Wastewater Treatment Flow Meter Manufacturer Selection Guide?

As a flow meter manufacturer with over 15 years of industry experience, we have served wastewater treatment customers across various sectors globally, and have developed tens of thousands of customized flow measurement and control solutions for different scenarios. This article will deeply integrate this practical experience to break down the core logic of wastewater treatment flow meter selection, answer common questions in actual use, and provide practical references for customers who are new to this field.

Our services span the globe, from treating highly corrosive wastewater in European chemical industrial parks to large-scale operation of municipal wastewater treatment plants in Southeast Asia, and purification of high-solids-content wastewater in the domestic mining industry. We have customized thousands of flow measurement and control solutions for over 50,000 clients.

This article will systematically break down these valuable experiences, not only outlining the core logic of selecting wastewater treatment flow meters, but also answering frequently asked questions in use with real service cases, providing practical references that can be directly implemented for customers who are new to this field, helping them avoid selection pitfalls and reduce operation and maintenance costs.

1. Selection of Wastewater Treatment Flow Meter Manufacturers

The unique characteristics of wastewater treatment scenarios necessitate a shift in the selection process beyond simply focusing on precision; the following core factors must be comprehensively considered:

(1) Medium characteristics

The physicochemical properties of the wastewater medium directly determine the compatibility of the flow meter, and key indicators need to be checked:

1.1 Corrosiveness : Industrial wastewater often contains acids, alkalis, heavy metal ions, etc., which can corrode the contact parts of the flow meter;

1.2 Solid content and particle characteristics : For municipal sewage and papermaking wastewater, particle hardness and particle size will affect the degree of equipment wear.

1.3 Viscosity and bubble content : High viscosity organic wastewater will affect flow rate detection, while a large number of bubbles in the wastewater at the outlet of the aeration tank will cause the flow signal to be distorted.

(2) Operating conditions

The operating parameters of a wastewater treatment system directly affect the service life and measurement accuracy of a flow meter.

The flow range must match the device's range ratio; select a range ratio of 10:1.

temperature , for high-temperature industrial wastewater, such as coking wastewater with a temperature of 60-80℃, a high-temperature resistant sensor must be selected.

Installation space also needs to be considered. For example, a compact structure should be selected for narrow pipe shafts, and the renovation of old water plants should take into account the need for non-stop installation.

(3) Process control

The accuracy requirements vary significantly across different process stages, so the selection should be based on specific needs: the effluent discharge metering must meet the standards of the environmental protection department, and the accuracy must be within ±1.0%; the accuracy requirements for the influent flow rate control of the biochemical reaction tank are relatively low, so models with higher cost performance can be given priority; while the flow measurement of the reagent dosing system needs to be linked with the reagent pump and must have a rapid response capability.

(4) Installation and maintenance

The installation and maintenance conditions at the wastewater treatment site directly affect the equipment operation and maintenance costs:

ease of maintenance , the wastewater behind the bar contains a large number of impurities, so it is necessary to select a model that allows for online disassembly and cleaning of the sensors to avoid frequent shutdowns;

Power supply and communication must be compatible with site conditions. For example, remote sewage lifting pump stations need to support solar power supply and wireless remote transmission functions.

2. Summary of common questions from wastewater treatment flow meter manufacturers

Even with proper selection, the complex environment of wastewater treatment sites can still cause flow meter malfunctions. The following are common industry problems and practical solutions:

(1) Media adhesion and calibration failure

The phenomenon is that the displayed traffic volume gradually deviates from the actual value. Common causes include:

a. The sensor surface is contaminants (such as dye deposits in dyeing and printing wastewater, and scale buildup in chemical wastewater), which weakens the detection signal;

b. The equipment calibration parameters deviate after long-term operation, especially in seasons with large temperature differences (such as winter when low temperatures cause pipe shrinkage).

Solution: Clean the sensor online monthly and perform on-site calibration every six months. For scenarios with severe scaling, a flow meter with automatic scaling function can be selected.

(2) Wear leakage

Equipment with moving parts, such as turbine flow meters, is prone to blade wear, resulting in increased measurement errors; flange connections are susceptible to leakage due to media corrosion. This is because the material was not selected based on particle characteristics; for example, using ordinary carbon steel blades or sealing gaskets for wastewater containing hard particles is not corrosion-resistant.

Solutions: Replace with wear-resistant materials, and use fluororubber or polytetrafluoroethylene for the sealing gaskets; for wastewater with high solids content, prioritize equipment with no moving parts (such as electromagnetic flow meters).

(3) Signal interference

Electromagnetic interference from on-site equipment such as motors and frequency converters can cause fluctuations in the flow meter display, while air bubbles in the wastewater at the aeration tank outlet can trigger a "false flow" alarm.

Solution: Install the flow meter at least 5 meters away from strong interference sources, and use shielded cable for the sensor cable and run it in a separate conduit; for wastewater containing air bubbles, use an ultrasonic flow meter with air bubble compensation function, or add a degassing device upstream of the installation point.

(4) Environmental factors

In northern regions, outdoor flow meters are prone to freezing of their LCD screens due to low temperatures during winter, while the high humidity near biological filters can also cause short circuits.

Solution: Select equipment with a protection rating of ≥IP68; when installing outdoors, install an insulation cover and equip with an electric heat tracing device; adopt a waterproof and sealed design for the circuit section, and select an explosion-proof and waterproof junction box.

3. Practical Procedure for Selecting Wastewater Treatment Flow Meters

To avoid selection errors, the following standardized process, summarized based on industry practice, can cover more than 90% of wastewater treatment scenarios:

3.1 First step: Collect core parameters of wastewater such as pH value, solid content, particle size, and viscosity, record operating data such as maximum/minimum flow rate, temperature, and pressure, and clarify the straight pipe section length, space dimensions, and power supply conditions of the installation location to form a basic data table.

3.2 Second step: Preliminary screening. Based on the conductivity of the medium, unsuitable models are eliminated; based on the solid content, models containing moving parts are eliminated; and based on the accuracy requirements, the range is narrowed down.

3.3 Third step: Material and parameters For the initially selected models, check whether the contact material is resistant to media corrosion, whether the range covers the flow fluctuation range, and whether the protection level matches the site environment.

3.4 Step 4: Testing and Optimization For key scenarios, such as emission outlets, first install pilot equipment and run it continuously for one month. Verify the accuracy by comparing it with a portable flow meter, observe equipment wear, scaling, etc., and adjust the model or optimize the installation plan based on the test results.

4. Conclusion

The key to selecting a wastewater treatment flow meter lies in "precise matching to the scenario," rather than pursuing high precision or low price alone. Industry professionals need to make comprehensive decisions based on the characteristics of the medium, combined with operating conditions, process requirements, and maintenance capabilities. They should also address common problems encountered during use through regular calibration and targeted maintenance.