What is gas flow meter ?

A gas flow meter is a device that measures gas flow. A gas flow sensor is installed on a pipeline to display and record the amount of gas passing through it. Gas flow meters can measure coal gas, air, nitrogen, acetylene, phosgene, hydrogen, natural gas, nitrogen, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen peroxide, flue gas, methane, butane, chlorine, coal gas, biogas, carbon dioxide, oxygen, compressed air, argon, toluene, benzene, xylene, hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide (SO2), ammonia, and propane.

No gas flow meter can fit any gas flow measurement

If a perfect flowmeter truly existed, it would require minimal or no calibration, have low maintenance costs, offer a high turndown ratio, high reliability, and high accuracy. It would also be inexpensive to purchase.
Some vendors claim to have the perfect flowmeter, but the reality is that such a flowmeter is highly unlikely. This is because each typical flowmeter has its own strengths and weaknesses, depending on its operating principle and the technology used.
These weaknesses arise from the materials used in its manufacture, installation, and application. For example, a gas turbine flowmeter cannot operate effectively without moving parts. Coriolis flowmeters, on the other hand, while lacking moving parts, require a larger size due to their technology, making them expensive.
Furthermore, electromagnetic flowmeters require a conductive fluid for measurement, making them incapable of measuring hydrocarbon liquids.
This article explores the strengths and weaknesses of the latest flowmeters for measuring gas flow, as liquids are easier to measure than gases.
There are many different types of gas flowmeters, but the following are some common ones that BAITE frequently recommends to its customers.

Thermal Mass flow meter for Gas measurement

Advantages
- Ideal for emission monitoring applications
- Suitable for stack flow measurement
- Affordable
- Can measure low-pressure gas flow
- Insertable design, suitable for large pipelines
Disadvantages
- Cannot measure steam flow
- Low to moderate accuracy
- Suitable only for gas and a few liquids
- Requires knowledge of gas composition

Thermal mass flowmeters are designed based on the principle of thermal diffusion. The flow sensor uses a constant temperature differential method to accurately measure gas flow. They are compact, highly intelligent, easy to install, and provide accurate measurements. Thermal mass flow transmitters require no external temperature or pressure compensation, providing convenient and accurate measurement, and can provide gas mass flow or standard volume flow. Thermal diffusion flowmeters have a wide range, measuring gas flow rates from 120 Nm/s to 0.1 Nm/s, and can be used for gas leak detection. Immersible mass flowmeters offer excellent vibration resistance and a long service life. Gas flow sensors have no moving parts or pressure sensing components, making measurement accuracy unaffected by vibration. Using RS-485 or HART communication enables factory automation and integration. Digital thermal mass flow meter can be used for compressed air flow meter, propane gas flow meter, biogas flow meter, liquefied petroleum gas flow meter, nitrogen flow meter, oxygen flow meter.

Gas turbine flowmeter

Gas turbine flowmeters are suitable for measuring various gases in various industrial applications, including natural gas, city gas, liquefied petroleum gas, propane, butane, air, and nitrogen. These gas flow sensors offer high accuracy and excellent repeatability, making them particularly suitable for custody transfer. These velocity-based flowmeters feature low pressure drop, high accuracy, low startup flow, a wide range ratio, and excellent resistance to vibration and pulsation. They display both instantaneous and accumulated flow rates. They can output pulses or 4-20 mA and include RS485 communication, meeting various industrial control needs.

Vortex flowmeter

Advantages
-No moving parts
-Compliant with API standards
-Relatively high accuracy
-Widely applicable
Disadvantages
-Limited use in custody transfer
-Blatant body causes pressure drop

Primarily used for flow measurement of fluids (such as gas, liquid, and steam) in industrial pipelines. It features low pressure loss, a wide measurement range, and high accuracy. Volume flow measurement is virtually unaffected by fluid density, pressure, temperature, and viscosity. With no moving mechanical parts, it offers high reliability and minimal maintenance. This flow meter utilizes a highly reliable piezoelectric stress sensor and operates within a temperature range of -20°C to +250°C. It provides both analog standard and digital pulse outputs, making it easy to integrate with digital systems such as computers. It is a highly advanced and ideal flow meter.

Rotameter (Variable Area Flow meter)

The metal tube rotameter is a rotameter that measures float position. Its all-metal construction features a compact size, minimal pressure drop, a wide rangeability (10-20:1), and easy installation and maintenance. It is widely used in complex and harsh working conditions across various industries and is suitable for measuring low and medium flow rates. Silver Automation Instruments also sells rotameters with digital displays for instantaneous and accumulated flow rates. These rotameters can also be configured with flow transmitters equipped with alarm outputs, 4-20mA outputs, and RS485 communication.

Please contact us with your gas flow measurement application and we will always provide you with the best pricing and the highest quality service.