General Guidelines for Flow Meter Selection

Flow Meter
Turbine Positive Displacement Electromagnetic (Mag-Meter)

Recommended Service
Clean, viscous liquids Clean, viscous liquids Clean, dirty, viscous, conductive liquids and slurries Clean, dirty, viscous liquids Clean dirty viscous liquids some slurries

Turndown

Effects Typical Required Typical from Accuracy Upstream Pressure pipe, changing FS = Full Loss Scale diameters viscosity?
High High None +/- 0.25% of rate +/- 0.5% of rate +/- 0.5% of rate 5 to 10 None 5 High High None

20 to 1 10 to 1 40 to 1

Variable Area (VA, Rotameter) Thermal Mass Flow (TMF)

10 to 1

Medium

+/- 1 to 10% FS +/- 1% FS

None

Medium

10 to 1

Low

None

None

General Guidelines for Flow Meter Selection

Coriolis Mass Meter Orifice Plate Clean, dirty. viscous liquids, some slurries Clean, dirty, liquids some slurries Clean liquids Dirty, viscous, liquids and slurries Clean, viscous, liquids some dirty liquids (depending on brand) Some slurries but clean, dirty and liquids with high viscosity Clean, dirty liquids 10 to 1 Low +/- 0.5% of rate +/- 2 to 4% FS None None

4 to 1

Some

10 to 20

High

Pitot tube Ultrasonic (Doppler) Ultrasonic (Transit Time)

3 to 1 10 to 1

Very low +/- 3 to 5% FS None +/- 5% FS

20 to 30 5 to 30

Low None

40 to 1

None

+/- 1 to 3% FS

10

None

Venturi

4 to 1

A little

+/- 1% FS

5 to 18

High

Vortex

10 to 1

Medium

+/- 1% of rate

10 to 20

Medium

liquids Clean Dirty Conductive

Gear yes no yes yes, >10 centistoke s (cst) no yes yes yes no no

Turbine yes no yes yes (special calibratio n) limited yes yes yes no no

Magnetic yes yes yes

Coriolis Mass yes yes yes

Thermal M ass no no no

Vortex yes yes yes

Paddle wheel yes special design yes

Ultrasonic yes yes yes

Variable Area yes yes yes yes (special calibration ) no yes no yes no no

Viscous

yes

yes

no

no

yes

yes

Slurries Corrosive Reverse flow Pulsating flow Semi filled pipes Open channel

yes yes yes yes no no

yes yes yes yes no no

no no no no no no

yes yes no yes no no

no yes yes yes no no

yes (Doppler) yes yes yes yes yes

Gases Steam Clean Wet Contaminate d Corrosive

Gear no yes yes no no

Turbine yes yes yes no yes

Magnetic * no no no no no

Coriolis Mass yes yes yes yes yes

Thermal M ass no yes no no no

Vortex yes yes yes yes yes

Paddle wheel no no no no no

Ultrasonic yes yes yes yes yes

Variable Area yes yes yes no yes

Technical data Accuracy

Gear 0.1-0.5% of reading 0.1% of reading 270 and up 125 and up medium 25:1 Medium

Turbine 0.25-1% of reading 0.1% of reading 350 and up 300 and up medium 10:1 Medium

Magnetic 0.5-1% of reading 0.1% of reading 350 and up 150 and up virtually none

Coriolis mass 0.050.15% of reading 0.050.10% of reading 85 and up 200 and up low 100:1

Gas mass-flow 1.5% full scale 0.5% full scale 40 and up 100 and up low 50:1 Medium

Vortex 1% of reading 0.2% of reading 50 and up 400 low < 10:1 Medium

Paddle wheel 1% (linearit y)

Ultrasonic typically 15% of reading

Variable Area 2-4% full scale 0.25% full scale

Repeatabilit y Max pressure Bar Max temp C Pressure drop Turndown ratio Average cost

100 and up 100 and up virtually none

unlimited 100 and up none

15 and up 300 and up medium 10:1

Medium

High

Low

Medium

Low