In a water management operation, there is no more important decision than which flume style you will trust to manage and measure your flow. As you’re probably aware, there are a variety of types of flumes. Some can handle a wide range of flows and others that were designed for a very specific flow management purpose.
If you’re having trouble deciding what style of flume you should use in your operation, it’s a good idea to learn the proper process for picking a flume. Here is quick flume selection guide that includes six easy to follow steps for choosing the right flume for your water management operation.
Know Your Flow Rates
The first, and most important, step in this flume selection guide is knowing your flow rates. Before choosing your flume, you will need to calculate both the expected minimum and maximum flow rates in your system. This will give you a good starting point for selecting a flume.
Compare Flow Rates to Flume Ranges
Every style of flume has a flow range that it is capable of handling. After you know the minimum and maximum flow rates in your system, you can compare these numbers to the ranges of different flume styles. If a flume cannot accommodate your flow rates, you can eliminate it from consideration.
Check Your Channel
Next, you need to examine the shape of the channel where you will be installing your home. Some flume types can be installed virtually anywhere, including in natural channels, while others have unusual shapes that will limit their installation options.
Evaluate Head Loss
Step four of choosing your flume is examining potential head loss. In particular, you will need to decide if the max water surface level at peak flow is too much for your upstream channel. If so, then you may need to choose another flume type.
Will There Be Solids?
In some operations, particularly in waste management, the flow in your system is likely to have solids. The possibility of solids in your flow is a very important issue to consider when choosing your flume. Many flumes cannot effectively pass solids, which means they should not be used for flow where this is a possibility.
Make Your Choice
At this point, the number of flumes that are suitable for your operation should be limited to one or two. To make your final decision, you can compare flow charts and examine factors such as flow resolution. By carefully considering the right factors, you should be able to pick your perfect flume.
Buy a Flume
As you can now see, choosing the flume that meets your operational needs isn’t that difficult, particularly if you follow the steps in this flume selection guide. Once you’ve found the flume that will fit perfectly into your operation, you can make your purchase by working with Tracom, FRP.
Tracom offers fiberglass flumes in every style that you could want. Whatever your flow measurement requirements, we have a flume that will match your needs, and we would love for you to be our next valued client. Request a quote for one of our flumes today and discover how Tracom can help you.
