Vortex Flowmeter Technology Optimizes Energy Management at Universities

A large University was providing costly HVAC services to a government agency renting one of their large buildings. The heating and cooling usage was costing the University over $10,000 a month. In an effort to cut costs, the University decided to start billing the government for their energy usage. In order to do this, they needed an economical way to measure the energy consumption.

CHALLENGE

The University needed a cost effective way to monitor the consumption of hot water and chilled water in 10” & 12” lines. The flowmeter’s would need to tie into the university wide DCS system and allow them to monitor BTUs. The building being monitored houses computers that run 24 hours a day. Therefore, these computers need to be housed in a temperature controlled environment, so line shut down was not an option. The University was not happy with the maintenance cost of the turbine flowmeter they had used in other locations on campus and were looking for a flowmeter that was maintenance free, with no moving parts.

SOLUTION

Since the boiler operates 24 hours a day, there could be no process shut down. The main appeal of the Pro-V™ Model 23- VTP was its ability to be hot tapped and installed without process shutdown. That combined with its no moving parts and economical advantages over 12” inline vortex meters made it the ideal solution.

When compared with a full bore flowmeter, insertion flowmeters provide significant cost savings in purchase price, installation cost (lower pressure drop) without compromising performance. The Pro-V™ Model 23-VTP can be installed quickly and easily, reducing installation costs, saving as much as 70% over a full bore flowmeter. In addition, the purchase price of a full bore flowmeter increases exponentially with line size. An insertion flowmeter is compatible with pipe sizes 2” or larger, and the purchase price remains the same.

With the Pro-V™ Model M23-VTP multivariable flowmeter installation costs are reduced even further, because of its ability to measure all process variables within a single device.

BENEFITS

• BTU measurement capability

• Hot tap solution

• Cost effective solution

• Long term maintenance free operation