Flow meter offers ease of hot tap installation

Paul Boughton

McCromete's FPI Mag (Full Profile Insertion) Electromagnetic Flow Meter for industrial process water and effluent wastewater.  

The FPI Mag is the successor to McCrometer’s popular Multi-Mag Insertion Flow Meter, which is the industry’s only multi-electrode hot tap full profile insertion flow meter delivering a continuous total flow profile similar to a full-bore mag meter.  

McCrometer’s FPI Mag Flow Meter supports applications in a wide range of industrial process plants:  chemical, electric power, food/beverage, oil/gas refining, metals/mining and pulp/paper.    It also can be used in campus style facilities for chilled water and HVAC applications.

The FPI Mag is the industry’s most economical flow metering solution for medium and large line sizes, reducing installed costs by more than 45 percent.   The sleek insertion style design of the FPI Mag makes it flow measurement affordable for large line sizes as opposed to other technologies, which become cost prohibitive as the pipe diameter increases due to material costs.

Compatible with rugged process plant environments, McCrometer’s FPI Mag is packaged in a heavy-duty 316 stainless steel sensor body for maximum structural integrity. The sensor is coated with a 3M fusion-bonded epoxy coating for operational longevity. It also features additional sensing electrodes for greater sensitivity to meet the accuracy and repeatability of demanding process industry requirements.  

The FPI Mag with hot tap installation addresses the ever increasing need to provide uninterrupted service, but at the same time improve process control.  The sensor installs without interrupting service, de-watering lines, cutting pipe or welding flanges. Installation costs are reduced by eliminating the need for heavy equipment or extensive manpower.  

The FPI Mag’s compact insertion design fits into complex pipe configurations with limited access and offers total accessibility. The flow meter can be removed in pipes under pressure for easy inspection, cleaning, calibration or verification with McCrometer’s own NIST traceable Calibration Lab. The meter is particularly cost-effective for retrofit applications or in sites never metered before.  

Unlike all other insertion mag meters, the FPI Mag Flow Meter’s multi-electrode sensor design compensates for variable flow profiles, including swirl, turbulence and low-flow conditions. Multiple electrodes placed across the entire sensor body continuously measure and report the average flow rate over the full diameter of pipe.   

The Full Profile Insertion Flow Meter is available for line sizes from 4 to 138 inches and rivals the performance of a full bore electromagnetic flow meter. With highly stable measurement, the FPI Mag features accuracy of ±1% of reading ±0.03 ft./sec zero stability from 0.3 to 20ft/s velocity range.  The flow sensor comes pre-calibrated from McCrometer’s NIST traceable Calibration Lab and requires no recalibration in the field.

With no moving parts and a single-piece design, the FPI Mag’s multi-electrode sensor contains nothing to wear or break, and it is generally immune to clogging by sand, grit or other debris. The FPI Mag also supports liquid flow measurement requirements in municipal water and effluent wastewater treatment.  

Typical municipal water applications include:  wells, booster stations, effluent, filter balancing and backwash, pumping stations, UV dosing and potable water distribution.

Foir more information, www.mccrometer.com   

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