By Kelly Hile
Airflow Sciences Equipment is partnering with industry leaders to make accurate flow calibration easier and faster than ever. By re-imagining a workhorse of the fan industry, the AMCA Flow Tunnel, we are revolutionizing the calibration process for manufacturers and users of flow measurement devices.
The AMCA Flow Tunnel is most well-known for its role in fan performance testing. Typically, a fan is connected to the flow tunnel for a series of flow tests, while recording measurements of air pressure, temperature, and fan power. These tests are used to assess the design of fan components, to evaluate fan health, or to generate a fan curve.
The same features that make an AMCA Flow Tunnel ideal for fan testing also make it ideal for flow meter calibration. Tunnels can be designed to deliver airflow with high accuracy, and programmed to measure and record all of the typical data needed during calibration activities. All of these are important for accurate and reliable calibration, but the most important feature of ASE’s Flow Tunnels is our ability to customize them for every client. No two tunnels that we manufacture are the same; each one is designed to address the unique needs of the user and the line of flow meters it will be used to test.
For example, the AFT-600 pictured below was custom-designed and fabricated for a manufacturer of blow-by flow meters, used primarily for engine testing. These flow meters are sold in a range of sizes, measuring up to 600 CFM at the larger sizes and all the way down to 0.10 CFD at the smallest available meter size. That’s a significant stretch in flow rate that must be delivered to the various meters for proper calibration. Could it be accomplished with a single system? Absolutely! The AFT-600 is cleverly designed to deliver a surprisingly large flow range, with extremely high accuracy at even the lowest setpoint. The end user also wanted to be able to move the system around their facility – the AFT-600 is on locking wheels and fits through a standard doorway.
To streamline the calibrations process even further, the system was also designed to perform pre-programmed calibration routines over the operating range of each flow meter model. The method of calibrating these meters consists of delivering a known flow rate to the meter and comparing this flow rate to the device readout. A calibration curve is obtained by sampling flow rates over the measurement range of the device. The AFT-600 unit is equipped with automated data logging so that flow meters can be wired directly to the system for recording flow meter readouts at each calibration point.
The AFT-600 design features automated Laminar Flow Elements, or LFEs, to control the system flow using actuated valves. This means that the user can immediately set the system to any flow rate using the touchscreen, or even easier, simply enter the flow meter model number and have the system run a pre-programmed, fully automated calibration sequence.
As flow testing engineers, we perform device calibrations on a near daily basis, so we understand the need for accurate and efficient calibration methods. ASE Flow Tunnels can be customized to meet a variety of flow rate ranges and accuracy needs. We can equip tunnels with temperature control, data logging and reporting, and various other system automations. We’d love to talk to you about how a custom flow tunnel could streamline your calibration process – contact us today!
Interested in seeing the AFT-600 system in action? Check out the demo: