Flow basics

Basics
of
Flow measurement
using
Hot-film anemometer

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Inhaltsverzeichnis:
1. Definitions

1.1. Air Velocity

1.2. Amount (of Gas)
1.3. Flow
1.3.1. Mass flow rate
1.3.2. Volumetric flow rate
1.3.3. Standard volumetric flow rate

2. Flow formulas

3. Flow measurements using E+E Hot-film anemometer

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1. Definitions:
1.1. Air Velocity:

Definition:

„Air Velocity describes the distance an air molecule is moving during a certain time
period “

Units:

Name of unit shift Converted to SI - Unit m/s

Meter per second m/s 1 m/s
Kilometer per hour km/h 0,277778 m/s
Centimeter per minute cm/min 1,666667 · 10-4m/s
Centimeter per second cm/s 1 · 10-2 m/s
Meter per minute m/min 1,66667 · 10-2 m/s
Millimeter per minute mm/min 1,666667 · 10-5 m/s
Millimeter per second mm/s 1 · 10-3 m/s
Foot per hour ft/h, fph 8,466667 · 10-5 m/s
Foot per minute ft/min, fpm 5,08 · 10-3 m/s
Foot per second ft/s, fps 0,3048 m/s
Furlong per fortnight furlong/fortnight 1,66309 · 10-4 m/s
Inch per second in/s, ips 2,54000 · 1-2 m/s
Knot kn, knot 0,514444 m/s
Kyne cm/s 1 · 10-2 m/s
Mile per year mpy 8,04327 · 10-13 m/s
Mile (stat) per hour mph, mi/h 0,44704 m/s
Mile (stat) per hour mi/min 26,8224 m/s

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1.2. Amount (of Gas):

The amount of Gas „n“ is the number of moles of gas. 1mol = 6.023 ⋅ 10 23 molecules.
For better understanding and its compact mathematical formulation, the properties of
gases are described using an idealised model called “ideal gas”.

The amount of an ideal gas is defined using the ideal gas law:

p ⋅V = n ⋅ R ⋅ T
J
using the universal gas constant R = 8.3145 .
mol ⋅ K
Volumes V, pressure p und temperature T are state variables. They are defining the
state of the gas amount n.

For known composition of the gas, its amount n can be substituted by its mass „m“

p ⋅ V = m ⋅ Ri ⋅ T
using Ri als individual gas constant. It is dependent on the composition of the gas:

Gas Air O2 N2 H2 CO2

indiv. Gas constant Ri 287 259,8 296,8 4124 188,9

Finally the amount of gas can be detected in two different ways:

1. Weighing of the amount – measuring the mass of the amount. With known
weight of one gas molecule, the amount of gas can be calculated.
Mass, measured in kg or g …

2. Determination of the state of the gas:

measuring of the volume V. With known temperature T and pressure p, the
amount can be caluculated using the ideal gas law.
Volume, measured in m3, dm3 or cm3

The ratio between those two quantities is defining the density ρ.

mass m  kg kg g 
density ρ = =  dm3 , m3 , cm3 
volume V
The density is a parameter of the state of the medium and is defined by the individual
gas constant Ri , temperature and pressure of the medium.

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p
ρ=
Ri ⋅ T
The density ρ of the gas is linearly dependent on its pressure p und its temperature T.
Demonstrative, that can be shown using a cylinder whose volume can be variated by
a moving piston

p1
T1 p3=p1
p2>p1
ρ1 T3>T1
T2=T1
ρ3< ρ1
ρ2> ρ1
V1 V2<V1 V3>V1
m m m
The system is absolutely leak proof, amount and mass of the filled medium is constant.
To increase the pressure inside the cylinder the piston is pressed downwards (p2>p1),
the gas is compressed, the density of the gas is increasing, the volume is decreasing.
On the other hand, by heating the gas inside the cylinder (T3>T1), the density of the
gas is decreasing and the volume is increasing!

Summary:
The mass of a gas with known composition is a direct measure for its amount.
The volume is just defining the amount of a gas in combination with its temperature
and pressure, but is independent from its composition!

To get a „temperature- and pressure independent volumetric-quantity “, the measured

volume is recalculated to the volume which would be measured at standardized
conditions.

This standardized volume VStandard is a volumetric quantity independent from

composition, pressure and temperature of the gas.

Standard conditions acc. DIN 1343:

standard temperature = 0°C = 273,15 K
standard pressure = 101325 Pa = 1,01325 bar

Standard volume:
absolut pressure [bar ] ⋅ 273,15 K
Vs tan dard =
(273,15 + temperature[°C ])⋅1,01325 bar

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1.3. Flow

Flow defines the number of Gas-molecules streaming through the surface A during a
certain time- period.

The quantities for flow are based on the different quantities for an amount of gas: mass,
volume and standard volume

1.3.1. Mass flow rate

The Mass flow rate is defining the amount of a fluid with known composition flowing
through a surface A in a certain time-periode.

Mass m [kg , g ]
m = =
time t [h, s, min]

Name of unit shift Converted to SI - Unit kg/s

Kilogramm per second kg/s 1 kg/s
Kilogramm per minute kg/min 0,01666667 =1/60 kg/s
Kilogramm per hour kg/h 2,7778*10-4 = 1/3600 kg/s
Gramm per second GRPS (g/s) 10-3 kg/s
Gramm per minute GRPM 1,666667*10-5 kg/s
(g/min)
Gramm per hour GRPH (g/h) 2,7778*10-7 kg/s
Pound per second LBPS 0,453592370 kg/s
Pound per minute LBPM 7,55987*10-3 kg/s
Pound per hour LBPH 1,26*10-4 kg/s

1.3.2. Volumetric flow rate

The volumetric flow rate is defining the volume of a fluid for the present state,
represented by temperature and pressure, streaming through the surface A in a certain
time-periode.

