Electromagnetic Flowmeters for Reclaimed Water in Mexico

Project at a Glance

The Challenge

An industrial plant in Mexico was upgrading the way it monitored clean water intended for reuse. The flowmeters had to be installed outdoors, upstream of the water-treatment stage, and cover three pipe sizes with substantially different demand profiles. Selecting a single measurement approach for all three lines required careful confirmation of both the expected flow ranges and the conductivity of the clean water.

The customer also wanted to move away from limited manual readings. Without continuous data from the field, the control room had less visibility into short-term changes in water consumption, making it harder to manage reclaimed-water use efficiently across different operating periods.

Supmea's Solution

After reviewing the operating conditions, Supmea configured three SUP-LDG electromagnetic flowmeters for DN50, DN80 and DN100 pipelines. The selected ranges - 3.5-35 m³/h, 9-90 m³/h and 14-140 m³/h - matched the expected demand on each line while preserving the wide measuring range needed for changing plant loads.

The meters were supplied with PTFE liners, 304 stainless-steel bodies and IP65 protection for outdoor service. Their 4-20 mA and RS485 outputs enabled straightforward connection to the plant's monitoring system. Supporting Supmea water-analysis products were also included for the broader treatment application: SUP-PH6.5, SUP-pH-7003, SUP-TDS210-B and SUP-TDS7001 instruments.

Delivery and Project Support

• Application review and model selection based on conductivity, pipe diameter and flow range.
• Installation guidance to support correct placement and reliable commissioning.
• Door-to-door delivery with expedited handling for the customer's urgent schedule.

Measured Results

According to customer feedback, the project delivered four practical improvements:

• Flow-measurement error was reduced from approximately ±2.5% to within ±0.5%, improving the reliability of reclaimed-water accounting.
• The 304 stainless-steel body and corrosion-resistant wetted materials reduced exposure to corrosion-related maintenance.
• Data collection changed from one manual reading per day to automatic recording once per second through the 4-20 mA and RS485 interfaces.
• The wider measurement range accommodated changing reclaimed-water demand during different plant operating periods; customer feedback indicated a turndown capability approximately one to two times better than the previous equipment.

Business Value

The new measurement points give the plant a clearer, continuous view of the water available for reuse. More accurate flow data supports water-balance calculations, while second-by-second acquisition reduces manual work and allows the control room to respond more quickly to changing demand. The result is a more dependable foundation for industrial water conservation and day-to-day water-use management.

“We have installed the 4-inch and 6-inch flowmeters. Both are installed before the water-treatment stage to measure clean water for reuse within the plant.”