You are on page 1of 7

ORIFICE METER

Orifice meter is a type of flow meter device which is used to determine the
rate of flow through pipe made by inserting drilled orifice plate between two
pipe flanges and arranging suitable pressure connection. Orifice meter also
works on the same principle as that of Venturi meter.
Parts of an Orifice Meter
The components of a typical orifice meter are orifice plate, manometer
and flange or carrier ring.

1. Orifice Plate are metal plates having an equal diameter of


the pipeline with a drilled hole in it which reduces the
volumetric flow rate to reduce the pressure
2. Manometer an instrument measuring the
between the inlet and the outlet section of an orifice.

pressure

3. Flange/Carrier Ring used for orifice meters for the purpose


of holding the orifice plate
Beta Ratio
The effective use of the orifice meters depends on the orifice plate to be
used, its configuration and construction. Orifice are usually made of mild steel,
stainless steel, and phosphor bronze. One of the general considerations in
designing an orifice plate is the Beta Ratio.
Beta Ratio is the ratio between the orifice diameter and pipe diameter.
The flow coefficient is found to be stable between beta ratios of 0.2 to 0.7

Beta Ratio
1. Higher Beta Ratio
It will display low pressure difference

The pressure difference is hard to measure


It will require longer pipe length
2. Lower Beta Ratio
Pressure loss will be higher
This may require higher size of the pump
It has higher cost required due to frictional loss
Operation of an Orifice Meter
1. The fluid having uniform cross section of flow converges into the orifice
plates opening in its upstream. Pressure is considered maximum in this
section before the orifice plate.
2. When the fluid comes out of the orifice plates opening, its cross section
is minimum and uniform for a particular distance and then the cross
section of the fluid starts diverging in the downstream.
When the fluid comes out of the orifice opening, its pressure is
minimum and this minimum pressure remains constant in the

minimum cross section area of fluid flow at the downstream.


The minimum cross sectional area of the fluid obtained at
downstream from the orifice edge is called vena-contracta.

Application of Orifice Meter

1. The concentric orifice plate is used to measure flow rates of pure fluids
and has a wide applicability as it has been standardized. The beta ratios
of concentric orifice plates range from 0.25 to 0.75.

2. The eccentric and segmental orifice plates are used to measure flow rates
of fluids containing suspended materials such as solids, oil mixed with
water and wet steam.
Eccentric orifice plates are typically used for dirty liquids/gases
Segmental orifice plates are used for heavy fluids, in preference to
eccentric orifice plates, because it allows more drainage around the
circumference of the pipe.

Design of Orifice Plate


Advantages of Orifice Meter
1. It is very cheap and easy method to measure flow rate.
2. It has predictable characteristics and occupies less space.
3. Can be used to measure flow rates in large pipes.
Disadvantages of Orifice Meter
1. The vena-contracta length depends on the roughness of the inner wall of
the pipe and sharpness of the orifice plate. In certain cases it becomes
difficult to tap the minimum pressure due to the above factor.
2. Pressure recovery at downstream is poor.

3. It gets clogged when the suspended fluids flow


4. The orifice plate gets corroded and due to this after sometime, inaccuracy
occurs.
Calculations on Orifice Meter
The equation for the orifice meter is similar to venturi meter. To derive
the equation for the orifice meter, friction is neglected and the pipe is assumed
to be horizontal,
2

v 1 p1 v 2 p 2
+ = +
2 2
Considering the continuity equation for constant p,
2

D
D
v 1 1 =v 2 2
4
4

v 2=

Substituting

v2

v 1 D21
D 22

in the first equation, then multiply a factor

loss factor in orifice),


v 1 D21

v 21 p1
+ =
2
2

( )
D22
2
2

p2

( )

v 1 p1 v 1 D1 p2
+ =
+
2 2 D42

( )

p1 p2 v 1 D1
=
1

2 D42

C0

(friction

2 ( p1 p2 )

4
1
4
2

( )
D
1
D

=v 21

Therefore the equation for the orifice,

where:

v1

C0

is the velocity in the orifice (m/s, ft/s)

is the orifice coefficient (dimensionless)


P is the pressure drop (Pa, lbf/in2)

D1

is the orifice diameter (mm, m, ft, in)

D2

is the pipe diameter (mm, m, ft, in)

Note: If the

at the orifice is above 20000 and

about 0.5, the value of

C0

D1 / D2

is less than

is approximately constant and has the value 0.61

Variation of discharge coefficient with Reynolds Number for sharp-edged orifices

You might also like