Turbulence and Flow Patterns and how they affect Air Flow Measurement in a Duct
One question that I am asked about all the time is "Why would I need to have a flow straightener and/or flow conditioner to get a good air flow measurement?" The answer to this questions always comes down to duct configuration or duct arrangement. If you have a duct that is long and straight, then it is a good bet that there are enough "straight duct runs" to get a decent flow profile in the duct and therefore a good flow measurement. What most customers find is that these long and straight duct runs just don't exist. In fact, most customers find that there are more turns, twists, bends, tees, and transitions than the even knew they had. Air/Gas Flow Products & Technology So, how do you know if your flow is turbulent and does not have a good flow profile (i.e. has swirl, reverse flow, cyclonic flow, or flow that is all to one side of the duct)? For most customers, one way is to go by some guidelines that have been established that give you the ...