ISA Interchange

AutoQuiz: Characteristics of a Flowmeter

Written by Joel Don | Nov 16, 2018 2:00:19 PM

 

AutoQuiz is edited by Joel Don, ISA's social media community manager.

 

This automation industry quiz question comes from the ISA Certified Control Systems Technician (CCST) program. Certified Control System Technicians calibrate, document, troubleshoot, and repair/replace instrumentation for systems that measure and control level, temperature, pressure, flow, and other process variables. Click this link for more information about the CCST program.

 

A flow metering device comprised of a body, flow straightener, hub, bearing, rotor, and pickup is called a:

a) vortex shedding flowmeter
b) magnetic flowmeter
c) parshall flume
d) turbine flowmeter
e) none of the above

 

Answer A is not correct, since a major component of a vortex shedding flowmeter is a bluff body, and vortex flowmeters do not have hubs, bearings, or rotors.

Answer B is not correct, since a major component of a magnetic flowmeter is an iron core, and these flowmeters do not have hubs, bearings, or rotors.

Answer C is not correct, since parshall flumes do not have any moving parts and require a measurement of fluid level above the convergence section and above the throat section.

The correct answer is D.  The problem statement describes the major parts of a turbine flowmeter. The rotor is supported by the hubs and bearings inside of a flowmeter body, and as the rotor spins, the number of revolutions is determined with a magnetic pickup. The rotational speed of the rotor and the frequency of pulses are proportional to the volumetric flow rate through the meter.

Reference: Spitzer, David W., Flow Measurement, 2nd Edition

 

About the Editor
Joel Don is the community manager for ISA and is an independent content marketing, social media and public relations consultant. Prior to his work in marketing and PR, Joel served as an editor for regional newspapers and national magazines throughout the U.S. He earned a master's degree from the Medill School at Northwestern University with a focus on science, engineering and biomedical marketing communications, and a bachelor of science degree from UC San Diego.

 

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