Flow measuring technology has come a long way in the last ten years. Before then it was necessary to actually open a pipe and put in a tool in order to measure the flow. Now you can attach a couple of pads and get an accurate measurement of the material flowing inside. A portable flowmeter will allow you to measure different areas in a pipe as well as only have one unit to measure multiple locations. The technology that makes this possible is call transit time.

Transit Time Explained

Transit time enable portable flow meters to measure relatively clean fluids with low to moderate aeration accurately. These meters operate by comparing the time for an ultrasonic signal to travel with the flow against the time for an ultrasonic signal to travel against the flow. By measuring the downstream time versus the upstream time you can get a proportional measurement of the flow. A portable flowmeter is a unit that has two clamps on it that attach to the pipe and send the signal.

The portable flowmeter will convert the information to the flow rate and total flow. By mounting the transducers on the outside of the pipe, a portable flowmeter is able to measure the data without having to go into the pipe. This is a huge advantage over the more invasive methods of having to actually cutting into the pipe.

Magmeters, vortex meters, and turbine flow meters have immense down time for installation and can contaminate a system. A portable flowmeter does the same job with no risk of these things happening. There is no pressure drop, no moving parts, and no risk of leaks. Once in place, a portable flowmeter is completely maintenance free.

The other huge advantage of using a portable flowmeter is that it can be moved from site to site and be used to measure different parts of the pipe. Traditional flow meters do not offer this advantage. In addition, a portable flowmeter is at least if not more accurate than the alternative methods. The reason for this is simple; it does not change the active system in any way while it is in operation.

Hopefully this has helped to give you an idea of what a portable flowmeter can do for you. The only way to really see how useful these tools are is to get one for yourself and try it out. Luckily for the most part the tools are not that expensive and can measure a wide variety of pipes.