Selection of alcohol measuring instruments
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Dear friends: I have a question regarding flow meters for measuring alcohol. We are in the process of setting up an alcohol distillation workshop, and we are still hesitating as to which flow meter to use for measuring alcohol; I hope you can offer some advice. Flow meters for measuring alcohol were indeed used quite frequently in the past； Previously used ones included mass flow meters, metal tube float flow meters, turbine flow meters, vortex flow meters, etc. In this project, mass flow meters are no longer considered. It’s too expensive; there’s too much money involved. Turbine flowmeters are no longer considered either; they were used in previous projects, and the absence of various filters led to tooth damage on the turbine blades, and sometimes welding slag would even damage the turbine. In this issue of the Alcohol Distillation Workshop, the process design provides two types of flow meters: metal tube float flow meters and vortex street flow meters. Brief overview of the process: The medium used for measurement is alcohol, with a concentration of 65–96% V/V (it’s not a single process point; there are over ten locations where measurements need to be taken) ； The temperature ranges from 60 to 80 degrees ； There are mainly two situations in which alcohol flow is measured: 1. The alcohol flow in the reflux line at the top of the tower, driven by the reflux pump of the tower, is measured after the pump ； 2. The alcohol output from Tower A is sent to Tower B via gravity feeding. I would appreciate some advice from everyone; experience in similar situations would be even better!
Metal tube float flow meters also don’t work well if there are impurities present, as they tend to get stuck
Yes, it makes sense. This is a troublesome issue.
Use a metal tube rotameter, with a filter placed in front of it
Nowadays, rotors are basically equipped with filters; you can consult the manufacturer
Both the rotor and vortex street can be used. If the range (diameter) permits, a rotor is better than a vortex street. The impurities you mentioned don’t seem to be related to process media issues; it’s more likely that they are caused by construction quality problems. This phenomenon should not occur repeatedly on older devices.
Yes, yes. I feel that for metal tube float flow meters, it is also necessary to install magnetic filters and Y-type wire mesh filters. The installation of process pipelines is a bit more troublesome. After all, it’s the sheep that provide the wool, so the final cost might be a bit higher.