Palmer-Bowlus Flume: Have You Heard of It?

 

The so-called Palmer-Bowlus flumes are designed for flow measurement and can be easily installed in circular section channels.

 

 

What are Palmer-Bowlus Flumes?

Palmer-Bowlus flumes are flow meters installed in partially filled pipes with gravity flow.

 

 

Origin and Development

Palmer-Bowlus flumes, also known as Palmer-Bowlus meters, were designed to easily adapt to pipes in sanitary sewage systems. They were created by two American engineers, Harold Palmer and Fred Bowlus, both from the Los Angeles County Sanitation Department. The development work took place in the 1930s.

 

Features of Palmer-Bowlus Flumes

These are rounded, low-cost flumes with a U-shaped cross-section. Like Parshall flumes, they originate from Venturi meters.

 

 

Sizes and Standards

Eighteen different sizes of these flumes have been developed, adaptable to pipes with diameters ranging from 100 mm to 1800 mm. However, in practice, flumes are rarely used for diameters above 600 mm. Their design is detailed in the ASTM D5390 standard: Standard Test Method for Open-Channel Flow Measurement of Water with Palmer-Bowlus Flumes.

 

Differences Compared to Parshall Flumes

Interestingly, unlike Parshall flumes, this standard does not establish specific dimensions and flow rates for various units, only general characteristics for each class.

 

Calculations and Applications

To find the height in the measuring section corresponding to various flume diameters and the corresponding flow rates, you can use the second calculation available here on Voima Toolbox.

 

Click here to check it out: Palmer-Bowlus Flume Calculation on Voima Toolbox