ASHRAE Journal - January 2021 - 102

ULTRASONIC METERS

HOW ULTRASONIC CLAMP-ON METERS HELP REDUCE THE
RISK OF LEGIONELLA IN INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS

he growth of legionella bacterium is a signiﬁcant concern in
industrial buildings, especially if water is stagnant. Legionella
is a bacteria that can cause legionellosis (Legionnaires' disease),
a severe form of pneumonia with lung inﬂammation, when inhaled
or ingested. Legionella was originally discovered after an outbreak in
Philadelphia in 1976. Since then, cases have risen with nearly 10,000
reported cases in 2018 alone, according to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC).

prevention and treatment. The Dynasonics® TFX-5000 Ultrasonic
clamp-on meter from Badger Meter clamps onto a pipe's exterior and
accurately measures ﬂow rate with accuracies of +0.5%. Based on the
ﬂow rate, the meter sends a signal back to the controller, informing
them what amount of chemicals or positively charged ions are needed
to properly treat the water. The faster the ﬂow rate, the more chemicals
or copper and silver are needed to kill the legionella.
The TFX-5000 Ultrasonic clamp-on ﬂow meter ﬁts a wide range of
pipes, from ½ " up to 48 " . Unlike insertion meters that require cutting
pipes and risk water contamination during installation, the TFX-5000
meter never comes in contact with the internal liquid-reducing
the risk of contagions from entering the system. Its simple clampon design makes it an ideal option for most any pipe material. A
single installer can clamp the meter onto the pipe and program it for
operation within an hour. If service requires change or measurement
is required on another pipe, the TFX-5000 meter is easily disconnected
and installed wherever it's needed.

To reduce the risk of legionella bacteria contamination that can cause
signiﬁcant health concerns, building and facility managers invest in
skid-mounted systems to treat water. Many skid manufacturers are
including ultrasonic clamp-on ﬂow meters in their systems to provide
safe, clean water for customers.
LEGIONELLA OUTBREAKS IN INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS
Today, buildings' water systems continue to be the leading source
of legionella bacteria growth, due to water stagnation and warm
temperatures. Even in potable water systems, legionella can grow and
multiply quickly within cooling towers, hot and cold-water systems,
water fountains and make-up and boiler feed water if bacteria is
present. In fact, legionella bacteria can survive chlorine treatment in
municipal water treatment plants, so it's crucial that buildings invest in
solutions that provide consistent testing and treatment.
The risk of legionellosis can be minimized if buildings follow deﬁned
minimum legionellosis risk management requirements outlined by
the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning
Engineers (ASHRAE) Standard 188-2018. In most states, building
owners and managers have a legal obligation to ensure the water is
monitored and cleaned regularly to prevent legionella outbreaks, so they
invest in a skid-mounted water treatment system.

ADDING ULTRASONIC CLAMP-ON METERS TO YOUR
SKID MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
From infection control and healthcare professionals to risk and safety
managers, industrial hygienists and plant or facility managers, skid
manufacturers have a critical opportunity to help these individuals
protect their water sources. And before reopening facilities after a
period of water stagnation, every building manager and operator has
the responsibility to restore water service and address the compounded
risk of legionella growth. Many skid manufacturers are introducing
TFX-5000 meters into their processes to simplify prevention and
treatment operations.

USING ULTRASONIC CLAMP-ON METERS FOR
PREVENTION AND TREATMENT
Ultrasonic clamp-on ﬂow meters are a proven asset in legionella

Learn more about the benefits of ultrasonic clamp-on meters and
how you can add them to your buildings' water system at
www.badgermeter.com/Clamp-on

http://www.badgermeter.com/Clamp-on

ASHRAE Journal - January 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of ASHRAE Journal - January 2021