Failing to account for installation space often creates conflicts between probe size and flow disturbance, but strategic selection adjustments can resolve this without sacrificing data quality.Sensor Calibrationwelcome to click on the website to learn more!
In narrow pipes (diameter <50mm), large probes (>8mm) cause >10% flow blockage, distorting pressure readings. Downsizing to micro probes (3-5mm) reduces blockage to <3% but may compromise rigidity. A solution is using reinforced micro probes (e.g., CFRP with tungsten cores), which maintain strength in small diameters. A chemical plant resolved blockage issues by switching from 10mm to 4mm reinforced probes, reducing error from 8% to 2%.
Tight corners (e.g., pipe elbows) require short, angled probes to avoid contact with walls. Standard 100mm stem probes may hit elbows, but 50mm elbow probes (90° bent) fit while keeping the tip in undisturbed flow. A refinery test found elbow probes in 90° pipe bends provided data 5% more accurate than standard probes forced into misalignment.
For confined spaces with high turbulence (e.g., valve manifolds), low-profile probes with flush-mounted heads minimize disturbance. Their flat design reduces wake effects, as shown in a flow simulation where low-profile probes caused 60% less turbulence than standard rounded-head probes.
Adjustment steps include:
1) measuring installation space (diameter, length, obstacles)
2) calculating maximum allowable probe size (blockage <5%)
3) selecting specialized designs (micro, elbow, low-profile) to fit
4) validating with CFD to ensure minimal disturbance.