Selection Guide
Compressed air is one of the most energy-intensive utilities in manufacturing. Its generation, distribution, and end-use points can introduce significant inefficiencies and waste. Without metering, leaks of 20–30% of total compressed air generation often go undetected. Metering provides critical visibility into usage patterns and enables manufacturers to precisely track consumption, detect leaks early, and significantly improve system efficiency.
Compressed air often accounts for significant operational costs in industrial facilities. By accurately measuring compressed air usage, businesses can identify wasteful consumption, reduce energy expenses, and enhance sustainability efforts. Compressed air meters deliver actionable insights, enabling proactive maintenance and optimized equipment performance. Facilities benefit from reduced downtime, increased productivity, and improved overall reliability of pneumatic systems.
The most commonly used and preferred option. Measures mass flow directly with high accuracy (±0.5–2%). Excellent low-flow sensitivity for leak detection. No moving parts. Most effective in clean, dry air environments.
Non-invasive clamp-on installation ideal for retrofitting 24/7 operations. No pressure loss. May require supplemental pressure sensor for highest accuracy since ultrasonic meters may not have a built-in pressure sensor.
Accurate and robust for moderate to large pipe sizes with steady flows. Low maintenance with no moving parts.
Cost-effective but introduce pressure drop. Not recommended for industrial compressed air since pressure is a critical metric.
During sizing, meters are matched to the peak airflow through the specific pipe diameter plus minimum expected flows. For larger pipe sizes, insertion-style meters are recommended. For smaller pipes, inline meters may be more practical. Correct sizing ensures accuracy, reduces pressure loss, and improves meter longevity.
Thermal mass flow on the main header and major branches for leak detection and consumption trending. Use ultrasonic for non-invasive retrofits on 24/7 lines where shutdowns aren't possible.
Everything covered in this guide, ready to specify and quote.
Inline, insertion, and clamp-on flow meters for plant air and nitrogen — turn compressor load into measurable demand.
Temperature, humidity, CO₂, leak, occupancy, and vibration sensors that contextualize energy data.
We design, deploy, integrate, and monitor the metering stack — dashboards, billing exports, and CEM-led review included.
Compressed air is costly to make and, in most plants, completely unmeasured. Clamp-on flow sensing makes it visible without cutting a line. How Emergent Metering supplies and integrates the Keyence FD series to expose leaks, off-hours waste, and machine-level demand.
Read the article →Clamp-on meters read flow through the pipe wall with no cutting or downtime. Inline meters sit in the flow path. Here is how to choose the right one for water, compressed air, and process lines.
Read the article →Order sensors, bridges, and PowerRadar subscriptions from our store — or talk to a CEM-certified engineer about your project.
