How to choose the right flow meter for compressed air
Compressed air is expensive to produce, and unnecessarily high consumption can quickly drive up energy costs. With the right flow meter, you can monitor compressed air consumption, optimise the system and get more out of the energy used in production.
A lack of measurement can make compressed air more expensive than necessary
It is difficult to optimise a compressed air system without knowing its actual consumption. A flow meter makes consumption measurable and provides a better basis for assessing whether compressed air is being used efficiently.
However, the choice of flow meter should be based on the specific measurement task. The first or cheapest solution is not necessarily the right one; the meter’s size, functions and integration options must suit both the system and the way the measurements will be used.
The flow meter must suit the measurement task
A compressed air flow meter must be able to handle the system’s maximum flow and deliver data in the format required by the company’s control or monitoring system.
Pipe size can be a factor in the selection, but it is often the maximum flow that determines the required size. It is therefore important to understand the operating conditions and the practical installation and maintenance requirements before choosing a flow meter.
Clarify the requirements before choosing a flow meter
A clear requirements specification makes it easier to choose a flow meter that suits the current installation and can support future monitoring of compressed air consumption.
- What is the maximum flow in the system?
- What size should the flow meter be?
- Does the meter need to be removable while the system is pressurised?
- Does it need to be removable while there is still flow in the system?
- Is a local display required?
- Does the meter need to provide an analogue signal, switching signal or pulse signal?
- Does data need to be transferred via a bus connection?
- Does the meter need to record total compressed air consumption?
EE741 provides flexible measurement of compressed air consumption
EE741 is a compact in-line flow meter for precise measurement and monitoring of compressed air in pipes from DN15 to DN50. Its modular design allows the meter to be adapted to the specific measurement task.
The pipe diameter can be set via the display menu or the EE-PCS product configuration software. Once the manifold is fitted in the pipeline, the transmitter can be installed and removed without disconnecting the pipes. This makes the solution suitable for both permanent installations and temporary measurements on different manifolds.
EE741 can provide analogue signals, pulse and relay outputs, and communicate via Modbus RTU and M-Bus. The integrated consumption meter also makes it possible to track total compressed air consumption.
Get a better overview of compressed air consumption
Get help choosing a flow meter
We help clarify flow range, installation, output and communication requirements, so the flow meter suits your compressed air system.
Bettina Langbjerg
Sales Engineer
Jacob Olsen
Product Manager