Chemical Engineering Research & Design, Vol.75, No.4, 381-391, 1997
Fluidic Pressure Pulse Transmitting Flowmeter
This paper describes a fluidic flowmeter, consisting of a Coanda Switch and Vortex Amplifier, which has been specially developed for remote flow measurement. The device generates pressure pulses at a frequency proportional to the volume flowrate. The pulses are transmitted via the flowing fluid and are detected downstream. Details are given of the geometry requirements for oil flow measurement in an oil producer, and how the Coanda Switch and Vortex Amplifier can be matched based on the scaling of their characteristics. The predicted value of the flowmeter performance index, N, is found to agree well with experimental results. It is found that this index N has a maximum value when the area ratio of the Vortex Amplifier exit to the Coanda Switch supply nozzle is 0.8. Optimization of the flowmeter device with different control loop designs has also been conducted and has shown good performance over a wide operating range in the laboratory.