The flow measurement products produced and/or supplied by AW-Lake include the following:
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SPUR GEAR
In Spur gear positive displacement flow meters, fluid travels around two round gears and is pushed through the meter’s internal chamber from inlet to outlet. The discrete volume of liquid trapped between each gear tooth is measured, as opposed to the Oval gear meter where a much larger volume between gears is swept through the chamber.
HELICAL GEAR
Possibly the most accurate PD meter in which two intersecting cylindrical bores are fitted with two interlocking helical screw-shaped gears. Because gear orientation is inline with flow, as the fluid passes through, the gears rotate with very little pressure drop. These flow meters are highly accurate over wide flow ranges and are compatible with very high viscosity fluids.
ROTARY PISTON
In this design a rotary piston oscillates in the circular internal chamber displacing a fixed amount of fluid with each rotation. This style accommodates ultra low flows and high flows, as well as high pressures.
BENEFITS OF POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT FLOW METERS
TURBINE FLOW METER BENEFITS
ADVANTAGES OF VARIABLE AREA
PADDLE WHEEL FLOW METER BENEFITS:
Gear/PD Flow Meters
Positive Displacement (PD) flow meters are volumetric flow measurement instruments ideal for low flow rates, highly viscous fluids, and measurement of flows involving starts and stops or pulsing. Positive displacement flow meters are similar in design to the gear pump. The principle of operation is reversed however; instead of the gears driving the fluid, the fluid drives the gears. A non-intrusive hall-effect sensor detects the movement of the gear and as each gear tooth passes the sensor, a square wave pulse is produced and a discrete volume of liquid is measured. The resulting pulse train is proportional to the actual flow rate and provides a highly accurate representation of the fluid flow. Positive displacement flow meters come in a variety of styles, and we carry three of them:SPUR GEAR
In Spur gear positive displacement flow meters, fluid travels around two round gears and is pushed through the meter’s internal chamber from inlet to outlet. The discrete volume of liquid trapped between each gear tooth is measured, as opposed to the Oval gear meter where a much larger volume between gears is swept through the chamber.
HELICAL GEAR
Possibly the most accurate PD meter in which two intersecting cylindrical bores are fitted with two interlocking helical screw-shaped gears. Because gear orientation is inline with flow, as the fluid passes through, the gears rotate with very little pressure drop. These flow meters are highly accurate over wide flow ranges and are compatible with very high viscosity fluids.
ROTARY PISTON
In this design a rotary piston oscillates in the circular internal chamber displacing a fixed amount of fluid with each rotation. This style accommodates ultra low flows and high flows, as well as high pressures.
BENEFITS OF POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT FLOW METERS
- High resolution flow measurement: high pulses per gallon for greater flow assurance
- High accuracy with high turndown, even at very low flow rates
- Handles dirty, viscous and corrosive fluids
- Unaffected by flow stops: Since the fluid drives the gears, accuracy in pulsing flows is still very accurate, which is ideal for batching and fast-acting processes.
- Flexible Installation: No need for straight run piping and can be installed in any orientation.
Turbine Flow Meters
Axial turbine flow meters are designed with wear resistant internal components to provide trouble-free operation and a long service life. Fluid entering the flow meter is first conditioned by the inlet flow straightener which reduces turbulence in the fluid. The moving fluid causes the rotor to spin at a speed that is proportional to its flow rate. As the turbine blades on the rotor pass through the magnetic field of the pickup, an electronic pulse is generated. This pulse train signal can then be used to monitor the fluid’s actual flow rate or the total amount of fluid that has passed through the flow meter. The number of electronic pulses generated by the meter, per unit volume, is known as its K-Factor. Each flow meter is calibrated to find its unique K-Factor, which is supplied with the flow meter when purchased.TURBINE FLOW METER BENEFITS
- Simple, durable design
- Easy installation and maintenance
- Reliable operation under a wide range of temperatures and pressures
- Turndown ratio is up to 35:1
- Good level of accuracy at an economic price
- Wide variety of process connections
- Low pressure drop
Variable Flow Meters
Lake Variable Area flow meters, often referred to as “rotameters,” measure flow rate of a liquid or gas by relating linear displacement of an internal “float” or sharp-edged orifice plate (Lake) to a corresponding flow rate. As flow rate increases, the orifice area that the flow moves through also increases – thus, the term “Variable Area.” Variable Area meters either allow flow through a peripheral orifice formed between a tapered wall and a float as in the traditional rotameter, or an annular orifice and an internal tapered metering pin in the Lake Monitor. The attributes of the Lake Variable Area flow meter are a linear relationship between flow rate, pressure differential and piston displacement. Flow rate is read on Variable Area meters by aligning the position of the piston/float to an adjacent calibrated scale.ADVANTAGES OF VARIABLE AREA
- Relative low cost and ease of installation
- Robust and easy to maintain
- No need for auxiliary power
- Works with both liquids and gases
Paddle Wheel Flowstat Meters
Operating much like a turbine flow meter, paddle wheel flow meters consist of a freely rotating wheel which is outfitted with magnets on the blades or “paddles” of the wheel. As the fluid flows through the meter, spinning the wheel, sensors detect the magnets with each pass. The paddle wheel meter generates an electrical frequency output which is proportional to the flow rate.PADDLE WHEEL FLOW METER BENEFITS:
- Easy to install and operate
- Low cost solution with high flow accuracy
- No pressure drop
- Bi-Directional flow measurement
