Question 1

Thermal mass flow meter vs Coriolis

Accepted Answer

Thermal and Coriolis mass flow meters are two common types of mass flow meters.

Thermal mass flow meters use an indirect measurement method to derive mass flow rate by measuring temperature changes. They measure temperature differences during transport and convert these differences into mass flow using heat transfer principles. They are suitable for measuring gas flows such as air and nitrogen. Their accuracy is generally between 1.0% and 1.5%.

Coriolis mass flow meters utilize the Coriolis force to measure the mass flow rate of a fluid. They consist of a vibrating tube or a combination of vibrating tubes. As the fluid passes through the tube, the mass of the fluid changes the natural frequency of the tube. By measuring this frequency change, the mass flow rate of the fluid can be calculated.

Coriolis mass flow meters can be used to measure the flow of both gases and liquids. They are less susceptible to changes in fluid density, temperature, and pressure. Their accuracy is generally between 0.1% and 0.5%.

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Question 2

Thermal Mass Flowmeter Vs Vortex Flow Meter

Accepted Answer

A vortex flowmeter is a volume flowmeter. A thermal gas flowmeter is a mass flowmeter. The measurement principles of the two are different.

Vortex flowmeter is widely used and can measure gas, liquid, and steam. A thermal flowmeter can only measure gas.

A vortex flowmeter is much cheaper.

A vortex flowmeter has requirements for the installation of the straight section of the measuring pipeline, usually 10D in front and 5D in the back. The thermal mass flowmeter has no restrictions.

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Question 3

Will thermal mass flow meters be affected by changes in the composition of gas?

Accepted Answer

Thermal mass flow meters measure a flow rate based on convective heat transfer. Fluid properties are some of the many factors that influence convection. Each gas has unique properties, which is why these flow meters are calibrated for a specific application. You wouldn’t want a meter calibrated for an air application placed into a natural gas application without recalibration or some type of field adjustment if applicable.

Question 4

What role do thermal flow meters play in emissions monitoring applications?

Accepted Answer

Thermal flow meters are at the forefront in flow measurement for emissions reporting and energy management projects. Some popular applications include monitoring gas fuel flow to a combustion source to report SO2 emissions, stack gas flow in power plants as part of a continuous emissions monitoring (CEM) system of NOX and SO2 and flares in a gas field that need to be reported to environmental authorities. These applications prove difficult for many flow meter technologies.

Question 5

How does a thermal dispersion flow switch work?

Accepted Answer

The thermal flow switch is designed based on the principle that the temperature change of the probe generates a temperature difference. The probe has a built-in thermal sensor and two thermal sensors in contact with the medium.

When the thermal flow switch is working, the heating sensor emits a constant amount of heat. When there is no medium flowing in the pipeline, the heat received by the thermal sensor is a constant value. When there is medium flowing, the heat received by the thermal sensor will change with the flow rate of the medium, and the thermal sensor converts the temperature difference signal into an electrical signal. When the flow rate reaches a certain set value, the thermal flow switch outputs a switch signal.

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