Featured Image Caption: Type of Coolant Flow Meter
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In many industrial processes, cooling is necessary to prevent machines from overheating and getting damaged. Examples of such machines include automotive welding, car engines, cutting & welding machines, and any other equipment with rapid moving parts. When metal moving parts come into contact with one another at a very fast pace, friction occurs, leading to overheating. If there isn’t any coolant applied to reduce heat, the metal parts will break and damage the machine or device used.
In automotive systems, there are six kinds of cooling flowmeters. These flow meters check the cooling fluid’s quality and temperature or coolant used in the cooling system. If the coolant is not in good condition, it will have to be changed to work effectively.
If you are in the automotive industry, these are the main types of cooling systems you can use to effectively monitor and regulate your coolant. In turn, you will protect your expensive equipment from overheating and breaking up. Read on to understand how each of them works to make an informed decision when buying one.
Cooling Flow Meter Types
- Chilled water system
- Closed-loop dry flowmeters
- Closed-loop evaporative system
- Open-loop evaporative system
- Closed-loop dry system with trim cooling
- Liquid-to-liquid
Liquid-to-Liquid Cooling Flow Meters
This type of cooling system is the simplest. In liquid-to-liquid flow meters, operators use well water to cool down the compressor. You will find this type of coolant flow meter handy if you have well water around your workshop. The well water cools the compressor off on the other side of the intermediate heat exchanger.
On the other side, Glycol and water are used as coolants. While heat is exchanged, the process won’t foul the IHE. Instead, fouling will happen on the other side that is using well water. The operator does the cleaning of the intermediate heat exchanger by taking it apart after some time. This will depend on how the HI exchanger is picked.
Tube & plate or Shell & tube are examples of the most commonly used HI exchanger in automotive cooling systems. When using a liquid-to-liquid coolant flow meter, a 5° coolant temperature or above the plant cooling “water” is achievable. This cooling flow system can supply a 60° F coolant to the load when the well water is 55° F. The liquid-to-liquid flow meter is less costly and can be installed with ease compared to other meters. It can also be installed outside the plant.
Closed-Loop Dry Cooling Flow Meters
The closed-loop dry cooling system works in the same principle as the car radiator. It is a coolant fluid that is cooled by air. It has finned tubes where the coolant fluids are pumped into to transfer heat. Other support components are included in this type of flow meter, which helps in the cooling process. The extra parts in this coolant meter include the piping system, the control skid, the fan or fans, and the pump. Heat transfer happens in an ambient air installed outside.
With this cooling flow meter, the operator can easily achieve ambient dry bulb temperatures of 5° F to 10° F above the ambient dry bulb temperature. The coolant pump and the fluid cooler are the only components in this coolant flow meter that use power. Therefore, it is cheaper to use. Thermostats are available to regulate the flow meter and prevent undercooling and overcooling. Regular cleaning of this coolant flow meter should be done since the operating condition that it works on is most of the time exposed to dirt. Fouling is bound to happen due to leaves, debris, dirt, seeds, and wood. It is easy to use and install, making it an ideal coolant flow meter.
When using this type of coolant flow meter, the user can control the energy consumption that the meter uses. Some of the maintenance requirements, lubrication, regular checking of cooling fluid to ensure that it’s in good cooling condition, and inspecting the entire meter regularly. The only issue about the closed-loop dry cooling flow meter is its dependence on atmospheric dry bulbs. It always requires a free clear air to work efficiently.
Conclusion
Although cooling flow meters come in many types, their main purpose is to regulate temperature to protect the equipment from losing or gaining more heat. This ensures that the machine works at optimum speeds with the risk of damages due to under or overheating. However, the operator needs to ensure that the right coolant flow meter is used with the right application to make it work effectively. The manufacturer guides how to use the coolant system.
By Naman Modi
who is a Professional Blogger, SEO Expert & Guest blogger at Proteus Industries Inc. He is an Award-Winning Freelancer & Web Entrepreneur helping new entrepreneur’s launches their first successful online business.
Member since April, 2019
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