Flowquip offer a wide range of cold and hot water meters for industrial and residential use to suit all applications and budgets. We also hold stock water flow sensors for those urgent applications.
Email: [email protected] or call us today on 01422 829920.
Water is probably the easiest of all liquids to meter and consequently many flow technologies are available to accomplish the task. Often the application will limit the choice of water flow sensor required. Working pressure, temperature, flow range, required accuracy, price, how clean is the water, is power available etc.
Variable Area Flowmeters: A simple ‘float in a tube’. Probably the least expensive and least accurate of all water flow meters but eminently suitable where a visual indication of flow is all that is required. Care must be taken with regard to not exceeding working pressure and temperature limits … particularly in the case of plastic tube units. V/A flowmeters are available for flows as low as 1 cc/min up to 1000 l/min with accuracy 2-3 percent at best.
Available from ¼” to 6” bore, they handle flow rates from a few litres per hour up to 600 m³/hr. Typically, users choose them where high accuracy is not required and price is important. Smaller meters are made of brass, while larger ones use epoxy-coated cast iron. Additionally, versions exist for cold and hot water. Typically, they have a mechanical non-reset totaliser, but they can also include a low-speed pulse transmitter for remote totalising. Meters 2” and below use BSP union connections, whereas larger sizes use flanged connections. The maximum pressure rating is 16 barg. Cold water meters are rated to 30/50°C, and hot water meters to 90/130°C.
Suitable for higher pressures up to 30000 psig, they serve well where higher accuracy or hygienic approval is needed. Although they operate over a 10:1 turndown, they offer high accuracy (0.2 to 0.5%). Furthermore, users can pair them with secondary instruments to show flow rate and total, and provide current or pulse output.
Ideal for water with suspended particles, they handle slurries or water with solids. Their accuracy matches turbine flowmeters, with a greater operating flow range (20:1 or better). Although they cost more than mechanical meters or turbines, they have no internal moving parts, making them suitable for clean or dirty water.
These are the most expensive but best for non-invasive measurements or multiple points in a process. While the initial cost is high, it is cheaper than many in-line meters. Additionally, they have no contact with water and no moving parts, so they are maintenance-free. However, users must take care not to exceed the max temperature limit (usually +130°C). Their accuracy is around 1 to 2%.
Finally, other flow technologies like Coriolis mass, vortex shedding, and positive displacement flowmeters are less common for water measurement.
Flowquip offer a wide range of cold and hot water meters. For a quotation or simply require a chat with one of our technical sales team to discuss your application - call us on 01422 829920 or email us at [email protected]
Should you wish to hire a water flow meter, this can be done through our sister company Flowhire
