Assessment of the Applicability of the Weight Vector Theory for Coriolis Flowmeters

− The weight vector theory for Coriolis flow meters has been the subject of research presented by Hemp and co-workers in various articles. The underlying theory may not be easily understood. This paper explains the application of the weight vector theory for Coriolis flowmeters. The theory is applied to simple theoretical meter configurations consisting of a single straight pipe. The application of the weight vector approach is of relevance when investigating velocity profile effects, e.g., in Coriolis flow meters. Promising results have been found in recent literature showing the vulnerability of straight pipe Coriolis flowmeter configurations to velocity profile effects. The application of the weight vector theory is shown to be either limited to the investigation of few parameters or employs unrealistic boundary conditions and lacks comparative studies, making a more comprehensive study desirable. The usefulness of the weight vector theory to predict velocity profile effects for bended tube is not apparent from today’s state-of-the-art literature, but of great interest for flowmeter manufacturers since bended tubes designs are frequently used in today’s Coriolis flowmeters.