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Transcript of Flow Control May 2013
OIL WATER
Separation SuccessSeparation SuccessSeparation SuccessCapacitance Level Switches for Optimum Interface Detection
Capacitance Level Switches for Optimum Interface Detection
Capacitance Level Switches for Optimum Interface Detection
SOLUTIONS for FLUID MOVEMENT,MEASUREMENT & CONTAINMENT
Considering Thermal Shutoffs • Trends in Membrane Filtration • Pump Terms Gone Wild
InnovationInnovation20132013
AWARDSAWARDS®
MAY 2013 Vol. XIX, No. 5www.FlowControlNetwork.com
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features
contents
16 Using Interface Level to Optimize Water Dump Control
By William Sholette
The process of removing water from the separation vessel is referred to as a “Water Dump.” The water is “dumped” to a treatment plant for processing, while the oil is removed from the top for further refin-ing. Because of the high cost of treating the water, it is critical to know when the interface between the water and oil reaches a low point to prevent dumping oil to the water treatment facility.
22 2013 Flow Control Innovation Awards Nominees
By Flow Control Staff
The Flow Control Innovation Awards recognize compelling new tech-nology solutions for fluid movement, measurement and contain-ment. The technologies highlighted in this issue represent final nom-inees for this year’s awards program. Reader voting is now open.
32 Part I: Flow Trend WatchBy Jesse Yoder, Ph.D.
Based on results of Flow Research’s new Volume X: The World
Market for Flowmeters, 4th Edition, Part I of this two-part series focuses on important trends, applications, and recent develop-ments in new-technology flowmeters.
36 Considering Thermal Shutoff Valves for Oil & Gas
By Jean Steckler
New technology for thermal shutoffs uses Nitinol shape memory alloy system, originally developed for NASA space station applica-tions. Nitonol’s shape memory effect changes certain metal alloys from one shape to another with temperature changes, a direct result of a transformation of the alloy’s crystal structure.
2 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
InnovationInnovation20132013
AWARDSAWARDS®
Flow Control (ISSN #1081-7107) is published 12 times a year by Grand View Media Group, 200 Croft Street, Suite 1, Birming-ham, AL 35242.
A controlled circulation publication, Flow Control is distributed without charge to qualiied subscribers. Non-qualiied subscrip-tion rates in the U.S. and Canada: one year, $99; two year, $172. Foreign subscription rates: one year, $150; two year, $262. Wire Transfer: $180. Please call or e-mail the Circulation Manager for more wire transfer information. Single copies $10 per issue in the U.S. and Canada. Single copies $15 per issue in all other coun-tries. All subscription payments are due in U.S. funds.
Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Cana-da Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Flow Control, PO BOX 2174 Skokie, IL 60076-7874. Periodical postage rates paid at Birmingham, AL 35242 and additional mailing ofices.
© Entire contents copyright 2013. No portion of this publica-tion may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher. Views expressed by the bylined contributors should not be construed as relecting the opinion of this pub-lication. Publication of product/service information should not be deemed as a recommendation by the publisher. Editorial contributions are accepted from the luid handling industry. Con-tact the editor for details. Product/service information should be submitted in accordance with guidelines available from the editor. Editorial closing date is two months prior to the month of publication. Advertising close is the last working day of the month, two months prior to the month of publication.
®
may 2013 | Vol. XIX, No. 5
16
16
32
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1616
The Emerson logo is a trademark and service mark of Emerson Electric Co. ©2013 Fisher Controls International LLC. D352200X012 MZ8
You can automate your control signal using the Fisher® Control-Disk™
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4 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
contents continued
departments8 NEWS & NOTES membrane filtration outlook; energy
management; fluid treatment trendlines
44 UP CLOSE with Rosemount’s CriticalProcess
Vortex Flowmeter
45 WEB RESOURCE FILE
46 ADVERTISER/ PRODUCT INDEX
47 WORD SEARCH filtration & separation
48 QUIZ CORNERmeasuring the flow of mixed liquids
columns6 VIEWPOINT the future of industrial training
14 APPLICATIONS CORNERhow much straight-run is really enough
40 PUMP GUY making sense of senseless pump terminology
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40
A number of methods can be used to measure the interface between
water and oil. These include every-thing from manual sampling to
sophisticated continuous level mea-
surement instruments, such as guided wave radar and gamma radiation transmitters. But for water dump con-trol, an on/off capacitance level switch inserted near the water outlet is almost always the preferred alternative.
“
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In April, I attended Mr. Spitzer’s In-
dustrial Flow Measurement Seminar at
Endress+Hauser’s state-of-the-art Process
Training Unit near Philadelphia. I always
enjoy sitting in on the trainings we present
because they offer me the opportunity to
directly interact with our readers. It’s also
quite informative to hear the exchanges be-
tween attendees and their interactions with
the presenters as they discuss the applica-
tion issues they face in their work. I find I
learn as much, or more, from the tangential
conversations that arise during the semi-
nars than I do from the standard course
material, as it is in these impromptu discus-
sions that very specific, real-world scenarios
are considered.
