What factors determine the selection of a flow meter type?

Flow meter selection criteria include: fluid type (liquid, gas, steam, slurry, two-phase), fluid properties (viscosity, conductivity, density, corrosiveness), flow range and turndown ratio, accuracy requirements (custody transfer vs process control), pressure drop allowance, installation constraints (pipe size, straight run), output requirements (analog, pulse, digital), environmental conditions, maintenance needs, and cost (initial and lifecycle). Create a selection matrix comparing candidate technologies against application requirements.