Flow

Flow Sensors

The flow sensor is a vital part of any HVAC system, medical devices, chemical factories, maritime application, food and beverage industry and septic system. A flow sensor (also known as a flow meter) is an electronic instrument that measures, indicates, or regulates the flow rate of liquids, gasses or other media in pipes and tubes.

Flow sensors could be connected to pressure gauges, transmitters, or other data reading/sending devices for measuring the amount of passing liquid, gas, etc. The sensors can detect leaks, blockages, pipe bursts, and changes in liquid concentration due to contamination or pollution.

Flow sensors can be divided into contact and non-contact flow sensors. Contact flow sensors are used in applications where the liquid or gas measured is not expected to become clogged in the pipe when it comes into contact with the sensor’s moving parts. In contrast, non-contact flow sensors have no moving parts. They are used when the liquid or gas (generally a food product) being monitored would be otherwise contaminated or physically altered by coming into contact with moving parts.

Turbine Flow Sensor

Turbine flow sensors from, for example, SIKA are working on the following principle; The liquid flowing into the SIKA turbine flow sensor is split into individual jets by the guiding blade. These jets hit the rotor evenly from different directions, setting the rotor in motion. The rotation speed of the rotor is then converted to an electrical pulse signal (frequency): The rotor is fitted with magnets and a Hall effect sensor detects the rotation of the rotor.

A flow-proportional frequency signal (square-wave signal) is made available. The construction of the guiding blade and rotor enables to realize the very low start-up flow values.