18MC406 Metrology and

Measurements

Flow Measurement

K L Senthil Kumar
Mechatronics
 Evocation

What happens during heavy rain?

 General Objective

To understand the principle of measuring liquid flow using

four different methods

Specific Objectives
SO1 Classify the flow measuring devices [U/C-E]
SO2 Differentiate the working of venturimeter and orifice meter
in making flow measurement. [U/C-S,E]
SO3 Differentiate the working of rotameter and Pitot tube in the
measurement of flow. [U/C-S,E]
 Fluid flow

Terms used Methods

 Fluid 1. Pitot tube

 Viscosity 2. Orificemeter
 Density 3. Venturimeter
 Flow 4. Rotameter
 Flow rate
 Reynold’s number
Pitot tube
Pressure difference is converted to
velocity and is displayed as velocity in m/s
 Pitot tube
Typically the probe diameter (D) would be 6 mm. The length
of the probe would then be around 10 cm or more.

A Pitot static tube or Prandtl tube is used very

often in laboratory applications

A typical application of a
Pitot tube is the
measurement of velocity
of an aircraft.
 Pitot tube
A Pitot static tube is used to measure the velocity of water flowing in a pipe.
Water of density ρ = 1000 kg/m3 is known to have a velocity of V = 2.5 m/s
where the Pitot static tube has been introduced. The static pressure is
measured independently at the tube wall and is 2 bar. What is the head
developed by the Pitot static tube if the manometric fluid is mercury with
density equal to ρm = 13600 kg/m3?
Orifice plate
 Orifice plate
Volume flow rate is expressed in units of m3/s, m3/h, l/min, l/s or ml/s.

The pressure drop is, in fact, the measured quantity while the volume
flow rate is the estimated quantity.
Orifice plate
 Venturimeter
it is essentially a converging - diverging nozzle.

for fixed conditions of diameter, diameter ratio and inlet velocity the
venturi will develop the smallest pressure drop between stations 1
and 2, as compared to the flow nozzle or the orifice plate.
 Venturimeter
Rough casting: Cd = 0.984 Installation of a venturi meter
Machined entrance cone: Cd = 0.995 does not appreciably affect
Rough welded sheet metal: Cd = 0.985 the flow.
 Selection of flow meter type

The Venturi meter itself is considerably long and requires, in

addition, straight upstream and downstream sections.

An Orifice plate requires the least modification in an

existing line.

Flow nozzle is somewhere between these two cases.

Also all these meters have to necessarily be oriented

horizontally and enough space must be available for the
additional straight lengths ahead of and after the meter.
Also, the variable area meters are inherently non-linear.
These meters may be designed to cover a wide range of
flow rates.
 Rotameter or Drag effect flow meter

equilibrium of a body (referred to as the “bob”) under the

action of inertia and drag forces.

drag force experienced by the bob is due

to the pressure distribution around the
bob as the flow takes place past it. Viscous
forces do not have much role in this.

Note that the bob material should have

density greater than the fluid density.
Secondly the Rotameter has to be
oriented vertically with the diameter of
the tapered tube increasing with y!
 Rotameter Sb – Frontal
area of the
bob

Thus the constant mean velocity

is given by
Rotameter
Mind map
 Formative assessment
The head loss will be highest in
a. Flow nozzle b. orifice-meter
c. Venturi-meter d. pitot tube.

The density of the bob material should be ___ than that of the fluid

Position of rotameter should be ___

a. vertical with smaller diameter at the top
b. vertical with larger diameter at the top
c. horizontal with smaller diameter in front
d. horizontal with smaller diameter at back

A pitot tube is used to measure ___ of flowing fluid.

a. pressure b. viscosity c. velocity d. density

___ needs least modification in the existing set-up.

a. venturi-merter b. rotameter c. flow nozzle d. orifice meter
 Formative assessment
The head loss will be highest in
a. Flow nozzle b. orifice-meter
c. Venturi-meter d. pitot tube.

The density of the bob material should be higher than that of the fluid

Position of rotameter should be ___

a. vertical with smaller diameter at the top
b. vertical with larger diameter at the top
c. horizontal with smaller diameter in front
d. horizontal with smaller diameter at back

A pitot tube is used to measure ___ of flowing fluid.

a. pressure b. viscosity c. velocity d. density

___ needs least modification in the existing set-up.

a. venturi-merter b. rotameter c. flow nozzle d. orifice meter
 Summary

 Pitot tube is the simplest form to measure velocity of fluid

and its primary application in in aero plane
 Flow rate of fluids are measured using variable area flow
meters such as orifice plate, flow nozzle and venturi meter
 Irrecoverable pressure drop is high in orifice meter and is
minimum in venturi meter
 Rotameter can directly measure the fluid flow rate.
Equilibrium is maintained among weight of the bob, drag
force and the buoyancy force.
 Reynolds number in all the case is in the order of 103 to
107
Thank You!!!