Technology


Clamp-on ultrasonic flow measurement modernises industrial water management Water Quality Monitoring


Emerson’s Flexim clamp-on ultrasonic flow measurement offers a non-intrusive method for accurately determining fluid flow within a pipe. By placing transducers on the outside of the pipe, ultrasonic signals are transmitted through the pipe wall and fluid. The difference in signal transit times provides a precise calculation of flow velocity. This technique eliminates the need for pipeline modifications, making it ideal for applications where operational continuity and low maintenance are critical.


At one of the major industrial sites along the Lower Rhine, water is an indispensable raw material. It supports a wide range of applications – from chemical processing and energy generation to cooling and cleaning. The operator centrally supplies different grades of water, including drinking, demineralised, and large volumes of process and circulation water.


Annually, the site moves approximately 760 million cubic meters of water through a vast pipe network. The majority serves as process water for through-flow cooling and circulation


water for temperature regulation. This scale of usage is energy-intensive, with hundreds of pumps and drives consuming around 240,000 megawatt hours of electricity each year.


Optimising water use isn’t just an environmental goal – it’s an economic and energy imperative. And optimisation starts with accurate measurement.


Historically, a measuring orifice was used to monitor raw water flow into a storage tank, providing a reliable means of capturing key data. As operational demands evolved, and the focus shifted toward energy efficiency and streamlined maintenance, engineers began exploring alternative technologies. The goal was to implement a modern solution that could be integrated seamlessly – without requiring service interruptions or modifications to existing infrastructure.


Thanks to the previous successful applications at the same site, engineers opted to retrofit an existing DN300 steel pipeline with a stationary


clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter. This choice was based on a proven track record of performance in demanding industrial conditions.


Clamp-on systems offer key advantages, such as installation without pipe modifications, no risk of contamination, zero pressure loss, and minimal maintenance. These benefits were particularly important given the volume and criticality of the water being measured.


Years earlier, a successful on-site demonstration – conducted under challenging conditions, including poor pipe surfaces and internal buildup – showcased the effectiveness of clamp-on ultrasonic technology. Since then, numerous clamp-on meters have been installed throughout the water management system, reliably measuring a wide range of media, including raw water, steam, condensate, and even gases such as ammonia.


The retrofit was completed without any operational downtime, and the new setup introduced no energy loss or mechanical wear. For


Environmental sample extraction – overcome limitations of EPA method 3546


Many laboratories using EPA method 3546 for the solvent extraction of environmental samples are aware of the bottleneck of sample throughput plus sample weight limitations.


Traditional extraction of contaminants such as PCBs, semivolatile organic compounds, and PAHs use lengthy methods that also require large volumes of solvents. A recent development - microwave assisted extraction (MAE) overcomes these limitations, resulting in rapid sample preparation with reduced amounts of solvents while working at higher temperatures and pressures.


The Milestone Ethos X microwave extraction system from Analytix can extract organic target compounds from soils in full compliance with EPA 3546 (100-115 °C and 50-150 psi). The system is capable of processing up to 24 samples and 30 g of sample per vessel simultaneously thereby improving the limit of quantitation (LOQ)


for analysis. This results in the capacity to extract over 200 samples in an 8-hour workday and the potential problems of contamination, memory effects, and cleaning are eliminated due to the use of disposable glass vials.


The handling is very easy, the sample is weighed directly into the vial, hexane/ acetone or dichloromethane/acetone (1:1) is added, and the vessel is loaded into the 24 place FastEX that has contactless temperature control in all positions. After 10–20 min of microwave heating, the sample is ready to be filtered and analysed by GC or GCMS.


The use of disposable glass vials coupled with speed of extraction and reduced solvent consumption makes the Ethos X a unique and innovative solution for the extraction of contaminants from soils, providing unmatched ease of use and low running costs.


a facility managing such massive water volumes and energy loads, these small improvements translate into significant long-term gains.


Clamp-on ultrasonic flow measurement has evolved from a niche solution into a robust, industry-proven technology. In large-scale water systems where reliability, accuracy, and efficiency are essential, non-intrusive flow monitoring is now a cornerstone of sustainable infrastructure.


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/VGMk 65807pr@reply-direct.com


Drinking Water


UK watchdog unsatisfied with standard of water quality monitoring


The UK’s environmental watchdog has concluded that both the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency have failed to meet their legal duties to protect water quality, identifying breaches of requirements carried over from the Water Framework Directive. For water monitoring professionals, the findings raise questions not only about governance, but about how monitoring data are specified, used, and acted upon within regulatory systems.


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/GMdD 63783pr@reply-direct.com


Following its investigation, the Office for Environmental Protection found that legally required planning and delivery mechanisms were not properly implemented. In particular, it highlighted failures in the preparation and execution of programmes of measures within the 2022 River Basin Management Plans. These programmes are intended to translate chemical, ecological, and hydromorphological data into regulatory action.


The OEP concluded that regulators did not consistently put water-body-specific plans in place, justify exemptions, consult the public, or prevent deterioration in water status. From a monitoring perspective, this suggests that extensive datasets have not been systematically converted into enforceable interventions. For professionals involved in sampling, sensor deployment, laboratory analysis, and interpretation, this represents a structural failure in how evidence feeds into decision-making rather than a lack of data.


The watchdog warned that statutory targets for improvement by 2027 are now likely to be missed. This may shift monitoring from compliance confirmation toward more diagnostic and forensic roles, focusing on why measures fail, where pressures persist, and whether interventions are delivering results. This increases demand for high-resolution data, catchment-scale integration, and source attribution.


The OEP also stressed that existing legal obligations remain in force despite ongoing reform discussions. Transitional uncertainty increases the burden on practitioners to ensure traceability, comparability, and regulatory defensibility.


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IET - JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2026


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