PFM1-AC

The FloPath PFM1-AC is an electronic pressure controller with flow modulation (FM) and a built-in data logger, manufactured by MOBILTEX Data Ltd., a Canadian company headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, founded in 1985 and specialized in IIoT remote monitoring solutions for water, gas and cathodic protection networks. It belongs to the FloPath family, focused on pressure and flow management in drinking water networks.

A conventional PRV is set to a fixed outlet pressure, calculated to guarantee the minimum pressure at the network's critical point during peak demand; for the rest of the day, the network runs with excess pressure. The PFM1-AC acts on the PRV pilot adjusting screw through a brass actuator and modulates the outlet pressure between two preset values, "low" and "high", according to the measured flow rate or the time of day. By reducing excess pressure during low-demand periods, it lowers background leakage and burst frequency, helping extend infrastructure service life.

Unlike a fixed-setpoint PRV, the PFM1-AC provides 8 control modes, time and flow tables of up to 16 entries each, a main profile plus 3 optional profiles for weekdays, weekends and seasons, and pulse unit failure detection with automatic response. The built-in logger stores PRV inlet and outlet pressures and meter flow, with fast sampling to assess valve performance and detect pressure surges. The whole assembly runs on an internal battery with a typical life of more than 5 years in a submersible IP68 enclosure.

The controller communicates over LTE-M (CAT M1), NB-IoT, 4G LTE or 2G cellular networks, or locally through an IrDA infrared link, enabling PRV operation to be supervised and logged data to be downloaded without site visits. It fits most pilot-operated PRVs from major manufacturers, making it easy to add advanced pressure management to valves already in service.