Electromagnetic meters: operation, applications and advantages

Electromagnetic meters: operation, applications and advantages.

The accountants of water are fundamental and necessary instruments in any installation in which water is consumed. Whether in agricultural facilities, industries or homes, accounting for the amount of water used is always useful and necessary. A meter not only allows to know the water consumed, but also, by analyzing this data, it allows to know if there are failures in the pipe network, thus enabling water savings.

There are different types of meters: Woltman type, single jet, multi jet, chemical, ultrasonic or electromagnetic. In Mundoriego we already explain how each of them worked, but today we are going to take a closer look at electromagnetic counters.

What is an electromagnetic counter

Meters today can be classified according to how they measure flow. There are volumetric counters, water speed counters, ultrasonic counters, and electromagnetic counters. Electromagnetic meters are in a different category from other meters. They use the electromagnetic properties of water to perform the measurement. An electromagnetic counter is one of the most accurate counters that can be found on the market. 

How an electromagnetic meter works

An electromagnetic meter performs the function of flow measurement thanks to its electromagnetic properties. To perform flow measurements, this type of meter uses what is known as Faraday's law of induction.

Electromagnetic meters have electromagnets inside. When activated, thanks to batteries or the use of the electrical network, these electromagnets induce an electric current in the water. The meter then estimates the electrical voltage and, thanks to the Faraday induction principle, can estimate the amount of flow that passes through it.

Uses of an electromagnetic counter

These types of meters depend on the conductivity of a fluid to be able to measure its speed. For this reason, electromagnetic meters can work with water, acids, sludge and bases. However, these meters do not work with non-conductive liquids, such as distilled or osmotized water, hydrocarbons (diesel, gasoline, etc.), alcohols or oils.

If you have a liquid that has the property of conducting electricity, an electromagnetic meter can be used in situations where it is necessary to monitor a filling very precisely, in dosages or also in exact measurements in custody transfer. It is common to find them in industries such as food, pharmaceutical, paper or petrochemical.

Advantages of using an electromagnetic counter

• You can perform the measurement in conductive fluids that contain some type of suspended solid, such as cellulose pulps or sludge.

• It does not contain moving parts, so its maintenance is simple and not very frequent.

• An effective measurement depends only on the induced current in the flow, so other aspects such as temperature, density or pressure of the current do not have to be taken into account.

In Mundoriego we have electromagnetic counters of different nominal diameter that will surely adapt to your needs. If you need more information or have any questions contact us. We will be happy to help you, and remember that we are also specialists in retention valves, reducing and regulating valve, solenoid valve and in irrigation materials.