10 Items to Consider Before Buying a Turbine Flow Meter

The budget is not the only factor to consider when you decide to purchase a turbine flow meter for your project. An incorrect flow meter will cost you more time and money, then reinstalling will cost even more, which will also reduce your creditworthiness with customers. In order to obtain the proper type of flow device, the correct type selection is essential.

Here are 10 things worth considering before making a decision:

1. Confirm medium: liquid or gas

Turbine flow meters are not suitable for solid and multiphase media. So first identify what liquid it is, liquid or gas. Gas flow meters are much more expensive these days, especially clip-on types. If the fluid is gas, it is best to consider other flow meters first, such as thermal mass flow meters or vortex flow meters, etc.
If it is a liquid, you should check whether it is clean or contains average particles or air bubbles. If the answer is yes, you can choose a time-of-flight ultrasonic water flow meter, otherwise, an ultrasonic Doppler flow meter is a better choice.

2. Temperature and working pressure

The clamping working pressure of the turbine flow meter is required. The clamps on the flow meter are not in direct contact with the fluid. Clamp-on flow meters will only work properly if the pipes can withstand the pressure. But you should be aware of it if using inline and/or insert flow meters. It is important to measure the temperature of the environment. Initially, flow sensors and converters had maximum and minimum temperature limits. Especially you should pay attention to the maximum temperature, otherwise, the flow meter will be poor. It also violates the supplier's free repair or replacement policy.

3. Pipeline condition

The pipes come in various materials such as metal, plastic, cement, etc. Faced with different pipeline conditions, the installation methods of turbine flow meters are quite different. For example, for tubing that is often seen, clamp-on meters work well. With cement or concrete pipes, the clamp on the flow meter usually does not get a stable signal. Therefore, it is better to use an inline type or an insertion type turbine flow meter.

Metal pipes may be seriously rusted after long-term use. And some pipes have an external coating that does not facilitate flow meter penetration. In this case, clamps are not suitable on the meter. You can try to find other correct mount points. Or consider an intrusive flow meter as an alternative. If the pipe wall thickness exceeds 30-40mm, consult the manufacturer in advance. They are more professional and can confirm that it is suitable for that particular application.

4. Pipe size and sensor

Turbine flow meters come in 3 sensor types: Clamp-On, Insertion, and In-Line. For DN20 and below, it is better to choose the in-line type with a threaded connection, when the pipe size exceeds DN25, if the pipe material is suitable, the clamp-type flow meter can work well; when it exceeds DN50, all three types are available. When the pipe size exceeds DN200 or DN300, in-line is not recommended. Because of its heavy weight, shipping costs are higher. Our in-line turbine flow meters are a more cost-effective solution compared to in-line magnetic flow meters. If your project requires an inline type, our in-line ultrasonic meters are also the ideal solution for you.

Plug-in sensors can be used for pipes above DN65. A hot water faucet tool can help install a plug-in sensor without flow stopping. Of course, its working pressure should be lower than 0.8 NePa during installation. For steel pipes, the insertion sensor is welded onto the pipe surface. For other pipes, special straps are used to secure them.

5. Output, protocol, and data storage

We provide a variety of outputs and protocols to meet different requirements. They include 4-20mA/0-20A, 0CT pulse, RS485/RS232, relay output, frequency output, Iodbus protocol, I-bus, etc. If you need wireless communication, GPRS/GSM is suitable for long-distance communication, and Zigbee or WIFI is suitable for area management. (Such as buildings, etc.) We also provide data storage functions for flow meters and provide related data management software.

6. Portable Vs. Permanent

If you want a mobile flow device to measure different pipes or different places, a portable flow meter should be a better choice. The built-in battery makes it easy to move for flow checking and flow measurement. If you want to measure the pipeline for a long time, you must use a permanent flow meter. Fixed flow meters are usually AC or DC powered and can be equipped with a full range of flow sensors.

7. The power supply is available

There are four main sources of power: AC, DC, battery, and solar. Permanent flow meters are available with either wide AC power or wide DC power. But our turbine meters are a low power design so batteries or solar power can be used with the clamp on the sensor. Portable flow meters must be powered by internal batteries. They provide either 12 hours or 20 hours of working time when fully charged. We tried to strike the perfect balance between practical use and size. If you want to use the built-in battery for extended operating time, you can choose a plug-in flow meter. They can work for 4-6 years, longer with a larger battery.

8. Distance between converter and sensor

This issue dictates the length of the cable between the flow converter and the sensor. In order to maintain a good signal, use a special cable and do not allow connections with a maximum allowable distance of 200m-300m. If the distance is still not enough, you can use RS485 or wireless output. If there is no signal interruption, RS485 can guarantee 1000 meters or so. GPRS/GSM can provide a wider communication range.

9. Thermal flow meter function

Thermal flow meters have a wide range of requirements for HVAC, etc. We have added proven heat measurements to our turbine flow meters. The flow meter is equipped with PT100 or PT1000 resistance, which can collect the temperature signal of the water line and water outlet. You can then get the value of the calories consumed. Plus flow meter clamping allows the use of true clamps on thermal flow meters.

10. Professional technical service

Turbine flow meters are complex industrial products. Compared with ordinary commodities, their operation, and future maintenance are very different. This requires suppliers to have strong technical capabilities and be able to provide professional services. Otherwise, one day you encounter a problem, and the supplier will not be able to answer, which will waste your time and even make your customers lose confidence in you. As real developers, we have been dealing with traffic equipment for about 30 years and can always ensure a professional service.

All in all, the selection of a turbine flowmeter is very important. Only the correct selection can ensure the stable operation of the turbine flowmeter. Sinomeasure provides free technical support with you. Inquire and get free quotations now.