7/11/2016

OrificePlates

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Ofallthepressurebasedflowelementsinexistence,themostcommon
istheorificeplate.Thisissimplyametalplatewithaholeinthemiddle
forfluidtoflowthrough.Orificeplatesaretypicallysandwiched
betweentwoflangesofapipejoint,allowingforeasyinstallationand
removal:

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Thepointwherethefluidflowprofileconstrictstoaminimumcrosssectionalareaafterflowingthroughtheorificeis
calledthevenacontracta,anditistheareaofminimumfluidpressure.Thevenacontractacorrespondstothenarrow
throatofaventuritube.Thepreciselocationofthevenacontractaforanorificeplateinstallationwillvarywithflowrate,
andalsowiththebetaratio()oftheorificeplate,definedastheratioofborediameter(d)toinsidepipediameter(D):

Thesimplestdesignoforificeplateisthesquareedged,concentricorifice.Thistypeoforificeplateismanufacturedby
machiningaprecise,straightholeinthemiddleofathinmetalplate.Lookingatasideviewofasquareedgedconcentric
orificeplaterevealssharpedges(90o corners)atthehole:

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Bethefirst

Squareedgedorificeplatesmaybeinstalledineitherdirection,sincetheorificeplateappearsexactlythesamefrom
eitherdirectionoffluidapproach.Infact,thisallowssquareedgedorificeplatestobeusedformeasuringbidirectional
flowrates(wherethefluidflowdirectionreversesitselffromtimetotime).Atextlabelprintedonthepaddleofany
orificeplatecustomarilyidentifiestheupstreamsideofthatplate,butinthecaseofthesquareedgedorificeplateitdoes
notmatter.
Thepurposeofhavingasquareedgeontheholeinanorificeplateistominimizecontactwiththefastmovingmoving
fluidstreamgoingthroughthehole.Ideally,thisedgewillbeknifesharp.Iftheorificeplateisrelativelythick(1/8oran
inchormore),itmaybenecessarytobevelthedownstreamsideoftheholetofurtherminimizecontactwiththefluid
stream:

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OrificePlates

Lookingatthesideviewofthisorificeplate,theintendeddirectionofflowislefttoright,withthesharpedgefacingthe
incomingfluidstreamandthebevelprovidinganoncontactoutletforthefluid.Beveledorificeplatesareobviouslyuni
directional,andmustbeinstalledwiththepaddletextfacingupstream.
Other squareedged orifice plates exist to address conditions where gas bubbles or solid particles may be present in
liquidflows,orwhereliquiddropletsorsolidparticlesmaybepresentingasflows.Thefirstofthistypeiscalledthe
eccentricorificeplate,wheretheholeislocatedoffcentertoallowtheundesiredportionsofthefluidtopassthroughthe
orificeratherthanbuildupontheupstreamface:

Forgasflows,theholeshouldbeoffsetdownward,soanyliquiddropletsorsolidparticlesmayeasilypassthrough.For
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liquidflows,theholeshouldbeoffsetupwardtoallowgasbubblestopassthroughandoffsetdownwardtoallowheavy
solidstopassthrough.
Thesecondoffcenterorificeplatetypeiscalledthesegmentalorificeplate,wheretheholeisnotcircularbutratherjusta
segmentofaconcentriccircle:

Aswiththeeccentricorificeplatedesign,thesegmentalholeshouldbeoffsetdownwardingasflowapplicationsand
eitherupwardordownwardinliquidflowapplicationsdependingonthetypeofundesiredmaterial(s)intheflowstream.
Analternativetooffsettingorreshapingtheboreholeofanorificeplateistosimplydrillasmallholeneartheedgeof
theplate,flushwiththeinsidediameterofthepipe,allowingundesiredsubstancestopassthroughtheplateratherthan
collectontheupstreamside.Ifsuchaholeisorientedupwardtopassvaporbubbles,itiscalledaventhole.Iftheholeis
orienteddownwardtopassliquiddropletsorsolids,itiscalledadrainhole.Ventanddrainholesareusefulwhenthe
concentration of these undesirable substances is not significant enough to warrant either an eccentric or segmental
orifice:

