Chemical Flow Meter Guide

What is Chemical Flow Meter?

Chemical Flow Meter is also known as chemical resistant flow meter. It is a flow meter used to measure common chemical fluid media. In chemical production control and metering, between chemical reaction storage tanks, or chemical raw material feed pipelines.

Sino-Inst offers a wide range of liquid and gas flow meters to help you regulate the flow of water, petroleum products, fuels, chemicals and more.

So how do choose the most suitable Chemical Flow Meter? Hope you can find the answer after reading this article.

Featured mechanical & digital flow meter for chemicals

If you want to choose a suitable chemical flow meter, you must first understand the characteristics of the chemical raw materials you need to measure.

According to different forms, chemical raw materials can be divided into solid chemical raw materials, liquid chemical raw materials, and gas chemical raw materials. There are many liquid and gas chemical raw materials, and most of them are corrosive. Special attention should be paid to them during transportation and storage.

The chemical flow meter mainly measures gas and liquid chemical raw materials.

Common characteristics of chemical fluids that need to be considered when measuring flow rate:

  1. Corrosive

This is the most common characteristic of chemical materials. Corrosive acid, alkali, salt solution.

  1. Flammable and explosive

Compared with flammable liquids and solids, flammable gas is easier to burn, and the burning speed is fast, and it burns out. Gas composed of simple components is more flammable, the faster-burning rate has higher flame temperature and greater risk of fire and explosion than gas composed of complex components.

  1. Electrified

Most flammable liquids are electrolytes. Such as crisps, ketones, gasoline, esters, aromatics, and petroleum products.

These substances are transported, poured, shaken, stirred, and flowed at high speeds in pipelines, storage tanks, tank trucks, and oil tankers.

Because friction is easy to generate static electricity, when the static charge accumulated to a certain extent, static sparks will be generated, which may cause burning and explosion.

  1. Stickiness

Such fluids include glue, resin, asphalt, and molasses.

Gear Flow Meter – A New Choice for Chemical Liquids

Gear Flow Meters produced by Sino-Inst has high machining accuracy and precise installation. The rotation of the gear is scanned by non-contact. Each tooth produces a pulse. The resolution is very high. The cylindrical gear transmitter can measure very small flow. Quantitative small volume of liquid.

The new Gear Flow Meter made of PTFE is widely used in the chemical industry and laboratories. 98% nitric acid and sulfuric acid resistant to hydrofluoric acid. It has not been corroded after long-term continuous use.

Gear Flow Meter is suitable for:

  • Resin and glue measurement
  • Hydraulic oil, lubricating oil, grease measurement
  • Fuel oil measurement
  • Ink, asphalt measurement
  • Liquid nitrogen, freezing liquid, solvent measurement
  • Edible oil, fish oil and food filling measurement
  • Chemical and anti-corrosion requirements fluid measurement
  • Fluid quantitative control system

Extended reading: High-quality hydraulic fluid flow meters

Chemical flow meters types

The following will explain the flowmeters commonly used in the chemical industry.

  1. Electromagnetic flowmeter. When a conductive fluid flows through an electromagnetic field, the velocity of the fluid can be obtained by measuring the voltage. The electromagnetic flowmeter has no moving parts and is not affected by the fluid. The accuracy of measuring conductive liquids when the tube is full is very high. The electromagnetic flowmeter can be used to measure the flow rate of the slurry fluid.
  2. DP flowmeter can be used to measure the flow rate of most liquids, gases and steam. Positive displacement flow meter (PD). The PD flowmeter is used to measure the volumetric flow rate of liquid or gas. It introduces the fluid into the measuring space and counts the number of rotations. Impellers, gears, pistons or orifices are used to divert fluids.
  3. Vortex flowmeter. The vortex flowmeter is to place a non-streamlined vortex generator in the fluid, and the speed of the vortex is proportional to the speed of the fluid to calculate the volume flow. The vortex flowmeter is suitable for measuring liquid, gas or steam. It has no moving parts and no fouling problem. The vortex flowmeter generates noise and requires the fluid to have a higher flow rate to generate the vortex.
  4. Thermal mass flow meter. The fluid velocity is measured by measuring the increase in the temperature of the fluid or the decrease in the thermal sensor.
  5. Coriolis flowmeter. This kind of flowmeter uses a vibrating fluid tube to produce a deflection corresponding to the mass flow rate for measurement.
  6. Turbine flowmeter. When the fluid flows through the turbine flowmeter, the fluid causes the rotor to rotate. The rotation speed of the rotor is related to the speed of the fluid. From the average flow rate of the fluid felt by the rotor, the flow rate or total amount is derived.
  7. Ultrasonic flowmeter. The propagation time method and the Doppler effect method are methods often used in ultrasonic flowmeters to measure the average velocity of the fluid. Like other speed meters, it is a meter that measures volume flow.

Electromagnetic flowmeter F4, F46, PFA, rubber lining

Electromagnetic flowmeters can measure the flow of general conductive liquids. It can also measure the volume flow of liquid-solid two-phase flow, liquid with high viscosity, strong acid, strong alkali, and salt liquid medium.

For chemical liquids, as long as they are conductive liquids, electromagnetic flowmeters can measure them.

But we need to choose the appropriate lining and electrode according to the characteristics of the chemical liquid.
You can refer to the liner and electrode material usage table below.

