Water flow measurement is a critical factor in the acceptance testing of cooling towers. As described in previous technical papers, measurement using pitot tubes another velocity type probes is controversial. This paper describes the consistency and accuracy of using a diamond shaped averaging pitot tube technology for acceptance testing in water flow measurement. The paper is based on data collected at an actual cooling tower test, testing at a major cooling tower manufacturer, and supporting test data from Alden Research Laboratories. The focus is accuracy and linearity of flow measurement over wide velocity ranges. Issues of accurate flow measurement in short straight installations, the benefits of averaging the flow profile, and advantages of permanent cooling tower water flow monitoring will be shown.
