The Dynasonics® TFX-500w transit time ultrasonic flow meter measures the volumetric flow of clean water in pipes 10 in. or smaller. Its clamp-on design allows the meter to be installed without cutting or tapping the pipe.
The TFX-500w transit time ultrasonic flow meter measures volumetric flow of clean water in pipes 10 in. (DN250) or smaller. By clamping on the outside of the pipe, the ultrasonic meter installs without cutting or tapping the pipe, leading to significant cost savings.
• Cost-effective, non-invasive flow meter
• Bidirectional flow measurement system
• Measures flow rate, total and velocity of water flow
• Set up the meter through keypad interface or with
SoloCUE® Flow Device Manager software
• Compact enclosure uses large, easy-to-read graphical display
• Modbus RTU or BACnet MS/TP (BTL certification) over RS485 and BEACON®/AquaCUE® connectivity
• Reduces installation costs, especially retrofits
◊ Installs without cutting into the pipe
◊ Eliminates flanges and pipe fittings
◊ Eliminates draining and air purging
• Eliminates ingress or leak points in pipes
• No moving parts to maintain
• No pressure head loss
Transit time flow meters use two transducers that function as both ultrasonic transmitters and receivers. The flow meters operate by alternately transmitting and receiving a frequency-modulated burst of sound energy between the two transducers. The burst is first transmitted in the direction of fluid flow and then against fluid flow. Since sound energy in a moving liquid is carried faster when it travels in the direction of fluid flow (downstream) than it does when it travels against fluid flow (upstream), a differential in the times of flight will occur. The sound’s time-of-flight is accurately measured in both directions and the difference in time-of-flight calculated.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Liquid Types | Water containing small amounts of suspended solids or gas bubbles. |
| Velocity Range | Up to 0.1–40 ft/s (0.03–12 m/s), depending on pipe and fluid; bidirectional. |
| Flow Accuracy (JZ, KZ, NZ, RZ, WZ, UZ, CA-CT) | > 2 in. (50 mm) ±1% of reading or ±0.01 ft/s (0.003 m/s), whichever is greater 1…2 in. (25…50 mm) ±1% of reading ±0.03 ft/s (0.01 m/s) 3/4 in. (20 mm) and smaller are accurate to ±1% full scale |
| Repeatability | ±0.2% of reading. |
| Transducer Type | Clamp-on ultrasonic. |
| Certifications | General Safety (Remote mount transmitter and integral mount transmitter with transducers): FM Class 3810:2018 ANSI/ISA 61010-1:2012 ANSI/IEC 60529:2004 CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 61010-1:2012 CSA C22.2 No. 60529:2005 CE: EMC Directive 2014/30/EU |
| Straight Run Requirements | 10 pipe diameters upstream and 5 pipe diameters downstream from a single elbow. |
| Parameter | Specification |
|---|---|
| Power Requirements | DC: Class II power supply required; 9–28 V DC @ 5 W maximum. |
| Protection | Reverse polarity and transient suppression. |
| Display / Keypad | 4-button navigation membrane keypad with domed tactile feedback. |
| Display Resolution | 128 × 64 pixel LED backlit graphical display with adjustable brightness and timeout. |
| Enclosure | IP66, polycarbonate. |
| Ambient Temperature (Operating) | With display: –4 to 140 °F (–20 to 60 °C); without display: –40 to 158 °F (–40 to 70 °C). |
| Ambient Temperature (Storage) | –40 to 176 °F (–40 to 80 °C). |
| Velocity Units | Feet/second, meters/second. |
| Totalizer Units | US Gallons, Million Gallons, Imperial Gallons, Million Imperial Gallons, Acre-Feet, Barrels, Liters, Hectoliters, Cubic Meters, Cubic Feet. |
| Flow Rate Units | Acre Feet/Day, Liters/Second, Liters/Minute, Liters/Hour, Cubic Meters/Second, Cubic Meters/Minute, Cubic Meters/Hour, Cubic Feet/Minute, Cubic Feet/Hour, Gallons/Second, Gallons/Minute, Gallons/Hour, Million Gallons/Day, Imperial Gallons/Second, Imperial Gallons/Minute, Imperial Gallons/Hour, Barrel/Minute, Million Imperial Gallons/Day, Barrel/Day. |
| Mounting | Wall mount, pipe remote mount, or integral mount. Enclosure can be rotated in 90° increments. |
| Digital Input | 5–30 V DC, 3.48 kΩ impedance, externally or internally sourced; supports totalizer reset or alarm unlatch. |
| Digital Outputs | Two isolated open collector outputs (5–30 V DC, 50 mA max), selectable as frequency, pulse, forward/reverse flow, or alarm output; externally or internally sourced with pull-up resistor. |
| Digital Alarm Output | Configurable high or low. |
| Frequency Output | 63 Hz to 10 kHz maximum. |
| Pulse Output | Totalizer output, 100 Hz maximum open collector; programmable pulse width from 5 to 500 ms. |
| Analog Output | 0–20 mA or 4–20 mA, drives up to 800 Ω; minimum 16-bit resolution; isolated. |
| Network Protocols EIA-485 | Modbus RTU: 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 76800, 115200 baud. BACnet MS/TP: 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 76800, 115200 baud. |
| Endpoints | Connectivity to AquaCUE® or BEACON® cellular endpoints. |
| Configuration Port | USB Type Mini-B. |
| Alarms | Buffers previous alarms, warnings, and errors. |
| Languages | English, French, German, and Spanish. |
| Security | Four access levels: Read-only, Operator, Service, and Admin; 6-digit passcode with selectable auto logout. |
The TFX-500w meter is well suited for building automation, water distribution in new and retrofit applications. In addition to having lower installation costs than an inline flow meter, the TFX-500w meter can be installed while the system continues to operate without interruption.
The TFX-500w meter is suitable for:
By connecting the TFX-500w meter to Badger Meter® AquaCUE or BEACON analytics cloud service, the meter becomes part of a system that tracks and monitors water use for commercial buildings, campuses and other large facilities.
