Applications of Coriolis mass flow meters

The advantages of mass flow measurement by the Coriolis effect are obvious, because this measurement principle is not affected by physical factors such as conduit and can measure all types of fluids: detergents and solvents, combustion oils and fuels, vegetable oils, animal fats, latex, silicone oils, toluene, benzene, alcohol, methane, fruit juices, toothpaste, cooking oils, vinegar, ketchup, mayonnaise, gases, liquefied gases (butane, propane, natural gas), etc.

Coriolis flow meters simultaneously measure fluid density and mass flow rate, and with the help of temperature sensors, they can also monitor fluid temperature. Therefore, this type of measurement can certainly be described as "multi-variable measurement.".

The primary measurement variables—mass flow rate, density, and temperature—allow for the calculation and visualization of other derived variables, such as volumetric flow rate, solids content, or derived concentration or density values (e.g., standard density, °Brix, °Baurné, °API, °Balling, °Plato). Modern measurement systems are already equipped with transmitters that directly calculate and display these secondary measurement variables. The remarkable characteristics of these Coriolis effect devices have opened new horizons in

– The mixing and packaging of various raw materials

– Process control.

– Measuring fluids with rapidly changing densities

– The control and supervision of product quality

These are some of the reasons why the Coriolis principle has become established as a proven measurement technique over the last ten years. Coriolis flow meters are frequently used in chemical processes, primarily due to the following aspects:

– They are a direct method of measuring mass flow rates with high measurement accuracy (typically 0.1 %)

– The wide variety of possible materials for measuring tubes gives them great versatility.

– Their secondary container gives them a higher level of security.

Many applications in the food industry utilize this type of flowmeter, for example, for dosing or filling small quantities of ingredients (see figure below). Coriolis flowmeters are also becoming increasingly common in gas counting applications at both low and high pressures, such as with compressed natural gas (CNG). Flowmeters suitable for numerous custody transfer applications are also available on the market.

Fig.: Filling and dosing with the E+H "Promass M" sensor. This equipment can be used in packaging methods involving a wide variety of fluids. The application shown here exceeds 14 packaging cycles per minute.

The advantages described for this type of flow meter based on the Coriolis principle have already opened up new fields of application for these devices. Furthermore, all indications are that the market for this equipment will continue to grow at the current rate or even expand in the coming years.

The characteristics of Coriolis flow meters are particularly attractive and promising for applications that were previously covered by "traditional" measurement techniques. The total cost of ownership is one of the many factors involved. This includes not only the initial purchase price but also the expenses and investments incurred throughout the equipment's entire life cycle. Surprisingly, Coriolis flow meters exhibit very low life cycle costs because their maintenance is relatively minimal and they demonstrate a high level of flexibility under diverse process conditions. Other advantages worth mentioning are:

• There are no moving parts inside the measuring tube
• They don't need filters.
• It is not necessary to measure the density separately.