Onicon Liquid Flow Solutions - Diverse Applications, Absolute Accuracy

In an era where HVAC, fire protection, and industrial systems demand increasingly precise flow and energy monitoring, choosing the right measurement device is crucial for operational efficiency and cost savings. ONICON, a leading US brand with nearly 40 years of experience in flow and energy measurement, offers a wide range of liquid flow solutions tailored for diverse applications. From hot and chilled water to seawater, gray water, and steam condensate, ONICON's products deliver high accuracy and advanced technology with seamless connectivity to Building Management Systems (BMS).

In Vietnam, PGTECH serves as the official authorized representative for ONICON. We are committed to providing customers with the most advanced measurement solutions, competitive pricing, and professional technical services. The combination of ONICON's cutting-edge American technology and PGTECH's expert service offers Vietnamese businesses a comprehensive, efficient, and sustainable solution for liquid flow measurement.

Accurate Flow and Energy Solutions for Every Application

In today's high-performance buildings, comprehensive and accurate liquid flow measurement is essential for ensuring optimal system operation. This monitoring is typically performed using various meter technologies such as turbine, electromagnetic, or clamp-on ultrasonic meters.

Deploying these devices allows for precise tracking of thermal energy consumption (heating and cooling), as well as early detection of potential issues like blockages, leaks, or unusual increases in energy usage. This proactive approach helps you address problems promptly and optimize overall performance.

ONICON offers comprehensive liquid flow solutions for every application, from small-scale to complex systems. Please select the appropriate application below to find the ideal solution for your needs.

1. Chilled Water Flow Meters

Chilled water systems in buildings, commercial centers, and factories have numerous points that require flow and energy measurement. ONICON offers a variety of technologies specifically designed for these applications, which demand high accuracy, durability, and stable operation under demanding conditions.

Key factors in choosing the right technology often include installation requirements, desired accuracy, and maintenance costs. ONICON meets all of these criteria with outstanding solutions like:

• Insertion Turbine and Insertion Electromagnetic Flow Meters: Easy to install in both new and existing systems, accurate across a wide flow range, and durable with low maintenance in closed-loop systems.
• Inline Electromagnetic Meters: Offer the highest accuracy, making them suitable for cost allocation, performance contracting, or sub-metering applications.
• System-10 and System-20 BTU Meters: These meters work with any ONICON chilled water flow meter, include a pair of highly accurate calibrated temperature sensors, and support multiple communication protocols (BACnet, MODBUS, digital I/O, analog). They are an optimal solution for decentralized chilled water systems.

The combination of an ONICON chilled water flow meter and a BTU meter creates an industry-leading system that ensures accuracy, stability, and a long lifespan. Each product is custom-calibrated for the customer's application, providing a plug-and-play experience.

ONICON is committed to quality with a 1-year no-fault warranty and a 3-year manufacturer's warranty. The ONICON and PGTECH technical teams are always ready to assist from consultation and installation to on-site operation.

2. Condenser Water System Flow Meters

In condenser water systems, flow and temperature are the two most critical parameters for maximum efficiency. ONICON provides a full range of advanced measurement technologies to ensure accurate and stable readings for this challenging application, which often involves harsh operating environments.

Some of ONICON’s condenser water flow solutions include:

• Turbine Flow Meters: Ideal for closed-loop systems, these meters are cost-effective, easy to install, and provide reliable operation with an accuracy of ±1% over a wide range.
• FT-3500 Insertion Electromagnetic Flow Meter: Offers accuracy and ease of installation similar to turbine meters but uses electromagnetic technology with no moving parts. This is perfect for open-loop systems where water quality is often poor.
• Inline Electromagnetic Flow Meter: Provides high accuracy up to ±0.2% and requires a minimal straight pipe run, making it suitable for installations with space limitations.
• Btu Meters: Chiller performance is directly linked to the efficiency of the condenser water system. To ensure this, a dedicated thermal energy meter is the optimal solution. ONICON's System-10 and System-20 BTU meters come with a pair of calibrated temperature sensors and multiple communication options.

3. Cooling Tower Water Flow Meters

Selecting the right flow measurement technology for cooling tower systems depends on several factors: the specific flow to be measured (condenser, blow-down, or make-up), available straight pipe run, and whether the system can be shut down for installation.

ONICON offers diverse solutions to meet these needs, including:

• F-3500 Insertion Electromagnetic Flow Meter: Features no moving parts and is easy to install. With an accuracy of ±1% over a wide range, it's ideal for condenser water from cooling towers, which often has poor quality with high concentrations of dirt.
• F-4300 Clamp-on Transit Time Ultrasonic Flow Meter: An ideal alternative to the F-3500 when the system cannot be shut down. It is non-invasive and installs on the outside of the pipe.
• Inline Electromagnetic Flow Meter: The choice for high-accuracy applications or when straight pipe runs are limited.
• F-4600 Wetted Ultrasonic Flow Meter: Offers high accuracy and a wide range, making it optimal for measuring make-up water.

ONICON's flow data can be integrated into a BAS/EMS via pulse output, analog signals, or serial communication. It can also be combined with an ONICON display or BTU energy meter for centralized management.

