KATflow 150 clamp-on flow meter receives MCERTS approval

Following an extensive programme of testing, both in the laboratory and during on-site installation, the KATflow 150 ultrasonic flow meter for demanding measurement tasks has been approved by the MCERTS programme of the UK Environment Agency for the measurement of effluent in industrial and wastewater treatment plants.-site installation, has been approved by the MCERTS programme of the UK Environment Agency for the measurement of effluent in industrial and wastewater treatment plants.

In all countries, companies that discharge their effluent into the atmosphere, the sewerage system, rivers or the sea are subject to government regulations that set limit values for the quantities of pollutants these companies are permitted to emit. In England and Wales, these limit values are authorised by the Environment Agency (EA), and one of the parameters that must be measured to verify discharge levels is flow rate. To ensure that effluent flow is measured correctly, both the measuring instruments and the entire discharge systems are accredited under the EA’s MCERTS (Monitoring Certification Scheme) procedure. Although MCERTS has been used for many years for industrial effluent discharges, it is increasingly being incorporated into the measurement standards of major water and wastewater companies, which measure flow at treatment works, stormwater retention basins and also at the final discharge point. Accredited MCERTS inspectors verify that each discharge point and the equipment installed there comply with the stringent MCERTS standards.

To achieve this standard, Katronic had to undergo a three-part testing and approval process carried out by the WRC (Water Research Centre), the UK’s leading research centre for water and wastewater. The process involved a factory inspection and extensive laboratory testing, including accuracy measurements lasting several days across a variety of pipe materials and at different temperatures. Only after the KATflow 150 had successfully met this demanding challenge was it possible to move on to the third test phase: a field test against an existing, MCERTS-approved meter to confirm its performance in practice.

The KATflow 150 was tested in a wastewater application in a vertical pipe at one of the largest water and wastewater companies in England. This test yielded some very interesting results. Once the KATflow 150 had been installed and commissioned, time-stamped data was collected at quarter-hourly intervals and compared with the results from an electromagnetic flow meter. Although the ‘instantaneous’ readings corresponded very closely with those of the reference instrument, the Katronic device consistently indicated a lower total flow rate over a 24-hour period. The measurement situation was examined more closely and it was found that the Katronic flow meter measures in both directions, which proved to be a great advantage for this measurement task, whereas the electromagnetic flow meter measures only in the forward direction and does not detect the backflow that occurs when the flow in the pipework stops. Had this involved a cost-generating flow in this instance, it would have meant that the operator was paying too much; a cost that they would, in turn, have saved by using the KATflow 150.

The results of the factory inspection, as well as the field and laboratory tests, were compiled and submitted to the certification body, the CSA Group. Consequently, the MCERTS certificate was issued to Katronic in mid-2023. A lengthy but valuable process that underlines the quality and accuracy of Katronic’s products. Customers requiring MCERTS certification should request this at the time of enquiry to ensure that the correct labelling and documentation are provided. MCERTS is based on the BS EN 17694-2 standard – Hydrometry – which sets out minimum standards for measuring instruments in closed pipelines.