Measuring sewage flows is nobody’s favorite thing to do, but there are ways to make it easy and quick. You just have to pick the best flume style for your unique flow conditions. Fortunately, quite a few different flumes styles can fit sewage flows fairly well to give you the accurate measurements you need. Learn about the best flumes styles for sewage flows, and discover which would work best for you.
Palmer-Bowlus
The Palmer-Bowlus style was specifically designed to use in sanitary collection systems with easy installation in piping. This makes it perfect for most sewage lines if you need flow rate measurement solutions. Whether you’re inserting it into an existing line, retrofitting it, or creating a new construction, these flumes can fit seamlessly into sewage lines. Just keep in mind that there are some downsides. They require quite long upstream pipe runs and low flow rates could lead to the build up of sedimentation.
Parshall
Parshall flumes are among the most common types of flume style you’ll find anywhere. Their general applicability applies to sewage flows as well. As long as the throat width is at least 3 inches, you won’t have to worry about clogs, and solids in general tend to pass through quite well. You can even make corrections to the measurement equations in cases of submergence. It’s important to remember, though, that Parshall flumes can be difficult to implement in the confined space of a manhole.
Trapezoidal
Trapezoidal flumes can be quite handy in sanitary discharge applications as they pass solids really well. Since they have an opening V shape, they don’t ever have to worry about clogs very much. Even if something does manage to get lodged inside, the flow behind the clog will eventually simply push the solids through in the vast majority of cases. Additionally, these flumes come in a wide range of styles and sizes, so they’re easy to implement in a variety of different channel conditions. While the benefits are extensive, it is important to remember that some flow meters aren’t programmed for certain Trapezoidal flume sizes.
Cutthroat
Cutthroat flumes offer much of the same benefits as Parshall flumes, though they do work a bit differently. For example, Cutthroat flumes are fairly easy to implement within packaged metering manholes because they’re not as large as Parshall flumes. Additionally, you can opt for different classes of flume length / throat width to find the one that works best for your unique flow rate. Unfortunately, these flumes are similar to Trapezoidal flumes in that many meters aren’t programmed to work with Cutthroat flumes. Additionally, some operators will mistake the flume for a Parshall flume, which uses different equations.
Find a Flume with Tracom
When you’re looking for the best flume styles for sewage flows, look no further than Tracom. No matter which style you decide on, we can help you manufacture and install the perfect fit giving you the accurate measurements you deserve. We use fiberglass construction, so you can always count on your flume being dimensionally exact. Contact us today to get started!