As I listened to one such exchange dur-
ing the Flow Measurement Seminar, I got to
thinking about the future of industrial train-
ing and the role digital training solutions will
play going forward.
As I see it, here in the United States,
we are facing a triple-threat when it comes
to technical knowhow: 1. A large swath of
highly skilled technical professionals are re-
tiring from the workforce (whether they want
to or not); 2. These skilled professionals are
being replaced with relatively inexperienced
individuals, who lack the critical expertise
you can only gain through hands-on job
experience; and 3. U.S. companies aren’t
spending as much as they used to on con-
tinuing education programs.
I think digital/online training programs
could help bridge the gap between the dire
need for technical knowhow and the ever-
shrinking training budget. Certainly, the price
point for an online training is significantly
lower than that of an in-person training
where travel expenses and time away from
work are usually required. That said, I don’t
see how an online training environment can
enable the sort of information sharing de-
scribed above—where attendees are enter-
ing into detailed sidebar discussions among
themselves and with the presenter to solve
real-world challenges.
As such, while I think digital/online pro-
grams have a role to play in the future of
industrial training, I think they should be
viewed more as a supplement to, rather
than a replacement for, in-person training
programs. At the trainings I’ve attended over
the years, I see how the course material
lights the spark that leads to the discussion
that ultimately results in a breakthrough.
This evolution of a seed of information can
only happen in a face-to-face, in-person
training environment.
Certainly, I acknowledge that since we
offer in-person training, my stance here is a
bit self-serving. That said, just because it’s
self-serving doesn’t mean it’s not rooted in
reality and truth. FC
Thanks for your readership,
— Matt Migliore, Executive Director of Content
VIEWPOINT
6 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
The Future of Industrial Training
PUBLISHERJOHN P. HARRIS | (205) 408-3765
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
MICHAEL C. CHRISTIAN | (908) [email protected]
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CONTENT
MATT MIGLIORE | (610) [email protected]
MANAGING EDITOR
AMY W. RICHARDSON | (859) [email protected]
COLUMNISTS
LARRY BACHUS; DAVID W. SPITZER; JESSE YODER
ART DIRECTOR
JULIE [email protected]
MARKETING MANAGERMARY BETH TIMMERMAN
SUBSCRIPTION & REPRINT REQUESTS:
Administrative TeamGENERAL MANAGER
BARRY LOVETTE
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONSBRENT KIZZIRE
VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETINGHANK BROWN
DIRECTOR OF CIRCULATION & FULFILLMENT DELICIA POOLE
CIRCULATION ANALYST ANNA HICKS
VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCEBRAD YOUNGBLOOD
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDLarry Bachus: Bachus Company Inc.Gary Cornell: Blacoh Fluid Control
Jeff Jennings: Equilibar LLCPeter Kucmas: Elster Instromet
Jim Lauria: Water Technology ExecutiveJames Matson: GE Measurement & ControlJohn Merrill, PE: EagleBurgmann Industries
Steve Milford: Endress+Hauser U.S.David W. Spitzer, PE: Spitzer and Boyes LLC
Tom Tschanz: McIlvaine CompanyJohn C. Tverberg: Metals and Materials
Consulting EngineersJesse Yoder, Ph.D.: Flow Research Inc.
WINNER
WINNER
VGG R A N D V I E W M E D I A G R O U P
WINNER
WINNER WINNER
Here at Flow Control, our goal is to help you, our reader, become well-informed and pre-
pared to effectively interface with the applications and technologies you encounter in your job. We do this primarily through the magazine you’re now reading, our website FlowControlNetwork.
com, our various e-newsletters, and our social media programs. In addition, we also present the
Pump Guy and Industrial Flow Measurement seminars, which are led by regular Flow Control contributors Larry Bachus (“The Pump Guy”) and David W. Spitzer, respectively.
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THE OUTLOOK | News & Notes
Researchers say membrane technology is emerging as an increasingly viable solu-
tion for water and wastewater treatment due to its production of high-quality effluent. Intense research and development efforts over the last few years have improved mem-brane technology to make it more efficient, which, in turn, is helping drive down costs and attract new investments.
Frost & Sullivan’s recent analysis (www.environmental.
frost.com), Membrane Technologies Market in Water and
Wastewater Treatment in Southeast Asia, found the market
earned revenues of $249.1 million in 2011 and expects this
to reach $398 million by 2017.
“Earlier, a greater number of membranes were required
to achieve a certain level of quality, but now the improved
efficiency of membranes means that water and wastewater
treatment facilities can lower investments in technologies,”
says Frost & Sullivan Research Associate Prashanth Kay.
