ASTM: D5390: Flow Measurement with Palmer-Bowlus Flume

Summary
Analytes
Revision
Data and Sites

Official Method Name

Standard Test Method for Open Channel Flow Measurement of Water with Palmer-Bowlus Flumes

Current Revision

Reapproved 1997. Current edition approved April 15, 1993. Published June 1993.

Media

WATER

Instrumentation

Palmer-Bowlus flume

Method Subcategory

Physical

Method Source

ASTM

Citation

Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Section 11, Water and Environmental Technology, Volume 11.01, Water (I)

Brief Method Summary

In Palmer-Bowlus flumes, critical free-surface flow is developed in a prismatic throat so that the flowrate is a unique function of a single measured upstream head for a given throat shape and upstream channel geometry. This function can be obtained theoretically for ideal (frictionless) flows and adjustments for non-ideal conditions can be obtained experimentally or estimated from fluid-mechanics considerations.

Scope and Application

This test method covers measurement of the volumetric flowrate of water and wastewater in sewers and other open channels with Palmer-Bowlus flumes.

Applicable Concentration Range

None.

Interferences

Flumes are applicable only to open-channel flow and become inoperative under full-pipe flow conditions.
The flume becomes inoperative if downstream conditions cause submergence.

Quality Control Requirements

Sample Handling

Maximum Holding Time

Relative Cost

Greater than $400

Sample Preparation Methods

This method has 1 analyte associated with it.

Analyte	Detection Level	Bias	Precision	Pct False Positive	Pct False Negative	Spiking Level
Flow rate(E-11790) Flow rate Gas flow rate Hydraulic conductivity Leak rate Liquid flow rate Volumetric flow rate	N/A	N/A	N/A

Precision Descriptor Notes:	Determination of precision and bias for this test method is not possible, both at the multiple and single operator level, due to the high degree of variability of open-channel flow. Both temporal and spatial variability of the boundary and flow conditions do not allow for a consent standard to be used for representative sampling. A minimum bias, measured under ideal conditions, is directly related to the bias of the equipment used and is listed in the following sections. A maximum precision and bias cannot be estimated due to the variability of the sources of potential errors listed in Section 11 and the temporal and spatial variability of open-channel flow. Any estimate of these errors could be very misleading to the user. NOTE: The error of a flowrate measurement results from a combination of individual errors, including errors in the coefficients of the head-discharge relation for the flume (see Eq. 1), errors in the head measurement and errors from other sources, some of which are cited.
Detection Level Note:	None.

Precision Descriptor Notes:

Determination of precision and bias for this test method is not possible, both at the multiple and single operator level, due to the high degree of variability of open-channel flow. Both temporal and spatial variability of the boundary and flow conditions do not allow for a consent standard to be used for representative sampling. A minimum bias, measured under ideal conditions, is directly related to the bias of the equipment used and is listed in the following sections. A maximum precision and bias cannot be estimated due to the variability of the sources of potential errors listed in Section 11 and the temporal and spatial variability of open-channel flow. Any estimate of these errors could be very misleading to the user. NOTE: The error of a flowrate measurement results from a combination of individual errors, including errors in the coefficients of the head-discharge relation for the flume (see Eq. 1), errors in the head measurement and errors from other sources, some of which are cited.

Detection Level Note:

None.

Revision	PDF/Link
Reapproved 1997. Current edition approved April 15, 1993. Published June 1993.

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ASTM: D5390: Flow Measurement with Palmer-Bowlus Flume

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