Unitized measuring element for water meter assembly

A method for performing a field installation of a measuring element for a water meter assembly, the method comprising:

• stopping a fluid supply to the water meter assembly;
• disconnecting an installed water meter from a main case while the main case is connected to system piping;
• removing the installed water meter from the main case;
• obtaining a measuring element for a pipe size corresponding to the system piping, wherein the measuring element includes:
• a cover including an underside cavity and a bleed hole located at a high point of the underside cavity,
• a measuring channel coupled to the cover adjacent the underside cavity, wherein the underside cavity is configured to release entrapped air from the measuring channel through the bleed hole,
• an electronics module including a pair of ultrasonic transducers configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal into the measuring channel, and
• an acoustic reflector configured to reflect the ultrasonic signal between the pair of ultrasonic transducers;
• inserting the measuring channel of the measuring element into a cavity of the main case;
• fastening the measuring element to the main case;
• starting the fluid supply through the water meter assembly, and
• venting air from the measuring channel through the bleed hole, after starting the fluid supply through the measuring channel.

A measuring element for a water meter assembly, the measuring element comprising:

• a cover including an underside cavity and a bleed hole located at a high point of the underside cavity;
• a measuring channel coupled to the cover adjacent the underside cavity;
• an electronics module including a pair of ultrasonic transducers configured to transmit an ultrasonic signal into the measuring channel;
• and
• an acoustic reflector configured to reflect the ultrasonic signal between the pair of ultrasonic transducers,
• wherein the underside cavity is configured to release entrapped air from the measuring channel through the bleed hole, after starting a fluid supply through the measuring channel.