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The RotorFlow transducer from Gems Sensors & Controls, Plainville, Conn. (www.gemssensors.com), constantly measures fluid flow using a static Hall-effect sensor. A magnetic rotor attached to the paddle wheel spins at a rate proportional to flow. The rotor’s spinning magnetic field causes the Hall sensor to generate a series of voltage pulses with a frequency proportional to flow rate. This frequency is converted to an output signal. And the voltage of these signals can range from 4.5 to 24 Vdc.
Inlet and outlet ports range in size from 0.25 to 1.0 in., with flow rates going from 0.1 to 60 gpm. Lower flow rates require an optional low-flow adapter. Accuracy is typically within 7%. Brass and stainless-steel bodies withstand temperatures to 212°F and pressures to 200 psig at 70°F; polypropylene bodies handle temperatures to 180°F and pressures to 100 psig at 70°F. For convenience, the paddlewheel is colored orange, letting users visually verify that liquid is flowing.