Abstract: A flow meter for monitoring fluid flow through a pipeline, the flow meter comprising a conduit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for communication with respective sections of the pipeline; a target element positioned inside the conduit between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the target element being mounted for resilient axial displacement under a pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet; an arm secured at an anchor point on one side of the conduit and extending radially across the conduit, the target element being coupled to the arm for applying a load to the arm, upon said axial displacement of the target element, so as to deflect the arm relative to the anchor point; a sensor arrangement for measuring deflection of the arm at a point on the opposite side of the applied load to the anchor point; and a processor configured for providing a signal representative of the steam flow through the conduit in response to said measured deflection.

Abstract: A flow meter for monitoring fluid flow through a pipeline, the flow meter comprising a conduit having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet for communication with respective sections of the pipeline; a target element positioned inside the conduit between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet, the target element being mounted for resilient axial displacement under a pressure differential between the inlet and the outlet; an arm secured at an anchor point on one side of the conduit and extending radially across the conduit, the target element being coupled to the arm for applying a load to the arm, upon said axial displacement of the target element, so as to deflect the arm relative to the anchor point; a sensor arrangement for measuring deflection of the arm at a point on the opposite side of the applied load to the anchor point; and a processor configured for providing a signal representative of the steam flow through the conduit in response to said measured deflection.

Abstract: A method of detecting the presence of a slug of condensate in a conduit carrying a saturated steam comprising using a flow meter to provide an output signal representing mass flow rate of the saturated steam through the conduit; determining the rate of change of the output signal; and generating an alert in response to a predetermined profile of the output signal, when the profile includes a rate of change of the output signal falling outside a predetermined range.