Simple pump testing for SSP thanks to Katronic’s flow meters
Katronic’s non-invasive ultrasonic flow meter assists with functional testing of pumps manufactured by a major British pump manufacturer
KATflow 230 supports successful pump testing for fire protection systems
The KATflow 230 portable flow meter successfully demonstrated that the SSP pumps installed at a major kitchen manufacturer’s production facility were capable of pumping water at twice the rate required to supply the sprinkler system in the event of a fire. The functional test of the pumps was required by the kitchen manufacturer’s insurance company.
SPP Pumps is a major British pump manufacturer with more than 500 employees worldwide and is renowned for its fire-fighting pumps and customer support. For the kitchen manufacturer, SPP used the KATflow 230 portable flow meter to measure the flow rate at two pumps, one of which was electric and the other diesel-powered. Normally, only the electric pump is used; the diesel pump is kept in reserve for emergencies.
SPP’s engineers mounted the clamp-on ultrasonic sensors onto the outside of the pipe and followed the instructions provided by the KATflow 230’s acoustic sensor positioning assistant to set the optimum sensor spacing and carry out the measurement. The test measurement on the electric pump was carried out on a vertical section of pipe, primarily to verify the accuracy of the existing mechanical flow meter.
The measurement on the diesel pump proved somewhat more difficult, as there was no reference meter and only a very short straight section of pipe was available. The outer diameter of the galvanised steel pipe was 221.2 mm, and the wall thickness sensor was used to determine a wall thickness of 6.1 mm. Thanks to the KATflow 230’s diagnostic screen, it was quickly established that a good measurement signal could be obtained.
The flow rate of the water being pumped was determined to be up to 3,000 US gallons per minute, with ‘gallons’ being one of many units of measurement that Katronic flowmeters output as standard. Commenting on the Katronic measuring equipment, SSP manager Terry Phelps said: “What matters most to us is that the devices are easy to use and do what they’re supposed to. We find the Katronic flowmeters very easy and straightforward to use; the devices are quick to set up and provide measurement results we can rely on.”
