Battery-powered flowmeter great for SA conditions
May 2003
Flow Measurement & Control
Access Control & Identity Management
Lightning, cable theft and the restricted reach of electricity grids are just some of the obstacles that will no longer hamper the consistently accurate measurement of water flow in southern Africa, following the release of a battery-powered ultrasonic flowmeter by Danfoss.
In addition to stricter local legislation regarding water measurement for billing purposes, local companies in the water industry have had to face an array of problems preventing reliable, sustained measurement of water flow, ranging from restricted availability of grid-power to the loss of electricity due to cable theft or lightning - the latter also causing product malfunction. Due to the fact that measuring points are often in remote areas, significant losses in revenue often resulted from the problems noted above. The introduction of the battery-powered Sonocell ultrasonic flowmeter is set to significantly benefit local water distributors.
"Danfoss has been the pacesetter in the development of the ultrasonic flowmeter, and the Sonocell certainly is a continuation of this drive towards perfecting water flow measurement," says Mick Baugh, Danfoss South Africa Business Unit Manager - Motion Controls and Flow. "Not only has testing of this product in South Africa proven its prowess in eliminating irritations traditionally associated with water flow measurement, but it has proven remarkably energy efficient."
Powered by a 3,6 V battery not much bigger than a flashlight battery, the Sonocell will run for over 8 years before requiring a replacement battery. The flowmeter boasts accuracy better than ±1% of actual flow, with realtime measurements taking place every 2 seconds. An integrated LCD display receives and stores updated measurements and infrared technology means that data can be updated using wireless handheld devices.
"With its built-in battery, advanced signal converter, realtime display and wireless data transfer capabilities, Sonocell really is ready to greatly enhance the efficient measurement of water flow, especially in a country as vast and lightning-prone as South Africa," Baugh concludes.
For more information contact Mick Baugh, Danfoss, 011 803 8390, [email protected]
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