What is magnetic flow meter?

Magnetic flow meter definition: A magnetic flow meter is used to measure the fluid flow, magnetic or electromagnetic flow meter can handle slurries. These meters don’t have any moving parts and it is a volumetric flow meter. Mostly these flow meter meters electrically conductive things such as corrosive fluids. This flowmeter cannot be used with hydrocarbons or other non-aqueous solutions. The magnetic flow sensor can only be used to meter the conducting fluids such as water that has ions in it. Magnetic flow meters can measure the mass flow of a fluid and it doesn’t have any moving parts and because of this, it can handle high pressure without any leakage and also any kind of corrosive fluids.

The important part of a magnetic flow meter is a flow tube and the flow tube is mounted directly in the pipe. There are no moving parts in this meter so that the pressure drop will be the same as in the normal pipe. Mostly the pipes are non-conductive. In the inner part of the pipe, two electrodes and an electromagnet are used. The electrodes will be in contact with the fluid and it is placed perpendicular to the direction of the fluid and the magnetic field lines. The pipe is mounted in the gap of magnet.

Advantages of magnetic flow meter

Low-pressure drop

bidirectional magnetic flow meter flow measurement

It can handle corrosive fluids

It is available in large pipe sizes

It can be used with slurries

It can be used to measure turbulent or laminar flow

It won’t be affected by the change in conductivity

Its measurement won’t be affected by temperature, pressure, viscosity, or density

It can handle low flows and very high volume flow rate

Slurries and greasy materials can be easily handled by this meter

Obstruction-less

Disadvantages of magnetic flow meter

Costly

Because of its large size, it is heavy

It must be full at all times

Inline mounting is needed

Measurement errors could happen because of gas bubbles

Above are magnetic flow meter advantages and disadvantages.

Applications of electromagnetic flow meters

Magnetic type flow meter can be used with liquids that have high conductivity, which can induce a measurable voltage

It can be used in for fluids that have a high solid percentage

It can be used to measure sludge, slurries, minerals, paper, sewage, and other liquids that have solid particles. Mostly normal flow meters cannot be used for these magnetic flow meter applications

Conductive liquids

How to install a magnetic flow meter

The electrodes that are mounted in the pipe must be in electrical contact to the fluid that is measured and these electrodes must be mounted horizontally. While using this meter to measure the flow grounding must be done. In order to get proper measurements, the flow meter must be full.A magnetic flow meter, also referred to as mag flow meter or magmeter, is a volumetric flow meter that measures liquids or liquid slurries that have a minimum conductivity of 5 µS/cm.Turbine meters calculate the volumetric flow by measuring the speed of the meter's turbine rotations in relation to the size of the pipe. Insertion mag meters electrically generate a magnetic field within the flow.