The flow measurement accuracy of Rubicon’s BladeMeter has received official certification from the Australian Government’s National Measurement Institute. In achieving certification, the BladeMeter had to undergo a rigorous pattern approval process over several months to demonstrate compliance with the NMI M 10 non-urban water meter standard, which is closely related to the international OIML R 49 standard.
The BladeMeter, which has an internal diameter of 600mm, is an automated flow meter with integrated control valve which sits at the end of gravity pipe outlets.
It uses a Sonaray Pipe Meter for flow measurement, with 20 ultrasonic transducers measuring flow across five planes. An additional sensor checks that the meter is full and sends an alert if this requirement is not met. Unlike similar meters, it only requires two diameters of pipe upstream and zero downstream, enabling it to be installed without with minimal civil infrastructure.
A control valve is mated to the body of the Sonaray Pipe Meter providing flow measurement and control in a single device.
The BladeMeter was tested across a range of flow rates and environmental conditions, including endurance testing, which required the meter to maintain accuracy after months of operation. The testing found the BladeMeter to be accurate to within ±2.5% in all of the test conditions.
Accurate flow measurement is important to help ensure that water is equitably and efficiently supplied, which is particularly important in revenue applications. Additionally, accurate measurement and control of flow rates helps farmers precisely manage the application of water to crops.
Testing was undertaken at The Australian Flow Management Group’s specialist test facility, which is part of the University of South Australia. The SlipMeter, which also uses Sonaray technology is currently undergoing pattern approval testing, with open channel flow measurement certification expected in the coming months.
