Ultrasonic flow meter clamps directly on piping

An ultrasonic meter clamps on to piping to accurately measure flow rates of liquid used in the food processing industry.

Dynasonics, a division of Racine Federated, says it has developed a new generation of doppler ultrasonic flow meters that makes installation simpler.

Software algorithms operating within the company's Series DFX Flow Meter monitor incoming signal quality and flow performance - both during initial startup and continuously during operation.

This allows plant workers to make automatic adjustments due to changing liquid conditions.

"The result is a product that can be taken out of the shipping box and be accurately and reliably measuring flow within a couple of minutes without special tools, training or specializedcomputer software," the company stated.

The company designed the DFX based on its TFX Transit Time Ultrasonic Flow Meter. Dynasonics used the TFX's enclosure, replaceable isolated output modules, a large character backlit LCD,auto-ranging rate display and connections.

The DFX also contains a digital mixer circuit that is highly immune to measurement errors caused by electrical noise and other ultrasonic products. This new feature ensurs stable and reliablemeasurements, the company claims.

The clamp-on pipe transducer is rated for temperatures of up to 400 °F (200 °C) and can be located up to 1,000 feet from the DFX display enclosure. An insertion probe sensor is available forinstallation on pipe systems that do not permit ultrasound penetration.

The DFX system can measure flow on pipe sizes larger than three mm (1/8 inch).

"DFX is a cost effective, non-intrusive solution to measuring flow in full pipes carrying liquids with useful sonic reflectors, particles greater than 35 microns, such as sludges, slurries,emulsions, dispersions and pulps," the company stated. "These categories encompass a wide variety of industrial, chemical, wastewater and food processing applications."