High-precision Ultrasonic Water Meter for Water management

Digital Ultrasonic water meter works with principle of ultrasonic time difference is used to measure the flow of liquid in the pipe.

Can be battery powered and wireless. For residential water, urban water, industrial water management.

  • High accuracy and reliable operation.
  • Low starting flow rate(Q1)
  • IP68 protection
  • Built-in Lithium battery for 6 years life expectancy.
  • No Rotation, N o Moving Parts
  • Can completely replace other types of water meters.

Sino-Inst offers a variety of  Ultrasonic flow meters for flow measurement. If you have any questions, please contact our sales engineers.

Specifications of Ultrasonic Water Meter

ItemSpecification
Measurement LiquidWater, Sewage, Seawater( Other liquid need to customized), the liquid should be full of the pipeline
Medium Temperature0.1-30℃
Working EnvironmentTemperature:-10~45℃; Humidity≤100%(RH)
Working Pressure1.6MPa(2.5MPa optional)
The sensitivity of upstreamU3
The sensitivity of downstreamD0
Climatic and mechanicalC class
Electromagnetic compatibility classE2 class
Communication InterfaceRS485/USART/Infrared
Output SignalTwo way OCT pulse output/TTL pulse output/One way4-20mA output
Power SupplyBuilt-in Lithium battery(3.6,19AhV)/DC8-36V power supply
Protection ClassIP68, can work 2 meters underwater
Digital DisplayMulti-line 9 digital accumulative flow,4 digital display for instantaneous flow, varies of state prompt and units
Data StorageEEPROM/FLASH, automatically record the accumulative flow of the last 512 days
Measurement CycleMeasuring:1 times/second;Verification:4 times/second
Power Consumption<2.7AH/Year,6 years battery life

Read more about Everything You Need To Know About Electronic Flow Meters

Dual Channel Ultrasonic Water Meter Optional Transducer:

DN15-dn40 ultrasonic water meter DN15~DN40Single channel, the copper material, forging technology
DN50-DN150 Ultrasonic water meter  DN50~DN150Dual channel, nodular cast iron (304 stainless steel optional),
integrated casting technology
DN200~DN300 ultrasonic water meterDN200~DN300Dual channel

Dual Channel Ultrasonic Water Mete Flow range:

Norminal Diameter
(mm)
Range than
R
Flow(m³/h)
Starting
Flowrate
Minimum
Flowrate
Q1
Transitional
Flowrate
Q2
Permanent
Flowrate
Q3
Overload
Flowrate
Q4
DN15 200 0.003 0.0125 0.020 2.500 3.125
DN20 200 0.0035 0.016 0.026 3.200 4.000
DN25 200 0.007 0.020 0.032 4.000 5.000
DN32 200 0.010 0.032 0.050 6.300 7.875
DN40 200 0.015 0.100 0.160 20.000 25.000
DN50 100 0.030 0.400 0.640 40.000 50.000
DN65 100 0.059 0.630 1.008 63.000 78.750
DN80 100 0.064 1.000 1.600 100.000 125.000
DN100 100 0.094 1.600 2.560 160.000 200.000
DN125 100 0.120 2.000 3.200 200.000 250.000
DN150 100 0.270 2.500 4.000 250.000 312.500
DN200 100 0.315 4.000 6.400 400.000 500.000
DN250 100 0.508 4.000 6.400 400.000 500.000
DN300 100 0.770 6.300 10.080 630.000 787.500

Features of Ultrasonic Water Meter

  • Initiating flow lower to millimeter grade 
  • Multi line 9 digital LCD dispaly accumulative flow and 4 digital for instantaneous flow
  • High reliability design, no moving part 
  • Two channel isolated pulse output,pulse equivalent and output pulse can be arbitrary customed
  • Two-wired system 4-20mA output optional 
  • Built-in Lithium battery for 6 years life expectancy
  • It can automatic power saving under empty pipe or the liquid static for a long time
  • Resin vacuum sealed IP68 for long life and high expectancy Chronological cumulative record 
  • Standard RS485 interfaceInfrared communication interface,support CJ-188 communication Support MODBUS, M-BUS communication protocol 
  • TTL levels pulse output and USART interface,convenient to connect the low power consumption equipment 
  • With the two channel PT1000 temperature transducer, which can realize the heat measurement

Ultrasonic Water Meter Working Principle

First of all, let’s start with the measurement principle of the ultrasonic water meter:

Ultrasonic water meters use the difference between the downstream and upstream propagation of sound waves in the water to obtain the flow velocity of the water through a measurement formula, thereby further obtaining the cumulative flow of water per unit time.

