Measuring Flow Using Differential Pressure

There are several types of flow instruments that rely on the Bernoulli's principle (an increase in the speed of a fluid occurs simultaneously with a decrease in pressure), that measure the differential pressure across the high pressure side and low pressure side of a constriction.

Many industrial processes adapt this principle and measure the differential pressure across an orifice plate or a Venturi tube to measure and control flow.

An orifice plate is a plate with a hole through it. When placed in the pipe, it constricts the flow and provides a pressure differential across the constriction which can be correlated to the flow rate.

A Venturi tube constricts the flow in the same fashion, but instead a plate with a hole, it uses a pipe or tube with a reduced inner diameter to create the flow differential.

This video provides an excellent basic understanding of how this is accomplished. For more information on any type of industrial flow measuring device, visit the TECO website o call 800-528-8997.