Insertion Ultrasonic Flow Meter Solution for Low-Cost Metering of Large-Diameter Water Transmission Mains

Insertion Ultrasonic Flow Meter Solution for Low-Cost Metering of Large-Diameter Water Transmission Mains

Large-diameter transmission mains are the arteries of urban water supply systems, and their flow metering directly determines water production and distribution accounting, network leakage control and dispatch optimisation. For years, metering large-bore pipelines has faced a fundamental contradiction: flanged full-bore electromagnetic flow meters above DN800 are expensive, and metering investment rises linearly with pipe size; installing a full-bore meter requires cutting the pipe, shutting down and draining the main, and flange construction - a shutdown on a transmission main jeopardises city water security, with long construction windows and high coordination costs; aging pipe sections with internal scaling and complex linings give clamp-on ultrasonic meters unstable acoustic coupling and poor signal-to-noise ratio, with marked measurement errors at large diameters; and metering points along transmission routes are often remote, lacking mains power and communications, making conventional instruments hard to bring online. As a result, most trunk pipe nodes have long lacked continuous metering, leaving water accounting, leakage assessment and DMA zone balance analysis without a data foundation.

This solution deploys insertion ultrasonic flow meters as the core metering units at key nodes of the transmission main. The system consists of a wall-mounted IP67 transmitter and insertion sensors: only two holes need to be drilled on the pipe surface, and with a dedicated tapping tool the sensors are installed under pressure - no shutdown, no pipe cutting, no draining. The sensor contacts the fluid directly and measures by the ultrasonic transit-time principle with accuracy up to 1.0%, covering pipe diameters from DN32 to DN6000 mm, suitable for steel, stainless steel, cast iron, copper, PVC, aluminium, FRP and all other dense pipes, linings permitted, with fluid temperature -30 to 160 degrees C and flow velocity 0 to +/-10 m/s supporting bidirectional measurement. Metering data are sent through isolated RS485 (Modbus), 4-20 mA, OCT pulse and relay outputs to RTU telemetry terminals, reported via 4G or Ethernet to the flow metering management platform, with solar power available at remote points without mains supply; an SD card stores parameters and measurement data on schedule as a second data channel. Continuous metering at trunk nodes supports distribution water reconciliation, leakage assessment and DMA zone balance analysis, delivering metering densification and refined management of large-bore networks at a very low per-point metering cost.

Key Specifications of the Insertion Ultrasonic Flow Meter

Product Features of the Insertion Ultrasonic Flow Meter

• Hot-tap insertion installation: only two holes on the pipe surface; with the dedicated tapping tool the insertion sensor is mounted under pressure - no shutdown, no draining, no pipe cutting, minimal construction
• Direct-contact stable measurement: the sensor touches the fluid directly and uses the ultrasonic transit-time principle with accuracy up to 1.0%, strong anti-interference, stable and reliable operation
• Full-diameter adaptability: DN32-DN6000 mm pipe diameters; steel, stainless steel, cast iron, copper, PVC, aluminium, FRP and all dense pipes permitted, linings allowed; fluid temperature -30 to 160 degrees C
• Bidirectional flow measurement: 0 to +/-10 m/s velocity range with forward and reverse measurement, suited to transmission mains where flow direction may change
• Rich interfaces, easy networking: isolated RS485 (Modbus), 4-20 mA, OCT pulse and relay outputs; IP67 wall-mounted transmitter integrates seamlessly with RTU telemetry terminals, SCADA and metering management platforms
• Low-power flexible supply: DC 8-36 V or AC 10-30 V, SD card scheduled storage of parameters and measurement data, suited to solar-powered remote telemetry deployment

Applications and Benefits of Insertion Ultrasonic Flow Metering

This insertion ultrasonic flow meter solution is designed for low-cost metering of large-diameter water transmission mains. By deploying insertion sensors at key trunk nodes, it enables continuous metering that supports distribution water reconciliation, leakage assessment and DMA zone balance analysis. The hot-tap installation method eliminates the need for shutdown, pipe cutting or draining, dramatically reducing construction time and coordination costs. With a wide diameter range, broad pipe material compatibility and flexible power options including solar, this solution delivers metering densification and refined management of large-bore networks at a very low per-point metering cost.