What applications are
best served by Precision Turbine Flowmeters?
PRECISION TURBINE FLOWMETERS were initially used mainly by the aircraft
industry. PTFs are now used on many applications. Reasons for this increased usage are
size availability up to 24", weight and size versus flow rate, extended flow ranges,
operating pressures limited only by end-fittings, temperature range of -450° to +1000°F,
and a wide variety of construction materials, including exotic metals. Insertion meters
with similar performance characteristics offer a very attractive alternative to large
inline meters, giving the user a cost-effective way to measure liquid and gas flows in any
pipe diameter. These are commonly applied in pipe sizes up to 84" by using precision
positioning to locate the correct flow sensing position within the large diameter,
rendering a stable representative flow.
In recent years, PTFs have been competing successfully with positive
displacement flowmeters in many applications due to the economy of installation, low
maintenance costs, weight, size, and high flow rates per comparable connection size. The
user must exercise caution when making this comparison, especially on viscous products.
Following the parameters outlined previously will prevent most misapplications of the PTF.
Measured products, in which viscosity changes with seasonal temperature,
a proving run should be done at a time when the product temperature would be changing. For
instance, fuel oil may change 50°F in ambient temperature between summer and winter. A
change of this magnitude would affect the flowmeter curve and directly affect the flow
range. Increased expertise with electronics for linearization and compensation allowed
turbine flowmeters to be used more widely.