“While the effectiveness of membranes is unchallenged, their
compact and scalable features make them ideal for water
and wastewater treatment, especially in desalination.”
Frost & Sullivan chose to study Southeast Asia, Kay says,
because researchers realized this market was growing faster
than expected. Since most Southeast Asian countries are not
as heavily invested in water technologies as water-scarce coun-
tries, they wanted to learn the reason for growth. “I suppose
in terms of trends—the reduction in costs due to increases in
efficiency, and the pure effectiveness of membranes in treating
water—crosses all geographic borders,” Kay says.
The drivers for increased adoption of membrane technol-
ogy in the North American water and wastewater industry are
similar, according to Frost & Sullivan’s North America Energy
and Environment Industry Analyst Eric Meliton. Namely, he says
membrane growth is due to water scarcity issues on a regional
basis, increasing demands on freshwater resources from in-
dustrial manufacturing sectors, and water stress in arid regions
of the U.S. requiring ways to maximize freshwater resources.
“In contrast to Southeast Asia, North American municipali-
ties and industrial participants already use a wide variety of ad-
vanced treatment systems, with membrane technologies being
a major part of that,” Meliton says. “Demand is based on treat-
ment need and procurement budget to implement and operate
the treatment technologies utilized. Many larger municipalities
and Tier I industrial participants have the financial means to
implement advanced systems such as membranes, but smaller
municipalities and Tier II/III participants have difficulties obtain-
ing the funding required to implement these systems, thus rely-
ing on outdated treatment technologies in many cases.”
While drivers may be similar across geographic boundar-
ies, Frost & Sullivan notes that water effluent quality differs
greatly among sectors of the water & wastewater treatment
industry. For this reason, membrane technology companies
are challenged to provide variations in technology to address
Advances in Membrane Technology Greater efficiency leads to wider membrane adoption for water & wastewater treatment
8 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
By Amy W. Richardson
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these different needs, while keeping efficiency at the highest
level and costs at their lowest.
Membrane vs. ConventionalWhile membrane technology has been around for nearly three
decades, a large segment of the water & wastewater treatment
industry still opts for the less expensive and conventional treat-
ment systems. Conventional water treatment technologies
typically involve a combination of treatment processes such
as coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection to
achieve a certain quality of filtered water. While less expensive
technologies and conventional systems are still widely used,
they are slowly being replaced, Meliton says.
“Chemical feed systems come to mind as the technology
being replaced by membrane technology and other advanced
systems; however, outdated systems will still be prevalent in
many municipal facilities that cannot generate the funding re-
quired to replace them outright,” he says. “And in water-rich
countries where water is cheap, the returns on investment from
new technologies such as membranes are still unjustified.”
Membrane technology is generally viewed as part of an
advanced treatment system, used to achieve a higher level
of standardized water & wastewater treatment depending
on application requirements. “In North America, membrane
technology is used as a secondary treatment requirement,
to address tougher contaminant levels in tandem with other
treatment systems,” Meliton explains. “Contaminant type and
level are key factors as to why a membrane system would be
incorporated into existing treatment requirements.”
The Membrane AdvantageChris Stafford, Ph.D., who works in the Material Science and
Engineering Division at the National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST, www.nist.gov), explains a key advantage of
membrane technology is the ability to remove contaminants
having a range of sizes from the feed stream. “This is achieved
through a series of membrane elements that successively
remove smaller and smaller solutes from the water, starting
with microfiltration and ending with reverse-osmosis (RO),”
he says. “This will become increasingly important as we begin
to see emerging contaminants entering into previously ‘clean’
water sources, either through run-off/pollution or bioterrorism.”
Stafford says other advantages of membrane technology
are the reduced manufacturing costs of polymeric membranes,
higher efficiency, and less dependence on chemical treatments.
“Membrane filtration is more effective over conventional
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com May 2013 | 9
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Membrane bioreactors—usually microfiltration (MF)
or ultrafiltration (UF) membranes immersed in aeration
tanks (vacuum system), or implemented in external
pressure-driven membrane units, as a replacement for
secondary clarifiers and tertiary polishing filters.
Low-pressure membranes—usually MF or UF mem-
branes, either as a pressure system or an immersed sys-
tem, providing a higher degree of suspended solids re-
moval following secondary clarification. UF membranes
are effective for virus removal.
High-pressure membranes—nanofiltration or reverse-
osmosis pressure systems for treatment and production
of high-quality product water suitable for indirect potable
reuse and high-purity industrial process water. Also, recent
research has shown that microconstituents, such as phar-
maceuticals and personal care products, can be removed
by high-pressure membranes.
Source: This information was provided by CDM Smith, www.CDMSmith.com, a provider of integrated solutions in water, environment, transportation, energy and facilities.
