Replacing your flowmeter is a big decision considering the huge installed base of traditional technologies. Users often shy away from replacement because of the cost, but that expense may well cut costs in the long run by delivering fewer maintenance issues and adding diagnostic capabilities.
According to David Tran, Director of Marketing, Process Systems, Thermo Fisher Scientific (www.thermofisher.com), Ultrasonic flow metering technology will continue to gain acceptance because it offers tremendous benefits over conventional measurement technologies, such as turbine meters, positive displacement meters and orifices plates. It provides higher accuracy and requires minimal maintenance because there are no moving parts, and the negligible pressure loss means less pumping power and lower operating costs. Customers also are looking for ease of use, higher speed, rugged construction, scalable and configurable options and the ability to communicate and extract diagnostic information from smart devices in the field, USB connectivity, Ethernet capability and system security.
Bret Shanahan, sales and marketing, Emerson Process Management. Rosemount Flow Div. (www.EmersonProcess.com) sees the growing emphasis on the need to verify the operation and performance of in-line flowmeters without removing them from the piping.
Over the next decade we will see a shift in many flowmeter technologies. Sonar and optical flowmeters have appeared on the market recently, and the cost of Coriolis and vortex flowmeters has dropped, broadening their market appeal.
Patti Pool
Products editor
