The converging-diverging structure is introduced to extend the lower limit of measurement of vortex flowmeters. As a compact device, the converging-diverging vortex flowmeter is proposed and designed, and its performance is studied experimentally. It is found that, first of all, an up to 51% extension of the lower measurement limit can be realized through the converging-diverging structure, compared with conventional vortex flowmeters; second, the converging-diverging vortex flowmeter with a trapezoidal bluff body has a larger Strouhal number and smaller pressure loss. The results suggest that the converging-diverging vortex flowmeter provides an alternative device especially suitable for the measurement of low-velocity fluids.

This paper presents new results for the dynamic behaviour of fluid around a rotating turbulator in a channel. The turbulator has a propeller form which is placed inside a flat channel. The research was carried out using 3D numerical simulation. The rationale of the experiment was as follows: we put a propeller-turbulator inside a flat channel, and then we insert a water flow inside the channel. The turbulator rotates at a constant and uniform speed. The main points studied here are the effect of the presence of turbulator and its rotational direction on the flow behaviour behind the turbulator. The results showed that the behaviour of flow behind the turbulator is mainly related to the direction of turbulator rotating. Also, the studied parameters affect coefficients of drag force and power number. For example, when the turbulator rotates in the positive direction, the drag coefficient decreases in terms of rotational speed of the turbulator, while the drag coefficient increases in terms of rotational speed when the turbulator rotates in the negative direction.