Panametrics PT900 TransPort Portable Ultrasonic Flowmeter

Overview

The Panametrics PT900 (TransPort PT900) is the current generation of portable clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters for liquids from Panametrics. It succeeds the long-serving TransPort PT878 and keeps that meter’s measurement performance, but redesigns the flow transmitter, the clamping fixture and the user interface, which now runs as an app on an Android or iOS tablet. The result is a survey instrument that a maintenance technician can strap onto a pipe, pair over Bluetooth and start reading flow within minutes, without cutting the line or stopping the process.

Seven Star LLC supplies the Panametrics PT900 to utilities, contractors and plant operators across the Sultanate of Oman and the GCC, with engineering support in Muscat. Typical buyers are water authorities checking district meters, district cooling operators balancing chilled water loops, and oil and gas facilities verifying fixed flowmeters on produced water, cooling water and hydrocarbon lines in Sohar, Duqm and the interior concession areas.

Measurement Principle

The Panametrics PT900 uses the patented Correlation Transit-Time method. Two clamp-on transducers mounted on the outside of the pipe take turns sending ultrasonic pulses through the pipe wall and the liquid, one pulse travelling with the flow and one against it. The pulse moving with the flow arrives slightly earlier; the transmitter measures this time difference and, using the pipe geometry and the sound speed of the fluid, converts it into flow velocity. Correlation processing compares whole received waveforms rather than single threshold crossings, which improves stability in liquids carrying small amounts of entrained gas or solids.

Because nothing touches the fluid, there is no pressure drop, no wetted part to corrode and no risk of contaminating potable or ultrapure water. The bidirectional velocity range of the Panametrics PT900 runs from 0.03 to 12.19 m/s (0.1 to 40 ft/s) with ±0.2% repeatability, and the instrument reports velocity, volumetric flow, mass flow, totalised flow and, with the energy kit, thermal energy rate. Stated accuracy assumes a fully developed profile, typically 10 diameters of straight pipe upstream and 5 downstream; Panametrics notes that dual-plane readings can reveal profile distortion in shorter runs.

Engineering Design of the Panametrics PT900

The Panametrics PT900 system consists of the clamping fixture with transducers, the flow transmitter, a carrying case and accessories. The transmitter is an IP65 unit of only 1.4 kg (200 × 109 × 38 mm) that hangs on the pipe with a soft strap or magnetic clamp and shows a green or red health indication. A high-energy lithium-ion pack gives 18 to 20 hours of continuous running or more than four days in power-saver mode, and recharges from 100 to 240 VAC in up to three hours.

The redesigned PT clamping fixture covers pipes of 2 in (50 mm) and above, while the CF-LP fixture handles 0.5 to 2 in (15 to 50 mm). Standard transducers work from -40 to 150 °C, with optional models extending from -200 to 400 °C. The Panametrics PT900 tablet app provides icon-driven, tutorial-style programming, site presets and online help in 14 languages including Arabic, which matters to mixed field crews in the region. Wired connection is also possible on Android, and Modbus over RS485, two 4-20 mA inputs, a 4-20 mA output and a pulse, frequency or alarm output let the meter feed a temporary logger or SCADA point.

Key Features

The Panametrics PT900 combines laboratory-grade transit-time electronics with a field kit designed for quick deployment:

• Accuracy of ±1% of reading on pipes of 2 in (50 mm) and larger, and ±2% of reading on 0.5 to 2 in pipes, under fully developed flow.
• Standard pipe range of 0.5 to 24 in (15 to 600 mm), with sizes up to 300 in (7500 mm) available on request and wall thickness up to 76.2 mm.
• One-channel or two-channel configurations, allowing dual-path averaging on one pipe or measurement on two separate pipes.
• Bluetooth or wired communication between the transmitter and an Android or iOS tablet running the PT900 app.
• 8 GB of datalogging storage in the transmitter for long unattended surveys.
• Optional energy measurement kit with matched PT1000 surface RTDs for heating and chilled water energy rate and totalised energy.
• Optional Waygate Technologies DM5E thickness gauge to measure pipe wall thickness on site, a key input for accurate clamp-on setup.
• Soft nylon carry bag as standard, with an optional wheeled hard case for shipping between sites.

Industrial Applications

Because it needs no process shutdown, the Panametrics PT900 is widely used as a check meter. Water and wastewater operators use it to verify revenue meters and pump station flows; district cooling plants in Muscat and Dubai use the energy kit to audit chiller and building loads; and power and desalination plants measure cooling water, condensate and RO product water. Panametrics lists suitable fluids including potable water, wastewater, cooling and heating water, ultrapure water, water-glycol, crude oil, refined hydrocarbons, chemicals and beverages, on most metal and plastic pipes, lined or unlined.

In upstream and midstream operations the Panametrics PT900 supports troubleshooting of injection water, produced water and diesel transfer lines where fixed meters are suspected of drift. Seven Star LLC supplies the Panametrics PT900 with matching transducer kits and spares, and its Muscat team can help users choose fixture kits for their pipe range. Teams who also need a permanent installation can compare it with the Panametrics XMT1000 liquid flow transmitter, while portable clamp-on users on smaller budgets sometimes consider the pFlow D118 clamp-on flowmeter.

Technical Specifications

Key Panametrics PT900 data from the manufacturer datasheet PANA033DS Rev. 15:

How to Order

To request a quotation for the Panametrics PT900, send your pipe sizes, materials, fluid temperatures and whether you need one or two channels, the energy kit or the DM5E gauge, and our instrumentation team will propose the matching PT9-SYS configuration. Seven Star LLC supplies on request and provides engineering support in Muscat for customers in Oman and the GCC; the technical datasheet is available for download on this page.