What type of meter calculates total flow by multiplying the flow through the meter by a factor?

The type of meter that calculates total flow by multiplying the flow through the meter by a factor is known as a proportional meter. Proportional meters, often used in various industries, work by tracking the flow rate and multiplying it over time to yield a total volume measure. This method is advantageous for applications requiring totalization of flow in relation to varying conditions, enabling accurate measurement over different flow rates.

While velocity meters measure the speed of the fluid to calculate flow, and magnetic meters use electromagnetic principles to gauge flow rates, these methods do not inherently involve a multiplying factor to determine total flow in the same way as a proportional meter. Positive displacement meters measure the volume of fluid that passes through the meter by capturing discrete amounts, but they do not utilize a multiplication factor based on flow rates. Therefore, a proportional meter offers a distinct mechanism focused on calculating total flow based on variable flow conditions, making it the correct choice in this context.