Industrial Flow Measurement Part 2: Flow Measurement Technologies

Welcome to part 2 of David W. Spitzer’s two-part series, Industrial Flow Measurement. Purchase both parts here.

Accurate and reliable flow measurement is fundamental to the safe and efficient operation of many industries, including process plants, manufacturing facilities, and the custody transfer of natural gas and petroleum products. Each plant typically employs flowmeters that utilize a variety of measurement principles, including several relatively new and innovative techniques.

In this course, a comprehensive review and explanation of most industrial flowmeters is presented. The participant will also learn how to select and install the proper flowmeter for an application, while considering maintenance requirements.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this course, participants should be able to:

Explain the principles of operation, performance, and applications of various flowmeter technologies
Cite the criteria used for flowmeter selection
Apply the information presented to the selection, specification, and installation of flowmeters

Why this course matters:

It should be clearly understood that many existing flowmeters “work” — that is, they provide measurements. However closer inspection may well reveal that these measurements are not always accurate and could be imposing an ongoing economic penalty. In these installations, the knowledge gained from this course could result in the replacement of a “working” (but inaccurate) combustion air flowmeter with an accurate combustion air flowmeter that reduces operating costs by over USD $100,000 annually plus increases processing capacity — quickly justifying the time and money investment in these courses many times over. On a smaller scale, avoiding the installation of just one incorrect flowmeter should easily cover the cost of this course.

Fully two-thirds of survey respondents from industry indicated that flow, “poses the greatest measurement challenge” among flow, level pressure and temperature measurements (Control, July 1989, page 87). Similar results (after correcting for additional measurements) occurred when a more recent survey found that the measurement of flow presents, “the greatest difficulty in choosing among alternative technologies” (Chemical Processing, July 2017, page 14).

These results are not surprising because flow is a dynamic measurement, flow measurement is multidisciplinary (including physics, chemistry, mechanics, pumping, piping, hydraulics, electricity, utilities, performance, installation, operation, maintenance…), there are thousands of flowmeters available, few people have read flow measurement textbooks, and even fewer people have attended flow measurement training. This course changes this paradigm by making affordable student-paced flow measurement training accessible online anytime and anywhere to provide the student with a technical foundation for a lucrative, fulfilling, and life-long career in instrumentation and beyond.

Please note: Participants are encouraged to purchase the textbook “Industrial Flow Measurement” by David W. Spitzer in addition to this course. You may purchase the textbook at The International Society of Automation (ISA). Click here to purchase the textbook.

About the Presenter

David W. Spitzer has a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, a Master’s degree in optimal control and over 45 years of experience in instrumentation, process control, electrical, and utility engineering while working for US Steel (now USX), Mobay Chemical (now Bayer) and Nepera Chemical (now Vertellus Specialties). He served on the Board of Directors of Weed Instrument, and has consulted and performed expert witness work for numerous other companies worldwide. David has been a member of the Editorial Advisory Boards of Intech, Intech Brasil and Flow Control (now P.I. Instrumentation) magazines, serves on various ASME committees for the measurement of fluid flow and has received many industry awards.

David is the author of several textbooks and has presented numerous training seminars for over 40 years. David’s books include: