This section provides an overview for current meters as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 9 current meter manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked current meter companies as of November, 2024: 1.NETVOX, 2.Xylem Inc., 3.Forestry Suppliers, Inc..
Table of Contents
A current meter is a measuring instrument used to determine the velocity of water flowing in a river or air being discharged from a duct.
Current meter products are developed based on various measurement principles, such as the rotational speed of an impeller or the Doppler effect of ultrasonic waves. While current meters and flowmeters are similar, measuring flow velocity and flow rate, they are generally treated as the same type of measuring instrument.
Current meters are used in diverse applications, from river and dam surveys to industrial production plants. They are employed to measure river flow velocity, and exhaust gas velocity, control the inflow velocity in plastic injection molding, and manage the inflow of chemical solutions.
When selecting a current meter, considerations include the range of velocities to be measured, durability, maintenance ease, and whether it is a non-contact or contact type. Many models incorporate communication devices for remote monitoring, enhancing work efficiency.
Current meters are based on two main principles: electric current meters using an impeller and ultrasonic current meters using ultrasonic waves. They typically comprise a measuring section, an information processing device for electrical signals, and a communication device.
Electric current meters measure flow velocity by the number of impeller revolutions. A magnet attached to the impeller generates a magnetic field change, which is converted into an electrical signal and transmitted as a pulse to the information processing unit.
The impeller is aligned with the fluid flow direction using weights or similar devices.
Ultrasonic current meters emit ultrasonic waves towards the fluid, measuring the flow velocity based on the phase shift of waves bouncing off the water surface. This non-contact measurement method enables safe, remote monitoring without disturbing the fluid flow.
Beyond electric and ultrasonic types, current meters come in various forms:
The differential pressure type uses an orifice in the fluid path, measuring flow velocity from the pressure difference across the orifice. It is used for gases, liquids, and vapors and is cost-effective, with no moving parts, making it easy to maintain.
Electromagnetic flowmeters apply Faraday's law of electromagnetic induction. A magnetic field generated at a 90-degree angle to the flow of a conductive fluid induces an electromotive force proportional to the flow velocity. This method is suitable for conductive fluids and is unaffected by liquid properties like temperature, pressure, density, or viscosity.
The Coriolis current meter uses the Coriolis force, an apparent force in a rotating system, to measure flow. The faster the fluid flows, the greater the Coriolis force and resulting pipe deformation.
The thermal type measures flow velocity based on the heat absorption of a fluid from a heat source. The flow velocity is determined by the temperature difference at two points in the fluid path or the power consumption of a controlled heater that maintains a consistent temperature difference.
This method calculates flow velocity by detecting Kalman vortices, which form downstream of a columnar obstacle in the fluid. Some models use piezoelectric elements to detect vortex vibrations, while others employ ultrasonic detection.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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OMEGA Engineering Inc., founded in Norwalk, CT, in 1962 is a manufacturer of products used to measure temperature and humidity, flow and level, and pressure. The company's product portfolio includes thermocouple probes and assemblies, pressure gauges and switches, and air velocity measurement systems, wireless systems and portable optic sensors. The company serves markets including Automotive and Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy and Energy Storage and Electronics and IT Infrastructure. The company also offers customer services that include support, custom research projects and customized services.
Xylem Inc. was incorporated in 2011 and is headquartered in Washington, District of Columbia. Xylem engages in the design, manufacture, and servicing of engineered products and solutions for the water and wastewater applications across global markets. Xylem operates through three segments: water infrastructure, applied water, and measurement & control solutions. Xylem’s water infrastructure segment offers numerous products such as water pumps, filtration, disinfection, and biological treatment equipment. Xylem’s applied water segment distributes pumps, valves, heat exchangers, controls, and dispensing equipment systems. Xylem’s measurement & control Solutions segment offers devices such as smart meters, networked communication devices, data analytics, test equipment, controls, sensor devices, and software and managed services.
Monnit, a private American company started in 2010, is a manufacturer of wireless sensors and IoT data solutions for enterprise remote monitoring worldwide. The company has deep roots as a global IoT supplier with over 52,000 customers, over 39 billion data readings, and more than 2,000 product SKUs. Through modular design, dynamic production, and global distribution, they thrive in smart-device manufacturing. The actionable data they provide—anytime, anywhere—is the solution for virtually any application or use case, and it's IoT data that fuels the most rewarding business solutions.
Forestry Suppliers, Inc., started in 1949 and headquartered in Jackson, Mississippi, is a direct-mail supplier for natural resource professionals. Its products include archaeology and geology tools, outdoor work pants and shirts, overboots, overshoes, and toe protection, wildland fire clothing, as well as firefighter gear, drip torches and burning equipment, fire extinguishers, fire fighting foam, and fire packs and bags. These products are used by professionals in the forestry, environmental science, surveying and engineering, horticulture, grounds maintenance fields, and more. Subsequent expansions occurred in 1974, 1990, and 1995, resulting in a consolidated space of over 100,000 square feet for offices and warehousing.
NETVOX was established in 1996 and is a manufacturer of network equipments based in Tainan City, Taiwan. The company manufactures various products such as HVAC monitoring, energy consumption monitor, leak sensor, and battery life evaluator. Custom IoT Solution requests according to customers' specifications are also accepted by the company. The company has partnered with various companies for providing solutions including Daliworks, myDevices, Switzercloud, Amazon Sidewalk, and Senet. The products have been used by companies such as SingGo Tech, SRS Productions, Axon Tracking, Guardian Manager, and Macnica.
Japan Radio Co., Ltd., established in 1917 and located in Tokyo, Japan, is a manufacturer of telecommunications technology and communications society. The company offers a wide range of products and solutions, including communication equipment, navigation equipment, radar systems, and more. It also provides marine electronics, measuring equipment for telecommunication, radio broadcasting equipment, and amateur radio equipment. Its product allows individual radar and communication systems to share spectrum bands, which improves spectrum utilization. The company has achieved ISO 9001:2015 and CMMC certification. It specializes in the field of wireless electronics for the communications industry.
TAMAYA TECHNICS INC. was founded in 1675 in Japan as a manufacturer, and supplier of surveying instruments and more. Their product portfolio includes various optical instruments, measuring instruments such as digital planimeters, levels, laser plummets, and navigation instruments such as telescopes, marine binoculars, and vanes. There are also meteorological instruments that have various applications for example, to record and measure rainfall there is a rain gauge and TAMAPod dataloggers, and for wind, there is a digital balloon theodolite and for the measuring of discharge rates in lakes and rivers, there is the current meter available.
Adafruit Industries, established in 2005, is an American manufacturer based in New York, specializing in electronics and do-it-yourself (DIY) electronics kits. The company offers a diverse array of products, including breakout and development boards, circuit playgrounds, light-emitting diodes (LEDs), robotics, computer numerical control (CNC) components, and various electronics project accessories. Adafruit also supports open-source hardware and software, hosting all of its code and hardware on GitHub, a website service for managing code and files. Adafruit also provides a range of tutorials, guides, and project ideas aimed at inspiring and educating electronics enthusiasts, makers, and hobbyists in creating interactive electronic projects.
Ashtead Technology Rentals is a subsea equipment rental and solutions provider that was established in 1985 and is headquartered in Westhill, Aberdeenshire, UK. The company specializes in offering a wide range of advanced technology and rental services. The company’s products include survey and robotics, mechanical solutions, and asset integrity. Its products are used by various industries, including offshore renewable energy and later-life oil and gas. The company also offers a wide range of services, including engineering, installation, and training.
Ranking as of November 2024
Derivation MethodRank | Company | Click Share |
---|---|---|
1 | NETVOX |
18.2%
|
2 | Xylem Inc. |
14.5%
|
3 | Forestry Suppliers, Inc. |
12.7%
|
4 | Omega Engineering, Inc. |
10.9%
|
5 | Monnit |
10.9%
|
6 | Adafruit |
9.1%
|
7 | TAMAYA TECHNICS INC. |
9.1%
|
8 | Japan Radio Co. |
9.1%
|
9 | Ashtead Technology Rentals |
5.5%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the current meter page as of November 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
---|---|---|
United States of America | 4 | 50.0% |
Japan | 2 | 25.0% |
Taiwan | 1 | 12.5% |
United Kingdom | 1 | 12.5% |
12 products are listed.
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Last viewed: 9 hours ago
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