Vortex Flow Meter

Yes

Yes

Vortex, (but do take into consideration Line Size, Pipe Reynolds Number, Back Pressure,Steam Condition )

Regards

Jose John

Yes, vortex technology works well on steam with one application exception that I'm aware of.

a) vortex is a velocity measurement

b) all commercial vortex meters have a low flow drop-out zone where the indicated flow is zero (say from 0-10% flow range), zero regardless of the low flow rate, due to the low frequency of vortice formation at low flow.

The application restriction is when the vortex meter is located in the main header as a measurement of the boiler's total steam flow and there is considerable low flow that needs to be measured.

The boiler's header is often a large diameter pipe that acts as an "accumulator" to buffer variations in steam demand and to minimize fast fluctuations in boiler drum level. The velocity for any given flow rate is less in a large diameter pipe than in a small diameter pipe.

If the boiler is way oversized, or the demand has extended periods of low demand, the result can be an indicated zero flow, even though there is known flow, because the low velocity of steam flow through a large diameter pipe can fall into vortex's low flow zero range.

I had this happen with a boiler whose original design capacity was for 8 canning lines plus multiple additional minor loads in the plant. But in a recent slow down when the plant ran only one line, the steam flow rate in the main header fell into that low flow zero range and the indicated flow was zero, even though there was clearly sufficient steam flow in the active canning line.

The turndown of vortex is much better than DP, keeping in mind that at some point, low flow is forced to an indicated zero.

Any vortex vendor can provide details of exactly what the low flow zero range for their meters is.

I would rather go for the orifice plate with a multivariable transmitter wich has a global accuracy of +/-0.7%. Could you kindly advise of process data? (pipe diameter, steam temperature, operating presssure,etc.)

Vortex every time these days.

ΔP across an orifice is so 1973.

Another meter that is excellent on steam is the Cameron DP Cone meter with the Cameron Scanner 2000. The reason is that the Cameron DP cone meter can be installed with 0-3 pipe diameter up and downstream of the meter. The Cone meter also has been shown to be accurate on Wet gas applications. With the Scanner 2000 you get a Flow computer with the IF97 steam propertise algorithms that is much more accurate than most Steam flow computers on the market.

The Vortex meter will only give you a raw flow output, you still need to apply Steam properties and pressure to give you a flow rate. You will find that the difficulty using the vortex meter is that it requires 10 or more pipe diameter upstream of the meter and 5 downstream and then you will need to have a flow computer to calculate corrected volume on the steam. You will need to add a Pressure or Temperature Xmitter to go with the meter. Some flow computer can take an RTD input so the eliminates the TT.

Im facing the wrong vortex reading for pressure and temperature. Example, Online pressure is 20Bar but the vortex reading only 0.8Bar.. as per technical support we need to change the Pressure 9 C value. but the same result. Any technical advice guys??