I have a Grundfos dosing pump that operates at 0.15 gallons per hour,so just drops at a time. The liquid flows through flexible hose. I don't need actual flow, just indication that liquid is moving. I could live with just visual indication like those little paddle wheel deals, or the things with beads in them, but I would love to be able to send a go/no go signal to a controller if I could. Any ideas are appreciated.
Very low flow flow indicator
- Thread starter deanfran
- Start date
drbitboy
Lifetime Supporting Member
jimtech67
Member
Maybe you can check something from the medical industry ???
OkiePC
Lifetime Supporting Member
Prominent Dulcoflow can give you a loss of flow fault output as well as an analog flow rate. Not inexpensive though. We use them with their pumps and they rely on ultrasonic sensors and a pulsing type of stroke for best results.
If your pump is peristaltic, the Dulcoflo probably won't work.
If your pump is peristaltic, the Dulcoflo probably won't work.
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I've used this style before but the lowest set point is .05 GPM.
https://www.dwyer-inst.com/Product/Flow/FlowSwitches/Shuttle-Piston/SeriesP2
The set point spec is with it mounted vertically (inlet down). It may be more sensitive if it's mounted horizontally or inlet up.
https://www.dwyer-inst.com/Product/Flow/FlowSwitches/Shuttle-Piston/SeriesP2
The set point spec is with it mounted vertically (inlet down). It may be more sensitive if it's mounted horizontally or inlet up.
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cookie_cookie
Member
Hi, what model pump do you have. I have used the ddI pumps from grundfos and have configured a digital output as a stroke signal. You could use this to reset a flow failed timer possibly?
I have a DDA unit. I don't think it has that capability. Maybe I'm wrong, I'll recheck the manual, but I'm not necessarily concerned with a stroke signal tbh. This pump doses a sodium metabisulfite solution into the feed stream of a water purification skid to remove free chlorine from the water. The diaphragm failed, and though it was pumping, it wasn't moving the solution. Failed over a weekend, and no one noticed until the following Thursday. The chlorinated water junked a $6k EDI unit. I'm less interested in whether the pump is running and more interested in whether fluid is moving.
OkiePC, that DulcoFlow deal looks like it would be the ticket. I'll have to get some info and a quote, and see what the boss has to say.
OkiePC, that DulcoFlow deal looks like it would be the ticket. I'll have to get some info and a quote, and see what the boss has to say.
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OkiePC
Lifetime Supporting Member
We use them on RO skids.
And that is exactly why. We often buy whole chemical feed skids from Prominent with pumps and flow indicators already set up. They are probably the best quality and most reliable we have encountered.
drbitboy
Lifetime Supporting Member
[For the record, IMNSHO OkiePC supplied the right answer, I am only interested in the conversation at this point, e.g. if the boss, perhaps unwisely, balks at Dulcoflow.]
Thus the AND of
Some pumps have the former, so it would only work if your pump (or its replacement?) was one of those.
Hmm, it may still fail if a downstream valve was closed; you're right, this is too complicated.
Thinking out loud, does the conductivity change downstream of the dosing injection and chlorine removal? It's indirect but maybe simpler or cheaper.
Thus the AND of
Code:
---]no leak[------]recent stroke[---Hmm, it may still fail if a downstream valve was closed; you're right, this is too complicated.
Thinking out loud, does the conductivity change downstream of the dosing injection and chlorine removal? It's indirect but maybe simpler or cheaper.
drbitboy
Lifetime Supporting Member
[More noise and little signal from drbitboy. Again.;-]
Interesting that the DulcoFlow uses doppler (ultrasonic and uses PVDF; spacecraft do as well, although each PVDF-based dust detection is a destructive measurement.
The application note says some fluids are not suitable for the application, and that chlorine can attack the PVDF in the transducer, but it sounds like your chlorine is downstream in the process.
Interesting that the DulcoFlow uses doppler (ultrasonic and uses PVDF; spacecraft do as well, although each PVDF-based dust detection is a destructive measurement.
The application note says some fluids are not suitable for the application, and that chlorine can attack the PVDF in the transducer, but it sounds like your chlorine is downstream in the process.
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