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Flow metering with disturbed inflow

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Abstract

For flow metering in a circular pipe, the inflow to the flow meter must usually be a fully developed pipe flow. This paper is dealing with flow metering when the inflow to the flowmeter is not fully developed but disturbed by pipe fittings (e.g. bends). The problems with these so-called installation effects are very old but still not solved satisfactorily. At first the attempts in the past to solve these problems are discussed. Then optimal characteristic parameters are introduced which allow an appropriate description of the flow disturbances. These parameters can be determined by a fairly simple experimental device. For classical Venturi tubes it is shown how these characteristic parameters affect the discharge coefficient. It is conjectured that the structure of the correction formula is valid for all pressure differential flowmeters (e.g. also for nozzles and orifice plates).

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  1. University Bochum, Bochum, Germany

    K. Gersten

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  1. K. Gersten
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Correspondence to K. Gersten.

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Dedicated to Professor Wilhelm Schneider on the occasion of his 70th birthday

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Gersten, K. Flow metering with disturbed inflow. Acta Mech 201, 13–22 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00707-008-0068-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00707-008-0068-9

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