PI T-3

Flow Technology
Introduction to Flow Part I
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Agenda

Welcome
Introduction to PI3
Flow rationale and terminology
Flow technologies
Markets and competitors
Technology selection

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What is the purpose of this training?

To prepare you to the flow measurement market
After this training you will be able to:
Understand how the technologies function
Understand where the technologies and products can and cannot be applied
Select products for specific applications
Set up the electronics
Know where to sell the products and the main unique selling points

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Industrial automation organization structure

Sector Industry

CEO Hiesinger

CFO

Industrial Automation Division

CEO A.Huber

CFO Lopez

AS
Industrial
Automation
Systems

CD
Low-Voltage
Controls and
Distribution

PL
UGS PLM
Software

SE
Systems
Engineering

SC
Sensors and
Communication

Franke
Dr. Bckel (BA)

Siegers
Lopez (BA)

Dr. Ludwig
Bichara (BA)

Kaul
Dr. Staubitzer (BA)

Kumpfmller
Platsch (BA)

SC IC

SC FS

SC PA

SC PI

Dr. Rhrl
Freiberger (BA)

Wegmann
von Delius (BA)

Dr. Diedrich
Dietrich (BA)

Dr. Schmidt
Gredler (BA)

Industrial
Communication

Factory
Automation
Sensors

Process
Analytics

Process
Instrumentation

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Siemens as instrumentation supplier

the power of a single partner

Total Industry Coverage

Siemens is the only company offering a complete
product and systems portfolio for automation in all
industrial sectors.

The power of a single partner

Standardized concepts across technology
and business areas make it easy to exploit Siemens
synergies to the full, for any size
or complexity of task.

TIA seamless, safe

and cost optimized
integration via common
program environment,
data base and open
communication
systems

Innovation leader
With Totally Integrated Automation (TIA), an
integrated and flexible product portfolio, Siemens
A&D increases the productivity of
its customers at all levels.

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Process segmentation
100% = 64
Tem perature
8%

Flow
35%
Pressure
28%

Level
29%

Source: SC Market Model

Only flow markets served by PS3 included in flow figure.
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What is a flow meter?

Instrument to measure volume or mass flow of a medium in a pipe
(source: flowmeterdirectory.com)
Why measure flow?
The reasons for measuring flow are generally divided into four categories:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Process control
Custody Transfer (for billing purposes)
Indication of flow
Monitoring/totalizing

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Why measure flow? Process control

You have to measure to be able to control the flow
To ensure a consistent quality of the media
e.g. when mixing/dosing two ingredients
(syrup and water in a cola)
e.g. controlling the amount of water in oil, etc.
Increase resource efficiency by regulation
e.g. the amount of energy used for air conditioning
e.g. the quantity of chemicals added in wastewater
treatment

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Why measure flow?

Custody transfer for billing purposes
Flow measurement is applied to measure quantities of fluid that change
ownership.
The flow measurement should be as accurate as possible, given the economic
value of the product passing through the flow meter.
Typical flow measurement could be:
District heating
Water supply
Waste water
Oil and petrol distribution
The CT market is characterized by approvals

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Why measure flow? Flow indication

Flow measurement is applied when
process considerations show that an
indication of flow rate of a given fluid
would be helpful.
Typically this can be used for running in
plant facilities, troubleshooting, etc.
Often accuracy is less important.