Membrane Technologies for Wastewater:
treatment systems in that the conven-
tional systems are not able to achieve
100-percent removal of particulate and
dissolved matter, regardless of the perfor-
mance of the filter,” says Kay. “With mem-
brane filters, only particulates that are
smaller than the pore size of the mem-
brane can pass through, meaning the
quality of filtrate can be controlled by the
user. As membrane filters remove most
of the dissolved micro-organisms at the
filtration stage, the use of chemicals for
water treatment is markedly reduced and
sometimes unnecessary, leaving the treat-
ed water more safe for consumption.”
Membrane technology, however, is not
without its disadvantages. First, and per-
haps most notably, membrane technology
carries a higher price point than conven-
tional systems. In addition, Stafford says
nanofiltration (NF) and RO polymeric
membranes are prone to fouling, have a
greater energy footprint, and are pH sen-
sitive. “In particular, membrane fouling
remains a huge problem with NF and RO
membranes, where unlike other mem-
branes, thin-film composite membranes
cannot be cleaned via back-flushing,” he
says. “Thus, we rely on heavy chlorination
to clean the membrane surface, but many
polymers used in RO and NF degrade over
time when exposed to chlorine.”
Technology AdvancementsMembranes have been around for the
past three decades, though use has
mostly been commercial, says Kay. “As
differentiations in membrane technol-
ogy have come about (Microfiltration,
Reverse Osmosis, etc.), the use of
these membranes has been able to
reach the regular household due to
increased efficiency and hence, scal-
ability,” he says. “What is meant by
this is that membranes are now able
to filter water at a faster rate over a
set area of filtrant. So basically, it takes
less surface area of a membrane now
to filter a certain amount of water over
a certain period of time, making mem-
brane systems more compact and eas-
ily integrated to any size of application.”
Stafford says one promising area of
research underway centers on “self-heal-
ing” and “self-cleaning” membranes.
“Self-healing and self-cleaning mem-
branes are currently being researched
and would represent a huge technologi-
cal breakthrough for membrane design,”
he says. “There are various strategies
being taken, including tuning the hydro-
philicity and roughness of the membrane
surface to control what deposits on the
surface, as well as constructing mem-
brane surfaces that can slough off its
outer-most layer or ‘skin,’ taking with it
whatever is attached to the membrane
surface as well.” Currently, Stafford says
NIST does not have any projects in the
pipeline associated with these areas.
Meliton says advances in operational
efficiency; lowered cost of technology ac-
quisition and implementation; and com-
plexity and dynamic design have all been
factors leading to more effective use of
membranes in wastewater treatment ap-
THE OUTLOOK | News & Notes
10 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
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www.flowcontrolnetwork.com May 2013 | 11
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plications. He says, “This is especially true
in regional applications in which treatment
requirements (more challenging contami-
nant levels) are being addressed and in
applications where membrane technol-
ogy is used to enhance existing treatment
systems to further strengthen the overall
treatment capabilities of the plant design.”
Room for ImprovementWhen it comes to manufacturing and
implementing new membrane technol-
ogy for water & wastewater treatment
purposes, manufacturers and end-users
both see reducing energy consumption
as a necessary goal.
“A key challenge for both sides is re-
ducing the energy consumption from a
membrane system,” Kay says. “Manu-
facturers find this an important area
they need to improve upon, which will
drive higher sales. Another challenge for
the end-user side is the recovery factors
from membranes in desalination and
how to dispose of brine.”
Meliton says, in the short-term, cost
of acquisition and design implemen-
tation are key factors that limit wide-
spread acceptance. “Operational costs
related to energy levels, requirements
of tandem systems (e.g., reverse-osmo-
sis), and high costs of acquisition/pro-
curement reduce the appeal to smaller
municipalities,” he says. “Long-term,
the stigma to change existing systems
is still a key factor, since many opera-
tors rely heavily on the performance of
existing systems and there is a lack of
a regional need to enhance or improve
existing operational efficiency. This is a
factor that is prevalent in this industry
segment in North America and will con-
tinue to be a limiting factor for any ad-
vanced treatment technology, including
membrane technologies.”
On the Horizon Going forward, challenges will continue
to be the need for highly skilled human
capital, as well as the financial capital
needed to operate membrane-based
water treatment systems.
“The demand for purer potable water
and the increase in regulations for the
industrial sector will ensure this mar-
ket continues to grow,” Kay says. “Par-
ticipants can make the most of these
opportunities by focusing on using the
different forms of membrane technology
to provide the best combinations at the
most cost-effective prices.”
Amy W. Richardson is the manag-
ing editor of Flow Control magazine.
She can be reached at ARichardson@
GrandViewMedia.com.
trendlines
Industrial Energy Mgmt. Revenue to Double by 2020
Annual revenue from industrial energy
management systems will reach
$22.5 billion in 2020, essentially dou-
bling their 2013 level, according to
a new report from Navigant Research
(www.navigantresearch.com).
