DOWESTON FTW-1600 series thermal mass flow meterComplete guide

What isDOWESTON FTW-1600 series thermal mass flow meterAnd how it works?

A thermal mass flow meter is an instrument used to accurately and continuously measure the flow rate of a fluid (usually a gas) through a pipe or conduit in some industrial application.

Thermal mass flow meters are inserted directly into the center of flow of the fluid they measure, either as systems mounted on the outside of the pipe with the probe entering through the port, or as fully contained, inline systems that are part of the pipe itself.They provide a way to accurately monitor gas flow in an essentially passive manner, with almost zero impact on the wider processes in which the gas is involved. They also offer high reliability and extremely low maintenance requirements compared to other types of flow meters, thanks to the elegant simplicity of their design.

DOWESTON FTW-1600 series thermal mass flow meterWhere to use?

Thermal mass flow meters are used wherever fluid flow rates need to be carefully monitored.To the uninitiated, this may seem like a narrow application area, but it's actually very broad, as carefully metered gas flow is critical in everything from manufacturing to municipal operations to environmental protection.Although thermal flow meter applications

Full list ofIt's too long to include in one article, but the following represents just a few common applications of this technology.Compressed air:

Compressed air is widely used in industrial settings to run everything from large pneumatic machines to hand tools.Thermal mass flow meters allow plants to control how compressed air is distributed from a central source to sites and measure total usage to identify costly and potentially dangerous leaks.

Greenhouse gases:Combustion during manufacturing produces greenhouse gases that companies must carefully track and report to ensure compliance with environmental regulations set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.Thermal mass flow meters are often used to accurately measure the flow of greenhouse gases leaving a factory, allowing companies to both comply with laws and identify opportunities to reduce emissions.

natural gas:Natural gas is a common fuel burned in industry, and although it is cheaper than many other fuels, waste is still a big problem.Thermal mass flow meters are used to measure the flow of natural gas into boilers, furnaces and heaters to closely track and optimize fuel flow and identify inefficient systems consuming too much fuel.

Wastewater aeration:Aeration is a key step in municipal water treatment, using an injection of oxygen to feed bacteria that break down waste.Too much or too little oxygen can make the process less efficient and increase costs.Municipal water treatment plants use thermal mass flow meters to ensure the ideal amount of air is bubbled into the water to reduce costs and keep happy bacteria working efficiently.

WhyDOWESTON FTW-1600 series thermal mass flow meter is so important.

The applications listed above represent only a small portion of the total uses for flow metering, but it is clear from each application that the process is important to the bottom line, production efficiency, and the environmental impact of industrial processes.

Thermal mass flow meters provide users with a way to measure their gas flow rates with many significant advantages, including but not limited to:

• The accuracy is extremely high, generally within 1% of the total flow rate or better.

• Because the design involves no moving parts, reliability is high and downtime is minimal.

• The effect on the total pressure within the flow being measured is virtually negligible.

• Due to the low turndown ratio, widely varying flow rates can be accurately measured.

• Easy to install and requires low maintenance.

Essentially, thermal mass flow meters provide a way to handle the important process of metering gas flow with high accuracy, reliability, repeatability and economy, resulting in better metering, less waste and greater safety.

DOWESTON FTW-1600 series thermal mass flow meterHow does it work?

One of the advantages of thermal mass flow meters is their simplicity, both in design and in the concepts that drive their functionality.To understand how a thermal mass flow meter works, you first need to understand what thermal mass is.After all, it is in name only.Thermal mass refers to the ability of a material to absorb and release heat.In your house, wood, brick, and concrete act as thermal mass, helping to regulate indoor temperatures.In thermal mass flow metering, the thermal mass is the flowing gas, which also has the ability to absorb and move heat.

All thermal mass flow meters work by inserting two probes into the center of the gas flow being measured.One is a passive probe that measures the temperature of the surrounding gas, and the other is an actively heated probe that maintains a constant temperature relative to the passive temperature sensor.As gas flows through the probe, it carries some heat away from the active sensor.Higher flow rates equal more heat removed.As the cooling effect occurs, the control system is forced to use more current to keep the temperature distribution consistent between the two sensors.This current change is constantly monitored, and using some fancy math called the Golden Law, the system can calculate the exact fluid flow rate to within 1% or better.

DOWESTON FTW-1600 series thermal mass flow meterType.

Thermal mass flow meters all work on the same core principles, but they can be installed and operated differently depending on the type chosen.Each type has advantages and disadvantages that make them more or less suitable for any given application, but all provide an accurate, repeatable metrology process.

Inlining and inserting.
In-line and insertion flow meters differ in the way they are mounted to the pipe or conduit carrying the target gas.The online thermal mass flow meter is a permanent installation that includes its own pipe section and is installed in series with the flow tube, with threaded or flanged connections at both ends.They come in a variety of sizes for many common pipe diameters, and while they tend to cost more than plug-in meters, they provide a plug-and-play installation suitable for long-term use.

Insertion thermal mass flow meters are inserted into the conduit from the outside through ports.They offer the same accuracy and repeatability, but because they are not integrated into the system body itself, they represent a lower-cost, semi-permanent solution more suitable for intermittent or temporary metering.

Constant temperature and constant current.
Both thermostatic and constant-flow thermal mass flow meters measure the same thing - the change in heat between two probes - but they differ in the way they use actively heated probes in the system.In a thermostatic system, the heated probe is maintained at a constant temperature relative to the opposing probe, and the change in current required to maintain constant diffusion is the measured variable.In a constant current system, the amount of current flowing through the heated probe remains constant, and fluctuations in the probe temperature relative to the passive ambient temperature are the measured variables.Both systems work, but thermostatic probes offer faster response and are usually the better choice.

Learn more about the DOWESTON FTW-1600 Series Thermal Mass Flow Meter.

Thermal mass flow meters provide an ideal solution for accurately measuring gas flow problems in industrial, municipal and environmental applications.Their simplicity, ease of installation, and low maintenance requirements make them very affordable, and their high accuracy and repeatability make them arguably the most effective option.