Servitech utilises Micronics – PF LV550 – Portable Area/Velocity meter to monitor effluent from potato packaging plant.
Packaging potatoes may seem like a straightforward industry but there are significant challenges including monitoring the flow rate of effluent from sites. This is particularly difficult in locations where there is no mains power available. Such was the case for one of the UKs leading suppliers who have packing and processing sites located around the main potato growing areas in the Scottish borders. They needed a system that could stand alone and would provide a logged reading for their local trade effluent officer to check as and when necessary. Effluent leaves the site via a pipe with an internal diameter of 150mm and this pipe often runs with a very shallow depth of effluent. The pipe empties into a brick channel which is open to the atmosphere, so any gauging structure that was installed in this channel could give false high readings as it would not only be measuring the site’s effluent, but also surface water and rain water, it was therefore imperative that the flow measurement took place in the actual effluent pipe.
Steve Laddle, Sales Director of Bedford-based Servitech International was called in to recommend a solution and selected the 
Micronics PF LV550 portable area/velocity logger with mounting bands, which offered ease of installation and set up and is highly flexible as it is battery powered.
The company had used Micronics products in the past when it was necessary to hire portable flow meters for verification of fixed site systems, such as magflow meters. They have found Micronics staff to be knowledgeable and helpful and were therefore comfortable that they would be able to help with this particularly awkward application. As they were not the end user they needed to have complete trust that any suppliers would not approach the customer directly.
Steve and his client were both delighted that they chose Micronics for this job. “The PF LV550 was delivered to our offices in Bedford and was programmed for the installation via a laptop with an RS232 port. Our installation engineer then travelled to the Scottish Borders and using the mounting band was able to install and commission the system with minimum fuss. As the site was 300 miles and a 6 hour drive away, it was important that the system was absolutely right for the application and had a degree of flexibility in the event of any problems. The PF LV550 system made this possible, along with the support provided by Micronics when the engineer was familiarising himself with the system before attending site. The portable nature of the system has saved the customer a considerable amount of money in terms of cabling costs, and the flexibility of the sensor has meant that no bespoke gauging structure was required.”
Servitech would definitely recommend the use of Micronics products in general and the PF LV550 in particular. The customer was very happy with the service provided and the resulting installation and data that PF LV550 provides. And they would certainly use the PF LV550 in any similar applications that present themselves.
For further information on this project or the Micronics range call Micronics on +44(0)1628 810456, or visit www.micronicsflowmeters.com
