Going with the flow

A new research study finds that the world market for differential pressure (DP) flowmeters is much larger than anticipated.

The worldwide DP flowmeter market totalled $996 million in 2006, and will exceed one billion dollars in 2007.  The market has previously been undervalued because only the value of DP transmitters has been counted toward the value of the DP flowmeter market.  This new study includes the value of both DP transmitters and primary elements in the total market size.

DP flowmeters use both a DP transmitter and a primary element in making a flow measurement.  The primary element places a restriction in the flowstream, and the DP flow transmitter measures the difference between the upstream and downstream pressures. Examples of primary elements include orifice plates, Venturi tubes, Pitot tubes, and flow nozzles. While some companies offer both DP transmitters and primary elements, a large group of companies mainly offer primary elements. Many customers buy their primary elements and DP flow transmitters from different suppliers.