Water meter

Cập nhật lần cuối ngày 29/07/2023 lúc 04:41 chiều

The water meter is one of the commonly used measuring devices. They support better control of water resources, and the measured water volume serves as a basis for users to assess the system’s performance and evaluate the economic efficiency of the products produced.

If you are looking for more information about water meters, hopefully, this article can provide you with useful information.

Understanding Water Meters

Water meters, also known as flow meters, are typically installed on water pipelines to measure the amount of water flowing through the pipes. They are evaluated using units such as cubic meters (m³), cubic meters per hour (m³/h), or tons per hour, depending on the type of water meter.

They are devices used to measure the flow rate of water and other liquids in general.

To perform the task of measuring water flow, these devices need to be installed on pipeline sections. That’s why water meters are designed with two connecting ends that are compatible with the pipe diameter ranging from DN15 to DN600. Additionally, manufacturers provide users with installation options, including screwing, flange mounting, clamping, etc.

Water meters are divided into two main product lines based on their structural characteristics and functions:

Mechanical water meters: They have fewer features but are more commonly used due to their lower cost, independent operation without the need for power supply, stability, and high durability.

Electronic water meters: They offer more features and higher accuracy. However, they come at a higher price. These types of measuring devices are suitable for use in modern plant systems with higher requirements for features and accuracy.

How are water meters installed?

As you may know, in order for a water meter to function, it needs to be installed on the pipeline so that water can flow through the meter. The flowing water will affect the flow rate sensor, and through special components and mechanisms, the amount of liquid passing through the meter is displayed on the meter face.

Water meters are designed to be installed in systems using pre-manufactured connection types.

Screw-in water meter

The screw-in installation method has outstanding advantages in terms of quick installation, and it can also be easily removed in case of system troubleshooting. Screw-in installation is applicable to both mechanical and electronic water meters. Typically, it is used for devices with small to medium-sized port diameters. The larger the diameter, the more challenging the screw-in installation becomes. These devices are commonly provided with port diameters ranging from DN15 to DN80.

Flange-mounted water meter

While the screw-in method is often applied to design systems with small to medium-sized pipe dimensions, the flange-mounted method is suitable for the remaining size range. With two flange faces of the water meter, they will connect to the two flange faces of each pipe end using bolts and nuts to secure them together.

The characteristic of the flange-mounted method is that it requires accessories to connect and ensure a sealed joint between the valve flange and the pipe flange. This ensures a tight seal under the working pressure of the water acting on the pipe and measuring device. The devices are provided with diameters ranging from DN50 to DN600, and this installation method is applicable to both mechanical and electronic water meters.

Clamp-on water meter

Water meters usually have limited use of the clamp-on installation method, which is typically only used for electronic water meters. The meter body is designed with two connecting ends, processed with high precision. The meter is secured to the system by the tight pressure of the two end flanges of the pipeline.

Two commonly used types of water meters

Mechanical water meter

Mechanical water meters are devices used to measure water flow rate. They are constructed entirely from mechanical components, forming special mechanisms that transmit and transform motion from the flow rate sensing part. Currently, mechanical water meters on the market mainly use turbine blades to sense the flow rate of the water to be measured.

These meters do not require an external power source; instead, they operate solely based on the force of the flowing water acting on the motion-sensing component. With the advantage of low investment costs, these devices are suitable for use in household-scale pipeline systems.

Electronic water meter

Electronic water meters have a special construction that utilizes various electronic components and sensors to perform measurements of the working parameters of water within the pipeline system. This includes measuring flow rate, pressure, temperature, and more.

These products offer outstanding advantages in terms of measurement accuracy and the ability to interface with control systems to transmit measurement-related data to a central computer.

Unlike mechanical meters, electronic water meters require a power supply to operate. The power can be provided through batteries or electrical conductors with selectable voltage levels during the product selection process, such as 24V, 220V, 110V, etc.

With the features that this product offers, it comes with a significant upfront investment cost.

Applications of water meters

The use of water meters in a system serves the purpose of accurately measuring the amount of water consumed or the amount of water discharged after serving production needs.

For clean water, which is considered a valuable resource and often supplied from water treatment plants, determining the amount of water consumed is necessary for calculating water usage costs.

In the industrial sector, water is used in various processing stages, and controlling water quantity directly affects the quality of the products and is one of the factors influencing the product’s price after completion. The water used in production is commonly referred to as wastewater, and it is crucial to control the quantity and quality of industrial wastewater according to the requirements set by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

See more products: flow meters.