Growth is expected to be driven by
the evolution of Industrial Energy Man-
agement Systems (IEMSs) to enable
industrial facilities to minimize energy
use and waste while still meeting the
demands of production, Navigant Re-
search says. With their global pres-
ence, extensive domain expertise, and
established infrastructure to support
long-term engagements, large original
equipment manufacturers (OEMs) have
long been the leaders in this market.
However, the market is changing rapid-
ly, the report says. Major IT companies
with expertise in handling large data
sets and sophisticated real-time busi-
ness analytics applications are making
inroads, as are smaller players.
Mergers & Acquisitions Shuffle Leaderboard in Fluid Treatment & Control Market
Pentair has emerged as the new
leader in the market that treats and
controls liquids and gases (including
air), driven in part by the addition of the
revenues it added through its recent
acquisition of Tyco Valve, according to a
new report from the McIlvaine Company
(www.mcilvainecompany.com). With
Tyco Valve, McIlvaine says Pentair pump
and filtration revenues generated a
combined $7 billion in sales in 2012,
and a 3.5 percent increase is antici-
pated in 2013. This will create revenues
of $7.2 billion in the treatment and
control sector.
The total market for treatment and
control is forecast to rise 5 percent to
$340 billion in 2013, but the leader will
only garner 2 percent of the market, so
the market will remain quite fractured.
The treatment and control market is
increasingly being recognized as a dis-
crete market, according to McIlvaine.
Various players, however, view the mar-
ket slightly differently. Parker Hannifin
sees a $100 billion market in which it
is the largest player at $13 billion. With
its filtration, hydraulics and pneumat-
ics products, it is a major participant in
treatment and control, but is not among
the top five, according to McIlvaine’s
rankings.
For more information on this report,
visit www.mcilvainecompany.com.
THE OUTLOOK | News & Notes
12 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
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14 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
I recently read an interesting email exchange that was
originated by a person who was involved with a large (over
30-inch) orifice-plate flowmeter. He stated that ISO 5167
required 20 diameters of straight run upstream, but that the
installation only allowed for 10 diameters.
Approximately 5 percent accuracy was
required, and the writer wanted to know
how much the shortened straight run
would affect the flow measurement and if
repeatability would be good.
The first response to the inquiry was
that an insertion flowmeter might be more
economical and still produce the desired
accuracy. The responder also wanted to
know if the fluid was a liquid or gas, lead-
ing me to believe that the orifice-plate flowmeter was in the
process of design and had not yet been installed.
The originator responded by saying that this was a liquid
application and that he could not change the technology
because the flowmeter had already been purchased. In ad-
dition, the originator repeated that accuracy was not a big
deal because the flowmeter would be used for “minimum
flow control,” and reiterated wanting to know if the measure-
ment would be repeatable and reliable with the shortened
straight run.
I interpret “flow control” to mean that the flowmeter is
one component in a flow control loop that includes a flowme-
ter, controller, and control valve. “Minimal” could mean either
that the purpose of the control loop is to maintain a minimum
operating flowrate, or that maintaining tight flow control is not
really that important to the process. Given the relatively wide
accuracy requirement, I suspect that the latter is more likely.
More next month … FC
APPLICATIONS CORNER | Flow Measurement
Part I: Considering a Large-Line Orifice-Plate FlowmeterHow Much Straight-Run Pipe Is Really Needed to Produce the Desired Results?
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David W. Spitzer
Approximately 5 percent accuracy was
required, and the writer wanted to know how much the shortened straight run would affect the flow measurement and if repeatability would be good.
“”
David W. Spitzer | Insertion Flowmeter | Flow Mea-surement | Orifice-Plate Flowmeter | Straight Run
FLOWSTREAM Find related content @ flowcontrolnetwork.com
David W. Spitzer is a regular contributor to Flow
Control magazine and a principal in Spitzer and Boyes,
LLC, offering engineering, seminars, strategic marketing
consulting, distribution consulting, and expert witness
services for manufacturing and automation companies.
Mr. Spitzer has more than 35 years of experience and has
written over 10 books and 250 articles about flow mea-
surement, instrumentation and process control.
Mr. Spitzer can be reached at 845 623-1830 or spitzer
andboyes.com. Click on the “Products” tab to find his
Consumer Guides to various flow and level measurement
technologies.
© 2011 FMC Technologies. All rights reserved.
www.fmctechnologies.com
We put you first.And keep you ahead.
FMC’s Flow Research and
Calibration Lab is accredited
through NVLAP (NVLAP
Laboratory Code 200939-0) to
ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and meets
all OIML standards.
We are not the only
ISO 17025calibration lab.
Today’s challenging hydrocarbon custody transfer environment demands
precise and reliable metering. That means equipment, like Smith Meter® brand
products, must exceed design specs and prove dependable against a wide range
of flow conditions. FMC Technologies’ accredited Flow Research and Calibration
Lab puts every meter through the paces, giving you confidence that the volume
delivered is accurate, time after time. Experienced technicians can apply dynamic
testing of flow rates between 30 to 6,670 m3h (200 to 42,000 bph) and viscosi-
ties of between 2 to 250 cSt making it the widest test range available, anywhere.
