Flow Rate With Orifice Meter

Background and Theory

Flow meters are used in the industry to measure the volumetric flow
rate of fluids.

Differential pressure type flow meters (Head flow meters) measure
flow rate by introducing a constriction in the flow.

The pressure difference caused by the constriction is correlated to
the flow rate using Bernoulli's theorem.

Rate of discharge from the constriction can be calculated by
knowing this pressure reduction, the area available for flow at the
constriction ,the density of the fluid and the coefficient of discharge
Cd.



What is orifice meter?
Orifice meter is a flow measuring device used for calculating
the pressure drop,flow rate and behaviour of the fluid moving
through the pipe.

What is an orifice meter?
A restriction in a pipe between two pressure taps; by attaching
a pressure gauge the airflow can be determined.


Figure of orifice meter for lab test
Figure of orifice meter in field
Orifice plates and flanges
Description of Orifice Meter
The main parts of an orifice flow meter
are as follows:

A stainless steel orifice plate which is
held between flanges of a pipe carrying
the fluid whose flow rate is being
measured.

The pipe carrying the fluid should be
straight in order to maintain laminar
flow conditions.

Openings are provided at two places 1
and 2 for attaching a differential
pressure sensor (U-tube manometer,
differential pressure gauge etc.) as
shown in the diagram.

Working principles of the orifice
meter
An obstruction (orifice) is placed in a pipe filled with fluid. The
pressure of the fluid is measured at two different points.

At the upstream of the orifice, before the converging of the fluid
takes place, the pressure of the fluid (P1) is maximum. As the fluid
starts converging, to enter the orifice opening its pressure drops.
When the fluid comes out of the orifice opening, its pressure is
minimum (p2) and this minimum pressure remains constant in the
minimum cross section area of fluid flow at the downstream.

The differential pressure sensor attached between points 1 and 2
records the pressure difference (P1 P2) between these two points
which becomes an indication of the flow rate of the fluid through
the pipe when calibrated


Basic Principle of Orifice Meter


Where,
Qa = Flow rate
Cd = Discharge coefficient
A1 = Cross sectional area of pipe
A2 = Cross sectional area of orifice
P1, P2 = Static Pressures

The orifice plate causes a pressure drop which varies with the
flow rate.

Orifice Plate / Restriction Orifice

Orifice plate works based on Bernoullis principle.


Bernoullis equation states that pressure drop across the
orifice plate is directly proportional to the volumetric flow rate
passing through the orifice plate.
The main difference between orifice plate and restriction
orifice is their usage. Restriction orifice is used for killing
pressure in a pipe by increasing fluid velocity. Restriction
orifice and orifice plates are similar in structure and both are
based on Bernoullis equation.
What is the Calibration curve of
orifice meter ?

The calibration curve for an orifice meter will
depend on the size of the orifice, the size of
the pipe and the pressure loss over the meter.

Typical calibration curves have pressure (or
head) loss on the vertical (y) axis and flow rate
on the horizontal (x) axis.
Calibration Calculation
C - Orifice coefficient
D1 - Pipe diameter
D - Orifice diameter
P1,P2 - Pressure drop
V - Orifice volume
- density
Applications of Orifice Meter
To measure the flow rate of gases and fluids
The concentric orifice plate is used to measure flow rates of
pure fluids and has a wide applicability as it has been
standardized.
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.


Orifice Meter
Advantages
It is very cheap and easy method
to measure flow rate.

It has predictable characteristics
and occupies less space.

Can be used to measure flow
rates in large pipes.
Limitations
The vena-contracta length
depends on the roughness of the
inner wall of the pipe and
sharpness of the orifice plate.

In the upstream straightening
vanes are a must to obtain
laminar flow conditions.

Gets clogged when the
suspended fluids flow.

The coefficient of discharge is
low.



Adds on information
Many factors associated with the pipe, orifice and fluid affect the
measurement.

Satisfactory measurement requires steady-state, homogeneous,
turbulent flowing fluids.

Other properties which affect the measurement include: the ratio
of pipe diameter to orifice diameter and the density, temperature,
compressibility and viscosity of the fluid.

Conclusion
The largest contribution to the uncertainty in the measured
coefficient is due to the time measurement.

The main disadvantage of this meter is the greater frictional
loss it causes as compared with the other devices and hence
causes large power consumption.

Within the limit of the experimental uncertainty and the
Reynolds number range investigated, the result obtained for
the discharge coefficient through an orifice plate with the
empirical relation