Why Clamp-on Technologies Are The Best Choice When An Inline Flow Meter Is Not Possible

Choosing a flow meter to add to an existing plumbing network is sometimes a challenging situation where you are balancing the need for added, replacement or more accurate flow measurement versus the inconvenience and added risks associated with a flow meter installation. Find out why many operators are choosing clamp-on ultrasonic meters to add to their existing systems in lieu of more invasive insertion mag meters.

With the increased focus on water management and water use reduction programs, many companies and organizations are investing in added flow measurement to provide more granularity into how and where their water is used. In many of these cases, the installation sites are fully operational and the facility managers are concerned about service interruptions.

Inline electromagnetic (mag) meters provide best-in-class performance by measuring across the entire pipe diameter, especially for water and water-based fluids. Measuring across the entire pipe diameter is important because liquid flows faster towards the center of the pipe and slower near the pipe walls. This difference in flow velocity is referred to as a flow profile. 

Most insertion mag meters only sample measurement at a specific point in the pipe (not across the entire flow profile) thereby delivering a less accurate measurement than an inline mag meter. Insertion mag meters are an invasive flow meter type that needs to be physically inserted into the pipe and this requires a more invasive installation with more specialties (plumbing, electric, metrology) and interrupts service to facility or area served by the pipe.

Ultrasonic measurement technologies advanced quickly within the last decade. For example, ultrasonic technology has become a staple in the medical industry due to its non-invasive nature and its accurate ability to perform medical diagnostics on patients.

Both inline and clamp-on installation styles of ultrasonic flow meters deliver great performance. Today’s clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters deliver impressive accuracy, measure across the entire pipe diameter, are compatible with a wide range of installation scenarios, can be easily installed by one person in 30 minutes, and do not interrupt service.  Clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters are perfect for measuring liquids with acoustic properties, including water, water-based fluids, sewage, cooling water, glycol water, alcohols, and chemicals.

This video explains why users often choose ultrasonic clamp-on flow meters instead of insertion electromagnetic counterparts. Learn how to select the best metering technology for your application.

If you are still undecided whether clamp-on ultrasonic will work in your application, our recommendation is that you give it a chance and try it out.  Because clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters are 100% non-invasive, they can easily be installed and removed.  Clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters require zero holes in the pipe and therefore will not cause pipe leaks.