What is a good choice for a steam flow meter?
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For pipes larger than DN450 at a pressure of 2.0 MPa, is a standard orifice flow meter the only option available? Is there anything better?:) This post was last edited by marry on 2009-3-25 08:23.]
A V-cone flow meter can be used; it requires short straight sections before and after it, usually 0 to 3D, with only 0 to 1D required downstream； High precision; the differential pressure output achieves a repeatability of 0.1% ； Low pressure loss, suitable for measurements at low static pressure and low flow rates ；
Either an Anubaa flow meter or a balanced flow meter will work
Uniform-flow tube flowmeters are more suitable, such as Delta Bar flowmeters, VeriBar flowmeters, Anubar flowmeters, and so on. Its measurement principle is similar to that of an orifice plate; it belongs to the differential pressure type of flow meter. However, its pressure loss is much lower than that of an orifice plate, making it the preferred choice for steam measurement at present
Insertion-type vortex flow meters can also be used for diameters larger than dn200
A vortex flow meter should work, and it is relatively easy to maintain. It can be customized with the manufacturer; after all, vortex flow meters have relatively poor heat resistance, but measures can probably be taken to address this issue.
Orifice plates and velocity tubes are the cheapest, while vortex flow meters are the most expensive.
I recommend using delta bar; we have carried out several projects in which delta bar was used for steam flow control, and the results were very good.
Differential pressure types such as orifice plates, V-cones, and delta bars can all be used. The orifice plate is an older type of differential pressure flow meter; its technology is the most mature and it works well. The V-cone is also a differential pressure device, and as mentioned on the second floor, it has many advantages, but it also has disadvantages: it can only be calibrated using actual flow rates, and it’s necessary to find a reliable manufacturer, as otherwise problems may arise with the cone. The DeltaBar is also of the differential pressure type, but it is plug-in, making it easy to install and use. Our 75-ton boiler uses this type; it works well for both feedwater and steam.
Ainiuba has relatively low pressure loss; in addition, a 3095 multi-parameter mass flow transmitter can be used to enable temperature and pressure compensation.
Stop using Delta’s bar-insert flow meters; I’ve had enough!
The Delta Ba insert-type flow meter is relatively expensive; in reality, it is a variant of the Toru-ba type, and it also requires high standards regarding the installation piping – for example, the pressure tapping pipes need to be short, heating must be provided, and the piping must be installed horizontally or at an appropriate angle. If there is a straight pipe section, then for applications with low installation requirements, vortex flow meters are the suitable choice – they have almost no special requirements; maintenance is required once every 5 years, and other options don’t meet these standards. We have used orifice plates, V-cones, flow distributors, and vortex street sensors.
Judging from the pressure, you are referring to saturated steam; it’s just that the diameter is DN450, which is larger. If you want to keep the maintenance workload low, it’s better to choose vortex flow meters.
It is very difficult to produce vortex flow meters with a diameter of 450. If the temperature exceeds 200 degrees, high-temperature models are required, which are extremely expensive; it is better to opt for orifice plates or nozzles instead.
If you don’t want to do more work in the future, please ask the owner to choose an old-fashioned orifice plate. Our company uses V-cone flow meters for pipes with a diameter of 325; the operating pressure is 4 kilograms, and the flow rate is 30 T/H. Soon, the cone was blown away. This year, during the maintenance, the orifice plate was reinstated; it works well. Additionally, the Delta Ba is indeed very useful; we use it with a water flow rate of 60 kilograms and a gas flow rate of 40 KPA. The steam flow rate should work well. Let’s take a look. There are also user follow-ups for DeltaBar. It feels safe to work for large companies.
The original poster was using steam at 2.0 MPa; the temperature is high, so the pressure loss can be ignored, and there’s no need for high precision in measuring the steam. Don’t overthink it – opt for an orifice flow meter instead. It requires less maintenance, is highly adaptable, and is inexpensive.
Vortex flow meters are good; they are also easy to maintain, practically maintenance-free, and can provide local display as well as remote transmission
Any plug-in types such as Aoniuba and Aliba work
For pipes with large diameters and high steam flow rates, in addition to what was mentioned above, elbow flow meters can also be considered; they operate on the principle of differential pressure and result in very low pressure losses
For pipes larger than DN450 at a pressure of 2.0 MPa, is a standard orifice flow meter the only option available? Is there anything better? If there are no requirements regarding pressure drop on the pipeline, using an orifice plate together with a differential transmitter is a viable option; however, the material choice is highly dependent on temperature, so it’s important to select the right one ； If the process requires a very low pressure drop across the pipes, then you need to consider throttle elements that result in minimal pressure loss. Given the large diameter of the pipes, high temperatures, and high pressures, using a Wilo unit in combination with a differential pressure sensor is an excellent solution; I just installed one this month, and it works very well, though it is a bit expensive.