The BKW power plants of Berne, Switzerland, measure the wa-ter flowing to the Spiez hydropower plant at the Wimmis weir. The water flow is measured by an ultrasonic time domain meter from STEBATEC. Fairly high peak discharge flow rate of up to 15 cubic meters a second as well as the plulsating, turbulent flow conditions are particular challenges to the measuring equipment. The system installed there is designed for such conditions and supplies reli-able measuring data.The challenge is measuring the flow velocity. Velocity sensors which are simple to integrate but fail under the extreme mechan-ical stress are available in the market. Other measuring systems are designed for laminar flow profiles. Our system is an optimum solution for most demanding requirements such as a rough envi-ronment, turbulent flow and high water volumes.
Solutions from site evaluation and maintenance concept to project planning and installation.
Precise determination of the flow rate
The range of application of water flow measurement extends from small watercourses to large rivers with water containing large amounts of suspended matter. For this purpose, ultrasonic impulse packages are sent through the water. Based on their characteristic features, the transit time of the signals is determined on the receiving side.
