The working principle of electromagnetic flow meter

Electromagnetic flowmeters, also known as mag flowmeters or magmeters, offer highly accurate, non-contact and cost-effective volumetric flow measurements. PIF enlisted the expertise of fluid control experts Bürkert to answer some of your most frequently asked questions about magmeters, including their functions, applications, pros and cons.

What is an electromagnetic flowmeter?

Electromagnetic flowmeters measure the flow of conductive fluids. These volumetric flowmeters employ the principles of Faraday’s Law, which predicts how a magnetic field will interact with an electric circuit to produce an electromotive force, as part of a phenomenon known as electromagnetic induction.

How does an electromagnetic flowmeter work?

Electromagnetic flowmeters are made up of a transmitter and a sensor. The sensor is placed inline to measure the induced voltage of a fluid as it flows through a pipeline. The transmitter then converts this voltage into a flow measurement. Effectively, the faster the fluid flows, the more voltage is generated.

Electromagnetic flowmeter pros and cons

Here are some of the main pros and cons of using electromagnetic flowmeters:

Pros

• Low power usage
• No moving parts
• Water through to slurries
• Low pressure drop

Cons

• Minimum conductivity required
• Cannot be used to measure gases
• Unsuitable for high temperature media
• Susceptible to electromagnetic interference

Electromagnetic flowmeter applications

Mag flowmeters don’t have moving parts, making them ideal for wastewater applications. Or any other applications involving conductive or water-based liquids. They’re also perfect for applications with low maintenance requirements. But they’re completely unsuitable for use with hydrocarbons or distilled water.

Bürkert has an extensive range of electromagnetic flowmeters to suit all manner of applications. From water treatment to hygienic food and beverage production, high-precision dosing operations in the pharmaceutical sector, sea water applications or Clean in Place (CIP) applications – Bürkert has a magmeter for the job.

Electromagnetic flowmeters from Bürkert

Bürkert manufactures two types of electromagnetic flowmeters: insertion and full bore. Their insertion mag flowmeters measure the flow of neutral and slightly aggressive fluids with a conductivity of more than 20 µS/cm, while their full bore models are intended for liquids with a minimum conductivity of 5 μS/cm.

Their Type 8041 and Type 8045 insertion mag flowmeters are constructed from FDA-compliant materials and feature sensors with no moving parts. They’re ideal for Clean in Place applications. Meanwhile, all their full bore electromagnetic flowmeters are suitable for continuous measurement or batch control processes.

With more than seven decades’ worth of industry-leading expertise and experience to their name, Bürkert’s prowess in the field of fluid control systems is peerless. If you’re looking for precise, efficient, German-engineered flowmeters, including electromagnetic flowmeters, check out their range today.

We hope you’ve found this quick walk-through of the working principles of electromagnetic flowmeters useful and informative. If you’ve enjoyed this read, you can find out more about flow measurement and how various other types of flowmeters work in this accompanying article.

For more information, please contact Bürkert today.