Understanding the experimental response of Coriolis massflow meters to flow pulsations

Recently published theoretical work on the response of a simple Coriolis ma ssflow meter does not agree with the data in the only published report of e xperiments on this topic. In order to try and explain this discrepancy a ne w set of experiments has been performed on a meter closely similar to that used in the original experiments. The present paper reports the results of the new experiments which both confirm and extend the original findings. Wi th the aid of additional experiments on the response of the Coriolis meter to mechanical vibrations, an explanation is given of the mechanism by which the meter can give erroneous readings. The paper concludes with a discussi on of methods by which the occurrence of errors can be mitigated, and one o f the methods suggested in the current ISO standard for these meters is sho wn to be ineffective. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.