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New features available for battery-powered water meter

WATERFLUX 3070 The added features include integrated diagnostics, longer battery life, and remote communication options

WATERFLUX 3070 The added features include integrated diagnostics, longer battery life, and remote communication options

26th August 2016

  

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German process instrumentation manufacturer Krohne in June introduced several new features and options for its Waterflux 3070 water meter. The new features are meant to reduce time consuming and inconvenient visits to water meters, which are often installed in remote locations.

The new features also reduce time spent on set-up and maintenance. These new Waterflux features include a simplified installation procedure, integrated diagnostics, longer battery life, remote communication options and low overall maintenance requirements of the meters.

In terms of installation, the polycarbonate converter housing with ingress protection (IP) class IP68 rating is now standard for both the compact and remote version, ensuring that it can tolerate submersion caused by uncontrolled factors, such as temporarily flooded measuring pits. It features IP68 waterproof plug-and-play connectors that do not require wiring on site, and a small installation footprint to fit into electrical cabinets.

In locations where mains power is available, the Waterflux 3070, now available with an external FlexPower unit, can connect to a 110 V or 230 V ac power source or 10 V or 30 V dc power source on site, whether it is an electrical grid, a solar panel or a small windmill. The FlexPower module also has an internal battery that serves as a battery backup in case the external power source fails.

The integrated pressure and temperature sensor is a new option to allow the use of Waterflux for various tasks in drinking water networks, including collating flow and pressure measurement data which is an important input for pressure monitoring, maintaining the water balance, district zoning, and for leak detection in drinking water networks. With Waterflux, Krohne offers the first all-in-one water meter, eliminating the installation and wiring of separate flow, pressure and temperature sensors.

Pressure and temperature values are available on the display or through the use of programmable logic controllers transferring data to electronic devices using communication protocol Modbus. For example, temperature data can be used for quality monitoring of potable water. Alarms can be generated through the status output or through Modbus when critical limits for pressure and/or temperature are exceeded. The integrated pressure and temperature sensor is available for models with diameters of 50 mm and 200 mm.

The communication options have also been extended to meet water companies’ increasing demand for more measurement and status data from water meters. The new Modbus RTU output offers an alternative to the two pulse and two status outputs. Transferred data includes measurement data (sum, forward and reverse counters, flow rate), status data (battery lifetime, meter status), actual values for pressure and temperature, and alarms.

Modbus RTU can be provided in a low battery powered version and a high mains powered version. The low power Modbus version is unique to the market and can be used for data communication between a standalone battery powered Waterflux 3070 and a data logger GPRS module. When mains power is operated with FlexPower, the high featured Modbus option can be used for data transfer to automation and process control systems.

Introduced in 2009, the Waterflux battery powered water meter remains a very successful product in the drinking/clean water market, and is continuously updated to keep up with modern requirements. It features a unique rectangular measuring tube design. Because inlet or outlet sections are not required, the sensor allows for a compact installation and a small overall installation footprint. There is no need for grounding rings as the flow sensor has a reference electrode for grounding. A special coating allows for subsoil installation of the sensor.

Edited by Zandile Mavuso
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor: Features

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