Spirax Sarco says its TVA steam flowmeter is designed specifically for measuring steam flow, and can ‘help support healthcare facilities’ energy reduction targets’.
The company says: “Energy measurements are fundamental in calculating the Operational Rating that produces any healthcare facility’s compulsory Display Energy Certificate (DEC). The simplest way to prove consumption to energy assessors is directly from on-site incoming energy meters. As a major ‘energy carrier’ in hospitals for heating and domestic hot water, steam consumption should be monitored to help calculate your Operational Rating. The Spirax Sarco TVA steam flowmeter maintains its accuracy right down to 2% of maximum steam flow, enabling healthcare estates engineers to measure steam flow rate accurately over widely varying loads, such as those caused by changing seasonal demands.”
Spirax Sarco says the TVA flowmeter requires ‘far less space to be installed’ – just six pipe diameters of straight pipe upstream, and three downstream, are reportedly required for a smooth steam flow into the meter to ensure measurement accuracy. In comparison, it claims, ‘vortex flow meters need 15 pipe diameters upstream and five downstream’, adding: “In many steam systems there are limited straight pipe runs available, especially near to the point-of-use. Consequently, the TVA meter can be installed without the need for costly pipe modifications that other flowmeter types would entail.”
The Spirax Sarco TVA flow meter is a standalone unit that integrates flow sensing device, temperature sensor, connection accessories, and flow computer into a compact unit, ‘eliminating the need for additional external equipment’. The steam system specialist said: “It can be installed in about half the time taken to install a meter with separate components, while, being built for steam, commissioning is rapid, without the complex set-up many other meter types require for use with steam.”
Spirax Sarco TVA uses a profiled stainless steel cone with a large, smooth surface area plated in hard chromium to resist erosion from wet steam, resulting in ‘a long and reliable operational life, with recalibration rarely needed’. The company adds: “Other meter types, such as vortex and orifice plate, feature sharp internal edges that wear much more quickly in steam flows, affecting accuracy, and requiring frequent, and disruptive, recalibration.”
For more information, email: uk.enquiries@uk.spiraxsarco.com, or T: 01242 535574.
Spirax Sarco has also published a new White Paper, available on request in PDF format, providing steam users with ‘top tips to correctly select the right flowmeter to achieve targeted energy savings’. For copies, email uk.enquiries@uk.spiraxsarco.com, or T: 01242 535319.