Then the component that emits sound waves and receives the return sound waves is called a transducer. An ultrasonic water meter with a pair of transducers is called a mono ultrasonic water meter.

In theory, the measurement accuracy of an ultrasonic water meter with more channels will be higher. Because the more sound channels, the wider the width of the water meter to measure the water flowing through the pipe section. The more the number of measurements, the more reliable the data obtained.

However, the subsequent change is also the substantial increase in cost. If it is not particularly necessary, it is recommended to use dual channels to meet the normal measurement requirements.

Generally speaking, two-channel ultrasonic water meters are only used for DN100 and above.

Ultrasonic Water Meter installation

Ultrasonic water meter is a new type of water meter that detects the time difference caused by the speed change when the ultrasonic sound beam propagates in the water upstream and downstream, and analyzes and processes the water velocity to further accumulate the water flow.

Ultrasonic water meter is a fully electronic water meter manufactured with industrial-grade electronic components using the principle of ultrasonic time difference. Compared with mechanical water meters, it has high precision, good reliability, wide range ratio, long service life and no moving parts. No need to set parameters, installation at any angle, etc.

With excellent small flow detection capabilities, it can solve many problems of traditional water meters. More suitable for gradient charging of water charges. It is more suitable for the conservation and rational use of water resources. It has a broad market and application prospects.

Extended reading: Portable ultrasonic flow meter for water

DN200~DN300 ultrasonic water meter

There are two types of ultrasonic water meter accuracy: Class 1 and Class 2.

Ultrasonic water meters supplied by Sino-Inst are generally Class 1 with an error of 1%.

Read more about: Ultrasonic flow meters types & technical guide

Ultrasonic Clamp on Flow Meter is composed of an integrated host and external clamp on sensors. Clamp on Flow Sensors are available at room temperature and high temperature.

Ultrasonic Clamp on Flow Meter

Clamp on flow meter (Model: 2000) is composed of an integrated host and ultrasonic clamp on sensor. Clamp on flow meter is widely used in online flow measurement of various liquids. Just stick the external clamp sensor on the pipe surface. Compared with the traditional flowmeter, it does not need to cut off the pipe and flow. The installation is convenient and quick, and the non-destructive installation is truly realized.

Clamp on Flow Meter Reference price: USD 470.00/pc

Sino-Inst offers a variety of  Ultrasonic flow meters for flow measurement. If you have any questions, please contact our sales engineers.

Extended Reading: Chilled Water Flow Meter

  1. According to the measurement principle

(1) Time difference method ultrasonic flowmeter;
(2) Frequency difference method ultrasonic flowmeter;
(3) Phase difference method ultrasonic flowmeter;
(4) Doppler ultrasonic flowmeter;
(5) Ultrasonic flowmeters for partially full pipes and river channels that combine liquid level measurement and average flow velocity measurement.

  1. According to the way of use

(1) Portable ultrasonic flowmeter;
(2) Fixed (standard pipe section) ultrasonic flowmeter.

  1. According to the installation method of the transducer

(1) Standard pipe section ultrasonic flowmeter;
(2) Clip-on ultrasonic flowmeter;
(3) On-site hole-opening plug-in ultrasonic flowmeter.

  1. According to whether the transducer is in contact with the fluid

(1) Immersion (contact) ultrasonic flowmeter;
(2) Non-invasive (non-contact) ultrasonic flowmeter.

  1. According to the nature of the measured fluid

(1) Liquid ultrasonic flowmeter;
(2) Gas ultrasonic flowmeter.

  1. According to the number of transducer channels

(1) Mono ultrasonic flowmeter;
(2) Two-channel ultrasonic flowmeter;
(3) Multi-channel ultrasonic flowmeter.

Extended reading: Portable ultrasonic flow meter for water

9 points: the difference between electromagnetic water meter-ultrasonic water meter-mechanical water meter

The following are some of the differences between these three tables summarized by Sino-Inst:

  1. Water quality requirements

Electromagnetic water meter: not affected by impurities such as sand, weeds, and chemical substances in the medium, but interfered by magnetic substances;
Ultrasonic water meter: It is not interfered by impurities, chemical substances and magnetic substances in the medium such as sand, weeds, etc.;
Mechanical water meter: The water quality similar to tap water must be used, and the liquid must not contain impurities such as rust, gravel, aquatic plants, etc.

