Why manufacturing food and drink requires flow meter technology

Food and beverage manufacturing facilities across the UK and Europe need to monitor the flow measurements of ingredients at almost every stage of individual production processes. Of course not only the flow and dosage of ingredients will need to be monitored. During manufacturing processes there will no doubt be a need to use water for cleaning. There will also probably be a requirement for perhaps oil and gas for heating. These too will require flow measurement. Flow meter technology helps manufacturers do just that.

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. There are many different types of flow meter systems on the market today. The flow meter device chosen to use will naturally be dictated by a series of important factors. These include what type of liquid or gas needs to be monitored and whether this liquid or gas is toxic or hazardous. Also the pressure and temperature of the liquid or gas is very important, as is what kind of flow measurements will need to be collected.

Flow meters can be installed directly inside a pipe to monitor the throughflow of a gas or liquid. Alternatively they can be attached to the outside of the pipe. 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. In this article we will be looking at flow meters that are used on the external pipe wall and which do not intrude into the pipe. These flow meters are ultrasonic and capable of taking readings and measurements through a pipe wall.

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. Heated or chilled water, so essential in a number of processes is now an extremely expensive product which requires constant metering. This is where ultrasonic flow meter technology can assist. Ultrasonic flow meters can be applied to measure and record data across the manufacturing process including water consumption/loss, water temperatures, boiler/chiller evaluation and pump evaluations.

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. But this type of technology does not even need to be clamped onto a pipes surface. There are handheld ultrasonic flow meters available that are totally portable and can be used for a wide range of metering and measuring activities.

If you would like to discover more about how ultrasonic flow meters are used in the food and beverage industry then why not check out the website for Katronic. Katronic have been established for over 14 years in the specialised manufacturing and supply of ultrasonic flow meters and contactless level measurement equipment. 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.

Rich Stevens writes for Katronic. Find out more about Ultrasonic Flow Meters and how Flow meter technology is being used in industry at the Katronic website.