In brief
Finkova supplies Panametrics ultrasonic flow meters, thermal energy metering and moisture analyzers for data center cooling loops, heat recovery and white space climate control in Finland, and uses portable clamp-on meters for commissioning and balancing. Clamp-on meters measure from outside the pipe, so the loop is not opened and no pressure drop is added.
What a buyer should provide
Share pipe sizes, materials and wall thicknesses, the fluid and its glycol content, flow ranges, the metering boundary, and the accuracy the reading needs for control, reporting or billing.
Where measurement is needed
Cooling power is calculated from flow, temperature difference and fluid properties, so every metering point needs a flow measurement and a matched temperature pair. Typical points on a liquid-cooled site are:
- total facility water flow and temperatures on the primary side of the CDUs
- server loop flow on the secondary side of the CDU
- per-row manifolds in the server loop
- heat rejection loops to dry coolers and chillers
- the heat recovery loop and the delivery to district heating
- make-up water
Per-row flow shows imbalance before it shows in temperatures, and make-up water consumption shows a leak before it reaches the floor.
Panametrics meters on a data center site
Server loop flow. The loop between the CDU and the racks is the most critical in the hall: when flow drops, temperatures climb fast. The dual-path AquaTrans AT620 keeps the measurement redundant, and clamp-on installation never opens the loop, which preserves its cleanliness. The AquaTrans AT600 is the single-path version.
Facility water flow and energy. DigitalFlow DF868 measures flow and energy permanently from outside the pipe, with no pressure drop and no shutdown.
Recovered heat. DigitalFlow DF868 energy metering shows how much heat actually goes to the district heating network and helps optimise recovery.
Portable surveys. The TransPort PT900 goes where no fixed meter is installed: commissioning flow checks, loop balancing, troubleshooting and verification of fixed meters.
Humidity reference. Panametrics moisture analyzers and calibration solutions act as the reference that the white space humidity sensors are checked against.
Inline ultrasonic meters. For new pipework with the required straight runs: the transducers are in contact with the medium, and built-in diagnostics support reliable readings.
Panametrics has been part of Crane Company since January 2026. Finkova's full Panametrics range for industrial processes, including vortex and high-accuracy Sentinel meters, is presented in Finnish on finkova.fi.
Measurement verification work
Finkova also installs instrumentation and verifies flows as part of cooling commissioning, including on systems supplied by others and projects elsewhere in the Nordics. See data center cooling system commissioning.
Metering for reporting and billing
Metering built for plant control is not automatically good enough for reporting or billing. EU rules require data centers with at least 500 kW of installed IT power to report indicators such as PUE, WUE and ERF, which are calculated from measurements, so the metering boundaries are best decided at design stage.
Heat sold to a district heating network is measured with a thermal energy meter, for which the European product standard is EN 1434. Billing use typically requires type approval under the Measuring Instruments Directive. The final requirements come from the buyer, meaning the network owner. The details are in flow and energy metering in data center cooling loops.
Frequently asked questions
Why use clamp-on flow meters in data center cooling loops?
They measure through the pipe wall, so the loop is not cut or opened, no pressure drop is added and no shutdown is needed. That protects the cleanliness of the server loop, and one portable meter can check every point at commissioning and verify the fixed meters.
Does glycol affect ultrasonic flow and energy measurement?
Yes. Glycol concentration changes both the speed of sound and the specific heat capacity. The meter has to be configured for the actual fluid, and updated if the composition changes, or both flow and power readings will be wrong.
Can the same meter serve monitoring and heat sales billing?
Not necessarily. Billing typically requires an EN 1434 thermal energy meter with type approval, and the network owner sets the final requirements. Check them before the metering points are fixed.
