Coriolis Mass Flow Meter - Using Rotational Dynamics To Measure Mass Flow

There is a need for accurate flow measurement of numerous liquids, gases and vapors in many industries. For instance, food processing plants need to have an accurate measure of types of materials that go into the products on a large, automated scale. In the semiconductor industry, small amounts of gases have to be applied to the production process. Accurate delivery of these gases is essential to ensure the quality of the finished product.

As already mentioned, the mass flow or the volume flow are the measurements that are needed in these processes. In the case of mass flow, the Coriolis flow meter (also known as the inertial flow meter) is commonly used.

The Coriolis flow meter gets it's name from the Coriolis effect that was first described by Gaspard-Gustave Coriolis in 1835. Coriolis worked in understanding the behaviors of objects in motion due to the various forces that applied to them. To this extent, the Coriolis mass flow meter works in this manner.

If a liquid or gas is passing through a tube it applies a force to the tube. When the tube is already moving, then the substance passing through it will change the movement or vibration of that tube. The change in the amplitude of the vibration of the tube can be used to determine the mass of a flow of the substance passing through the tube.

This is possible provided various other factors are known about the tube, such as the width, the type of material that it is made from, the vibrating frequency of the tube and it's inertia. The flow density of the material passing through the tube is also needed.

Coriolis flowmeters are popular because they need little maintenance. By comparison to other devices that perform flow measurement they are well designed to the extent that little can go wrong with them. They do not need to be re-calibrated like other types of flow meters.

With this said, the flow meter does need to be checked from time to time, especially if the substances that pass through the tubing are hot or corrosive.

If you are using these types of substances the chances are you will have noted this when initially specifying the type of flow meter you need. Many flow meters will not be able to handle hot liquids or corrosive gases. A specially made flow meter would be required for these purposes.

When it comes to selecting a coriolis meter, you want to make sure it meets all your needs. You should also look for the best you can afford as this is a fair measure of the quality of the meter. Coriolis flow meters, and gas mass flow meters, are designed to be accurate and they're designed to save you time and money so you will make this initial expense back on increased efficiency in the workplace.