Zero Straight Run Requirements in Water Treatment & Distribution Applications

In some situations, the space constraints make straight-run requirements impossible to meet. To address these issues, the ModMAG^® M2000 Electromagnetic flow meter has emerged as a leading solution in applications with tight spaces because it has zero straight-run requirements.

With zero straight runs upstream or downstream, the ModMAG^® M2000 flow meter still delivers accuracies of ±1.0%—which is more than adequate in most applications—and offers ±0.1% repeatability out of the box. Additionally, it can be installed vertically or horizontally to fit a user’s existing application and layout to avoid costly modifications.

Exceptional Performance in a Variety of Applications

The ModMAG^® M2000 meter is often used to replace an existing flow meter with lower accuracy, where there is no meter but an accurate measurement is needed or during an upgrade or in new construction.

Here are a few situations where the ModMAG^® M2000 flow meter performs well: 

• Influent—Flow measurement is key to ensuring proper management of water intake into a drinking water or wastewater operation. The weirs, flumes and other open-channel meters used in these applications often start with an accuracy of 2 to 3%, but the buildup of algae and solids can easily drive that number as high as 20%.
• Booster pump stations—These are usually separate from the main pump stations, often in hilly topography, where pressure zones are required but there isn’t much space available to meet most straight-run requirements.
• Lift stations—The measurement of flow in lift stations provides important reference points for billing processes, evaluating pump efficiency and planning maintenance programs. Flow monitoring is the first step in identifying inflow and infiltration (I&I) to determine where problems are occurring and isolate basins with concerning characteristics. However, communities with large residential and commercial complexes discharging to a lift station cannot afford extended downtime for maintenance, repairs or substantial modifications for the installation of new equipment. Utilities can seamlessly install a ModMAG^® M2000 meter without having to install a second vault.

Other popular applications include water consumption or cost allocation; discharge reporting; and return activated sludge (RAS) and waste activated sludge (WAS) processes.

Another significant development is that with a relatively small amount of straight run piping, the ModMAG^® M2000 flow meter can perform to ±0.2 percent accuracy. This means it works well for expensive chemical injection processes—such as fluoridation, coagulant, disinfectant and corrosion control—to reduce waste and keep costs as low as possible. For water utilities that need a mix of meter accuracies, this is beneficial because operators don’t have to learn how to operate and maintain multiple flow meters.

Enhanced Operation and Durability

The stainless-steel electrodes used on most electromagnetic meters will pit and crack when they’ve been underwater for years. This can then inhibit the meter from properly reading the signal generated by the flow. As a result, the accuracy wanes over time.

In comparison, the ModMAG^® M2000 flow meter is equipped with Hastelloy C electrodes to mitigate that issue. Other benefits of the ModMAG^® M2000 meter include:

• No pressure loss or drops
• No moving parts (i.e., minimal maintenance and upkeep)
• No strainer requirements
• Standard and ISO lengths
• CSA certifications for indoor/outdoor use for U.S. and Canada

The meter’s transmitter can be integrally mounted to the sensor or can be remote-mounted, if necessary, and offers connectivity either to BEACON^® Software as a Service via cellular-enabled endpoints or to the user’s SCADA system, providing backup redundancy.

Some utility managers and operators, as well as design engineers, have the misconception that electromagnetic flow meters are expensive and have significant limitations in some applications. However, their cost is now comparable to mechanical meters. With its added benefits, the ModMAG^® M2000 flow meter is a solution that should be considered in any technology evaluation.