V-Cone Technical Brief

The McCrometer V-Cone® Flowmeter is a patented technology that accurately measures flow over a wide range of Reynolds numbers, under all kinds of conditions and for a variety of fluids. It operates on the same physical principle as other differential pressure-type flowmeters, using the theorem of conservation of energy in fluid flow through a pipe. The V-Cone's remarkable performance characteristics, however, are the result of its unique design. It features a centrally located cone inside the tube. The cone interacts with the fluid flow, reshaping the fluid's velocity profile and creating a region of lower pressure immediately downstream of itself. The pressure difference, exhibited between the static line pressure and the low pressure created downstream of the cone, can be measured via two pressure sensing taps. One tap is placed slightly upstream of the cone, the other is located in the downstream face of the cone itself. The pressure difference can then be incorporated into a derivation of the Bernoulli equation to determine the fluid flow rate. The cone's central position in the line optimizes the velocity profile of the flow at the point of measurement, assuring highly accurate, reliable flow measurement regardless of the condition of the flow upstream of the meter.