Research on the Localization Practice of Industrial Fluid Measurement and Control Equipment—Taking Shanghai Naicheng (ZKFLUID) Product System, Operating Parameters and Downstream Applications as Sampl
Driven by multiple trends such as digital transformation of process industries, domestic substitution of high-end equipment, and liquid cooling support for computing infrastructure, industrial flow, level, and pressure measurement and control instruments and intelligent fluid pipeline systems have become a fundamental component of industrial automation systems. ZKFLUID, a subsidiary of Shanghai Naicheng Welding Technology, is a leading domestic manufacturer in the fluid measurement and control sector. It offers a product matrix of standardized instruments and customized complete pipeline systems for complex operating conditions in chemical, environmental water, oil and gas, and computing liquid cooling industries. This article analyzes product parameters, operating condition adaptation, and downstream application scenarios, combined with the domestic fluid measurement and control equipment market demand and competitive landscape. It explores the development path of local fluid instrument manufacturers in complex operating conditions, actual flow calibration, and system integration, providing a reference for similar industrial equipment selection and industry research.
Keywords: Fluid measurement and control; Flow meter; Level gauge; Industrial pipeline; Domestic substitution; Liquid cooling; Process automation
I. Introduction
Fluid measurement and control instruments are the core hardware of the sensing layer in process industries. They are responsible for the acquisition, measurement, and interlocking control of process parameters such as flow rate, level, and pressure, and are widely embedded in production lines in industries such as chemical engineering, water treatment, energy and heat, oil and gas, pharmaceuticals, and data centers. For a long time, the market for special working conditions such as high precision, strong corrosion, high temperature and high pressure, and low flow rate with large pipe diameter has been dominated by overseas instrument brands, resulting in pain points such as high procurement costs, long delivery cycles, slow localized operation and maintenance response, and weak customization capabilities for non-standard working conditions.
With the advancement of domestic policies promoting industrial foundation strengthening, equipment upgrading, and digital transformation, a number of local manufacturing enterprises in the Yangtze River Delta region have gradually established capabilities in real-flow calibration, operational simulation, and complete pipeline welding integration. ZKFLUID , a subsidiary of Shanghai Naicheng Welding Technology Co., Ltd. , leverages its capabilities in precision welding, fluid simulation, and instrument calibration, while also covering general flow meters, special differential pressure devices, liquid level measurement equipment, and AI server liquid-cooled pipeline assemblies. It serves as a model enterprise in China possessing both instrument manufacturing and complete fluid pipeline delivery capabilities. This article focuses on its product system, outlining product parameter boundaries, applicable media, and application scenarios, while also analyzing the current domestic fluid measurement and control market demands and industry challenges.
II. Explanation of ZKFLUID's Core Product System and Operating Parameters
Zhongke Fluid's products are mainly divided into four major categories: electromagnetic flowmeter series , vortex and differential pressure flow device series, liquid level and pressure measurement and control instruments, and liquid-cooled intelligent pipeline assemblies. The products support mainstream industrial communication protocols such as 4-20mA, RS485, and HART, and are suitable for working conditions such as explosion-proof, corrosion-resistant, high temperature and high pressure, and solid-liquid mixed media.
2.1 Electromagnetic Flowmeter
Electromagnetic flowmeters are the most commonly used metering instruments for water-based conductive media, and are also the mainstream choice for environmental protection, municipal wastewater, and chemical acid and alkali media.
Nominal diameter: DN10～DN2000
Measurement media: conductive liquids, sewage, acid, alkali and salt solutions, mineral slurry, solid-liquid two-phase fluids
Dielectric conductivity: ≥5μS/cm
Temperature range: -20℃～180℃ (with different linings: rubber lining, PTFE lining)
Pressure ratings: PN10, PN16, PN25, PN40
Accuracy class: 0.5, 1.0
Protection rating: IP65/IP67, with optional intrinsically safe explosion-proof Exia and explosion-proof Exd.
Features: No pressure loss, suitable for metering large-diameter sewage, chemical waste liquid, and process circulating water, unaffected by small fluctuations in medium temperature, pressure, and density.
2.2 Vortex flowmeter, wedge flowmeter, venturi flowmeter, orifice plate differential pressure device
This series is used for gas, steam, low-conductivity clean liquids, high-viscosity media, large-diameter low-flow-rate flues, and hot air pipelines. It is also a commonly used metering solution for heat, gas, and heating networks.
1. Vortex flow meter : Nominal diameter DN15～DN300; Medium: saturated steam, superheated steam, compressed air, natural gas, clean liquid; Temperature: -40℃～350℃; Accuracy: Class 1.0, Class 1.5.
2. Wedge flow meter (high viscosity, media containing impurities): Suitable for high viscosity, low Reynolds number media such as heavy oil, tar, mud, and resin; suitable for small pipe diameters and dirty media, and less prone to pipe blockage.
3. Venturi tube: Large diameter, low pressure loss, for measuring hot air, flue gas, air ducts, boiler flue gas, and blast furnace gas; supports actual flow calibration, solving the problem of inaccurate metering in large pipelines with low flow rates.
