What is a waste water flow meter?

A waste water flow meter is an instrument that is specifically used to measure the volumetric or mass flow rate of waste water, sewage or industrial effluent. Flow meters are also available for measuring other parameters including gas or liquids.

Waste water flow meters are widely employed by waste water and sewage companies (WASCs) to measure the flow of waste water or sewage within pipes in their specific network. The meter records data relating to the flow inside the pipe and that data is then analysed to inform WASC site teams of any issues such as a blockage. They are also often utilised in open channels, such as a river or a stream.

There are a number of different types of waste water flow meters including:

Area velocity flow meter: as its name suggests, this meter can be installed within an open channel and is commonly used to monitor waste water flows, industrial effluents and storm waters. Our MSFM utilises a Doppler velocity sensor that employs ultrasonic technology to measure flow with accuracy and reliability. The ultrasonic sensor is submerged in the open channel and measures a frequency shift from particles moving in the liquid to provide an accurate velocity value.

Radar non-contact flow meter: many of these types of flow meter use microwave technology to transmit pulses that reflect off the moving surface of the liquid being monitored to determine velocity.

Electro-magnetic flow meter: often referred to as a mag flow meter or magmeter, an electro-magnetic flow meter has no moving parts making it useful in waste water applications or industrial liquids that are conductive or water-based. Operation of these flow meters is based on Faraday’s Law which states that the voltage induced across any conductor as it moves as right angles through a magnetic field is proportional to the velocity of that conductor.

 Time-of-Flight (ToF) clamp-on flow meter: this type of meter works in a similar way to an electro-magnetic flow meter in that it can measure velocity within a closed pipe. Our ORAKEL Time of Flight flow meter is a perfect example and uses ultrasonic technology to calculate flow velocity without the need cut into existing pipework. If you need to measure liquids in an industrial process, this meter is specifically designed to do just that.

MCERTS flow meter: for any site that requires verification by MCERTS inspectors an MCERTS flow meter should be installed. An MCERTS flow meter will be certified to deliver a guaranteed flow measurement accuracy. Our MSFM MCERTS flow meter, a self-contained battery powered insertion multi-sensor monitor, is widely used in a variety of environments to measure velocity, depth and temperature to determine flowrate. It is the ideal monitoring system for any business, industry or water company that falls within the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR).

By installing a waste water flow meter and regularly reviewing the data, WASCs are able to improve the performance of their assets by identifying any potential problems and dealing with them before they escalate into a leak or spillage.