At three times the ANSI standard for accelerated life-testing, the Sensus accuWAVE diaphragm design aims for long-term performance. Sensus recently completed additional 24/7 full-capacity flow testing that shows the accuWAVE diaphragm delivers consistent performance and stability even when used in excess of 12,000 hours and 3 million cu ft of natural gas, the equivalent of 20 to 30 years’ consumption for an average United States home with gas heat.
Sensus introduced the accuWAVE diaphragm in its model R275 (ANSI Class 250) meter in December 2008, with the goal that it would deliver long-term accuracy and meter life that would be measured in decades. At that time, ANSI 4,000-hour (1 million cu ft of gas) accelerated life-test results were more than promising. These latest test results confirm the performance delivered by the technology of the accuWAVE diaphragm, Sensus said.
“Our test results show that shifts in the factory calibrations average less than a half-percent after a simulated 30 years of service,” said Rob Ennis, vice president of marketing for Sensus Global Gas. “This is notable when you consider that some utilities replace meters after 20 years. Testing also showed that the standard deviations are tight and stable, confirming that performance is consistent throughout the whole group of test meters.”
Sensus is continuing the accelerated life testing. “We’re closing in on 4,000,000 cubic feet. It’s an amazing upgrade to a tried-and-proven metering technology,” Ennis added.
The patent-pending accuWAVE diaphragm meter design will be available on the model 415, Class 400 meter in mid-2010. Sensus provides either the model R275, or the MR-8 metric version of the meter, with accuWAVE diaphragm to nearly all of its utility customers, including many of the largest utilities across North America. The accuWAVE diaphragm meters have been approved by Measurement Canada, and Sensus is certified to seal the meters at its factory for Canadian customers.
Source: Sensus