  1. Turndown ratio

Electromagnetic water meter: low flow rate measurement performance is poor, medium and high flow rate measurement performance is stable. The coverage of the turndown ratio does not cover the small flow area;
Ultrasonic water meter: The range is generally better than 100:1, the initial flow velocity is extremely low, which can be lower than 0.01m/s, and the effective measurement range is large, which can avoid running, emitting, dripping, and leaking;
Mechanical water meter: It is more difficult to make high range ratio products, and the range ratio of conventional water meters is generally below 80

  1. Protection level

Electromagnetic water meter: electronic products, the protection level strictly meets IP68 requirements, and the quality must be qualified.
Ultrasonic water meter: electronic products, the protection level strictly meets IP68 requirements, and must be qualified by products;

Mechanical water meter: IP68

  1. Pressure loss

Electromagnetic water meter: meet the minimum level of pressure loss ΔP10;
Ultrasonic water meter: meet the minimum level of pressure loss ΔP10
Mechanical water meter: The force loss is very large, about ΔP63

  1. Wearability

Electromagnetic water meter: no mechanical moving parts, never wear, accuracy has little relationship with the use time, the general verification period is more than 3 years;
Ultrasonic water meter: without any mechanical moving parts, never wear, accuracy has little relationship with the use time, the general verification period is more than 3 years;
Mechanical water meter: Use impeller gears and other mechanical rotating parts to measure, and there is abrasion. The longer the use time, the lower the measurement accuracy.

  1. Installation method

Electromagnetic water meter: horizontal or vertical, the electrodes must be on the same horizontal plane;
Ultrasonic water meter: freely choose the installation method according to the site conditions, horizontal, vertical, or inclined installation;
Mechanical water meter: Single installation, must be installed strictly horizontally or vertically.

  1. Installation requirements (sensitivity level of flow field)

Electromagnetic water meter: U10D5 or U5D3: Upstream requires 10/5 times the pipe section aperture length, and downstream requires 5/3 times the pipe section aperture length;
Ultrasonic water meter: the industry-leading product can be better than U3D0: the upstream requires 3 times the length of the pipe section aperture, and the downstream can be directly connected to the elbow;
Mechanical water meter: U10D5: Upstream requires 10 times the length of the pipe section aperture, and downstream requires 5 times the pipe section aperture length.

  1. Communication network

Electromagnetic water meter: internal circuit initiated, no external electronic device is needed, zero communication error;
Ultrasonic water meter: the internal circuit is initiated, no external electronic device is required, and the communication is zero error;
Mechanical water meter: additional electronic devices are required.

  1. Power supply problem

Electromagnetic water meter: The principle of electromagnetic induction determines that the power consumption is relatively large. Generally, it takes 15s to measure the flow rate once, and the battery life is 3-5 years;
Ultrasonic water meter: Qualified product, can guarantee the battery life of more than 10 years under the current measurement cycle of at least 1S;
Mechanical water meter: The mechanical base meter does not require power supply.

Read more about: How does a residential water meter work?

water meter installation details

Installation and use of ultrasonic water meters and precautions:

  1. The applicable model is determined according to the system flow rather than the system pipe diameter. The diameter and model of the heat meter should be determined according to the commonly used flow.
  2. According to the design requirements of household measurement, a filter must be installed before the water inlet. The filter must be cleaned and maintained regularly.
  3. It must be installed in a horizontal or vertical direction, and the direction of the arrow on the pulse meter (including the filter) must be consistent with the direction of the water flow in the pipeline. Do not allow the water to flow backwards to avoid impurities in the water from damaging the meter. When installed vertically, the water flow direction must be upward .
  4. Before installation, the pipes must be cleaned.
  5. There should be straight pipes of sufficient length at the inlet and outlet of the water meter. The length of the straight pipe at the front end of the inlet should not be less than 10 times the length of the pipe diameter. The length of the straight pipe at the front end of the outlet should not be less than 5 times the length of the pipe diameter:
  6. The water meter calculator (display) shall not be immersed in water.
  7. The water quality of the water supply should meet the relevant regulations.
  8. The water meter is a measuring instrument, and the heat meter must be checked regularly in accordance with national standards, and the battery must be replaced during the check.
  9. To avoid man-made damage to the metering system, a water meter box can be installed.
  10. Without the permission of the company, no one is allowed to disassemble the maintenance watch without permission, otherwise the warranty service will be released by itself.

Read more about: Common River Water Level Measurement Methods

water meter life expectancy

Water meter is an instrument for measuring water flow. Most of them are cumulative flow measurement of water, generally divided into two types: volumetric water meter and speed water meter. Originated in the United Kingdom, the development of water meters has a history of nearly two hundred years.

