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Our range of mass flow meters from Alicat scientific are suitable for many types of gases and gas applications across a variety of industries. They compensate for pressure and temperature, and can output both mass flow and volumetric flow rates for your process application, ensuring the meter for your application is highly accurate and versatile. We offer many variations which cater for a range of requirements, our standard M series model can cover most applications but models also exist for portable use, corrosive gases, ultra-low pressure drop and portable calibration units.
Every gas flow meter in the range features a local display and keypad for easy setup, analogue output and RS-232 digital communications (others also available). Every meter can also be used with over 80 gases or gas mixtures, you can even add your own measurement of mass flow, adjusting for fluid density to ensure precise mass flow density readings.
Fill out the Configurator Form (Form takes 2-5 minutes to complete) so our engineers can craft the perfect custom solution for you:
Start configuration nowEnsure safe and accurate flow monitoring in hazardous environments with the IS-Max™ intrinsically safe mass flow meters. Designed for use in explosive gas atmospheres, these meters provide comprehensive process insights beyond just mass and volumetric flow—capturing real-time data on pressure and temperature as well.
With ATEX/IECEx certification, the IS-Max™ series delivers peace of mind and performance in demanding industrial settings.
Many manufacturers make excellent products and, of course, back them with a 12 month Warranty. Alicat, however, are so confident in their quality and reliability that they have increased this to an impressive 36 month Warranty. Even more remarkably, however, is the creation of the Alicat Limited Lifetime Warranty.
Alicat Gas Mass Flow Meters, Gas Mass Flow Controllers, Liquid Meters/Controllers, Pressure and Vacuum Metering and Control products are all covered under Warranty as per the Alicat website.
An Alicat MFM is essentially four instruments in one as it can measure, control and output the mass flow rate, volumetric flow rate and line pressure. The fourth parameter is that it will also measure and output the gas temperature. Furthermore, as an option, you can also read the Barometric Pressure should you so wish. Density measurement can also be calculated by dividing the mass flow rate by the volumetric flow rate.
The laminar flow element, differential pressure measurement technique is extremely fast and this when coupled with Alicats’ advanced circuit board design ensures an extremely fast and stable output signal in the order of 5 – 10 milliseconds, crucial for applications sensitive to phase shift.
The gas measurement technique is inherently bi-directional thus benefitting gas addition or totalization applications within dynamic processes where back-flow is a possibility. Similarly, simulated breathing experiments also benefit from the wealth of data obtained by a single instrument.
Alicat instruments are pre-programmed with a number of gases (depending on whether they are corrosive or non-corrosive) and a standard accuracy (0.8% Reading plus 0.2% Full Scale or the optional 0.4% Reading plus 0.2% Full Scale) is stated. This accuracy remains true regardless of the gas type selected or the gas mixture created - so you can be confident in a precise measurement.
Perhaps more important, however, is the fact that Alicat Mass Flow Meters do not require conversion factors (or k-factors) that are fundamental to Thermal mass flow meters. These conversion factors add significant measurement uncertainty when a Thermal instrument is used on any gas other than the one it was calibrated with.
Why buy multiple instruments to cover your whole range of gases when just one Alicat will be able to measure all of them?
Why buy two instruments to cover a broad flow range when one Alicat will do the job for you?
Alicat instruments can operate with extremely low inlet pressures or they can be virtually "invisible" within a process. The latter ensures that any flow measurements taken are not adversely influenced by any back-pressure created by the measurement device itself.
Don't waste time waiting for the instrument to warm up. Switch on and 1 second later the instrument is ready.
Alicat MFM’s can be installed in any orientation. Thermal mass flow meters can suffer from Thermal Cycling ("The Chimney Effect") especially on the so-called balloon gases (Helium and Hydrogen).
The presence of non-condensing moisture within the flow stream does not adversely affect the accurate measurement of a gas. It is actually possible to account for the level of moisture as this can be included within a gas-mix composition.
There is no need to change out the wiring loom when changing from another supplier to Alicat as the pre-existing pin-out can be copied exact.
We've create a page dedicated to detailing the principle of a mass flow meter including equations and calculations for you to better understand the process: Go to The Operating Principle of a Mass Flow Controller
No, non-condensing moisture up to 100% relative humidity will not damage an Alicat Mass Flow Meter. The presence of moisture will affect the viscosity of the gas so it is advisable to add moisture to the gas mix selectable via the onboard Composer software. This will retain the instruments' accuracy.
Providing of course that you only require one gas to flow at a time you will only need one Alicat MFM to fulfil all of your requirements. Standard instruments have 98+ gases pre-loaded so with the push of a couple of buttons you would be good to go for each of your gases. For the extended range of your two flow rates this would be covered by an Alicat 20 SLPM instrument as the 200:1 turndown would allow a lower measuring point of 0.1 SLPM.
Yes, the Alicat measuring system is inherently bi-directional and so is perfect for this type of application. In addition, we can help with the humidification of air flow to further synthesise "real" breath.
No, the Alicat measuring system included measuring both the process pressure and the process temperature and so will give accurate readings even as they vary. If you wish, you may want to double check your mass flow readings against your volumetric readings as the Alicat will give you both.
Yes, the Alicat Whisper Series is specifically developed to operate at very low pressures whilst also being virtually invisible within the system; the Whisper will not create an obstruction, or back-pressure, and will therefore not impact the very flow rate it is measuring.
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Help and advice
A member of our team will be happy to assist with any questions you may have.
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