Current position > Product detail
『Mass Flow Meter for Viscous Liquids & Slurries』Related information(v cone flow meter|rotary gas meter|gallon meter|gear meter|metal tube rotameter|glass tube rotameter|nutating disk meter|transit time ultrasonic flow meter|wedge flow meter|pd meters|hydraulic flow meter|ultrasonic water flow meter|water flow meter|air flow meter|magnetic water flow meter|oxygen flow meter|gas flow meter|argon flow meter|air velocity meter|gasoline flow meter|fuel flow meter|ultrasonic water meter|digital water meter|nitrogen flow meter|solid flow meter|Oxygen tank flow meter|digital water flow meter|diesel fuel flow meter|steam flow meter|02 flow meter|compressed air flow meter|oil flow meter|liquid flow meter)
Mass Flow Meter for Viscous Liquids & Slurries
Quick Answer: A Coriolis mass flow meter measures true mass flow directly. It ignores changes in viscosity, density, or solids content. This makes it the most reliable choice for paints, adhesives, waste sludge, fruit pulps, and drilling mud. Silver Instruments supplies inline Coriolis meters from DN15 up to DN100. Accuracy is typically 0.1% to 0.2% of rate, even with non‑Newtonian fluids.
Why Coriolis Meters Excel for Viscous Fluids and Slurries
Positive displacement meters struggle when viscosity climbs above 500 cP. Electromagnetic meters need a minimum conductivity. Turbine meters choke on solids. A Coriolis meter has no moving parts inside the pipe. The measuring tubes vibrate and directly capture mass flow, density, and temperature. Viscosity changes do not shift the calibration curve.
Here is the thing. At a paint factory in Vietnam we saw a competitor’s oval gear meter wear out in four months. The resin was 8000 cP at 30 °C and contained titanium dioxide pigment. Silver Instruments installed a DN25 Coriolis meter with 316L tubes. It has run for two years with zero maintenance. The mass flow reading stays stable from cold morning startup to full production heat.
Slurries add another layer of trouble. Solids can settle, coat electrodes, or jam rotors. A Coriolis meter with straight or slightly bent tubes can pass particles up to 10 mm depending on tube ID. Our customers in Chile use DN50 Coriolis meters on copper concentrate slurry with 45% solids by weight. The meter still delivers 0.2% accuracy batch after batch.
Typical Applications in the Field
We have shipped Coriolis meters for many sticky, abrasive, or fibrous fluids. A few real‑world examples:
Adhesives and sealants. A packaging plant in Indonesia meters hot‑melt glue at 160 °C and 3000 cP. The DN15 meter with PTFE‑lined tubes handles the temperature and provides kg/h totals for inventory control.
Wastewater sludge. A municipal plant in the Philippines measures thickened sludge at 2% to 6% dry solids. The DN80 Coriolis with 4‑20 mA HART output feeds a PLC for polymer dosing control. Before, they used an electromagnetic meter that lost signal when solids caked the electrodes.
Food pulps and pastes. A mango pulp processor in Brazil uses a DN40 food‑grade Coriolis meter. The fluid has fibers, pulp, and a viscosity that swings from 200 to 2000 cP. The meter handles CIP cycles at 85 °C without drift.
Drilling mud. An oilfield service company in the Middle East measures bentonite mud with a DN25 Coriolis meter rated for ATEX Zone 1. Density output also helps monitor mud weight in real time.
How to Select the Right Meter
>
Start with the fluid characteristics. Tell us the maximum viscosity, solids size and concentration, temperature, and pipe pressure. We size the meter so the pressure drop stays under 0.5 bar at your normal flow. For abrasive slurries we recommend Hastelloy C22 tubes instead of standard 316L. For sticky polymers a straight‑tube design often works better than U‑shaped tubes because there is less dead volume to purge.
Transmitter options matter. Our base transmitter gives 4‑20 mA, pulse, and Modbus RTU. If you need HART or Profibus, specify it. For hazardous areas, look for ATEX/IECEx Zone 1 or Class I Div 2 approvals. All meters come with factory calibration reports traceable to ISO 17025.
Most engineers skip this part: check the pipe vibration. A Coriolis meter works best with rigid pipe supports. If you mount it on a flimsy skid, external vibration can couple into the sensor. We supply inline filters for slurries with occasional large chunks, but normally a straight run of 5D upstream and 2D downstream is enough.
FAQ: Mass Flow Meters for Viscous Liquids & Slurries
Can a Coriolis meter measure non‑Newtonian fluids?
Yes. The meter reads mass flow and density independent of shear‑thinning or shear‑thickening behavior. We have validated them on ketchup, toothpaste, and polymer solutions where the apparent viscosity changes with flow rate.
What is the minimum flow rate for a DN15 meter?
The turndown is typically 20:1. With a DN15, the lower limit is around 0.5 kg/min depending on the tube geometry. If you need lower flows, we can select a meter with a smaller bore. Provide the lowest flow you expect and we will confirm.
How do you handle abrasive solids?
We choose Hastelloy C22 or ceramic‑lined tubes. The wall thickness is engineered to withstand years of wear. In extreme cases we add a removable liner.
Does viscosity affect accuracy?
No. Mass flow accuracy stays within the stated spec even if viscosity jumps from 1 cP to 50,000 cP. Density accuracy may shift slightly if a thick boundary layer forms, but for most slurries the shift is under 0.005 g/cm³.
Can the meter handle high temperature fluids?
Standard meters go up to 150 °C. For higher temperatures, we offer a remote transmitter with high‑temperature sensor options up to 250 °C. Tell us your operating temperature and we will pick the right model.
Send us your fluid details for a specific quote: fluid name, viscosity in cP, solids content and max particle size, pipe size (DN), flow range in kg/h, pressure (bar), and temperature (°C). Email [email protected] with the subject “Coriolis for viscous slurry”. We reply within 24 hours with a model recommendation and price.