Ultrasonic flow meter for small-bore flow metering
16 March 2010
Dorset-based Titan Enterprises is launching a highly-accurate
and low-cost ultrasonic flowmeter at this year’s Medtech Exhibition at
The NEC Birmingham (27-28 April). The Atrato flow meter uses patented
technology that enables the direct-through meter to handle flows from
laminar to turbulent.
With accurate and cost effective flow measurement becoming
increasingly important to many industries, Titan Enterprises have
developed the product with one of the foremost fluid engineering
institutions, Cranfield University.
The Atrato is capable of monitoring flow over a range of 200:1
and has an accuracy better than +1.5%. Its simple design and USB
computer interface, makes it easy to install and use.
The device uses the favoured ‘time of flight’ measurement system
where a signal is passed along the pipe with the flow and back up
the pipe against the flow, the difference in these signals produces
the flow rate. Until now, this technology has been deemed expensive
and sometimes inaccurate; however, Titan’s founder Trevor Forster
believes the Atrato’s fully symmetrical, concentric signals coupled
with the ability to achieve desired timing accuracies makes it a new
market leader.
Titan’s Atrato is aimed at a wide customer base, in industrial
engineering, plant operators, medical equipment supply, drink
dispensing, and laboratory technicians.
According to Trevor, one of the unique aspects of the Atrato is
the computer interface: "The USB connection permits the user to
monitor the rate and total on their laptop in addition to operating
parameters such as the pulse resolution units. At a later date, data
logging and operation statistics will also be possible.”
Having championed the technology, Trevor said: “Fundamentally, my
position is that the future of flow measurement is going to be
ultrasonic or coreolis.They’re the only two long-term viable
technologies because they’re not intrusive.”
Professor Mike Sanderson, Emeritus Professor of Fluid
Instrumentation, Cranfield University agreed, said: “The Atrato’s
unique clean bore construction makes it ideal for hygienic
applications. The use of low frequency ultrasound and advanced
signal processing to interrogate the flow ensures that the flowmeter
provides high accuracy over a wide turndown range. In addition the
technology developed for the Atrato has the flexibility to provide
the basis of a family of flowmeters suitable for an even wider range
of flows and applications.”