Portable Ultrasonic Flow Meter

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Overview

A portable ultrasonic flow meter is the tool you reach for when you need a flow number from a pipe you cannot, or do not want to, open. The TUF-2000H sends an ultrasonic pulse diagonally across the pipe in both directions through clamp-on transducers; the pulse travelling with the flow arrives a little sooner than the one travelling against it, and that small time difference converts directly to velocity, then to flow once you enter the pipe size. Because nothing touches the liquid, the same handheld unit reads water, treated effluent, oils, and chemicals across a wide span of pipe sizes, and moves from line to line in a single shift.

It covers DN25 to DN1200 (1 to 48 in) at about ±1% of reading, logs to a 16 GB SD card for balancing and energy work, and runs about 16 hours on a charge. For a permanently installed clamp-on point use the fixed clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter; for a permanent reading on a large or thick-walled line, the insertion ultrasonic flow meter is the better choice. This page covers the portable, carry-it-with-you version.

Features

What you actually use a portable meter for shapes its design: fast clamp-on setup, untethered power, and data you can take back to the office.

Working principle

Transit-time metering times two pulses. One transducer fires a pulse diagonally downstream while the other fires upstream along the same path. The downstream pulse is carried by the flow and arrives sooner; the upstream pulse fights the flow and arrives later. The difference between the two travel times is proportional to the average velocity along the path, and the meter multiplies that by the pipe cross-section to give volumetric flow. Because the method depends on a clean acoustic path through the liquid, it wants a single homogeneous liquid: heavy suspended solids or entrained air scatter the signal. For solids-laden or aerated streams a Doppler or electromagnetic meter is the right tool.

Technical specifications

Parameter	Specification
Measurement principle	Transit-time, clamp-on (non-invasive)
Pipe size	DN25 to DN1200 (1 to 48 in)
Velocity range	±0.01 to 7 m/s (±0.03 to 23 ft/s)
Accuracy	±1% of reading, typical
Liquid	Single homogeneous, sound-conducting liquid; low suspended solids and bubbles
Pipe materials	Carbon steel, stainless steel, copper, PVC, and other dense sound-conducting pipe
Outputs	4-20 mA (max load 750 ohm); Modbus RS485
Data logging	16 GB SD card; storage interval 1 to 99999 s
Display and keypad	240 x 128 backlit LCD; sealed film keypad
Power	Rechargeable 3000 mAh lithium battery, about 16 h per charge; charger included
Operating temperature	Transmitter -40 to 60 C; standard transducer -40 to 80 C; high-temperature transducer optional
Transducer cable	Twisted-pair shielded, 5 m standard
Protection	Transmitter IP65; transducer IP68

Representative specifications at room temperature and rated charge unless stated. Values typical; confirm per datasheet. High-temperature transducer upper limit confirmed at order.

Ordering example. TUF-2000H portable kit, standard clamp-on transducer set for DN25 to DN1200, 5 m cables, 16 GB SD logging, and charger, supplied in a carrying case.

Portable or fixed install

The portable TUF-2000H and a fixed clamp-on meter share the same transit-time physics; the difference is how long the meter stays on the pipe and how it is powered. Pick by the job, not the principle.

Need	Use this
Spot check, balancing survey, or verifying an existing meter	Portable TUF-2000H (this page): battery, SD logging, carried between lines
Permanent reading on a pipe you cannot cut	Fixed clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter
Permanent reading on a large or thick-walled line where a clamp-on signal is weak	Insertion ultrasonic flow meter
Permanent reading on conductive water or dirty water	Magnetic flow meter

Getting a good reading

A portable meter rewards a few minutes of care at the clamp-on point. Three things decide whether the reading is trustworthy:

• Pick the pipe, not just the spot. The pipe must be full and made of a dense, sound-conducting material. A lined, badly corroded, or mortar-lined pipe scatters the signal; move to a sound section if you can.
• Enter the pipe data correctly. Transit-time accuracy depends on the outside diameter, wall thickness, and material you key in. A guessed wall thickness is the most common cause of a reading that looks plausible but is several percent out.
• Give it straight run and couplant. Aim for roughly 10 diameters of straight pipe upstream and 5 downstream, away from pumps and part-open valves, and use enough acoustic gel so the signal strength the meter reports sits in its healthy band.

Applications

The portable unit fits wherever a permanent meter is not justified or not yet installed:

• Heating and cooling balancing, test-and-balance commissioning, and chilled-water energy checks
• Water and wastewater spot checks and baseline demand surveys
• Verifying an installed flow meter against an independent reading
• Leak and loss investigations, tracing where flow is going on a network
• Temporary monitoring during a trial, a tie-in, or a plant change

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FAQ

How accurate is a portable ultrasonic flow meter?

A clamp-on transit-time meter like the TUF-2000H reads to about ±1% of reading on a good full pipe with the pipe data entered correctly. Accuracy slips if the wall thickness is guessed, the pipe is lined or corroded, the liquid carries solids or air, or the transducers sit in disturbed flow near a pump or valve. Most field error comes from the install, not the instrument.

How does a portable clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter work?

Two transducers strap to the outside of the pipe and send ultrasonic pulses diagonally across it, one with the flow and one against it. The pulse travelling with the flow arrives sooner; the meter measures that time difference, converts it to average velocity, and multiplies by the pipe area to give flow. Nothing enters the pipe, so there is no cutting and no shutdown.

What are the limitations of a portable ultrasonic flow meter?

It needs a full pipe of dense, sound-conducting material and a single homogeneous liquid. Heavy suspended solids, entrained air, mortar liners, or badly corroded walls scatter the signal and degrade the reading. It also relies on correct pipe data and a stretch of straight pipe. For dirty conductive water a magnetic meter is steadier, and for slurries a Doppler meter is more suitable.

Can a portable ultrasonic flow meter measure any pipe size?

The TUF-2000H covers DN25 to DN1200 (1 to 48 in) with one transducer set, which spans most pipes on a typical site. Very small or very large lines, or unusual pipe materials, may need a specific transducer; tell us the outside diameter, wall thickness, and material and we confirm the set.

When should I choose a portable meter over a fixed one?

Choose portable when the reading is temporary: a spot check, a balancing survey, a baseline demand study, or verifying a meter already in the line. When you need a permanent reading, a fixed clamp-on or insertion ultrasonic meter, or a magnetic meter for conductive water, is the better long-term choice.

Request a quote

Send us the pipe outside diameter and wall thickness, the pipe and liner material, the liquid and its approximate temperature, and whether this is a one-time survey or a permanent point. We confirm the transducer set and configure one kit for the lines you actually need to read.