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 volume m 3 [m 3 , l ]
V = =
time t [h, s, min]

Name of unit shift Converted to SI - Unit m3/s

Cubicmeter per second m3/s 1 m3/s
Cubicmeter per minute m3/min 0,01666667 =1/60 m3/s
Cubicmeter per hour m3/h 2,7778*10-4 = 1/3600 m3/s
Cubicdezimeter per second dm3/s 10-3 m3/s
Cubiccentimeter per second CCS (cm3/s) 10-6 m3/s
Cubiccentimeter per minute CCM 1,666667*10-8m3/s
(cm3/min)
Litre per second LPS (l/s) 10-3 m3/s
Litre per minute LPM (l/min) 1,666667*10-5 m3/s
Litre per hour LPH (l/h) 2,77778*10-7 m3/s
Millilitre per second ml/s 10-6 m3/s
Millilitre per minute ml/min 1,666667 *10-8 m3/s
Cubicfeet per second CFH (ft3/s) 2,83168*10-2 m3/s
Cubicfeet per minute CFM (ft3/min) 4,71947*10-4 m3/s
Gallons per minute (GB) GPM 7,57682*10-5 m3/s
Gallons per minute (US) GPM 7,34147*10-5 m3/s

1.3.3. Standard volumetric flow rate

Standard volumetric flow rate is independent from state and composition.

standard volume Vs tan dard [ Nm 3 , Ncm3 ]

Vs tan dard = =
time t [h, s, min]

Name of unit shift Converted to SI -

Unit Nm3/s
Norm-Kubikmeter pro Sekunde Nm3/s 1 Nm3/s
(German)
Standard Cubicmeter per second SCMS (Sm3/s) 1 Nm3/s
Standard Cubiccentimeter per second SCCS (Scm3/s) 10-6 Nm3/s
Standard cubiccentimeter per minute SCCM (Scm3/s) 1,666667*10-8 Nm3/s
Standard Litre per second SLPS (Sl/s) 10-3 Nm3/s
Standard Litre per minute SLPM (Sl/min) 1,666667*10-5 Nm3/s
Standard Litre per hour SLPH (Sl/h) 2,77778*10-7 Nm3/s
Standard Cubicfeet pro second SCFH (ft3/s) 2,83168*10-2 Nm3/s
Standard Cubicfeet pro Minute SCFM (ft3/min) 4,71947*10-4 Nm3/s

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2. Flow formulas

Volume flow is the direct combination of the surface A, the fluid is streaming through
with its average velocity.

Volumetric flow rate = average velocity ∙ flow surface

V [m 3 / s ] = v [m / s ] ⋅ A[m 2 ]

To calculate the standard volume flow it is necessary to measure actual pressure and
temperature.

Standard volumetric flow rate = volumetric flow rate at standard conditions

p [bar ] ⋅ 273,15 K
Vstandard [ Nm 3 / s ] = V [m3 / s ] ⋅
(273,15 + T [°C ])⋅1,01325 bar

With known density of the fluid (Air) at standard conditions it is possible to calculate
the mass flow.

Mass flow rate = standard volumetric flow Air density at 0°C and 1,01325 bar
 [kg / s ] = Vs tan dard [ Nm3 / s ] ⋅ 1,292 [kg / Nm3 ]
m

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3. Flow measurements using E+E Hotfilm anemometer:

The measurement principle of a hot-film anemometer is to measure the number of

molecules which are streaming over the heater sensor, and so conduct heat.
With rising air pressure, the density of the gas is increasing and with the same velocity
more molecules are streaming over the sensor. So, to measure the air velocity of the
molecules at any pressure, this pressure influence has to be corrected.

At E+E all Air Velocity Transmitter are calibrated at Standard Pressure of 1,01325 bar.
For diverging air pressures from 1,01325 bar, that influence has to be corrected.

Air velocity:

1,01325 bar
v[m / s ] = vTransmitter [m / s ] ⋅
p [bar ]

The temperature also has a small influence on the heat transfer from the sensor.
E+E Transmitters have implemented internal temperature compensations to correct
that influence.
By measuring the average air velocity in a Tube and with known cross section surface
A, the volume flow can be calculated.

Volumetric flow rate:

1,01325 bar
V [m3 / s ] = A[m 2 ] ⋅ vTransmitter [m / s ] ⋅
p [bar ]

In most industrial applications the volumetric flow rate at standard conditions has to be
measured. In that applications the E+E Hotfilmsensor and its calibration at standard
pressure shows its main advantages.

Because of the opposed pressure influence of sensor and conversion of volumetric-

flow to standard-volumetric flow, the E+E Hotfilm-Sensors measure standard
volumetric flow and mass flow independent to pressure.

Standard volumetric flow rate:

273,15 K
Vstandard [ Nm3 / s ] = A[ m 2 ] ⋅ vTransmitter [ m / s ] ⋅
(273,15 + T [°C ])
Mass flow rate:

273,15 K
 [kg / s ] = A[m 2 ] ⋅ vTransmitter [m / s ] ⋅
m ⋅1,292 [kg / Nm 3 ]
(273,15 + T [°C ])

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