Optical-fibre flowmeter

A technique is described for the measurement of fluid flow using an optical-fibre transducer. The flowmeter has no mechanical moving parts and causes no pressure drop in the liquid stream. The optical system and the detection electronics are intrinsically very simple. Results from a prototype meter are given, and improvements in this design, particularly in the turbulence characteristics of the meter tube, should improve measurement accuracy to an estimated ±5%.