ABB WaterMaster helps RWE Remain MCERTS Compliant

April 24, 2011 (Press-News.org) The installation of a new ABB WaterMaster electromagnetic flowmeter is helping energy company RWE npower fulfill its MCERTS commitment.

The 1,400MW power station, based in Didcot, Oxfordshire, has always monitored the amount of cooling water that it discharges from the site, but this extra tier of instrumentation will enable it to verify that the readings provided by the existing meters are accurate.

"We've already got three meters on our cooling water purge system but we'd like to be able to verify their performance," says Peter Harrison, Senior C&I Engineer. "We're now installing an MCERTified WaterMaster electromagnetic meter from ABB at a point where all three flows come together. This means we can verify the readings from the other three meters, in addition to verifying the WaterMaster itself, insitu using the WaterMaster's onboard verification system."

Launched in 2008, the WaterMaster was one of the first flowmeters to be awarded a Class 1 MCERTS conformity certificate for closed pipe flow measurement. MCERTS is the Environment Agency's certification scheme to ensure that companies have effective measures in place to monitor their effluent flow. Industrial sites need to meet MCERTS requirements whenever their discharges must be monitored and controlled as part of their permits under the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR).

Civil works are about to begin on the installation and the new, two-tier system should be up and running later this year.

"I've used ABB flowmeters before in my previous work and I've always found that they perform well. I like to think this one will provide the same great performance," says Mr. Harrison.

RWE npower is also taking the opportunity to upgrade its data logging facilities with the addition of a ScreenMaster videographic recorder from ABB.

ABB can also provide additional support in the form of annual verification services, including verification of installed WaterMasters utilising VeriMaster verification tools. This can assist with demonstrating an ongoing robust metering regime in preparation for possible quality management system (QMS) audits in the future.

MCERTS and the self-monitoring of effluent flow is just part of a wider philosophy within the Environment Agency to promote "better regulation". This means encouraging companies to comply with and even exceed legal requirements without constant supervision.

"MCERTS is all about helping to protect the environment through more accurate monitoring and collection of data relating to emissions to air and discharges to water," says Tony Hoyle, General Manager for ABB's UK and Ireland Measurement Products business. "ABB has long been a supporter of the MCERTS scheme, having achieved the first ever MCERTS product approval certificate for its ZFG2/ZDT zirconia oxygen analyser system in 1999. We followed this tradition by making our WaterMaster flowmeter one of the first to be
MCERTified for closed pipe flow measurements."

ABB has released a comprehensive new guide to the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) and MCERTS, the Monitoring Certification Scheme of the Environment Agency (EA). Entitled MCERTS and EPR - a guide to environmental EPR legislation and monitoring systems and services, the guide is a useful point of reference for anyone responsible for the monitoring of emissions to air or water at an EPR regulated site.

For more about ABB's offering for MCERTS applications or to obtain a copy of ABB's new guide, email mroeinstrumentation@gb.abb.com or call 0870 600 6122 ref. 'MCERTS' or 'MCERTS guide'.

For help with any technical terms in this release, please go to: http://www.abb.com/glossary

For more information: Tony Hoyle
Email: moreinstrumentation@gb.abb.com
Tel: 0870 600 6122