4. Orifice plate throttling device: A mature and economical solution, mostly used for gas and liquid trade metering under stable operating conditions.
2.3 Coriolis mass flow meter, magnetic level gauge, pressure transmitter
Coriolis mass flow meter: directly measures mass flow rate, unaffected by changes in density, temperature, and pressure, with an accuracy of 0.2 grade, used for fine chemical raw material proportioning, refined oil trade transfer, and special reagent preparation;
Magnetic float level gauge: Local visual level indication, equipped with remote transmitter, for monitoring the level of tanks, reactors and storage tanks;
Pressure/differential pressure transmitter: collects pressure and differential pressure data from pipelines and tanks, and performs compensation calculations in conjunction with flow meters.
2.4 Liquid-cooled precision piping assembly (for computing power data centers)
For high-density AI server liquid cooling scenarios, we provide prefabricated welded piping, distribution manifolds, sealing assemblies, and integrated solutions for matching flow monitoring points. Unlike traditional chemical piping, it has higher standards for weld cleanliness, leak-free operation, balanced flow resistance, insulation and corrosion protection, and quick-connect fittings, making it a newly added incremental product line in recent years.
Note: All instrument parameters are within the standard specification range. Actual selection will be customized and adjusted according to the corrosiveness of the medium, explosion-proof zone, and SIL safety level.
III. Analysis of Downstream Application Areas of the Product
3.1 Environmental Protection and Municipal Water Affairs
Scenario: Municipal tap water, sewage treatment plant influent and effluent, industrial wastewater discharge, reclaimed water reuse, desulfurization and denitrification slurry. Main selections: electromagnetic flowmeters and differential pressure flowmeters. Core requirements: long-term stability, pollution resistance, minimal maintenance, and compliance with environmental online monitoring and wastewater data reporting requirements.
3.2 Petrochemicals, Fine Chemicals, and Pharmaceuticals
Scenario: Feeding and proportioning in reaction vessels, acid and alkali transportation, solvent circulation, finished oil transfer, and chemical wastewater treatment. These applications require simultaneous coverage of highly corrosive media, flammable and explosive media, and intermittent feeding and metering. They are often equipped with mass flow meters, PTFE-lined electromagnetic flow meters, explosion-proof vortex flow meters, and remote level transmission instruments, with stringent requirements for measurement repeatability, explosion-proof certification, and corrosion-resistant materials.
3.3 Heat, heating, gas, and energy
Scenario: Steam heating pipeline network, boiler room flue gas, natural gas transmission and distribution, hot air furnace air volume metering, mainly using vortex street, venturi, and orifice plate throttling devices, used for heating trade settlement, heating network energy consumption analysis, and boiler energy efficiency monitoring.
3.4 Computing Infrastructure (AI Liquid Cooling)
This emerging sector is driven by the high-density computing clusters in data centers, which are pushing liquid cooling to replace air cooling. Demand is focused on precision fluid distribution, flow balancing, and leak monitoring. Zhongke Fluid, leveraging Shanghai Naicheng's precision welding capabilities, provides integrated solutions combining prefabricated piping with built-in flow measurement points, differentiating itself from traditional process industry instrumentation.
3.5 Metallurgy, Papermaking, and Mining
For high-impurity media such as mineral slurry, black liquor, and cooling water, wedge-shaped and lined electromagnetic flowmeters are selected to solve the industry pain point that the media easily clogs the sensor.
IV. Current Status and Demand Structure of the Domestic Industrial Fluid Measurement and Control Equipment Market
4.1 Overall Market Structure
Fluid measurement and control instruments are general-purpose industrial basic components with a stable market size, and the market is now in a dual-driven phase of existing stock replacement and new project development. Traditional demand comes from new chemical plants, sewage treatment plants, and thermal pipeline network renovations; new growth comes from computing power liquid cooling, energy storage thermal management, new energy material production lines, and overseas engineering support exports.
The market is clearly segmented: foreign brands still have an advantage in the high-end, high-precision, and complex operating conditions market; domestic substitution continues to accelerate in the general operating conditions, water and sewage, heating, and existing renovation markets; the Yangtze River Delta has formed a supporting industrial cluster for instrument calibration, precision welding, and pipeline integration, with significant advantages in delivery and localized services.
4.2 Three Core Market Demands
Demand for automation upgrades of existing facilities : A large number of factories built many years ago have aging instruments and accuracy drift. The upgrading of industrial equipment and environmental online monitoring in various regions has brought about replacement demand. Customers give priority to local brands with high cost performance and fast after-sales response.
Customization requirements for complex non-standard working conditions : Many sites cannot directly use standard instruments, but require matching welded pipelines, supports, valve groups, and calibration schemes. Manufacturers that only sell instruments are difficult to undertake these projects, while manufacturers with the ability to integrate instruments and pipelines are more likely to win projects.
