ScioSense has launched the UFC23 ultrasonic flow converter, the 4th generation of its ultrasonic flow converters. The new sensor combines improved resolution and offset stability with ultra-low standby current, enabling high-end battery-powered water, heat, gas and leak detection meter designs across a wide range of smart metering applications.
The UFC23 is designed for meter manufacturers that want very high measurement precision and extremely low power consumption, while keeping flow calculation on their own central microcontroller. This gives OEMs the flexibility to fit the system architecture now preferred by many meter designers.
In typical DN15 water meter setups, the UFC23 provides single-shot standard deviation of 35ps and offset stability of ±7ps with 128-sample averaging and a drift of less than 10ps over the range from 0 to 50°C. This level of precision and stability supports the signal quality needed in high-end water meter designs.
The UFC23 is optimized for battery-powered systems, with standby current of typically 0.8µA and an operating current as low as 6.6µA at an 8Hz sample rate. This makes it suitable for applications where power consumption needs to be minimized.
The sensor integrates the functions required to drive ultrasonic transducers, captures received signals, and extracts high-precision time-of-flight data. It supports both 3.3V single-ended drive for water applications and full-bridge drive for gas applications.
A programmable gain amplifier with increased gain and bandwidth helps the UFC23 handle weak receive signals, while a programmable ultrasonic burst generator operating up to 4.4MHz and based on an external reference of up to 20MHz allows designers to tune operation to the transducer and application.
The UFC23 also includes features that help improve system-level efficiency and measurement robustness. Designers can monitor the amplitude of up to three received waves and use extended pulse-width measurement to improve first-hit detection.
By supporting temperature measurement with the UFC23, meter manufacturers can further enhance the accuracy and reliability of their smart meters.
The launch of the UFC23 ultrasonic flow converter marks an important development in the field of smart metering, enabling the creation of high-end battery-powered water, heat, gas and leak detection meter designs that are both precise and energy-efficient.
The UFC23's pure front-end architecture provides OEMs with flexibility in system design while delivering improved analogue performance.