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Fracking is becoming widely used in
the oil and gas industry, and as it grows
in popularity, treating produced water
coming from wells is becoming a major
challenge, especially because the cost
of cleaning produced water is about
300 times that of cleaning municipal
wastewater.
A similar problem exists at oil refiner-
ies, where incoming crude oil contains
water that must be removed prior to refin-
ing. At refineries, crude may contain any-
where from 3 percent to 5 percent water.
The volume of water produced is de-
pendent on a number of factors, includ-
ing source of the oil, age of the well,
type of separator, and location in the
refining process. Volumes ranging from
several hundred to millions of gallons a
day are possible.
Whether the separation is done at
the well site or at the refinery, one of
the most critical parts of the process is
measuring the level of the interface be-
tween oil and water in the separation
vessel. A correct measurement ensures
the maximum amount of oil is drawn off
for refining purposes, and a minimum
amount of oil and hydrocarbons are
sent to the water treatment process.
Water Separation ProcessesOil in production fields contains varying
amounts of water depending on the
specific oil reservoir, the age of the well,
and the methods used in extracting the
oil from the ground. Some separation
of water from the oil is done in the field
to reduce the amount of water that is
transported to the refinery.
At a well site, especially one that
uses fracking, the separated water must
be treated on site or at a nearby water
treatment facility before the water can
be returned to the environment.
Refineries take in crude oil from
production fields with varying levels
of Basic Sediment & Water (BS&W)
measurements. The higher the BS&W
measurement, the more water is in the
crude. The refineries separate the wa-
ter and other impurities through various
separation processes, including, but not
limited to, gravity separation, desalter
vessels, and skim tanks.
In all these processes, water sepa-
rates from the oil and must be evacuat-
ed from the bottom of the vessel, while
the hydrocarbons typically are removed
on a continuous basis by flowing over a
baffle at one end of the separation ves-
sel (Figure 1).
Essentially, all the various separation
processes involve a tank where oil and
water coexist, with oil on top and water
on the bottom. As the separation process
continues, the water must be removed.
Water DumpingThe process of removing water from
the separation vessel is referred to as a
“Water Dump.” The water is “dumped”
SYSTEMS DESIGN | Level Measurement
16 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
Figure 1. In a separation vessel, oil and water separate, with oil moving to the top and water to the bottom. Capacitance level switches are used to detect the oil/water interface.
A SOLUTION for Separation SuccessInterface Level Sensing for Water Dump Control in Oil & Gas Applications
In hydraulic fracturing (fracking) operations at oil and gas wells, water and oil both come to the surface and must be
separated. Oil and gas can be filtered from the water fairly easily, but the remaining water—called “produced water”—is contaminated and must be treated before being released into the environment.
By William Sholette
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com May 2013 | 17
to a treatment plant for processing,
while the oil is removed from the top
for further refining. Because of the high
cost of treating the water, it is critical
to know when the interface between
the water and oil reaches a low point to
prevent dumping oil to the water treat-
ment facility.
The main purpose of water dump
control is to prevent excess hydrocar-
bons from being sent to the water treat-
ment facility. There are two reasons for
this: First, in some cases there are fines
for dumping hydrocarbons to the water
treatment plant; second, the idea is to
maximize the hydrocarbon throughput
to the refining process, not dump it
down the sewer.
A number of methods can be used
to measure the interface between water
and oil. These include everything from
manual sampling to sophisticated con-
tinuous level measurement instruments
such as guided wave radar and gamma
radiation transmitters. But for water
dump control, an on/off capacitance
level switch inserted near the water
outlet is almost always the preferred al-
ternative, for reasons delineated below.
Inside Capacitance Level SwitchesA capacitor is made up of two con-
ductive plates separated by a non-
conductive “dielectric” material (Figure
2). Dielectric materials are categorized
by their “Dielectric Constant” or “DK”,
which is a number that is related to the
material’s ability to store a capacitive
charge. The higher the dielectric num-
ber, the more capacitance it can store.
Capacitance is equal to the DK
times the Area of the conductive plates,
divided by the Distance between the
two plates, or:
C = (DK * A) / D
Capacitance sensors for level mea-
surement use these basic capacitance
concepts, with the vessel becoming one
plate of the capacitor (Figure 3) in point
level applications. That is, the probe
becomes one conductive plate, the
vessel or a ground reference becomes
the second conductive plate, and the
material being measured is the dielec-
tric material. In the case of conductive
materials such as ground water, the
Figure 2. A capacitance sensor can be used to detect the presence of conductive fluids.
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plates are essentially shorted out, pro-
viding a large change in capacitance.
