Turbine flowmeters use the mechanical action of the turbine rotating in the liquid flow around an axis into a user-readable rate of flow. The turbine tends to have all the flow traveling around it. The turbine wheel is set in the path of a fluid to rotate a rotor in the flow stream. Blades on the rotor are angled to transform energy from the flow stream into rotational energy. The rotor shaft spins on bearings. When the fluid moves faster, the rotor spins proportionally faster.

The modern axial turbine flowmeter is a reliable device which is capable of providing the highest accuracy attainable by any currently available flow sensor for the flow measurement of both liquid and gas. Insertion axial turbine flowmeters comprises of a small rotor mounted on a stem which is inserted radially through the conduit wall, often through a shut-off valve. They measure the flow velocity at the rotor position. Multi-jet turbine flowmeters are linear, volumetric flowmeters for liquids measurements. It comprises of a single, radial-vaned impeller, vertically mounted on a shaft bearing within a vertically divided flow chamber.

The Chilled water is metered after flown through the chiller and is used along with the steam and condenser water flow to balance each chiller. The chiller is balanced to ensure that during operation each chiller operates at optimal operating conditions for maximum cooling of the chilled water and at maximum energy efficiency. Operating the chillers at their optimal operating levels increases the overall efficiency of the chiller, reduces energy and maintenance costs and increases the life of the chiller. The Insertion Turbine Flowmeters was used for this application.

The insertion turbine flowmeters were chosen primarily because of their low cost. The turbine flowmeters were experiencing accuracy problems and erratic outputs. Its maintenance was costly.

The Turbine flowmeters was replaced with Insertion Vortex Flowmeters. The main reason to select insertion vortex flowmeters was the flowmeters ability to calculate energy consumption directly with its integrated temperature and pressure sensors. Installing the flowmeter through a single pipe penetration simplified the systems complexity and helped reduce initial equipment costs, installation costs and maintenance costs.

Turbine flow meters are used to measure the velocity of liquids, gases and vapors in pipes, such as hydrocarbons, chemicals, water, cryogenic liquids, air, and industrial gases. Turbine meters are less accurate than displacement and jet meters at low flow rates, but the measuring element does not occupy or severely restrict the entire path of flow. The flow direction is generally straight through the meter, allowing for higher flow rates and less pressure loss than displacement-type meters

Applications for turbine flowmeters are found in the water, petroleum, and chemical industries. Petroleum applications include the custody transfer of hydrocarbons. Other applications are found in the food and beverage industries, and chemical industries.