Devices for the Measurement of Liquid Flow: A Boon for Your Industry

Substantial quantities of liquid or fluid such as natural gas, oil, water, and emissions are produced every day, all over the world. The quantification of the bulk fluid movement is referred to as the measurement of liquid flow. A measurement is achieved at every juncture where a transaction occurs. In order to bill the quantity of liquid or gas transfer, a flow meter is regarded to be the most vital device.

Innumerable ways of measuring a liquid can be employed, among which the positive displacement devices are worth to be mentioned. This kind of meter accumulates the bulk quantity of liquid in the first place and then counts the number of times the bulk of the liquid is poured, to measure the flow.

A brief history of liquid flow measurement

The measurement of a fluid holds a huge significance in human civilization since ancient times. The history of the liquid stream measurement dates back to the period when the Egyptians used the current of the Nile as a flow-meter to predict if the harvest would be good or bad. The liquid streaming in the Roman drainage pipes was measured by the orifice plates.

Much later in the 50s, owing to the economic production, the use of only orifice flow meter, rotameter, and the pilot tube was profound in the industries. The accuracy of the measurement of liquid flow could have only met the low-level production because of the confined range of the devices.

The emphasis on the measurement of the streaming liquid and the subsequent development of flow meters was triggered by the rapid development of science and technology and the international economy, after World War II.

In the past 30 years, in order to avoid the liquid stream measurement problems of different types of fluid properties, a wide range of measuring devices have been introduced which includes momentum flow meter, speed meter, electromagnetic flow meter, ultrasonic meter and volume meter.

In the present time, nearly 20 species of such devices are used abroad in more than 100 domestic production and stereotypes. The production of flow meter has been experiencing an incessant growth in the present decade, with the automation of the industrial production and advancement of the pipeline.

Evolution of the liquid flow measurement

In the current era, the instruments of flow measurement are founded mainly on the mechanical, electronic and electromechanical principles. The business of measurement devices has hugely flourished over the time. The first commercially improvised and widely used flow meters were based on the principle of mechanics, which underwent significant development over 100 years.

The evolution of the devices can be talked about now, due to the reason that since ages the traditional technology has played a substantial role in the market. The technology of electronic flow meter has been introduced approximately 60 years back and has evolved since then.

Innumerable flow meters are mass-produced by nearly 1000 companies every year and have found their use in dozens of industrial sectors. With regard to the closed pipe liquid and gas applications, the value of industrial market of the liquid flow meter is shared roughly between four outdated technologies and five of the newer ones. While the outdated technologies include the Turbine, Positive displacement and differential and variable area pressure methods, the newer electronic technologies include the Coriolis, Electromagnetic, Ultrasonic, Vortex and thermal flow meters.

In today’s world, the bulk of industrial flow meters have been categorized into nine broad sections each of which is further divided into sub-categories that have been improvised and made to exist because they can meet the requirement of the customer. If one chooses to include the special niche application, then a huge number of exclusive technologies could be added.

Taking the consensus market research under consideration, we come to know that the market growth of the traditional stream measurement devices is comparatively slower than the electronic ones, despite playing a significant role in a part of the market. The unremitting growth in the use of modern technologies is thus the evidence for the substitution taking place in the enterprises.

What is in store for the users of liquid flow measurement devices?

The wireless devices for the measurement of liquid flow are on the go. The wireless device came into recognition in 2007 and since then is undergoing improvisation. Therefore, definitely a modern technology, but what’s next? Let us speculate what cutting-edge liquid flow measurement device might be coming up in near future.

1. Updating the fluid industry

Relatively slow moving and conservative is the fluid industry. The upmarket bus protocols, wireless and Bluetooth devices have started gaining significance offshore. The instrument designers are encouraged to exhibit their updated act through smartphones which exemplify the domestic innovation.

There is an intrinsic anticipation that the modern users will be handed over some colorful, extremely customizable and user-friendly device which can be compared with the most uncomplicated application of a smartphone. A logical conclusion that can be drawn from this context is that the display of the measuring device will be in control of the user for the whole time.

2. Elimination of moving parts

It can be fairly said that the future liquid flow measurement devices would have no loose parts which enhance the longevity of the device and reduce the scope of mechanical degradation whether planned or not. The devices are expected to be non-invasive and can be made to fit the outside surface of a pipe without disturbing the streaming of the liquid inside the pipe.

The cleverest part of the technology would be the signal processing acumen which would be able to detect the signal amplitude to look for perturbations and would draw out its comparison with the next signal.

Conclusion

Thus, it can be concluded that the future liquid flow measurement devices are already in the list of specifications and are operating currently. Most of the requirements can be met through the existing techniques but the manufacturers are not standing still. The current technology is continuously being leveraged by them while keeping pace with the increasing demand.