A bridge circuit in the sensor’s elec-
tronic unit is balanced to null out the
capacitance generated by an uncovered
sensing element. As material covers the
probe, an increase in capacitance is gen-
erated on the probe side of the bridge,
which causes the bridge to become un-
balanced. This change is converted to
a switch command to allow a relay or
other output to indicate the status of the
switch, either covered or uncovered.
In the case of materials that leave a
coating on the probe, active buildup com-
pensation in the electronic unit provides a
means to compensate for the coating and
continue to provide reliable measurement.
Capacitance Level Switches for Interface DetectionKnowing where the interface between
the water and oil occurs is important to
prevent dumping oil to the water treat-
ment plant, resulting in loss of product,
extra cost for treatment, and potential
environmental fines.
Using a capacitance switch to iden-
tify the interface between the oil and
water is very effective because of the
dramatically different electrical proper-
ties of the two fluids. Ground water is
very conductive and acts to short the
two plates of the capacitor, causing an
almost infinite change in the measured
capacitance. The oil phase is not con-
ductive, and the low dielectric constant
of oil (around 2DK) causes a small
change in the measured capacitance.
This results in a very clear electrical defi-
nition between the two phases.
In a water dump tank, the sensor is
covered with a mixture of oil and water
until the separation process proceeds,
when oil moves to the top and relatively
clean water moves to the bottom. The
separated water will still contain some
oil, grease, iron, polymer additives,
paraffin wax, and other contaminants
that will be removed in the ensuing wa-
ter treatment process. The sensor will
probably never see pure water. However,
even with the contaminants, the water
phase will be conductive making it elec-
trically different then the oil phase.
The capacitance switch is mounted
at a point where the low interface be-
tween the oil and the water needs to
be detected. This could be a horizontal
installation just above the water dump
outlet line (Figure 4). The capacitance
switch could also be mounted directly
into the water outlet piping.
In some cases, the vessel has no
openings to mount the sensor horizon-
tally at the required point of control. In
these cases, a capacitance sensor can
be mounted from the top of the ves-
sel extended down to the control point.
Since the capacitance sensor will see a
large change between the water and the
hydrocarbon, vertical mounting is often
feasible, but a horizontal installation at
the control point is preferred.
The capacitance switch is set with
a large preload on the bridge circuit to
make it less sensitive. This allows the
switch to detect the water because of
the large change in capacitance due to
water’s conductive electrical properties.
The low dielectric constant and non-
conductive properties of the oil phase
will not generate a large enough change
in capacitance to exceed the large pre-
load on the bridge circuit.
The result is that the switch will
change states as soon as the water
drops below the tip of the probe. This
provides an extremely reliable indication
of the water/oil interface that can be
used to stop dumping.
Other Point Level Methods for Detecting InterfaceSeveral other methods are available to
detect the water/oil interface, but all
have significant disadvantages as com-
pared to capacitance level sensors:
Manual Sampling: The manual sam-
pling method is somewhat archaic, but
is still used in many facilities. A number
of valves are spaced vertically on the
side of the vessel. An operator opens
the valve briefly and pulls a sample.
By observing the sample visually, it can
be determined which valve yields water
and the next closest valve where oil is
present, thereby identifying the inter-
face as between the two valves.
Manual sampling has a number of
flaws. First, it only gives an idea of where
the interface is located—that is, some-
where between two valves. Since the
samples are taken manually, the location
of the interface is only as accurate as the
last sample. It also relies on a manual
visual interpretation of what is water and
what is oil. This interpretation is arbitrary
18 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
SYSTEMS DESIGN | Level Measurement
Figure 3. In a capacitance level sensor, the vessel itself becomes one plate of the capacitor, and the oil/wa-ter mixture is the dielectric material.
Figure 4. A capacitance level switch mounted just above the water dump outlet line can detect the presence of oil and send a signal to shut off the pump, thus preventing oil from reach-ing the water treatment process.
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and inconsistent with different operators.
Last, it is an operator’s judgment to de-
cide when to stop dumping, which adds
to the human error factor.
Sight Glass: A sight glass located in
the water dump outlet line can be used
to visually discern the change from the
water phase to the oil phase. As in the
manual sampling method, it relies on a
visual interpretation of what is water and
what is oil. Also, because the sight glass
is in the outlet line, some oil will inad-
vertently be dumped. As this is a manual
function, human error is introduced.
Conductivity Switch: Conductivity
switches operate by passing an electrical
current from one electrode to a second
electrode through a conductive liquid.
In an oil/water interface application, the
current passes through when water is
present. When the liquid changes to
non-conductive oil, the current no longer
passes between the electrodes and the
switch indicates a change of state.
Conductivity switches can and do pro-
vide reliable interface detection in many
installations. However, if the electrodes
become coated with a non-conductive
material such as heavy crude oil or paraf-
fin wax, the electrode will no longer be
able to pass current. This will indicate a
false reading until the electrodes have
been cleaned. For this reason, conductiv-
ity switches should only be used in sepa-
ration processes where the phases are
free of heavy material or contaminants.