4. Domestic Water Flow Meters

For domestic water applications, the two most important factors for a meter are high accuracy and meeting NSF standards for drinking water safety. ONICON provides several technologies that meet these safety standards, including:

• Insertion Turbine Flow Meters with stainless steel wetted parts.
• Inline and Clamp-on Ultrasonic Flow Meters.
• Insertion and Inline Electromagnetic Flow Meters.

For pipe sizes from ¾” to 2 ½”, the Inline Ultrasonic Flow Meter is the top choice due to its high accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and maintenance-free design.

5. Geothermal Applications

Geothermal systems extract heat from the ground in the winter and reject it in the summer. A key challenge is the typically low differential temperature (delta-T), which requires extremely high accuracy in temperature measurement to precisely determine the energy available.

ONICON provides several flow meters that can measure accurately and reliably in the unique environment of geothermal systems:

• Electromagnetic Flow Meters: Suitable for closed-loop systems, these meters are stable and unaffected by water quality.
• Ultrasonic Flow Meters: Easy to install and low-maintenance, they are ideal for applications requiring flexible monitoring.

These flow meters can be combined with a BTU meter and a pair of highly accurate temperature sensors to track energy extraction performance from the ground.

6. Gray Water / Surface Water

Gray water and surface water systems are often open to the environment, which means water quality can vary and contain a high concentration of impurities and sediment. Therefore, the ideal solution is a flow meter with no moving parts to minimize maintenance and ensure long-term accuracy.

ONICON offers two excellent options for this application:

• F-4300 Clamp-on Ultrasonic Flow Meter: Provides ±1% accuracy and is non-invasive, requiring no pipe cutting. It’s ideal for fixed, long-term measurement points.
• F-4400 Portable Clamp-on Ultrasonic Flow Meter: A portable version for temporary testing at multiple locations.

7. Hot Water Flow Meters

Hot water systems for buildings or factories typically have two critical measurement points: the flow at the plant output and the flow at consumption points for sub-metering and cost allocation. ONICON provides several technologies optimized for hot water environments, including:

• Insertion Turbine and Insertion Electromagnetic Flow Meters: Easy to install in both new and retrofit systems and are durable in closed-loop systems.
• Inline Electromagnetic Flow Meters: The high-accuracy solution for performance contracting and sub-metering.
• System-10 & System-20 BTU Meters: These dedicated thermal energy meters for hot water systems work with any ONICON hot water flow meter and come with matched temperature sensors.

8. Data Center and Critical Applications

For data centers, hospitals, and other 24/7 facilities, precise flow and energy measurement are vital for optimal performance, cost reduction, and meeting ESG sustainability goals.

ONICON's solutions help:

• Optimize Hydronic Control Strategies: Accurate data enables trend analysis, energy demand forecasting, and cost-saving measures.
• Minimize Downtime: Real-time monitoring helps detect and resolve potential issues early.
• Support Sustainability Goals: Accurate measurement helps optimize energy use and achieve ESG objectives.

Featured ONICON technologies for these applications include:

• Inline Electromagnetic Flow Meter (FT-3000 Series): Provides high real-time accuracy for demanding data center systems.
• Insertion Electromagnetic Flow Meter (FT-3500): Installs into existing systems without interrupting operations.
• System-1000 Flow & Energy Meter: Combines accurate flow measurement with differential temperature sensors to directly calculate BTU and provide real-time data for proactive energy management.

9. Process Liquids

In the HVAC industry, there are often liquid flow measurement needs for specific technical processes that require monitoring by a BMS. Examples include:

• Purified water for medical MRI machines.
• Wastewater or byproducts from reverse osmosis (RO) systems.
• Other technical liquids in production lines or laboratories.

ONICON offers flow meters designed to meet these specific requirements, including Electromagnetic, Ultrasonic, and Insertion Turbine technologies.

10. Seawater

Seawater Air Conditioning (SWAC) is an energy-efficient alternative to conventional cooling systems, offering up to 30% energy savings by using seawater for pre-cooling or as a direct cooling medium.

ONICON provides several flow meters suitable for seawater applications, featuring Electromagnetic and Ultrasonic technologies with wetted parts made from stainless steel or special corrosion-resistant alloys.

11. Steam Condensate

In steam systems, measuring condensate flow is critical for energy control and heat exchange efficiency. ONICON offers Insertion Turbine and Clamp-on Ultrasonic flow meters specifically designed for this high-temperature, high-pressure environment.

Summary

With these 11 specialized flow and energy solutions, ONICON and PGTECH are committed to providing customers in Vietnam with accurate, durable, and user-friendly equipment. Our solutions meet every requirement, from standard applications to complex projects demanding high reliability. Backed by a 1-year no-fault warranty, a 3-year manufacturer's warranty, and dedicated technical support, PGTECH helps businesses enhance system performance, reduce operational costs, and achieve their energy-saving goals.

📞 Contact PGTECH now for a consultation on the optimal ONICON flow and energy solution for your project.

PGTECH GROUP LIMITED – Authorized Distributor of HVAC System Products in Vietnam and Regional Markets

Copyright © – This article is the property of PGTECH Vietnam

News Editorial Board: PGTECH

Engineer: Manh Thang

PGTECH GROUP LIMITED

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