Flow Measurement & Control


Control valves in gas flowmeters

November 2010 Flow Measurement & Control

The position of the control valve in flowmeters can be crucial when measuring gas flow, regardless of whether the valves are built into the device or separate. If a valve is used to reduce the flow at the inlet of the measuring device, the pressure in the measuring tube behind the valve is reduced. Because gases are compressible, this change in operating pressure results in a significant measurement error.

For example, a pressure reduction from 5 to 4 bars of absolute pressure in the measuring tube of a variable area flowmeter results in a measurement error of almost 12%. Therefore, more or less gas flows unnoticed through the device than is displayed. However, when the valve is positioned at the outlet, the drop in pressure does not occur until after the measuring tube and thus does not affect measurement. For this reason, Krohne offers the ‘control valve at the outlet’ version for its DK series. The DK series consists of a range of low volume flowmeters with glass or metal cones used in many different applications ranging from inlet pipes to gas chromatography and gas inertisation measurements in chemistry to the measurement of gases used for anaesthesia in hospitals.

In some instances, the control valve can be in front of the measuring device, for example when a gas is measured against a constant pressure (eg, atmospheric pressure). In this case, the measuring device is not calibrated based on the primary pressure but instead based on the constant output pressure prevailing in the measuring tube. The position of the valve is not crucial when measuring liquids, as the compressibility of liquids is negligible even at high pressures.

For more information contact John Alexander, Krohne SA, +27 (0)11 314 1391, [email protected], www.krohne.com



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Eliminating splashbacks, spills and early shutoffs in ultra high-flow fuelling
Flow Measurement & Control
Husky Corporation has unveiled the latest innovation in fuelling technology with its newly designed StreamShaper for ultra high-flow applications, which minimises early shutoffs and splashback spills.

Read more...
Radiometric density measurements
Mecosa Flow Measurement & Control
Radiometric density measurements are used wherever conventional measurement techniques fail. Successful applications can be found in a wide variety of industries, especially where harsh process environments and difficult measuring conditions prevail.

Read more...
Battery-powered magmeter
Flow Measurement & Control
The RWEM/D battery-powered electromagnetic flow meter from Royce Water Systems is ideal for water and wastewater systems located at remote sites.

Read more...
Precise process and maximum savings with VEGABAR
VEGA Controls SA Flow Measurement & Control
Accurate measurementsof differential pressure is crucial for safety, efficiency and optimising operational processes. For over 40 years, VEGA has supplied industry-leading pressure measurement solutions, establishing itself as a trusted expert with a proven track record in sensor technology.

Read more...
Innovative solutions for low flow dosing with high precision
Mecosa Flow Measurement & Control
n the food, pharma, and chemical manufacturing industries, precision and efficiency are of utmost importance. Bronkhorst High-Tech has developed a flexible solution that meets today’s requirements for highly accurate dosing, whether continuous, in ratio, or in batches.

Read more...
Battery-powered magmeter
Flow Measurement & Control
The RWEM/D battery-powered electromagnetic flow meter from Royce Water Systems is ideal for water and wastewater systems located at remote sites.

Read more...
Smart technology for municipal services
VEGA Controls SA Flow Measurement & Control
A new wave of smart technologies has emerged from VEGA Instruments, promising a revolutionary impact on the efficiency and dependability of municipal services.

Read more...
KROHNE reaches important milestone in Ethernet-APL
KROHNE Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
In December 2023, KROHNE made Ethernet-APL demo devices available to selected customers. This step marks an important milestone in the company’s own Ethernet APL development project for various sensor types. Ethernet-APL technology is a revolution in the process industry.

Read more...
Sustainable journey with hydrogen
Mecosa Flow Measurement & Control
Bronkhorst High-Tech, the Dutch leader in flow measurement and control, has been focusing on hydrogen applications in the renewable energy market for some time, and for good reason.

Read more...
Wireless communication system for remote access to data
KROHNE Data Acquisition & Telemetry
KROHNE has introduced the OPTIBRIDGE 3880 IIoT data logger for remote data services, acquisition and evaluation. It is a fully autonomous battery- or mains- powered wireless communication system for remote access to measurement data.

Read more...