LITRE METER LAUNCHES PELTON WHEEL FLOWMETERS IN MISSILE TESTS

UK designer, manufacturer and supplier Litre Meter has supplied bespoke flowmeters to a leading European defence company to help test fuel flow rates in sea-to-air missiles. Litre Meter created a highly customised version of its LMX Pelton Wheel flowmeter to install within the missile casing to accurately measure flow rates of fuel while the missile is in flight. The company also fitted special connections to the instruments so they would integrate with the missile manufacturer’s test equipment. A weight target of 200 grams was set which meant that Litre Meter had to look at materials closely. The meter was manufactured in titanium to provide durability and in order to meet the low weight requirement. The short and long connecting pipes on the meter had to be welded to the body of the meter in accordance with airforce aeronautic standards to ensure water tightness. The flowmeters are designed to measure the flow of kerosene THDCPD fuel at flow rates of 0 to 30 l/min to an accuracy of better than ±2% of full scale instead of the standard 1-65 l/min at ±2% reading. The meters operate at temperatures of between -20 to 135°C at 30 bars, tested at 45 bars. The testing of fuel flows is carried out at the meter’s maximum flow rate of 30 l/min. LMX flowmeters use a single-size, straight bladed rotor manufactured from chemically resistant PFA with sapphire bearings. These bearings run in hemispherical sapphire bearing cups which form a ‘floating’, low friction, precise unit. The motion of sealed ferrites mounted within the tips of the rotor is sensed by the Litre Meter high pressure sensor. The integral upstream/downstream straight lengths used within this series of flowmeter ensure the flow profile is conducive to accurate measurement in the field. With their chemically resistant materials of construction, added to their ability to work with pressures up to 230 bars in standard applications and temperatures to 100°C, the LMX series of flowmeters are compatible with most low flow applications. “This application is a perfect example of our ability to custom-build flowmeters for specific applications,” said Litre Meter CEO Charles Wemyss. “By taking one of our standard flowmeter products we were able to re-engineer it to meet specific end user requirements, particularly in terms of its weight, connections, flow rates and pressure.”

For more information on LITRE METER LAUNCHES PELTON WHEEL FLOWMETERS IN MISSILE TESTS talk to Litre Meter Ltd