Three companies, two flow meters, one satisfied customer
Both portable and fixed ultrasonic flowmeters from Katronic were used to monitor a water pipe over 100 years old located beneath a Scottish runway. The project demonstrates how both types of device work together to ensure the safe monitoring of infrastructure.
Successful teamwork in flow measurements at an airport in Scotland
One of the most frequently asked questions during equipment training sessions is about the difference between fixed and portable ultrasonic flowmeters in terms of their application. My standard answer to this question is, “portable flowmeters are used to identify problems, whereas fixed-installation flowmeters are used to resolve them”. Although this plausible explanation is certainly correct, the differences are in reality much more complex.
To illustrate this, let us consider the following recent case study involving our clamp-on flowmeters, which demonstrates the benefits of both types of device for one of our customers in the UK. For a project at one of Scotland’s busiest airports, Katronic was asked to supply both portable and fixed-installation flowmeters for measurements at the same location.
The airport operator was faced with a hundred-year-old 18-inch water main that ran directly beneath the runway and supplied water to several local towns. Given the location and age of the pipeline, there were concerns about the potential impact the installation might have on day-to-day airport operations, particularly in the event of a failure.
With up to eight million litres of water flowing beneath the runway every day, it is essential for the operator to be able to monitor and determine flow rates at all times, and to respond to any changes in flow in order to prevent major incidents. Initially, the airport operator commissioned Syrinix, a leading provider of intelligent pipeline monitoring systems, to supply a ‘Pipeminder system’ designed to deliver real-time data. To obtain an accurate and comprehensive overview, flow measurements were required, which is why Syrinix contacted Processplus Limited and requested a complete set of measurement equipment, including two stationary KATflow 100 ultrasonic flowmeters from Katronic.
Before the stationary flowmeters could be permanently installed on the pipework for continuous measurement, a number of spot measurements were required to assess the site and identify the optimal installation location. To this end, Processplus’s engineers used the KATflow 200 portable ultrasonic handheld device at two different measurement points and recorded initial provisional measurement data from the pipework.
These preparatory measures were taken, on the one hand, to demonstrate that the technology was capable of meeting the demands of the measurement application and, on the other hand, to establish an initial basis for the expected flow rates. The lightweight and handy KATflow 200 flow meter proved ideal for the test measurements in the confined space beneath the runway. Furthermore, the fact that it was able to achieve good measurement readings despite the age and condition of the pipeline was a testament to the device’s performance.
Once the initial data collection had been satisfactorily completed, two KATflow 100 clamp-on flowmeters were permanently installed at the previously identified measurement points. These were then connected to the Pipeminder system to enable data analysis. The system settings were configured so that an alarm is triggered immediately should there be an unexpected change in flow rates. Furthermore, the Pipeminder system was connected to the pressure relief valves of the airport’s fire hydrants, ensuring that an alarm is triggered immediately in the event of a rapid loss of pressure.
The information from this combined monitoring system enables the user to monitor changes in the condition of the pipe. The system issues an early warning if there is a risk of a potential pipe burst.
This is a typical example of the ‘Find it and fix it’ scenario described at the outset, but it also highlights the value and importance of the interaction between these two types of equipment for the user. The portable KATflow 200 is therefore not only useful for identifying problems, but is equally effective at providing high-quality quantitative and qualitative information in preparation for a subsequent fixed installation. Stationary measuring devices such as the KATflow 100 used here, or the KATflow 150 flow meter with an extended configuration, subsequently ensure reliable continuous measurements and thus a satisfied customer.
Andrew Sutton, Managing Director of Katronic Technologies Limited
