Saturated Steam Flow Meter
Saturated Steam Vortex Build
Accuracy of ±0.5% VRd
Temperature service up to 250 °C
Turndown ratio of 1:70
- Line sizes DN25 to DN400
- Flange ratings PN16 to PN40 (ANSI 150 to 300 LB)
- Body materials 316L stainless
The Saturated Steam Vortex Flow Meter measures saturated steam on plant header and branch lines from DN25 to DN400. Built-in T+P compensation outputs mass flow directly in kg/h, with reference to the built-in T+P compensation saturation curve.
316L stainless wetted parts handle process steam at PN16 to PN40 ratings. Lead time stays 5–7 business days. CNEX Ex d IIC T6 Gb available for hazardous-area orders.
Benefits
- Built-in T+P compensation: integrated RTD + pressure feed the flow computer; saturated-steam mass flow in kg/h, no external multivariable.
- VRd accuracy: LUGB-VRd ±0.5 % on mass; standard LUGB ±1.0 %.
- 1:70 turndown: one VRd meter spans 10 % night load to 100 % peak; no parallel-meter bypass.
- Anti-seismic design: LUGB-VRc/VRd use a patented isolated bluff-body for pump-adjacent and condensate-return service.
- Pressure class: 0.4–4.0 MPa across PN16/25/40.
- Hazardous-area certification: CNEX Ex d IIC T6 Gb optional; IP65/66/67 + EMC 2014/30/EU standard.
- Lead time: 5–7 business days with ISO 9001 cert.
Configure your build.
Select your specs and the configurator returns a model code and ballpark price. Submit for engineering review and a verified sizing within 4 business hours.
Your Configuration
PF-LUGB-SAT-025-U-A-P-3-T1-1-4-PT-H2-S
Pipe sizeDN80
VariantLUGB Standard
Flange ratingH2 · PN25
CompensationT+P (built-in)
Estimated unit price
Verified after engineer review
$1,110
Subtotal (× 1)$1,110
Add to Cart
Request Engineering Quote
✓ No payment until quote accepted
✓ Engineers verify sizing & steam table range
✓ Reply within 4 business hours
✓ Engineers verify sizing & steam table range
✓ Reply within 4 business hours
Where saturated-steam flow measurement pays off
Four installs covering the bulk of the base.
Boiler Room Steam Export
Total steam leaving boiler house; the accounting unit for fuel-to-steam efficiency and reporting.
District Heating Billing
Sub-metering at each building service entry. Modbus feeds the utility billing system for tenant-level accounting.
Hospital & Institutional
Sterilization, HVAC reheat, humidification, laundry. Per-department for cost allocation and fault detection.
Food, Beverage & CIP
Breweries, dairies, bakeries; CIP-cycle and cooking-vessel consumption, per-batch energy benchmark.
Specifications
Performance
| Mass flow accuracy | ±1.0% (STD/VRc) · ±0.5% (VRd) |
|---|---|
| Temperature measurement | ±0.5 °C (Pt1000 RTD, integrated) |
| Pressure measurement | ±0.25% FS (piezoresistive, integrated) |
| Repeatability | ±0.2% |
| Turndown ratio | 1:15 (STD/VRc) · 1:70 (VRd) |
| Reynolds number range | Re > 20,000 |
Process & Environment
| Medium | Saturated steam |
|---|---|
| Pressure range | 0.4 – 4.0 MPa (matched to flange rating) |
| Temperature range | 150 – 250 °C (T1) · up to 350 °C (T2) on the LUGB body |
| Ambient temperature | -20 to +60 °C |
| Enclosure rating | IP65 standard · CNEX Ex d IIC T6 Gb optional |
| Max allowable pipe vibration | 1.0g (STD) · 2.0g (VRc/VRd) |
Electrical & Output
| Power supply | 24 VDC (2-wire loop powered) |
|---|---|
| Analogue output | 4–20 mA (mass flow kg/h), isolated |
| Digital output | RS485 Modbus RTU · HART optional · GPRS IoT optional |
| Alarm output | 2× relay contacts (high/low flow) |
| Local display | LCD · kg/h, P, T, total kg, density |
| Totalizer | 8-digit non-volatile, resettable via Modbus |
Materials & Construction
| Wetted parts | 316L standard · Hastelloy C-276 optional |
|---|---|
| Bluff body | 316L stainless |
| Piezoelectric sensor | Quartz crystal, hermetically sealed, 250 °C rated |
| P sensor seal | Stainless steel diaphragm · isolated pressure transfer |
| Housing | Aluminium alloy · epoxy-coated |
| Net weight (DN80) | 9.2 kg |
Flow range by pipe size.