Lining material selection:

Lining material

Linner

Main performance

Application

Diameter

Rubber

Neoprene(CR)

1. It has excellent flexibility. High tearing force. Good wear resistance.
2. Resistant to the corrosion of low-concentration acid, alkali, and salt media. Not resistant to corrosion by oxidizing media.

1. <60℃
2. General water, sewage, mud and mineral slurry with weak abrasiveness

DN65~DN1600

Polyurethane Rubber(PU)

1. It has excellent wear resistance (equivalent to ten times that of natural rubber)
2. Poor acid and alkali resistance.
3. It cannot be used for water mixed with organic solvents.

1. <80℃
2. Neutral and strong abrasion ore slurry, coal slurry, mud, etc.

DN25~DN500

Silicone rubber

1. It has excellent flexibility. High tearing force. Good wear resistance.
2. High temperature resistant non-corrosive medium.

1. <180℃
2. Hot water

DN40~DN1600

Fluoroplastics

PTFE(F4)

1. It is a material with the most stable chemical properties in plastics. Can withstand boiling hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid and aqua regia. It is also resistant to concentrated alkali and various organic solvents. Not resistant to the corrosion of chlorine trifluoride, high temperature oxygen trifluoride, high flow rate liquid fluorine, liquid oxygen, and ozone.
2. Poor wear resistance.
3. Poor anti-negative pressure ability.

1. <120℃
2. Strong corrosive media such as concentrated acid and alkali
3. Sanitary medium

DN10~DN1600

Teflon F46(FEP)

1. The chemical properties are equivalent to PTFE
2. Tensile strength and abrasion resistance are better than PTFE
3. Can withstand high pressure resistance.

1. <180℃
2. Corrosive acid-base salt
3. High pressure and negative pressure resistance

DN10~DN200

PFA

1. The chemical performance is equivalent to F46
2. Compressive and tensile strength due to F46

1. <180℃
2. Corrosive acid-base salt
3. High pressure and negative pressure resistance

DN10~DN300

Electrode material selection:

MaterialMedium
316LDomestic water, industrial water, raw water, urban sewage, etc.
Hastelloy B (HB)Sodium hydroxide ammonium hydroxide alkali solution and weak organic acid
Hastelloy C (HC)Oxidizing salt solution (Fe+++, Cu++, seawater)
Titanium (Ti)1. Salt solution (chloride, sodium salt, potassium salt, ammonium salt, sea water, etc.)
2. Alkaline solution (such as concentration less than 50% potassium hydroxide solution)
Tantalum(Ta)1. Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, oxidizing acid, aqua regia
2. Chlorine dioxide, ferric chloride, hypochlorous acid, sodium cyanide, lead acetate, etc.
Platinum (Pt)Acid, alkali, salt solution
Tungsten carbide (WC)Handled neutral industrial sewage and domestic sewage. Resistant to solid particle interference

Guess you will like: Magnetic Flow Meters technical guide|What is &How they work? 

Of course, in addition to electromagnetic flowmeters. To measure acidic media, oval gear flowmeters, vortex flowmeters, and turbine flow sensors made of acid-resistant materials can also be used. The parts in contact with the medium are made of acid-resistant materials, which can resist general acidic substances.

Such fluids include solvents, solutions, ethanol, diesel, and clean water.

Turbine flow meters are less expensive and usually have chemical flow sensors that have a compact design.

These flow meters are volumetric, meaning that they can measure liquids passing through them either indirectly or directly.

Some of the advantages of using turbine flow meters are that they have high accuracy, can measure high pressure, and have a large measuring range.

When the clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter is working, the liquid does not directly contact the flowmeter. So it is suitable for various corrosive liquids. But its accuracy rate is relatively low.

Extended reading: Sludge flow meter for sewage treatment return activated sludge system

Commonly used chemical liquid-flowmeter recommendation

Chemical FluidsAvailable Flow Meters
Sulfuric acidElectromagnetic flowmeter, PTFE gear flowmeter
Acetic acidElectromagnetic flowmeter, PTFE gear flowmeter
Hydrochloric acidElectromagnetic flowmeter, PTFE gear flowmeter
Chemical sewageElectromagnetic Flowmeter
Liquid nitrogenCryogenic turbine flowmeter
Hydrogen peroxideElectromagnetic Flowmeter
AsphaltGear flow meter

Of course, the choice of flowmeter also needs to be determined according to the actual measurement parameters.

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Sino-Inst, Manufacturer for Chemical Flow Meters. These chemical flow meters are easy to use and install on hose ends, pumps or fluid transfer systems. These chemical flow meters are designed for today’s pesticides, fertilizers, and many other chemicals.

Each chemical flow meter has different measurement materials and different measurement characteristics. Compatible with other chemical liquids or oils.

Sino-Inst’s Chemical Flow Meters, made in China, Having good Quality, With better price. Our flow measurement instruments are widely used in China, India, Pakistan, US, and other countries.

If you are not sure which chemical flow meter is right for your measurement? Please feel free to contact our sales engineers. Based on years of experience in measuring chemical fluid flow, we will help you find the right chemical flow meter.

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About KimGuo11

Wu Peng, born in 1980, is a highly respected and accomplished male engineer with extensive experience in the field of automation. With over 20 years of industry experience, Wu has made significant contributions to both academia and engineering projects. Throughout his career, Wu Peng has participated in numerous national and international engineering projects. Some of his most notable projects include the development of an intelligent control system for oil refineries, the design of a cutting-edge distributed control system for petrochemical plants, and the optimization of control algorithms for natural gas pipelines.