The service life of the water meter shall not exceed 6 years (caliber of 15-25 mm), 4 years (caliber of > 25-50 mm), and shall be rotated upon expiration. In other words, a water meter with a diameter of 15 to 20 mm can be used for up to 6 years.

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Frequently
Asked
Questions

Ultrasonic water meters mainly use:

When the ultrasonic wave is transmitted in the water flow, the speed and temperature of the water flow will affect the ultrasonic receiving time. However, the difference between the upstream and downstream measurement times can eliminate the temperature effect. Therefore, if the ultrasonic receiving time is affected at this time, it is only related to the speed of the water flow.

During measurement, both transceivers transmit and receive ultrasonic waves, and the current water velocity can be calculated according to the time difference between upstream and downstream.

Compared with mechanical water meters, it has the characteristics of high precision, good reliability, wide range ratio, long service life, no moving parts, no need to set parameters and installation at any angle.

If the diameter of the water pipe is known when calculating the water loss, the flow rate for a certain period of time can be calculated. The calculation formula is:

Downstream formula: TDown= L / (VS+ Vf)
Upstream formula: TUp= L / (VS– Vf)

L is the distance between the two ultrasonic sensors. VS is the speed of sound in water. Vf is the velocity of the water flow.

It is precisely because the ultrasonic water meter has the above characteristics. The measurement accuracy of the ultrasonic water meter is very high. It is several times or even dozens of times that of ordinary mechanical water meters. It is precisely because of this that more and more people are beginning to use ultrasonic water meters.

Check more Choosing The Right 1 Inch Flow Meter.

The areas with relatively large demand for ultrasonic water meters include agricultural irrigation, township water supply, urban water supply, and smart city construction.

Details as follows:

  1. Agricultural irrigation: no mechanical transmission parts. No flow blocking elements. Ultrasonic water meter measurement is almost unaffected by water quality. It can adapt to the poor water quality of agricultural irrigation and is the most suitable product for the measurement of agricultural irrigation water.​​
  2. Smart city: no pressure loss, reduce the energy consumption of the pump, and achieve the goal of energy saving. The communication interface is complete. It is convenient for network remote monitoring and reflects intelligence. Battery powered, no mechanical transmission parts, long service life.​​
  3. Urban water supply: The initial flow of the ultrasonic water meter is low, which avoids the unmeasured small flow and increases the water fee income. The high measurement accuracy makes the accurate measurement of water bills a reliable guarantee. Wide range ratio, suitable for various users with different water consumption.​​
  4. Township water supply: adapt to various domestic water quality conditions. The communication network is convenient, the output signal is many, and it is convenient for automatic settlement and computer management. Realize centralized management of water resources and improve management efficiency. Remote monitoring, reducing management costs.

Read more: Insertion Type Ultrasonic Flow Meter Applications

How accurate are ultrasonic water meters?
The measurement accuracy of the ultrasonic water meter is shown in the figure above.

There are many advantages of using the ULTRASONIC flow meters which include:

  • The electronics in the ultrasonic flow meter includes ultrasonic flowmeter detector which compensates and adapts to the changes in the profile of the flow, type of the liquid and material of the pipe.
  • portable ultrasonic flow meter converter can be used as a direct method to determine the flow rates effectively when compared to the other flow systems.
  • Ultrasonic flow meter converter is inexpensive to use and maintain when compared to the other mechanical flow meters as they are no moving parts in these flow meters.
  • Their design is highly sophisticated and they do not obstruct the liquid flow, so they can be used for sanitary, corrosive and abrasive liquids.

Sino-Inst is Manufacturer of ultrasonic water meters. We supply more than 20 kinds of ultrasonic water meters. 90% of ultrasonic water meters are used in industrial agriculture. The rest are for civilian use.

Due to the measurement of different pipes, the price of ultrasonic water meters is also different. Available from USD 50.00 to USD 1500. So, if you need to purchase ultrasonic water meter. Please contact our sales engineer to confirm the price.

Ultrasonic water meters are mainly used for flow measurement of water. They are mainly used for metering and monitoring the flow of water media, such as domestic water, central air conditioning system water, equipment pipe network water, etc.

Ultrasonic water meters enable stable flow measurement . This greatly meets the measurement needs of many applications. Can be used from small to large tubes.

Sino-Inst’s Ultrasonic water meters, made in China, Having good Quality, With better price. Our flow measurement instruments are widely used in China, India, Pakistan, the US, and other countries.

The entire team at Sino-Inst’s has received excellent training, so we can ensure that every client’s needs are met. For assistance with your product requirements, whether it’s a Ultrasonic water meters, level sensor, or other device, give us a call.