Mass values are for saturated steam at 1.0 MPa (180 °C, ρ ≈ 5.15 kg/m³). The actual range shifts with operating pressure; the engineering team validates sizing against the live process conditions on every order.
| Pipe size | Minimum (t/h) | Typical range (t/h) | Maximum (t/h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| DN25 (1″) | 0.08 | 0.15 – 0.80 | 1.2 |
| DN50 (2″) | 0.32 | 0.60 – 3.2 | 5.0 |
| DN80 (3″) | 0.80 | 1.5 – 8.0 | 13 |
| DN100 (4″) | 1.3 | 2.5 – 13 | 20 |
| DN150 (6″) | 2.9 | 5.5 – 29 | 45 |
| DN200 (8″) | 5.1 | 10 – 52 | 80 |
| DN250 (10″) | 8.0 | 16 – 80 | 125 |
| DN300 (12″) | 11.5 | 23 – 115 | 180 |
Installation
Six rules covering most saturated-steam installs.
- Respect the straight-pipe run. 10× DN up / 5× DN down minimum.
- Install above a condensate separator. Cyclone or drip leg + steam trap upstream; wet steam causes false reads.
- Orient horizontally, display up. Standard for saturated steam; P-sensor capillary stays drained.
- Isolate from pump vibration. Within 5 m of feed/condensate pump → specify VRc/VRd + rigid pipe support.
- Match flange to working pressure with 25 % margin. 1.6 MPa operating → PN25, not PN16.
- Ground signal-cable shield at one end only. 4-20 mA + Modbus RS485 as twisted pairs in shielded conduit.
Frequently asked questions
Why does saturated steam flow measurement need built-in T+P?
Saturated steam density varies sharply with both temperature and pressure; a 0.1 MPa drift changes density by about 10 %. A vortex meter measures volumetric flow, so output in kg/h needs live temperature plus pressure and an on-board steam-table compensation. Without built-in T+P the install needs a separate RTD, pressure transmitter, and flow computer; three additional devices to buy, wire, and maintain.
What accuracy applies to steam energy billing?
±1.0 % of mass flow (kg/h) with built-in T+P across the rated turndown. The LUGB-VRd version extends accuracy to ±0.5 % at 1:70 turndown for departmental billing or sub-measurement. A 10-tonne-per-day boiler-room meter at ±1.0 % carries ±100 kg/day uncertainty; tight enough for district-heating billing.
What turndown does a cycling boiler need?
Industrial boilers usually cycle between 20 % and 100 % of rated output; a 1:5 turndown. A standard LUGB at 1:15 holds spec there with margin. For wider modulation (a 50 t/h peak that drops to 5 t/h on weekends), the LUGB-VRd version at 1:70 covers minimum-to-peak with one meter rather than two in parallel.
How does the meter handle boiler-room vibration?
Boiler feed pumps and condensate-return pumps push strong low-frequency vibration into the pipe and trigger false counts on generic vortex meters. The LUGB-VRc version adds an isolated anti-seismic bluff-body mount; the LUGB-VRd version; 2024 China Instrument Society Top-10 New Product; uses a patented isolated bluff-body design and is the recommended pick within 10 m of a running pump.
Does the meter integrate with a BMS over Modbus?
Yes. Standard output is 4-20 mA analogue (mass flow kg/h) plus RS485 Modbus RTU. The register map exposes live mass flow, steam temperature, pressure, density, accumulated kg, and a health status word. The factory ships a Modbus register list documented in the manual. HART and GPRS IoT gateway are factory options.
How do I size a saturated-steam meter for a boiler room?
Start from peak and minimum steam flow in kg/h and the working pressure. Match meter DN to the pipe size (DN25 – DN300), pick the version by turndown need (1:15 standard or VRc, 1:70 on VRd), confirm the pressure class against the working steam pressure (0.4 – 4.0 MPa), and order with built-in T+P so output reads in kg/h. A single-boiler house under 5 t/h peak runs on DN80 LUGB-STD at PN16 in most cases.
What hazardous-area certification ships with the meter?
CNEX Ex d IIC T6 Gb (flameproof, Zone 1, gas group IIC, surface-temperature class T6) ships as standard for hazardous-area orders; confirm the zone on the quote. IP65 / IP66 / IP67 ingress protection is available. EMC compliance to the EU Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive 2014/30/EU (Annex II) ships as standard, covering EN IEC 61000-6-1, -6-2, -6-3, -6-4, EN IEC 61000-3-2, and EN 61000-3-3.
What lead time should I plan for?
5–7 business days from the factory for every configuration in this model; standard, VRc anti-vibration, or VRd award-winning version; at any DN, PN rating, output mix, or hazardous-area code. Engineering review on the configurator submission turns around within 4 business hours and locks the model code before production starts.
Need help sizing the saturated-steam build?
Send peak/min load, pressure range, DN. Sized kg/h, model code, price in 4 hours. 5–7 days lead.