Ultrasonic Flow Meters

Katflow 100 KATflow 100 Standard Clamp-On Ultrasonic Flow Transmitter
Katflow 200 KATflow 200 Hand-Held Clamp-On Ultrasonic Flowmeter
Katflow 230 KATflow 230 Portable Clamp-On Ultrasonic Flowmeter
Doppler Flow Meter PDFM 5.1 Portable Doppler... Portable Flow Meter

Ultrasonic flow meters and Clamp on flow meters which are available for sale or hire.

As the fastest growing flow technology, Flowquip offer a wide range of Ultrasonic flow meters from leading manufacturers such as Katronic and GE Panametrics, this allows us to specify the best flow meter for your application. 

All our Ultrasonic flowmeters use clamp on technology which negates the need to cut in to the pipework.

To have a chat with one of our technical sales team to discuss your application call us today on 01422 829920 or send us a quick enquiry.

 

How do Ultrasonic flowmeters work?

Ultrasonic flow meters work by measuring the velocity of a liquid using ultrasound to calculate volume flow. Ultrasound is the sound generated above the human hearing range. There are two types of ultrasonic flow meter: Transit Time, or Time of Flight, and Doppler, both are available in a clamp-on meter configuration with transducers, which are used to detect and measure flow rate from the outside of the pipe. Transit Time flow meters use two transducers and usually work at a frequency of 1 to 2 MHz, however, a higher frequency is used for smaller pipe installations, hence the need for several different transducer sets. Subsequently, Doppler flow meters use a single transducer and operate between 500 KHz and 1 MHz.

It is very important to select the correct ultrasonic technology for your  application, for example Doppler ultrasonic flow meters are best suited for the measurement of dirty liquids or liquids with entrained air because it is critical that particles in suspension or entrained air bubbles are present so that they can reflect the ultrasonic beam. Whereas, Transit Time ultrasonic flow meters are primarily used with clean liquids. The presence of solids or large quantities of air in these would attenuate the ultrasonic beam and weaken it to make measurement unreliable.

Every type of ultrasonic flowmeter varies greatly in price but are often inexpensive to use and maintain because they don't have any moving parts, unlike many mechanical flow meters, therefor they are virtually maintenance free. They are ideal for applications involving toxic chemicals or ultra pure liquids where breaking into the pipe to install a flowmeter would be undesirable due to the danger aspect or for fear of contamination. Finally, it may also be more convenient to use an this particular system in applications involving high working pressures and temperatures where installing in-line devices would be problematic.

Typical Applications for Ultrasonic Flow Meters

Typical applications for Ultrasonic flow meters include liquid flow measurement in full pipes, measurement of clean liquids, including water, wastewater, oils, solvents, acids, hydrocarbons and chemical, monitoring and controlling of HVAC systems. These ultrasonic flow metering systems are ideal for applications in which disruption of flow is not an option.

Advantages of using Clamp-on Flow Meters

The main advantage of using a clamp-on flow meter is that the technology is non-invasive, therefor this negates the need to cut in to the existing pipework and therefore employ pipe cutters. The fluid is measured by attaching two transducers on to the outside of the pipe, so this method is perfect for when cutting in to the pipe, disrupting the flow or shutting down the process is not an option. 

Another advantage is that clamp-on flow meters require very little maintenance. As the sensors have no contact with the flow, and they have no moving parts which means no head loss or obstruction and no wear and tear.

Another big benefit of using clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters is that this method can be used with a wide range of flow types. As long as the surface of the flow isn’t too turbulent, you can take accurate readings with your ultrasonic flow meter.

Ultrasonic flow meters are the perfect tool for potable water applications. Surprisingly, clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters can also be used in wastewater treatment and collection applications. 

Ultrasonic Flow Meter Hire

Should you need to hire an ultrasonic flow meter rather than buy. Our sister company Flowhire has the largest range of Ultrasonic flow meters available to hire in the UK. Visit the website here.

Flowquip's Ultrasonic Flow Meters

The ultrasonic technology market share is growing as the technology replaces older flow technologies. Improved electronic processing, increased diagnostics and a growing confidence in ultrasonic performance contribute, in part, to this growth.

All Flowquip's flow meters are non-invasive, with sensors that clamp on to the side of the pipe. This avoids the need to cut into the pipe and interrupt the flow. 

Electromagnetic flow meters are another great choice for measuring water-based flow.

KATflow 200 Hand-Held Portable Clamp-On Ultrasonic Flowmeter

The KATflow 200 is user friendly, hand held portable ultrasonic ‘clamp-on’ flow meter for liquid measurement, being fully portable and light-weight this flowmeter is incredibly easy to use and can be operated one-handed making it an ideal tool for use in confined spaces or when working at height.

Ultrasonic flow meter

Sensor sets are available for pipelines from 10mm to 3 metres diameter.

Additionally, the KATflow 200 offers measurement performance and features normally associated with more complex devices such as bi-directional totaliser, easy to use setup wizard, and integrated data logger.

With a weight of less than 700g, the KATflow 200 is a very light portable flow meter which can be carried in one hand, making it an ideal tool for use in confined spaces. Lastly, due to its robust housing with rubber shock protector, the flow meter is suitable for applications in tough, industrial conditions.

As with all other Katronic models, the KATflow 200 offers an intuitive instrument menu and Setup Wizard which guides the user step-by-step through the meter configuration.

Applications:

Pump testing and inspection

In-line flowmeter performance verification

Leakage and blockage detection

Clean in process system (CIP) testing

Monitoring of hydraulic systems

Clean room applications

An ultrasonic flow meter is ideal for applications where flow rates are required to be recorded over long periods of time. The KATflow 200 incorporates a data logging function with options for 30000 or 100000 measurements. Software is also provided to allow the user the facility to download the logged data to a PC. A certificate of calibration can be supplied with all new ultrasonic flowmeters offered by Flowquip.

Finally, Flowquip offer a flow meter calibration service. Our in-house, purpose-built and fully-certified calibration rigs mean that most types of flow meter, including ultrasonic, can be re-calibrated and a new calibration certificate issued.

If you have queries about any of our products or services, simply get in touch and we would love to help you.