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Theadditionofaventordrainholeshouldhavenegligibleimpactontheperformanceofanorificeplateduetoitssmall
sizerelativetothemainbore.Ifthequantityofundesirablematerialintheflowstream(bubbles,droplets,orsolids)is
excessive,aneccentricorsegmentalorificeplatemightbeabetterchoice1.
SomeorificeplatesemploynonsquareedgedholesforthepurposeofimprovingperformanceatlowReynoldsnumber2
values, where the effects of fluid viscosity are more apparent. These orifice plate types employ rounded or conical
entranceholesinanefforttominimizetheeffectsoffluidviscosity.ExperimentshaveshownthatdecreasedReynolds
numbercausestheflowstreamtonotcontractasmuchwhentravelingthroughanorifice,thuslimitingfluidacceleration
anddecreasingtheamountofdifferentialpressureproducedbytheorificeplate.However,experimentshavealsoshown
thatdecreasedReynoldsnumberinaventuritypeflowelementcausesanincreasein differential pressure due to the
effectsoffrictionagainsttheentranceconewalls.Bymanufacturinganorificeplateinsuchawaythattheholeexhibits
venturilikeproperties(i.e.adulledgewherethefastmovingfluidstreamhasmorecontactwiththeplate),thesetwo
effectstendtocanceleachother,resultinginanorificeplatethatmaintainsconsistentaccuracyatlowerflowratesand/or
higherviscositiesthanthesimplesquareedgedorifice.
Twocommonnonsquareedgeorificeplatedesignsarethequadrantedgeandconicentranceorifices.Thequadrant
edgeisshownfirst:

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Theconicalentranceorificeplatelookslikeabeveledsquareedgeorificeplateinstalledbackwards,withflowentering
theconicalsideandexitingthesquareedgedside:

Here,isitvitallyimportanttopayattentiontothepaddlestextlabel.Thisistheonlysureindicationofwhichdirection
anorificeplateneedstobeinstalled.Onecaneasilyimagineaninstrumenttechnicianmistakingaconicalentranceorifice
plateforasquareedged,beveledorificeplateandinstallingitbackward!
Severalstandardsexistforpressuretaplocations.Ideally,theupstreampressuretapwilldetectfluidpressureatapoint
ofminimumvelocity,andthedownstreamtapwilldetectpressureatthevenacontracta(maximumvelocity).Inreality,this
ideal is never perfectly achieved. An overview of the most popular tap locations for orifice plates is shown in the
followingillustration:
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FlangetapsarethemostpopulartaplocationfororificemeterrunsonlargepipesintheUnitedStates.Flangesmaybe
manufacturedwithtapholespredrilledandfinishedbeforetheflangeisevenweldedtothepipe,makingthisavery
convenientpressuretapconfiguration.Mostoftheothertapconfigurationsrequiredrillingintothepipeafter
installation,whichisnotonlylaborintensive,butmaypossiblyweakenthepipeatthelocationsofthetapholes.
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Vena contracta tapsoffer the greatest differential pressure for any given flow rate, but require precise calculations to
properlylocatethedownstreamtapposition.Radiustapsareanapproximationofvenacontractatapsforlargepipesizes
(onehalfpipediameterdownstreamforthelowpressuretaplocation).Anunfortunatecharacteristicofboththesetapsis
the requirement of drilling through the pipe wall. Not only does this weaken the pipe, but the practical necessity of
drilling the tap holes in the installed location rather than in a controlled manufacturing environment means there is
considerableroomforinstallationerror3.
Cornertapsmustbeusedonsmallpipediameterswherethevenacontractaissoclosetothedownstreamfaceofthe
orifice plate that a downstream flange tap would sense pressure in the highly turbulent region (too far downstream).
Corner taps obviously require special (i.e. expensive) flange fittings, which is why they tend to be used only when
necessary.
Care should be taken to avoid measuring downstream pressure in the highly turbulent region following the vena
contracta.Thisiswhythepipetap(alsoknownasfullflowtap)standardcallsforadownstreamtaplocationeightpipe
diametersawayfromtheorifice:togivetheflowstreamroomtostabilizeformoreconsistentpressurereadings 4.
Whereverthetapsarelocated,itisvitallyimportantthatthetapholesbecompletelyflushwiththeinsidewallofthepipe
orflange.Eventhesmallestrecessorburrleftfromdrillingwillcausemeasurementerrors,whichiswhytapholesarebest
drilledinacontrolledmanufacturingenvironmentratherthatattheinstallationsitewherethetaskwilllikelybeperformed
bynonexperts.
Forrelativelylowflowrates,analternativearrangementistheintegralorificeplate.Thisiswhereasmallorificeplate
directlyattachestothedifferentialpressuresensingelement,eliminatingtheneedforimpulselines.Aphotographofan
integralorificeplateandtransmitterisshownhere:

