Content area
Full Text
While there are some creative ways to get flowmeters piped, there are certain installation best practices that should be adhered to whenever possible.
One of the most common issues with flow measurement is an incorrectly sized flowmeter, followed by poor installation. While there are some creative ways to get flowmeters piped, they can neglect the fact that there are certain installation best practices that should be followed for each flowmeter type, and those should be adhered to whenever possible.
Incorrect flowmeter installation
After all the trouble you went through selecting the proper meter for an application, why not ensure it's installed in a manner that will produce optimal measurement results? A lot has changed over the years in terms of flowmeter technology. However, you can't argue with physics. Fluid flowing through a pipe generally assumes a desirable flow profile at or near the center of the pipe. Flow disturbances (distortion and swirl) can occur via improper flowmeter installation, thus reducing measurement accuracy. Aside from improper sizing, material incompatibility, and meter misapplication, a number of issues with flow measurement arise from improper piping practices.
A lot of time, effort, and money can go into the purchase of a flowmeter. However, it seems that not as much consideration is given to its installation. Perhaps this is due to limited changes that can be made to existing piping (time and expense), the end users having a technology they are not familiar with and making assumptions based on what they have done in the past, or a mechanical contractor having limited experience with various flowmeter technologies, etc.
In this case, when talking about improper installation, the focus is on the placement of the meter in the process piping and its relation to valves, elbows, strainers, reducers, and a host of other devices that can be inserted into the piping that can have an effect on the flow profile. There are some general guidelines and best practices that all users should follow. The old adage, "If you don't...