The time has sunk into oblivion when there was a need to carry water from wells with buckets with a yoke. Now it is brought to each house and apartment. Sooner or later, there is a need to reduce the final amount in the bill for utilities. In this matter, the installation of a meter for water consumption will help. But it is advisable in the case when the water consumption is less than the established average norms of housing and communal services.
Before you purchase a water meter, you need to determine its need, compare it with the living area in which it will be located: a cottage, a country house or an apartment in the city. And also deal with the device of the water meter.
Definition and purpose
An invention for calculating the consumed water was invented back in 1851. At that time, the apparatus had a wing structure and a gear mechanism. However, the use of this device began in 1858.
A water meter, or water meter, is a device by which the amount of fluid consumed per unit of time is measured. All measurements are carried out in meters in a cube. Each user independently sees how much water - hot or cold - he consumed over a certain period of time, respectively, can regulate the process. In the case of installing a water meter, the savings are more than 40%. Installing a meter is not a costly measure, but rather, allowing you to save your money.
Water meter: advantages and disadvantages of use
Water meters have several advantages, among which:
Lack of additional charges for payment.
Control over consumption.
The disadvantages of the device include:
A cheap or low-quality counter can only increase the amount in payments, as it will “wind up” additional cubic meters.
If the seal is damaged, it will be necessary to change the device. Its replacement is a costly and troublesome undertaking. In addition, you will need to pay downtime at an average rate during the absence of a water meter.
It is important to understand that the water meter, although it costs a lot, but such financial investments pay off with its long service life.
Practical application
Meters for measuring the amount of water consumed are purchased by almost all subscribers of the centralized water supply network. The arrangement of cold and hot water meters is different. The former can withstand temperatures of no more than +40 degrees. The hot water meter should use materials that are capable of operating above +40 degrees. As a rule, they can be distinguished in appearance: blue for cold water, and red for hot. There may be universal models that are connected in a single housing. Such a choice is much cheaper than two separate ones.
The device and principle of operation of water meters
Each of the counters, depending on the design, has its own characteristics:
The ultrasonic meter works alternately in generator mode. The device of the water meter is based on the acceleration of the wave in the associated direction of water, and then in the opposite. In this case, the flow rate can be calculated modulo due to the timely difference, which is formed through fluctuations, in order to overcome each of the sections between the sensors.
Electromagnetic devices operate on the principle of electromagnetic induction. In them, the conductor moves in a constant field of the magnet, thus creating a force, the magnitude of which depends on the speed of the conductor. The role of the water flow in it is very important, since it is the conductor, and the magnetic field is the field generated by the inductors.
Resonance devices operate due to air flow. The internal device of the water meter is based on the rotation of the flow meter section along one and the second additional channel. As a rule, the frequency of its change depends on the flow rate, which means it also affects the flow rate.
Vortex devices operate due to the element located inside the meter, streamlined by the flow of water. Accordingly, turbulences are formed that directly depend on the pressure drop.
The principle of operation of mechanical and tachometric types is to calculate the exact number of rotations of the impeller located inside the meter and which is rotated by a stream of water. At the same time, the mechanism itself is located separately to avoid moisture getting on it.
Single-jet type of devices
The device of water meters with a single-jet mode is based on the principle of measuring the number of revolutions of the impeller, which is rotated by the flow of water in the pipeline. These are dry and single-jet devices. Their advantages are that they have a simple structure and are also reliably protected from a magnetic field. Each of the single-jet meters has a pulse output, which shows remotely the readings.
Multi-jet
Multi-jet work due to the fact that the liquid, before entering the impeller, is divided into several jets. Thus, this allows to minimize the error. Devices of this kind have their significant advantages, in particular, their dismantling or installation is not difficult. When checking by the regulatory authorities for inspection, it is sufficient to provide the upper removable part.
Valve
The valve meter has a similar circuit as multi-jet, however, this design can be installed using a valve located inside the meter. Thus, if necessary, it is easy to turn off the water. The advantages of this design are that installation is not difficult, the part with the indicator is rotated 360 degrees, and this makes it easier to read the readings from the device.
Turbine
Turbine meters have been known to the world since 1862. These models can be installed to take into account the consumption of both hot and cold water. Suitable for water systems of any type, as well as for automatic control systems, process control regulation. Their installation is carried out at water supply points in industry, in multi-story buildings and water utilities.
Saving water has long been considered one of the successful methods of reducing costs in Europe. Therefore, the installation of meters is another small contribution to improving the ecology of the country.