Feature
Story
Clamp-on Ultrasonic
Flow Meters:
How they measure up
Martin Dingman, Product Manager, Siemens Industry Inc.
Not cool enough in summer. Not warm enough in winter.
Guests staying at a prestigious
country club in New York state complained regularly about the air conditioning and heating of their luxury
suites and apartments. The geothermal
heat exchange system serving this facility had never, in fact, been fully functional. The system’s maintenance staff
had witnessed pump shutdowns as well,
with the pumps simply, unexpectedly
ceasing to work. Resetting the entire
system seemed to be the only way to
get them up and running again.
Ultimately, a better solution was
found. A balancing company was
brought in to correct system efficiencies. Utilizing a clamp-on ultrasonic flow
meter, company engineers were able to
investigate the ground water loops, spot
the sources of trouble, and make decisions that would save the country club
more than $100,000 a year in utility bills.
Clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters
– portable or permanent – are valuable
tools for helping district energy provid-
Courtesy Siemens Industry Inc.
ers, building owners and managers, and
others measure and manage their system
performance in a number of ways. These
units provide the baseline and load profile information needed to effectively
optimize system efficiency and reduce
energy consumption – and costs.
Versatile, Economical
Solution
While other flow measurement
technologies (e.g., magnetic or vortex
Portable clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters like
this unit can be used to measure hydronic flow
anywhere along the loop.
flow meters) are also used in district
energy applications, clamp-on ultrasonic
flow meters are often an optimal solution. Externally mounted, and available
in portable and permanent models, they
are especially well-suited for use with
existing hot or chilled-water distribution
lines. In existing applications they are
quick, easy and less expensive to install
than other flow meter options because
there is no need to cut the line, interrupt service or drain the pipe. They also
