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ScioSense has launched its latest ultrasonic flow module, which offers the very low power consumption required in battery-powered applications for flow rate measurement and leak detection.

Like its predecessor, the UFM-01, the new UFM-02 is a complete, fully calibrated flow measurement unit including a spool piece with standard pipe fittings, twin ultrasonic transducers, and a high-precision measurement circuit based on a ScioSense ultrasonic flow converter chip. In the UFM-02, average operating current has been reduced to 50µA, low enough to enable applications to run for years on a standard primary battery.

The module is ideal for many applications for flow measurement and leak detection, including food-grade equipment. It can be used in water purifiers, water dispensers, water boilers, heat pumps, coffee machines, smart toilets, smart faucets (taps), irrigation systems and agricultural equipment, and in swimming pools, spas and cooling systems. In industrial and commercial systems, the UFM-02 can be used to measure the total volume flowing through a filter, to enable replacement based on actual usage rather than at specified intervals of time.

The UFM-02 module is available at launch with a thread size of 0.5” and an inner diameter (ID) of 13.3mm, or with a thread of 1” (23.7mm ID). Additional variants will be added with a thread of 3/8” (11.2 mm ID) and 1.5” (36.3mm ID). The smallest thread size handles a maximum flow rate of 20l per minute, and the largest, up to 450l per minute.

The ultrasonic measurement technology in the UFM-02 contains no turbines or other moving parts. This offers two valuable advantages:
• Reliability and long operating lifetime, with no risk of mechanical failure.
• High sensitivity to weak flows, allowing the sensor to accurately detect leakage. In its smallest, 3/8” thread size, the UFM-02 can measure flows as slow as 0.03l per minute.

The UFM-02 modules are available with a choice of two cable connections:
• A four-wire pulse interface cable providing a simple output signal with up to 450 pulses per liter.
• A 10-wire SPI cable which provides digital data including total volume of liquid flow in cubic meters, filtered flow rate in liters/hour, and a measurement of the liquid’s temperature.

Andreas Blocherer, Senior Product Manager at ScioSense, said: ‘The introduction of a truly low-power implementation of ultrasonic flow sensing makes this fantastic technology accessible to a new range of applications. The UFM-02 can be operated on battery power without an external cable connection, which means that flow sensing or leak detection can be implemented anywhere. This enables equipment makers to easily add intelligence about liquid usage to make the system more efficient, reliable or cost-effective.’

sciosense.com