Checking current flow on the

transmitter is like looking at a
speedometer in a car
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Why measure flow? Monitoring/totalizing

The purpose is similar to flow indication, however, here we measure the flow
over a certain period, i.e. days, months, years.
Typically a trend/tendency curve is formed, and sudden deviations might indicate
errors in the application, such as:
Leak control
Consumption
Capacity

Totalizing is like the mileage recorder in a car

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Types of measurement
Basically, the type of measurement will influence the type of flow meter required
and the technology employed.
Volumetric flow
(gallons, litres, cubic meters)

Measurement over time

Velocity
(meters per second, grams per minute)

Mass flow = weight measurement

(kilograms, grams, pounds, ounce)

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Volumetric flow
Volumetric flow is the volume of flow passing through a pipe and measured in
liquid units (gallons, litres, m3).
Used in monitoring/metering applications requiring volume measurement,
measuring how many gallons of water were supplied or how many m3 of nitrogen
gas were provided

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Mass flow
Mass flow is the true measurement of the process flowing through the pipe,
providing a mass measurement and measured in weight units (kg, lbs, grams,
ounces)
Important factors:
Temperature
Density
Flow rate

Mass measurement = weight measurement

Example:
Used in applications where additives are added by weight, including batching
application such as food recipes requiring exact additives.
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Influences on flow measurement

It is important to be aware of the factors which might influence the flow
measurement with respect to function and accuracy.
These factors are used to evaluate which principle of flow meter should be
recommended to a certain application.
Important issues here are
Density
Temperature
Viscosity
Flow profile and Reynolds Numbers
Pressure loss
Electrical conductivity (MAG)
Sound conductivity (Ultrasonic)
Next some examples
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Density and temperature

Density is mass per unit volume - how heavy something is compared to its size.
Why is density an important issue in flow measurement?
A small, heavy object is denser than a lighter object of the same size or a larger
object of the same weight. Therefore, measuring in weight or volume can make a
big difference!

e.g. same weight

but different
volume

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Viscosity
Commonly perceived as "thickness", or
resistance to flow. Thus, water is "thin",
having a lower viscosity, while
vegetable oil is "thick" having a higher
viscosity.

WHY IS VISCOSITY IMPORTANT TO

CONSIDER IN FLOW
MEASUREMENT?
Certain flow technologies cannot
measure on high viscosity media

MATERIAL APPROXIMATE VISCOSITY

(in Centipoise)
Water @ 70 F

1 to 5

Blood or Kerosene

10

Motor Oil SAE40 or Castor Oil

250 to 500

Corn Syrup or Honey

2,000 to 3,000

Heinz Ketchup or French's Mustard

50,000 to 70,000

Crisco Shortening or Lard (fat)

1,000,000 to 2,000,000

Photo: Pitch has a viscosity approx. 100

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AGtimes
2013 All
rights
reserved.
billion
that
of water
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Flow profile and Reynolds numbers

Flow profile affects measurement accuracy
There are, in general, three types of fluid flow in pipes:
Laminar
Turbulent
Transient

Water splashing into a sink

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Flow profile and Reynolds numbers

Laminar flow
Generally happens when dealing with small pipes and low flow velocities
Laminar flow can be regarded as a series of liquid cylinders in the pipe, where
the innermost parts flow the fastest, and the cylinder touching the pipe isn't
moving at all

Water splashing into a sink

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Flow profile and Reynolds numbers

Turbulent flow
Vortices, eddies, and wakes make the flow unpredictable
Turbulent flow happens in general at high flow rates and with larger pipes

Water splashing into a sink

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Flow profile and Reynolds numbers

Transitional flow
Mixture of laminar and turbulent flow, with turbulence in the center of the pipe,
and laminar flow near the edges
Each of these flows behave in different manners in terms of their frictional energy
loss while flowing
Transitional flow is difficult to measure

Water splashing into a sink

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Flow profile and Reynolds numbers

Turbulent or laminar flow is determined by the dimensionless Reynolds Number it is proportional to [inertial force] divided by [viscous force].
Laminar if Re < 2500
Transient if 2500 < Re < 4000
Turbulent if 4000 < Re

Water splashing into a sink

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Pressure loss
Obstacles in the pipe (e.g. due to the flow meter geometry) can create a
pressure loss. This can create extra costs for pumping and, therefore, a factor
that the customer considers.

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PI T-3

Flow Technology
Introduction to Flow Part I
Restricted Siemens AG 2013 All rights reserved.

siemens.com/pi-training