If your wastewater plant is like most others, you are probably using several flowmeters to monitor the system. But as the cost of water rises, so does the cost of measurement. A comprehensive line of flowmeters is available from Panametrics in Waltham, Mass., to accurately and reliably measure many liquids. These include multiphase such as raw sewage, sludge, slurries, effluent, clean and potable water found in wastewater plants. The diagram below illustrates the various places flowmeters can be installed in a plant's system.
Since keeping operating costs down means effectively monitoring your process, the following are a few of the advantages ultrasonic flowmeters offer.
Accuracy without Penetrating the Pipeline - There's no need to break into the pipeline to get accurate flow measurement. Using clamp-on transducers, ultrasonic flowmeters typically produce an accuracy 1% to 2% of reading. If you want a more permanent installation, wetted transducers are also available at the same or better accuracy. For even greater accuracy, these flowmeters can be calibrated before installation.
No Maintenance Means Cost Savings - Clamp-on transducers are relatively inexpensive to install and can be installed without interrupting service. Since ultrasonic transducers do not protrude into the flow stream, they cause no pressure drop, do not collect debris or corrode, and require no cleaning. This gives clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters a distinct advantage over magnetic and differential pressure meters which are intrusive.
Completely solid state, ultrasonic flowmeters have no moving parts to wear out and require no servicing, which means no downtime and no maintenance costs.
Transit Time Technology Works Well in Multiphase Fluids - Even the low levels of suspended solids in many wastewater applications can make flow measurement difficult. However, advanced transit time technology easily operates on sludge, slurries, and raw sewage as well as clean liquids.
For very difficult sewage applications that have elevated levels of suspended solids, Panametrics offers TransFlection¬ technology - a patented technique especially developed for flow measurements in multiphase fluids, particularly like those found in uplift stations. It is especially useful for flow measurements in fluids such as raw sewage, sludge, slurries, tar sands, oil-water-gas mixtures, highly aerated fluids, and other demanding applications. The TransFlection mode is available, in addition to Panametric's patented Correlation Transit-Time» mode, in the company's portable and fixed-installation flowmeters. Correlation Transit-Time mode is used for a high signal-to-noise ratio and accurate, drift-free flow measurements in fluids ranging from completely clean liquids (containing no "scatterers").
Measures on Large and Small Pipes - Ultrasonic flowmeters let you measure flow rate in a wide range of pipe sizes from 1 inch (12.7 millimeters) to more than 16 feet (5 meters) with a turn down ratio of up to 400 to 1.
Advanced Electronics/Transducer Technology - Because ductile iron pipes strongly attenuate ultrasonic signals, it can be difficult to take measurements on large diameter pipes made of this substance. However, the electronic and transducer design in some ultrasonic flowmeters allows proper operation on large pipes that are commonly encountered in wastewater applications.
These ultrasonic flowmeters also can handle highly attenuating pipe linings, such as mortar and ceramic found in many usual wastewater applications.
Other features besides those discussed above also are available:
- One or Two Channels Ü Channels can be used separately or can be averaged together for greater accuracy.
- Portable or Fixed Installation Models Ü Both models are available for installations that are permanent, temporary, or where spot sampling is necessary.
- Single- and Dual-traverse Transducer Installations Ü To adapt to various fluid and pipe conditions, two transducer configurations are available.
For more information, phone 800-833-9438 or visit www.panametrics.com.
