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How to Choose a Sanitary Electromagnetic Flow Meter for Food and Beverage Applications
Choosing a sanitary electromagnetic flow meter for food and beverage applications is not only about pipe size or accuracy.
The meter must be suitable for the liquid, meet hygienic process requirements, withstand CIP or SIP cleaning, match the existing sanitary connection, and operate reliably across the actual flow range.
The following points are the main factors to check before selecting a sanitary electromagnetic flow meter.
1. Check Whether the Liquid Is Suitable for Electromagnetic Measurement
The measuring principle of electromagnetic flowmeters relies on the electrical conductivity of liquids. They can easily handle any conductive liquid.
Suitable Food Liquids for Measurement
Dairy products: Milk, yogurt, etc.
Beverages and alcoholic drinks: Fruit juices, soft drinks, beer, wine, and specialty beverages containing fruit pulp or particles.
Condiments and sauces: Soy sauce, vinegar, etc.
Measurement Limitations (Tips to Avoid Pitfalls)
It is important to note that electromagnetic flowmeters cannot measure non-conductive liquids. If your production line requires measurement of pure vegetable oil, high-purity alcohol, or deionized ultrapure water, you should consider a mass flowmeter or other types of instruments.
2. Check the Hygienic Design and Wetted Materials
For food and beverage applications, any part that comes into direct contact with the process medium should be evaluated carefully. The liner, electrodes, seals and process connections should use suitable food-contact materials and be designed to minimize product residue and support effective cleaning.
Liner
PFA is commonly used in sanitary electromagnetic flow meters because it provides a smooth wetted surface, good chemical resistance and good cleanability.
A smooth PFA liner helps reduce product buildup and is suitable for many food and beverage processes that require frequent CIP cleaning with hot water, acidic or alkaline solutions.
When selecting the liner, check its compatibility with both the process liquid and the actual cleaning temperature and chemicals.
Electrodes
316L stainless steel electrodes are commonly suitable for milk, beer, water and many general beverage applications.
For more corrosive liquids or aggressive cleaning conditions, Hastelloy C or titanium may be considered.
In sanitary applications, flush-mounted electrodes are preferred because they reduce recesses where product residue may accumulate and help maintain a smoother, easier-to-clean wetted surface.
For projects with specific hygienic requirements, also confirm the relevant certification and food-contact documentation for the offered configuration. ARTang sanitary electromagnetic flow meters are available with 3-A sanitary certification, with relevant FDA food-contact compliance documentation available for applicable wetted materials.
If you want to evaluate sanitary flowmeter quality in more detail, you can also read our guide on how to evaluate the quality of a food-grade electromagnetic flowmeter.
3. Choose the Right Sanitary Process Connection
The process connection is an important part of hygienic design. In food and beverage applications, the connection should minimize areas where product residue can accumulate and should also allow easy inspection and cleaning.
- Tri-Clamp: One of the most widely used sanitary connections in food, beverage and pharmaceutical processing. A sanitary gasket is installed between the two pipe ends and secured with a clamp, allowing the meter to be removed quickly for inspection or maintenance.
- Sanitary Threads or Flanges: Standards such as DIN 11851 and SMS are also commonly used in hygienic piping systems. The correct connection should match the existing pipeline standard and gasket design.
When ordering, confirm not only the nominal size, but also the exact sanitary connection standard and dimensions used on the production line.
4. Make Sure the Meter Can Withstand CIP, SIP and Washdown Conditions
In food and beverage processing, a sanitary electromagnetic flow meter must handle not only the product itself, but also the cleaning conditions used between production cycles.
CIP and SIP Cleaning
CIP systems typically circulate hot water, alkaline cleaners or acidic solutions through the process line to remove fats, proteins, sugars and other residues.
SIP processes may expose the flow meter to even higher temperatures through hot water or steam sterilization.
When selecting a sanitary electromagnetic flow meter, check:
Maximum CIP temperature
SIP temperature, if applicable
Cleaning chemical type and concentration
Cleaning duration and frequency
Compatibility of the liner, electrodes and seals
PFA is commonly used in sanitary electromagnetic flow meters because it offers good chemical resistance and can withstand many hot-water, acid and alkaline cleaning conditions.
However, the actual temperature and chemical limits should always be confirmed for the specific meter configuration. Repeated exposure to cleaning chemicals, steam and thermal cycling places additional demands on the liner and sealing materials.
The selected meter should therefore be evaluated against the cleaning conditions as well as the normal process conditions.
External Washdown Protection
Food and beverage production areas may also use regular external washdown to clean equipment surfaces.
If the flow meter will be exposed to water spray or high-pressure cleaning, check the:
Housing material
IP protection rating
Cable gland and electrical sealing
Resistance to the actual washdown environment
Stainless-steel housings and higher IP protection levels are commonly preferred in hygienic production areas where frequent washdown is required.
5. Match the Meter Size to the Actual Flow Range
Do not select the flow meter size only according to the existing pipe diameter.
The meter size should also be checked against the actual flow range. For food and beverage applications, a typical flow velocity of 1–3 m/s is commonly recommended.
If the velocity is too low, measurement performance may be affected. If it is too high, pressure loss and wear may increase.
Before selection, confirm:
- Minimum, normal and maximum flow rate
- Existing pipe diameter
This allows the meter size to be matched to the actual operating conditions rather than the pipe size alone.
6. Confirm Accuracy and Output Requirements
Finally, confirm the required measurement accuracy and signal output.
For most food and beverage process monitoring applications, ±0.5% accuracy is sufficient. For applications such as batching, dosing or more precise process control, ±0.2% accuracy can be selected where higher measurement performance is required.
Also confirm the output required by the control system, such as:
4–20 mA
Pulse or frequency
RS485 / Modbus
These requirements should be confirmed before ordering, especially when the meter will be connected to a PLC or other process control system.
7. Recommended Choice: ARTang Sanitary Electromagnetic Flowmeter
If you are looking for a flow measurement solution that fully complies with the above stringent standards and delivers stable performance, the ARTang Sanitary Electromagnetic Flowmeter—which is 3-A certified and tailored specifically for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries—offers the following core technical advantages:
Exceptional Hygiene Compliance: The interior features a high-quality, fully FDA 3-A certified PFA lining, paired with 316L stainless steel or Hastelloy electrodes. The smooth, seamless surface completely prevents bacterial growth.
Withstands Rigorous CIP/SIP Cleaning: It offers excellent resistance to high temperatures and chemical corrosion, easily withstanding saturated steam sterilization at up to 150°C and strong acid/alkali rinsing, ensuring a longer service life. Premium PFA material guarantees no leaching of harmful substances during cleaning, ensuring food safety.
Diverse Industry-Standard Connectors: Equipped as standard with Tri-Clamp quick-connect clamps and a variety of sanitary-grade connectors, it integrates seamlessly with your existing production line, making installation, disassembly, and maintenance extremely convenient.
Intelligent Control and Seamless Integration: Features an all-stainless-steel housing (aluminum alloy housing available) and supports multiple mainstream industrial signal outputs, including 4-20mA, pulse/frequency, and Modbus RS485. It can integrate seamlessly into factory PLC control systems to achieve precise control over cleaning, dosing, and filling processes.
Looking to choose exceptional flowmeter products?
Send us your process medium, flow range, pipe size, connection standard and CIP/SIP conditions, and our engineers can recommend the appropriate configuration for your application.
