

Cv 1 4

2 g c ( p1 p 2 ) ?

(4)

where Cv is the venturi meter coefficient. b) Orifice Meter A sharp edged orifice meter is shown in Figure 2. It consists of a drilled and machined plate mounted between two flanges. Pressure taps are installed; one below and one above the orifice plate for pressure drop measurement. The positions of the tap affect the coefficients of the meter. The principle of the orifice meter is the same as for the venturi meter. Bernoullis equation provides a basis for correlation the increase in velocity with the decrease in pressure.

uo =

Co 1 4

2 g c ( p1 p 2 ) ?

(5)

where uo is the velocity through the orifice Co is the orifice coefficient, velocity of approach not included

c) Rotameter In the previous meters, the variation of flow rate through a constant area generated a variable pressure drop, which is related to the flow rate. The rotameter is an area meter where the pressure drop is nearly constant, and the area through which the flow varies with the flow rate. The area is related to the flow rate. The rotameter consists of a tapered glass tube with a float inside it. See Figure 3. The float does not float, it is suspended in the liquid. The tube is marked in divisions, and a calibration curve converts the divisions to flow rate. For a given flow, the equilibrium position of the float in a rotameter is established by balancing three forces: 1. weight of float 2. buoyant force of liquid on the float 3. drag on the float At equilibrium
F D g c = v f g ( ? f ?)

(6)

where FD = drag force v f = volume of float f = density of float For rotameters, the relationship between meter readings and flow rates is approximately linear. Experiment: Establish the proper flow in the piping system. All the fluid passing through the rotameter and collected in the bucket must pass through the venturi and orifice meters. The lines must be free of bubbles before measurements are made. Be sure to collect data for the full range of flow rates available. Keep a constant level in the tank. Graph the variation of the flow rate with the meter scale reading for each of the three meters. These are called the calibration curves. Also graph the data for the orifice and venturi meters in the proper form to determine average values for Co and Cv . Questions to be addressed: 1. 2. 3. 4. Are the results more accurate and precise at low flow rates or high flow rates? Is there any difference between the calibration curves from meter to meter? Are the curves linear or is there a different functionality? Why is Co affected by the placement of the downstream pressure tap? Why would you choose one type of meter over another? Think about cost, accuracy, and space.

References

1. McCabe and Smith, Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering, McGraw-Hill, 1976. 2. Welty, Wicks and Wilson, Fundamentals of Momentum, Heat and Mass Transfer, Wiley, 1976.

Inlet Section

Throat Section

Outlet Section

D1

D2

Upstream Pressure Tap

Downstream Pressure Tap

Figure 1. Venturi Meter

Orifice Plate

Point 2 Downstream Pressure Tap

Point 1 Upstream Pressure Tap

Figure 2. Orifice Meter

Float

Figure 3. Rotameter