Thetaskofproperlysizinganorificeplateforanygivenapplicationiscomplexenoughtorecommendtheuseofspecial
orificesizingcomputersoftwareprovidedbyorificeplatemanufacturers.Thereareanumberoffactorstoconsiderin
orifice plate sizing, and these software packages account for all of them. Best of all, the software provided by
manufacturers is often linked to data for that manufacturers product line, helping to assure installed results in close
agreementwithpredictions.
Inthedaysbeforeubiquitouspersonalcomputersandtheinternet,someorificeplatemanufacturersprovidedcustomers
withpapersliderulecalculatorstohelpthemselectappropriateorificeplatesizesfromknownprocessparameters.The
followingphotographsshowthefrontandbacksidesofonesuchsliderule:

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1L.K. Spink, in his book P rinciples and P ractice of Flow Meter Engineering, notes that drain holes intended to pass solid objects may be

uselessinsmallpipesizes,wheretheholeissosmallitwillprobablybecomepluggedwithsoliddebrisandceasetoprovidebenefit.Insuch
installationsherecommendsreorientingthepipeverticallyinsteadofhorizontally.T hisallowssolidstopassthroughthemainboreofthe
orifice without damming on the upstream side of the orifice plate. I would add the suggestion to consider a different primary element
entirely, such as a venture tube. T he small size of the line will limit the cost of such an element, and the performance is likely to be far
betterthananorificeplateanyway.
2ToreadmoreabouttheconceptofReynoldsnumber,refertoViscousFlow,ReynoldsNumberarticle.
3Onesignificantsourceoferrorforcustomerdrilledtapholesistheinteriorfinishoftheholes.Evenasmall burrofmetalleftwherethe

holepenetratestheinnersurfaceofthepipewallwillcausesubstantialflowmeasurementerrors!
4Whatthismeansisthata pipetapinstallationisactuallymeasuringpermanentpressureloss,whichalsohappenstoscalewiththesquare

of flow rate because the primary mechanism for energy loss in turbulent flow conditions is the translation of linear velocity to angular
(swirling)velocityintheformofeddies.T hiskineticenergyiseventuallydissipatedintheformofheatastheeddieseventuallysuccumbto
viscosity.

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Comments(5)
Subscribetothiscomment'sfeed

OrificeplateSizing
writtenbyKristopherManasco,May29,2012

Ihavebeenworkingonorificeplateexperimentsandranintoawall.IusedtheCraneTP410for
theoreticalflowratewithagivenorificeplate,thediameteris<0.5inchwhichisaparameterforusingCraneIam
gettingfasterflowratethananticipatedbyover2030%,soforsuchproblemswhatsuggestionscouldyougiveto
eitherfindrelevantequationsordatafromsomewhereelse.Theorificeplateissquareedgedwithadownstream
bevel.
+4

orificeplatedetail
writtenbyv.uppliyappan,February03,2013

whatistheinsidediameterfor4inchdiaorificeplatetomeasureairflow.
+0

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OrificePlates

..airlockissues...
writtenbyjeevah,February21,2013

Imworkingsolveaairlockissueata12"PVCpipelineforawavepoolatathemepark....thewavewater
thatisbeingsuckedinbythesuctionpumpcausesawaterhammer/airpocket....afterstudyingthis
article...Iwaswonderingifaorifice&acheckvalvecouldsolvemyissuewherethewavewatershallbecalmedby
theorificeinitially&sendingincalmwaterintothesuctionpipeline...terminatingtherootofairlockcontribution...
+2

StaffEngineer
writtenbySeanKelly,April13,2015

Ihaveaquestionastotheproductionofan8orificeplateforawaterdistributionsystem.Currently,we
haveaprojectwithadesignengineerwhohasspecifiedan8orificetobeinstalledwithaflowcoefficientvalue
equalto500(Cv=500).Cananorificebemanufacturedbasedoffthissolerequirement?
ThankyouforyourtimeandIlookforwardtohearingfromyou,
+2

OrificePlateinstalledreversedirectionwhatsymptomwillbeeffect
writtenbyAlex,April06,2016

sir
FICControlpuenmaticloop(spillback)frac.Pump108A/Bflowvalve(FTO)ATObutcommissionedthisloopwhen
weputthepuenmaticcontrollerinAutomodethePVgoesintoo0zeroandvalvestarttoopen100%Actuallyit
isdesignedforthatflowdecreaseaccordingtosetpoint12bpdthevalveopentoadesiresetpointtomanipulated
it.WhatIfeelandtookadecisionthelineintooheightItoldthatrequiredscraffoldingtoconfirmtheorificeflow
direction.Orothersanyreasonsitsendmeurspositivecommenttomyabovemailmentioned.
+0

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