Worldflow™ Volume V: The World Market for New Technology Flowmeters

Flow Research and Ducker Worldwide have recently released six worldwide flowmeter studies. Volumes I through IV are individual studies on New Technology flowmeters:

Volume I: The Market for Coriolis Flowmeters Worldwide
Volume II: The Market for Magnetic Flowmeters Worldwide
Volume III: The Market for Ultrasonic Flowmeters Worldwide
Volume IV: The Market for Vortex Flowmeters Worldwide

New Technology flowmeters share several characteristics. First, they have been introduced in the last fifty years. Second, they incorporate technological advances that avoid some of the problems inherent in earlier flowmeters. Third, they are more the focus of new product development efforts by the major flowmeter suppliers than Traditional Technology meters. Fourth, their performance, including criteria such as accuracy, is at a higher level than that of traditional technology meters.

Volume V, which is described here, is entitled as follows:

· Volume V: The Market for New Technology Flowmeters Worldwide

Overview

Volume V, The World Market for New Technology Flowmeters, compares the market size and growth rates of the new technology flowmeters that are analyzed in Volumes I through IV: Coriolis, Magnetic, Ultrasonic, and Vortex. Chapter Four of this volume also contains data on differential pressure (DP) transmitters used to measure flow, or DP flowmeters. This data on DP flowmeters does not appear elsewhere in the studies. Multivariable DP flowmeters are included in this chapter.

The purpose of including data on DP flowmeters in the New Technology Volume is to understand to what extent the new technology flowmeters are displacing DP flowmeters. This study compares the growth rates of Coriolis, Magnetic, Ultrasonic, Vortex, and DP flowmeters. It identifies specific industries and applications where new technology meters are displacing DP flowmeters, and also points to areas where DP flowmeters are holding their own.

In addition to comparing New Technology flowmeters with DP flowmeters, this study compares these meters with each other. Are there applications where Coriolis and ultrasonic flowmeters go head to head? For what applications can both Coriolis and magnetic flowmeters be used? Where are the growth areas for each type of meter?

Findings

One main finding of the New Technology study is that a shift is occurring among flowmeter users away from DP, turbine, and positive displacement meters towards New Technology meters. This shift is due to a number of factors:

· Users today are looking for high accuracy.

· Users today are looking for reliability.

· New Technology flowmeters offer more features, including self-diagnostics.

· New Technology flowmeters are more available with enhanced communication protocols than Traditional Technology meters.

· New Technology flowmeters have many advantages over Traditional Technology meters. These include fewer or no moving parts, less pressure drop, and higher accuracy.