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『Inline Mass Flow Meter: True Coriolis Sizing for Multi-Phase and Highly Viscous Industrial Liquids』Related information(v cone flow meter|rotary gas meter|gallon meter|gear meter|metal tube rotameter|glass tube rotameter|nutating disk meter|transit time ultrasonic flow meter|wedge flow meter|pd meters|hydraulic flow meter|ultrasonic water flow meter|water flow meter|air flow meter|magnetic water flow meter|oxygen flow meter|gas flow meter|argon flow meter|air velocity meter|gasoline flow meter|fuel flow meter|ultrasonic water meter|digital water meter|nitrogen flow meter|solid flow meter|Oxygen tank flow meter|digital water flow meter|diesel fuel flow meter|steam flow meter|02 flow meter|compressed air flow meter|oil flow meter|liquid flow meter)
Inline Mass Flow Meter: True Coriolis Sizing for Multi-Phase and Highly Viscous Industrial Liquids
Quick Answer: For multi-phase and highly viscous industrial liquids, size an inline Coriolis mass flow meter by true mass flow rate in kg/h, line size DN, viscosity cP, pressure bar, and temperature °C. Do not size by volumetric flow alone. Silver Automation Instruments supplies Coriolis meters from DN15 to DN200 with 4-20 mA HART, PT100, and ATEX Zone 1 approvals for these services.
Why Sizing Fails When Multi-Phase Flow Is Ignored
True Coriolis sizing means you define mass flow, viscosity, gas void fraction, and pressure drop before picking a tube size. Many flow meter datasheets start with water. That assumption works for clean low viscosity liquids. It fails when the stream contains 2 to 8 percent gas by volume, polymer solids, sand fines, or viscosity above 500 cP. A paint manufacturer in Vietnam ran a positive displacement meter on a high solids slurry at 25 cubic meters per hour. Severe wear appeared within six months. The plant switched to an inline Coriolis meter with a straight tube and no moving parts. Maintenance dropped and the meter began reporting density as a proxy for solids loading.
Multi-phase flow does not always mean slug flow. In many chemical and food lines, the fluid is a stable mixture of liquid, gas bubbles, and soft solids. A Coriolis mass flow meter measures the mass inertia of that mixture directly. This method is less dependent on a fixed density assumption. But the sizing step still matters. Tube geometry, pressure drop, and entrained gas limits determine whether the meter stays stable.
Sizing Parameters That Matter for Viscous Liquids
For liquids above 1000 cP, pressure drop becomes the first sizing limit. A molasses transfer line near Jakarta runs at 5000 cP and 40 °C. A DN15 Coriolis on this line would create high shear and exceed 1.5 bar pressure drop. We recommend DN40 or DN50 for this service to keep pressure drop under 0.5 bar.
In practice, collect these values before requesting a quote. Actual mass flow rate in kg/h. Minimum and maximum flow. Viscosity cP at operating temperature. Line size DN. Process pressure bar. Process temperature °C. Gas void fraction if any. Most engineers skip the viscosity value. That single gap causes undersized meters and pump overload. Silver Instruments sizes the meter from these data points, not from a generic table.
Multi-Phase Applications We See
Here is the thing. Gas void fraction changes with pressure and temperature. A stable mixture at 6 bar may become slug flow at 1 bar. Sizing must account for the lowest pressure point in the process.
We have supplied Coriolis meters for crude oil with water cut, fruit pulp, yeast slurry, chocolate, fish sauce, and wastewater sludge. A fish sauce producer in Vietnam needed a meter for a salty liquid with suspended protein solids. The inline Coriolis meter measured mass flow and density despite the solids. The plant used the density signal to check batch consistency.
Highly viscous adhesives and polymers also fit this pattern. A chemical blending site in Mexico runs 12000 kg/h of resin at 8000 cP through a DN5
Recommended Inline Coriolis Meter Pairing
For small lines from DN15 to DN25, choose a straight tube Coriolis with 316L wetted parts and a PT100 temperature sensor. This model handles high viscosity and some entrained gas. For DN40 to DN80, use a dual bent tube design. The larger bore reduces pressure drop and improves signal stability on thick liquids. For DN100 to DN200, choose a straight tube model with a high pressure rating and dual drivers.
Standard output options include 4-20 mA HART, pulse, and Modbus RTU. Accuracy for liquid mass flow is plus or minus 0.2 percent of rate. For high gas fraction streams, we size to maintain plus or minus 0.5 percent. Density range is 0.3 to 2.0 grams per cubic centimeter. Process temperature rating covers minus 50 to plus 200 °C. ATEX Zone 1 and IECEx options are available for hazardous areas.
Sizing Example from Customer Site
A water treatment plant in the Philippines pumps polymer solution at 1500 cP through a DN40 line. The requested flow range was 1500 to 4000 kg/h at 4 bar and 30 °C. We supplied a DN25 dual bent tube Coriolis with 316L wetted parts. Pressure drop at maximum flow was 0.2 bar. The meter output went to a PLC via 4-20 mA HART. The plant used the density output to verify polymer concentration. So the plant removed a daily lab check.
Highly viscous and multi-phase services need a sizing check that goes beyond pipe diameter. Send us the full set of process data and we will return a recommended meter model, pressure drop estimate, and quote.
For a sizing review or price, send your pressure in bar, temperature in °C, pipe size DN, viscosity cP, and flow range kg/h. Contact Silver Instruments at Tel: +86 25 68650347, WhatsApp: +86 25 52155837, WeChat: +86 15365082610.
FAQ: Five Sizing Questions from Customers
What flow range do you need for inline Coriolis sizing? Provide the minimum and maximum mass flow rate in kg/h. A single average flow value is not enough because turndown and low flow stability change the meter selection.
Can a Coriolis meter handle gas and liquid mix? Yes, if the gas void fraction is defined. Stable mixtures with 2 to 8 percent gas by volume are common. Slugs above 10 percent gas require larger tube selection and pressure control.
What pressure drop should I allow for high viscosity? For most liquids above 1000 cP, keep pressure drop under 0.5 bar. Thick adhesives and polymers may need 0.3 bar or less to protect the pump and maintain line pressure.
Which certifications do you supply? We offer ATEX Zone 1, IECEx, and standard 4-20 mA HART outputs. Wetted parts are 316L stainless steel or Hastelloy for corrosive liquids.
What is the lead time and price? Lead time depends on meter size and approvals. Send your process data and we will reply with a quote for the correct DN and Ex rating. Use WhatsApp or WeChat for a faster response.