Onicon Flow Meter Applications in HVAC and Chilled Water Submetering

『Onicon Flow Meter Applications in HVAC and Chilled Water Submetering』Related information(flow rotameter|digital flow meter|balo meter|hydraulic flow meter|volumetric meter|positive displacement meter|pitot tube flow meter|displacement meter|cfm meter|variable area flow meter|inline flow meter|differential pressure flow meter|calibrated flow meter|velocity meter|paddle wheel flow meter|oval gear flow meter|anemometer hvac|multiphase flow meter|doppler flow meter|thorpe tube flowmeter|heat flow meter)

Onicon Flow Meters in HVAC and Chilled Water Submetering – Silver Instruments Support

Quick Answer: Onicon thermal dispersion and electromagnetic flow meters deliver ±1% of reading accuracy in chilled water lines from DN15 to DN300. They pair with PT100 or 10k NTC sensors to calculate thermal energy directly in BTU or kW. Silver Automation Instruments supplies the full Onicon range with factory calibration and ships to Southeast Asia, Oceania, the Middle East and Latin America.

Why Onicon Flow Meters Dominate HVAC Applications

Building engineers need flow data they can trust for tenant billing and chiller plant optimisation. Onicon meters use thermal dispersion for air and water, and electromagnetic for conductive fluids. The F-3500 insertion thermal mass flow meter, for example, installs through a 1-inch ball valve without shutting down the line. We have seen this on a district cooling plant in Dubai where the operator swapped an old turbine meter in under 45 minutes. The output was 4-20 mA with HART, feeding directly into a Siemens Desigo CC controller.

In practice, most engineers skip the separate flow computer. They wire the Onicon meter directly into the BAS using BACnet MS/TP or Modbus RTU. This saves cabinet space and cuts commissioning time. The F-2600 inline electromagnetic meter does the same for glycol mixtures down to -20°C. Our customers in food processing cold rooms often ask about glycol accuracy. Onicon publishes a 0.5% of reading error band for 30% propylene glycol at 0°C. That is real data we have verified with a factory calibration sheet.

Chilled Water Submetering with Onicon – Real World Setup

A property developer in Ho Chi Minh City needed tenant submetering for 120 apartments across 30 floors. Each apartment had a DN20 chilled water supply line. The spec called for separate flow and temperature measurement to calculate BTU consumption. We supplied 120 Onicon F-4300 clamp-on ultrasonic meters with matched PT100 pairs. Because the meters were clamp-on, there was no shutdown and no risk of leaks. The building management company now bills each tenant in kWh thermal, and disputes dropped by 90% in the first six months.

Here is the thing. The F-4300 outputs flow rate and totalised volume via 4-20 mA and pulse. A Schneider Electric PM8000 series power meter reads the pulse and calculates energy using the return temperature from a 10k NTC sensor. The entire chain achieves EN 1434 Class 2 accuracy without a dedicated BTU meter. We stock the PT100 and NTC sensors in 50 mm, 100 mm and 150 mm probe lengths. Send us your pipe diameter and insulation thickness. We will add the right insertion length.

Common Onicon Models We Supply for HVAC

F-3500 Insertion Thermal Mass Flow Meter. Works in wet air, chilled water and hot water up to 120°C. Pipe sizes from DN50 to DN600. Typical output is

F-2600 Inline Electromagnetic Flow Meter. For closed loop condenser water and glycol. Liner options include PTFE and hard rubber. Flange connections from DN15 to DN300. Accuracy ±0.5% of reading above 0.3 m/s. We have seen this meter last 12 years on a single cooling tower circuit in Singapore with zero maintenance.

F-4300 Clamp-on Ultrasonic Flow Meter. Non-intrusive, suits retrofit submetering. Pipe materials: carbon steel, stainless steel, copper. Wall thickness up to 15 mm. Built-in data logger stores 120 days of hourly totals. The meter sends CSV files via USB, which building operators import into Excel for manual billing. Not elegant, but it works and costs half the price of a hardwired network solution.

Getting a Quote from Silver Automation Instruments

We keep on-site stock in Singapore and Sydney for fast delivery to Southeast Asia and Oceania. For the Middle East and Africa we ship from our China hub within 5 working days after order confirmation. Every Onicon meter leaves our warehouse with a 3-point calibration certificate traceable to NIST.

To receive a formal quotation, send us these four things: fluid type (water, glycol, brine), pipe size (DN), operating temperature in °C, and required output signal (4-20 mA, pulse, Modbus, BACnet). If you need a matched temperature sensor pair, include probe length in mm. Our engineers will select the right Onicon model within one business day.

Email: [email protected]
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FAQ

Can the Onicon F-3500 measure glycol mixtures? Yes, but you must specify the glycol type and concentration when ordering. The factory adjusts the calibration curve for up to 50% concentration. Accuracy stays within ±1% of reading above 0.2 m/s.

What is the minimum straight pipe run for Onicon insertion meters? For the F-3500, the required upstream straight run is 10 pipe diameters, downstream is 5. We can supply a flow straightener if space is tight. In a recent retrofit in a Manila hotel, we used a straightener to fit the meter into a 1.2 m straight section on DN150.

Do Onicon meters need a separate power supply? Most models accept 24 VDC or 24 VAC. The F-2600 can also run on 85-265 VAC. We include a universal power adapter in every box unless you specify otherwise.

How do I connect the meter to a BMS? Onicon provides a RS485 port with Modbus RTU as standard. BACnet MS/TP is a factory option. The register map is published in the user manual. We can pre-configure the baud rate and device ID before shipment to match your network.

What is the warranty on Onicon meters sold by Silver Instruments? Two years from the date of shipment. We also offer a paid annual recalibration service at our facility in Nanjing. Turnaround time is 5 working days.

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