Mechanical flow meters have always been a dependable option for drinking water treatment and distribution. However, the adoption of ultrasonic flow meters for these applications is growing steadily as water managers realize that technological advancements often make them a better choice.
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The original ultrasonic meters were Doppler-style technology that required a particulate flowing through it to register a reading. While these meters were a fit in wastewater operations, they didnt work well for clean water. As a result, many water professionals are still under the impression that ultrasonic flow meters dont belong in municipal drinking water applications.
In addition to Doppler-based solutions, ultrasonic meters also leverage transit time technology, which measures the time differential between signals sent upstream and downstream. Compared to mechanical meters, ultrasonic meters can offer better accuracy, more installation flexibility and minimal maintenance.
Ultrasonic flow meters are an economical solution, especially for larger pipe sizes, because they can be installed in a variety of situations. By comparison, mechanical meters can be more expensive and difficult to install.
Accuracy is also a key differentiator. With a rating of ±0.5%, ultrasonic meters have no moving partseliminating driftand they eclipse the ±1.5% accuracy of mechanical meters. This difference can be significant for municipalities, especially over time, when it comes to their ability to find leaks and tackle non-revenue water (NRW) problems.
Ultrasonic meters also have few to no maintenance requirements, which isnt the case for mechanical meters. A single Venturi flow meter that requires the differential pressure transmitter to be sent for calibration, for example, represents an expense of several hundred dollars annually. This also requires that the utility have a redundant system that sits on the shelf much of the year.
Application versatility is also a key factor. In many cases, mechanical meters must be sized to the flow thats expected, so they dont account for long-term growth. Adding load to those treatment systems is difficult without updating the meter. By comparison, ultrasonic meters have a 400:1 turndown, so they can accommodate a much wider range and theyre simple to specify.
Additionally, the cellular network that underpins ultrasonic meters is attractive for municipalities because they can have these devices tied into the same network as their billing software. This allows operators to simultaneously review individual customer data and data for the corresponding pump station.
When contact with the fluid isnt possible, clamp-on ultrasonic meters are ideal. Clamp-on meters greatly reduce installation cost and time because they can be installedeither permanently or temporarilyby a single user within an hour. These meters easily attach to a pipes exterior and are secured in place without ever penetrating the pipe or coming in contact with the internal liquid.
These meters also provide a greater extended low-flow accuracy compared to mechanical meters across a wide range of pipe sizes with no pressure head loss and no moving parts to maintain. These devices offer a lot of connectivity and there are a variety of output options, such as tying into a programmable logic controller (PLC).
Inline ultrasonic meters and open-channel models are a fit for new construction and renovation projectsas well as a replacement for aging meters in the distribution systemwhile the clamp-on version of ultrasonic meters is an ideal solution for retrofit projects.
Municipal water managers and engineers should consider the benefits of ultrasonic technology when analyzing flow meters for any of these scenarios.
Aug 11 ,
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Ultrasonic open channel flow meter is an ideal device for channels, flumes and weirs. It uses ultrasonic reflection to determine the distance from the bottom of the ultrasonic probe to the water surface. The elapsed time between when the signal is transmitted and when it is received determines the water level.
Key Benefits of Holykell Ultrasonic Open Channel Flow Meters
-Reliable performance with impressive accuracy.
-Non-contact measurement adopted, with little maintenance required since no moving parts.
-Simple to Install with a long operational life -Immune to the effects of crystallization, silting, suspended solids and grease, corrosive medium
-Different output signals and power supply supported
-Easy to setup and remote monitoring can be realized through wireless module
-Run as an economical flow/level/total volume monitoring solution.
-Harsh working environment capable, for example, when the operational environment is with floating, foam, steam, high temperature, it can still work fine. We have solutions.
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