What type of fluid can I flow through my flow instrument? Alicat devices can be customized to flow a wide range of fluids, however each device has its own unique capabilities. Taking a look at gas flow meters vs. liquid flow meters can help you get the most out of your instruments while minimizing risk […]
What is mass flow? A common way to measure and control flow is with a mass flow instrument, but what is mass flow? The answer to this can be approached from a number of angles, which we cover in this article. What do mass flow meters and controllers do? Most mass flow devices output a […]
What is the difference between mass flow and volumetric flow? Understanding the difference between mass flow and volumetric flow is important when determining which flow instrument is right for your application. Here we introduce the concepts of mass flow and volumetric flow and discuss use cases for each measurement. What is a volumetric flow rate? […]
Alicat mass flow instruments operate on the principle of differential pressure-based laminar flow measurement.
Coriolis flow meter principle of operation What is the Coriolis effect? Already know all about the Coriolis effect? Skip directly to “What does this have to do with mass flow?” to learn about the Coriolis flow meter principle of operation. You may have heard of the Coriolis effect, a term commonly used to explain why hurricanes, tornadoes, and typhoons spin counterclockwise […]
What is laminar flow? To understand how Alicat differential pressure (DP) mass flow devices work, it is important to first answer the question, “What is laminar flow?” Laminar flow is key to the operating principle of Alicat DP instruments, enabling them to output highly accurate mass flow rates across very wide measurement and control ranges. […]
What is pressure drop? Pressure drop is the amount of line pressure that is permanently lost as gas passes through an instrument in the gas line. This pressure loss is due to the frictional resistance of the components the gas touches. Every instrument and fitting in a line induces some pressure drop. Even pipe walls […]