University Campuses Greatly Reduce Energy Costs Retrofitting with Clamp-on Thermal Energy Meters

Flexim Clamp-on Thermal Meter

The cooling and heating of a university campus is one of the primary areas where better energy management, including improved efficiency and energy reduction, brings some of the highest returns.

Every university to some extent is now engaged in this process, and one of the first things that has to be addressed is the metering of distributed thermal energy. To effectively begin energy reduction initiatives, accurate and reliable thermal energy metering has to be in place.

Today, there is high priority for understanding that we need to be better stewards of energy consumption. Poor energy consumption harms the environment and creates much higher operating costs. Universities have become very involved in the move toward greener energy. Many universities began metering long ago while some are just beginning. Most are in the middle of the process.

Installation of clamp-on thermal meter (click for larger view).

Installation in under 4 hrs. (steps from image above):

• Step 1: Cut insulation where transducers and RTD will be located.
• Step 2: Install stainless bands around pipe under insulation.
• Step 3: Install transducers and RTD.
• Step 4: Cover transducers and RTD with insulation and tape.

There are many different types of meters, and often, many of these choices turn out to be unreliable. In order to achieve real accountability for energy usage at campus buildings, energy managers at leading universities are applying a “utility model.” In the utility model, building managers responsible for campus buildings are billed at utility grade costs for the thermal energy consumed. This creates an environment where focus falls to thermal energy conservation. It’s also vital that inefficiencies are identified and corrected through metering.

Many universities have gone through an evolution of trying to meter thermal energy consumption throughout their campus. The success of these ventures can be elusive when the meter chosen for the job doesn’t live up to expectations. Examples include insertion meters that over time will foul and meters that cannot respond to low velocities that are prevalent during off-peak metering.

On proven alternative is FLEXIM’s Thermal Energy / BTU Flow Meter. The technology, based upon FLEXIM's ultrasonic clamp-on meters, do not require shutdown and are very cost effective to install.

Clamp-on ultrasonic meters have been doing the job of BTU-metering for decades and the Flexim thermal energy meters are leading the effort towards more energy efficient buildings and facilities.

More than 150 colleges and universities throughout the country are using the FLEXIM product as their preferred thermal energy meter and attest to FLEXIM’s performance, reliability and support.

For more information on Flexim thermal energy products, contact Classic Controls by visiting https://classiccontrols.com or by calling 863-644-3642.