KATflow 150 Clamp-On Flow Meter Receives MCERTS Certification

The KATflow 150 ultrasonic flowmeter, designed for demanding measurement tasks, has received approval from the MCERTS program of the UK Environment Agency for measuring wastewater in industrial and wastewater treatment facilities following an extensive testing program conducted both in the laboratory and during on-site installation.on-site installation, has received approval from the MCERTS program of the UK Environment Agency for the measurement of wastewater in industrial and wastewater treatment facilities.

In all countries, companies that discharge wastewater into the air, sewer systems, rivers, or the sea are subject to government regulations that set limits on the amounts of pollutants these companies are permitted to emit. In England and Wales, these limits are approved by the Environment Agency (EA), and one of the parameters that must be measured to verify discharge levels is flow rate. To ensure that wastewater flow is measured accurately, both the measuring instruments and the entire discharge systems are certified under the EA’s MCERTS (Monitoring Certification Scheme) process. Although MCERTS has been used for industrial wastewater discharges for many years, it is increasingly being incorporated into the measurement standards of major water and wastewater utilities that measure flow at wastewater treatment plants, stormwater retention basins, and at the final discharge point. Accredited MCERTS inspectors verify that each discharge point and the equipment installed there comply with the strict MCERTS standards.

To achieve this standard, Katronic had to undergo a three-part testing and approval process conducted by the WRC (Water Research Centre), the leading British research center for water and wastewater. The process included a factory inspection and extensive laboratory testing, including accuracy measurements conducted over several days in a variety of pipe materials and at different temperatures. Only after the KATflow 150 had successfully met this demanding challenge could the process move on to the third test phase: a field test against an existing MCERTS-approved meter to confirm its performance in real-world conditions.

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 very interesting results. After the KATflow 150 was installed and commissioned, time-stamped data was collected at quarter-hour intervals and compared with the results from an electromagnetic flowmeter. Although the “instantaneous” readings matched those of the reference device very closely, the Katronic device consistently indicated a lower total flow rate over a 24-hour period. The measurement setup was examined more closely, and it was determined that the Katronic flow meter measures in both directions, which proved to be very advantageous for this measurement task, whereas the electromagnetic flowmeter measures only in the forward direction and does not detect the backflow that occurs when the flow in the pipeline stops. Had this been a cost-generating flow in this case, it would have meant that the operator was paying too much—money that could have been saved by using the KATflow 150.

The results of the plant inspection as well as the field and laboratory tests were compiled and submitted to the certification body, the CSA Group. Subsequently, the MCERTS certificate was issued to Katronic in mid-2023. This was a lengthy but valuable process that underscores the quality and accuracy of Katronic products. Customers who require MCERTS certification should request it at the time of their inquiry to ensure that the correct labeling and documentation are provided. MCERTS is based on the BS EN 17694-2 standard—Hydrometry—which establishes minimum standards for measuring instruments in closed pipelines.