Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Multi-Hole Orifice Flow Meter: Investigation of the Relationship between Pressure Drop and Mass Flow Rate

The paper presents the results of the experimental and numerical analysis of a six-hole orifice flow meter. The experiments were performed on humid air in a 100 mm diameter duct. The aim of this research was to investigate the mass flow and pressure drop dependency in an orifice of a predetermined shape and to compare the results obtained with computational formulas recommended in the ISO 5167-2 standard for a single-hole orifice flow meter. The experiments and calculations were performed on several multi-hole orifice geometries with different contraction coefficient in a wide range of Reynolds numbers. The pressure was probed immediately upstream and downstream of the orifice. The flow coefficient determined for the six-hole orifice flow meter investigated was compared with the flow coefficient of conventional single-hole orifice with the same contraction coefficient. The results from computational formulas for single-hole orifice from ISO 5167 are also included in the paper. During some experiments, an obstacle has been introduced in the duct at variable distance upstream from the orifice. The effect of the thus generated velocity field disturbance on the measured pressure drop was then investigated. Numerical simulation of the flow with the presence of the obstacle was also performed and compared with experimental data.