Investigation of Flow in a Rotameter

Abstract

The flow in a floating element flow meter (rotameter) was studied with laser Doppler anemometry (LDA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). With the help of refractive index matching to eliminate optical distortion by the flow tube, the laser Doppler anemometer permitted non-intrusive velocity measurements in all regions of the flow including the immediate vicinity of the float. The computational investigation allowed an insight to the flow structure, particularly with respect to the strong velocity gradients in the gap around the float and the recirculation zone above the float. Results were obtained for various flow rates, different densities of the float material and two heights of the float in the tube.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jul 23, 1992
Accession Number
ADP009059

Entities

People

  • A. Melling
  • B. Howe
  • F. Durst
  • U. Buckle

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Buoyancy
  • Computational Fluid Dynamics
  • Computational Science
  • Differential Equations
  • Diffraction
  • Equations
  • Flow
  • Flow Rate
  • Fluid Dynamics
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Hydrodynamics
  • Measurement
  • Mechanics
  • Refractive Index
  • Reynolds Number
  • Turbulent Flow
  • Turbulent Mixing

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Dynamics.
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy