Industrial Piping Application
Restricted Orifice Plates provide a simple, robust method of introducing a controlled restriction into a pipeline to limit flow or generate a required pressure drop.
Monarch Asia Pacific manufactures Restricted Orifice Plates in Australia to suit industrial piping and process applications, with plate dimensions, bore configuration, material and identification tailored to project requirements.
A Restricted Orifice Plate, often referred to as an RO plate or restriction orifice, is installed between pipeline flanges to create a deliberate restriction in the flow path. The reduced flow area creates a pressure loss across the plate and can be used to limit the amount of fluid passing through the line.
Unlike a control valve, a fixed restriction orifice has no moving parts. Once the bore geometry has been selected for the required operating condition, the plate provides a passive restriction whenever the system is operating.
Restricted orifice plates are generally selected for duties where the required flow or pressure relationship is sufficiently stable for a fixed restriction to be appropriate.
Restriction orifices are used where a simple fixed hydraulic restriction is suitable for the process duty.
Limit flow through a process, utility, bypass or branch line where a fixed restriction is appropriate.
Generate a specified pressure loss between upstream and downstream sections of a piping system.
Restrict flow to downstream equipment where excessive flow could affect operation or reliability.
Introduce controlled resistance into parallel or branch lines to assist with distribution of flow.
Important Distinction
Although the components can appear similar, their primary purposes are different.
A flow measurement orifice plate is designed to create a differential pressure that is measured by instrumentation and used to calculate flow rate.
A restriction orifice plate is selected primarily to create a required hydraulic restriction, limit flow or produce a specified pressure loss. Differential pressure may still be measured for monitoring, but flow measurement is not its primary function.
Bore geometry can be manufactured to suit the specified process, plate thickness and project requirements.
A simple cylindrical bore through the plate, used where the specified geometry and plate thickness suit a straight opening.
A machined bore incorporating a bevel to achieve the required edge geometry for the selected design.
A stepped or counterbored arrangement used where the design calls for a defined bore section within a thicker plate.
A segment-shaped opening that may be considered for services where the process or solids characteristics favour a non-concentric opening.
An off-centre circular opening that may be specified where drainage, venting or process characteristics make a concentric bore unsuitable.
The required bore depends on the process conditions, not simply the nominal line size.
The most accurate way to manufacture a Restricted Orifice Plate is from an approved engineering drawing or datasheet that identifies the required plate dimensions, bore and material.
Where hydraulic sizing assistance is required, sufficient process information is needed to define the required restriction and check that the proposed operating condition is suitable.
Monarch can manufacture from customer drawings, datasheets or specified dimensions and can assist with practical manufacturing details and material selection.
Australian Manufacture
Monarch Asia Pacific manufactures Restricted Orifice Plates from our Brendale workshop. Plates can be produced to customer drawings, project datasheets or specified dimensions.
Common materials include carbon steel and stainless steel, with other materials considered where required by the service and available manufacturing capability.
In-house machining and fabrication capability allows Monarch to support custom bores, special dimensions, project identification and both one-off replacement work and project quantities.
Restricted orifice plates are used across industrial piping systems where a fixed restriction is appropriate.
Send Monarch Asia Pacific your drawing, datasheet or process requirements for review and quotation.
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