Using flow meter technology in the food and drink industry

Using flow meter systems in the manufacturing and processing plants of many food and beverages is now essential in the UK and across Europe.

In the manufacturing of food and drink across the world, processing plants need to be able to constantly measure the flow of ingredients being used. There will also be a need to monitor the flow of other elements being used during the manufacturing process, such as water, gas and oil. These too will require flow measurement. This is where clever flow meter technology comes into play.

Never heard of a flow meter? Perhaps its time to provide you with a quick overview. Flow meters are instruments that are used to measure linear, nonlinear, mass or volumetric flow rate of both liquids and gasses. Naturally there are many different flow meter device types. When deciding on the right flow meter instrument to use a whole range of factors need to be considered. Just a few of these include what type of liquid or gas needs to flow monitored? Will it be a hazardous substance? What temperature and pressure will this liquid or gas be at? Also what kind of flow measurements will be required from the flow meter device.

Flow meters can be invasive or non-invasive. That means some devices can be installed within the pipe that the liquid or gas flows through (invasive), or be attached to the outside of the pipe (non-invasive). As mentioned above, whether the flow meter is sited within the pipe/tube itself, or located on the outside surface, depends entirely on the type of liquid or gas and a number of other factors. For this article we will taking a closer look at flow meters that work on the outside of the pipe that do not need to be inserted into the pipe. These flow meters are ultrasonic and can easily monitor a whole range of information about the gas or liquid flowing through the pipe from outside the pipe.

Let us have a look at just one ingredient used in the food and drink industry, water. In the manufacturing and processing of food and drink, the supply of clean water is essential. Hot and cold water, so vital in a number of processes is now an extremely expensive product with a subsequent increase in the need for effective metering. Hence the increasing requirement for ultrasonic flow meter technology. Ultrasonic flow meters can be used within processing plants to efficiently measure data such as water consumption ,chiller evaluation, in-line flowmeter testing and calibration cheks, and pump evaluation.

One major advantage of using ultrasonic flow meter devices is that they are non-invasive. There is no need to have access points cut into pipework as the technology simply sits on the pipes exterior surface. Engineers can also take advantage of totally portable ultrasonic flowmeters that can be taken around a processing plant and used for a variety of tasks.

If you would like to discover more about how ultrasonic flow meters are used in the food and beverage industry then why not pay a visit to the website for Katronic. Katronic are established specialised manufacturers and suppliers of ultrasonic flow meter technology. On the website you will be able to discover how this technology is being used not only in the food and drink industry, but across a whole range of industries in a wide range of applications.