What type of open channel flow meter is best to use with a metering flume?
There are a number of meters on the market that can be categorized by the type of sensor used to measure the depth. In general all of them work equally well with most flumes. The only exception being that some over head ultra-sonic transducer have a bean spread that is too wide for some of the very smallest flumes. Even this problem can be overcome by using a stilling well connected to the flume to provide a larger target. Flow meter selection is more dependent on the nature of the flow stream than on the flume itself. Bubbler systems have excellent resolution but can be clogged by debris, oil and grease. Overhead ultra-sonic transducers have the advantage of not contacting the flow stream but can have problems in applications with a lot of foam on top of the water. Capacitance probes, submersible pressure transducers and even float operated mechanical devices all have their niche. CSI manufactures a wide variety of mounting accessories to accommodate the various types of sensors.