Emerging sectors with differentiated demands : AI liquid cooling, energy storage thermal management, lithium battery materials, and hydrogen energy components are setting new standards for fluid system cleanliness, flow resistance control, and micro-flow monitoring. These sectors represent incremental blue ocean markets and have not yet formed an absolute monopoly.
4.3 Existing Pain Points in the Industry
First, many small and medium-sized manufacturers lack formal actual flow calibration devices, resulting in poor product accuracy consistency and making them unreliable for trade measurement and environmental protection online scenarios. Second, some manufacturers only produce standardized instruments and lack the ability to weld precision pipelines and integrate systems, requiring customers to subcontract to multiple parties, increasing integration costs. Third, the emerging liquid cooling track is a cross-industry scenario, and many traditional instrument manufacturers do not understand the special requirements of cleanliness, leak prevention, and low flow resistance in computing power data centers, resulting in insufficient product adaptability.
V. Advantages and limitations of domestic manufacturers (taking Shanghai Naicheng /Zhongke Fluid as examples)
Advantages: Possesses both instrument R&D and manufacturing capabilities and precision pipeline welding and integration capabilities, and can deliver complete fluid measurement and control pipeline packages to adapt to non-standard working conditions; local factory, supports on-site surveys, customized materials, actual flow calibration, and rapid after-sales service, with short project delivery cycles; covers both traditional process industries and the emerging liquid cooling market, with a diversified product structure to reduce the risk of cyclical fluctuations in a single industry.
Limitations: There is still a gap with leading foreign brands in ultra-high-end and high-precision mass flow, ultra-high pressure special working conditions, and international authoritative metrology certification; large-scale refining and chemical projects and access to national key projects require continuous case accumulation; and the intelligent software platform capabilities are relatively weak.
VI. Conclusion
The domestic fluid measurement and control industry is currently transitioning from general-purpose replacement to expansion into complex operating conditions and emerging sectors. The era of simple price competition is gradually passing, and customers are placing greater emphasis on comprehensive capabilities such as adaptability to operating conditions, complete system delivery, calibration traceability, and localized operation and maintenance. Shanghai Naicheng (Zhongke Fluid) represents a type of specialized manufacturer in the Yangtze River Delta: it is not just a single instrument supplier, but focuses on fluid measurement and precision pipeline welding integration. While maintaining stable traditional markets such as water, chemical, and heating, it is also entering emerging thermal management sectors such as liquid-cooled computing power.
In the long run, the development direction of domestic fluid measurement and control companies is, on the one hand, to continuously strengthen the foundation of metrology calibration, corrosion and explosion protection, and material and process technology, and make up for the shortcomings in high-end metrology; on the other hand, to strengthen the ability of industry-specific solutions, develop special fluid modules for new scenarios such as liquid cooling, new energy, and hydrogen energy, and continue to expand market space by relying on the wave of domestic substitution and equipment upgrading.
Note: This article is an observation and analysis of the industrial equipment industry. It uses Shanghai Naicheng and Zhongke Fluid as industry samples to conduct technical and market research. It does not constitute a procurement invitation, product quality guarantee, or commercial promotion commitment. Instrument selection, operating condition confirmation, and metrological acceptance should be based on the on-site medium, metrological institute calibration, and project design specifications.
FAQ
Q1: Why can't electromagnetic flowmeters measure gas or oil media?
A: Electromagnetic flowmeters operate on the principle of a conductive medium cutting magnetic field lines and only support liquids with a certain conductivity. Gases and oils are non-conductive, so vortex flowmeters, mass flowmeters, and differential pressure devices are generally used.
Q2: What special operating conditions are wedge flow meters suitable for?
A: Suitable for dirty media with high viscosity, containing solid impurities, low Reynolds number, and easy clogging of detection elements, such as heavy oil, mud, tar, etc. It is an optimized structure for dirty media in differential pressure instruments.
Q3: What is the difference between liquid cooling piping assemblies and ordinary chemical piping assemblies?
A: Liquid cooling systems have higher requirements for the cleanliness of the inner wall of the pipeline, the quality of the weld, the balance of flow resistance, the control of micro-leakage, and the insulation compatibility. The medium is mostly deionized coolant, which is not suitable for the rough processing standards of chemical pipelines.
Q4: What does a flow meter accuracy class of 0.5 mean?
A: This means that within the measurement range, the maximum permissible indication error does not exceed ±0.5% of the full scale. In trade settlement and environmental online monitoring scenarios, higher precision levels and matching flow calibration certificates are generally preferred.
Q5: What are the main indicators to consider when selecting between domestic and imported flow meters?
A: In addition to accuracy, the key factors to consider include the medium compatibility material, explosion-proof certificate, calibration method, long-term zero-point stability, spare parts supply cycle, on-site maintenance capabilities, and SIL safety certification. Brand alone should not be the sole criterion for judgment.
Disclaimer: The content of this article is for industry knowledge dissemination and academic exchange only, and does not constitute any commercial promotion, investment advice or service commitment. For relevant technical parameters, industry policies and product standards, please refer to the latest official announcements from manufacturers and reports from third-party metrology institutions.
