Flow Meter Plans
11-28-2003, 11:33 AM
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Flow Meter Plans
Hi guys! I'm looking for any info on building a flow meter. If someone has plans or could take a picture of their set up I would really appreciate it! I searched the web, but found nothing. Your my last hope!
Thanks for the help!
Thanks for the help!
11-29-2003, 03:33 AM
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RE: Flow Meter Plans
Dale:
A meter to measure what flow? And what approx volume? How accurate? Do you need an absolute value or a comparative value?
Many different ways to do it, which is best depends on how much you want to spend and what sort of measurement you wish.
Bill.
A meter to measure what flow? And what approx volume? How accurate? Do you need an absolute value or a comparative value?
Many different ways to do it, which is best depends on how much you want to spend and what sort of measurement you wish.
Bill.
11-29-2003, 09:58 AM
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RE: Flow Meter Plans
Thanks for the reply,
The meter I'm looking to build would measure the flow of fuel running through the needle valve of a glow engine. This way you can tune your engine and record the needle setting when done. Next time you take the model out you can easily set the needle to where you had it last.
There are two different models out there, one uses a blood pressure meter as the gauge, and the other has a vertical "flow" gauge. Both use propane gas to opperate and some have a magnihelic gauge to compensate for humidity in the air. It will adjust the meter so your settings will remain the same.
People build them all the time, but it seams like nobody will share the info on how to do it. The concept is pretty simple, run propane gas through a gauge and attach it to your needle valve, but exactly what gauges are needed and the ranges of the gauge are what I need to know.
Any help would be appreciated!
The meter I'm looking to build would measure the flow of fuel running through the needle valve of a glow engine. This way you can tune your engine and record the needle setting when done. Next time you take the model out you can easily set the needle to where you had it last.
There are two different models out there, one uses a blood pressure meter as the gauge, and the other has a vertical "flow" gauge. Both use propane gas to opperate and some have a magnihelic gauge to compensate for humidity in the air. It will adjust the meter so your settings will remain the same.
People build them all the time, but it seams like nobody will share the info on how to do it. The concept is pretty simple, run propane gas through a gauge and attach it to your needle valve, but exactly what gauges are needed and the ranges of the gauge are what I need to know.
Any help would be appreciated!
11-29-2003, 04:52 PM
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RE: Flow Meter Plans
Dale:
Sounds like you want a restriction measurement device rather that a true flow meter. And that's easy.
The most common one is called a "Cylinder leakage tester," for checking the seal of the valves and rings in a piston engine, an easy adaptation to checking a needle valve setting is possible.
NB: A true flow meter would measure the flow as the engine was running.
You'll need two measuring instruments, fancy end would be a pair on Magnehelic gauges, simplest a pair of U-tubes with water in them. Also a regulated source of air or gas under pressure (Note: gas, not gasoline). Again, fancy is a compressor woth a regulator, simple is your propane cylinder with a valve. Finally, some suitable sized hose, tees, and one more valve.
Assembly: Air source into a pipe, with gauge #1 teed in, the valve, then thesecond hose with gauge #2 teed in, then the open end of the hose where we will connect the needle valve.
With the free end closed, start feeding air into the other end, set the pressure to a convenient point on the gauges, try it at 5" water pressure. Open the free end, adjust the valve between the two gauges to raise the reading on gauge #1 to an easy point to read, then connect the free end ot the needle valve. The difference in gauge readings will indicate the opening of the needle valve. What you are doing is comparing the restrictor valve's opening to the needle's opening.
Problems: The source air has to be low pressure and low flow to work well, the restrictor valve between the two gauges has to be smaller than the needle's opening or there wont be any great pressure differential.
There are many variations to this theme, once yoou have the basic idea yu'll see several. Just remember, the restrictor has to be a smaller size than the needle's opening or you wont measure anything.
HTH.
Bill.
Sounds like you want a restriction measurement device rather that a true flow meter. And that's easy.
The most common one is called a "Cylinder leakage tester," for checking the seal of the valves and rings in a piston engine, an easy adaptation to checking a needle valve setting is possible.
NB: A true flow meter would measure the flow as the engine was running.
You'll need two measuring instruments, fancy end would be a pair on Magnehelic gauges, simplest a pair of U-tubes with water in them. Also a regulated source of air or gas under pressure (Note: gas, not gasoline). Again, fancy is a compressor woth a regulator, simple is your propane cylinder with a valve. Finally, some suitable sized hose, tees, and one more valve.
Assembly: Air source into a pipe, with gauge #1 teed in, the valve, then thesecond hose with gauge #2 teed in, then the open end of the hose where we will connect the needle valve.
With the free end closed, start feeding air into the other end, set the pressure to a convenient point on the gauges, try it at 5" water pressure. Open the free end, adjust the valve between the two gauges to raise the reading on gauge #1 to an easy point to read, then connect the free end ot the needle valve. The difference in gauge readings will indicate the opening of the needle valve. What you are doing is comparing the restrictor valve's opening to the needle's opening.
Problems: The source air has to be low pressure and low flow to work well, the restrictor valve between the two gauges has to be smaller than the needle's opening or there wont be any great pressure differential.
There are many variations to this theme, once yoou have the basic idea yu'll see several. Just remember, the restrictor has to be a smaller size than the needle's opening or you wont measure anything.
HTH.
Bill.