Float Switch: Float switches can be
used for measuring the interface between
water and oil. The float is calibrated for
the specific gravity of water, which is 1.0
or slightly higher. The oil has a lower spe-
cific gravity, generally between 0.7 and
0.9. As the water level drops the float
arm moves down, providing an indication
of the low water control point.
Floats can be problematic in wa-
ter dumping applications for several
reasons. The moving parts of the float
switch are susceptible to wear and
damage. The float can be compromised
causing it to sink. Heavy crude and wax
can build up on the float and float arm,
causing hang-up and failures. Finally,
the specific gravities of both the ground
water and the oil are variable, requiring
calibration “tweaks” on a regular basis.
Keys to SuccessThere are a number of point level
approaches to measure the interface
between water and oil for water dump
control. Manual methods, such as sam-
pling valves and sight glasses are still
widely used in these applications. Using
level instrumentation to determine the
interface removes both the manual aspect
and human error from the procedure.
When comparing point level instru-
ments that can detect the water/oil in-
terface, the capacitance sensor stands
out as the best choice. Capacitance
level switches are simple to calibrate and
can be installed horizontally or vertically.
There are no moving parts to wear out or
hang up. Because capacitance has the
advantage of active build-up compensa-
tion, materials that coat, such as heavy
crude or paraffin, are not a problem.
Capacitance level switches provide
reliable water oil interface detection,
and help to automate the water dump
control process. FC
William Sholette is Level
Products Business Manager for
Endress+Hauser, Inc. Mr. Sholette
has been involved in level mea-
surement for the past 33 years in
virtually all aspects of process level
measurement instrumentation from
the manufacturing and sales, to his
present position in product manage-
ment. He can be reached at Bill.
www.us.endress.com
20 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
SYSTEMS DESIGN | Level Measurement
Level Measurement | Oil & Gas |
Separation | Water & Wastewater
Find related content @ flowcontrolnetwork.com…Search on:
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Rotork has announced the CMA range of compact, modulating actuators to complement its existing line of CVA electric actuators for control-valve, pump, damper, and other continuous-modulation applications.
CMA actuators offer an economical way for common, everyday process control applications to gain the benefits of accurate and repeatable position control as well as superior robustness – features associated with Rotork CVA electric actuators, which were introduced in 2008 and have proven highly successful in thousands of process control applications throughout the world.
Compact, accurate, lightweight CMA actuators operate on single-phase or DC power supplies without the need for air compressors and hoses. They are available in rotary, linear, and quarter-turn actions; have permanently lubricated and maintenance-free drive trains; and can be mounted in any orientation.
Redefining Flow Control
Rotork Process Controls5607 West Douglas Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53218
phone: 414 461 9200email: [email protected]
www.rotork.com
Rotork CMA ac tuators increase scopeof elec tric control-valve technology.
CMA Actuators
CVA Actuators
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ASCO’s new 212 Series Solenoid Valves are made out
of a highly engineered composite body, which is a
good fit for use in water purification and water
treatment markets, specifically in the mem-
brane-based filtration system markets.
The new 212 series solenoid valve is
also ideal for use in Reverse-Osmo-
sis (RO) systems applications where
lead-free, NSF-approved constructions
are required. The composite series 212 valves are available in
½-inch and ¾-inch pipe size and are designed with the new
FasN connection system, the world’s first universal connec-
tion system. FasN enables an NPT thread connection, turn
& lock, and solvent bond fitting possibilities. The composite
valves handle water pressure up to 150 PSI and operate up
to 180 F. Low power coils come in 6.3 W in AC and 6.9 W in
DC normally closed versions.
In a high-production OEM environment, cost differ-
ences can be substantial when using newer tech-
nology versus conventional solutions. ASCO com-
posite valves with FasN connections demonstrate
a measured labor savings of 35 seconds per valve,
plus much greater materials savings depending on
which type of extra fitting or adapter would otherwise
be required. Assuming 1,000 RO units turned out per year,
with three valves per unit, a study comparing FasN connec-
tion to NPT-threaded valves on PVC piping calculated savings
of $15,790 per year. Another, versus NPT-threaded valves on
PEX tubing, showed savings of $40,930 per year.
What’s Innovative? 1) FasN technology can be used
for all threaded pipe types with NPT threads; and 2) NSF
certification to accommodate new regulations in many
parts of the world.
2013 FLOW CONTROL INNOVATION AWARDS
22 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
And the Nominees Are...Recognizing Outstanding Technologies for Fluid Movement, Measurement & Containment
The Flow Control Innovation Awards have showcased compelling new technology solutions for
fluid movement, measurement and containment for more than 15 years. The following rep-
resent final nominees for our 2013 program. Now we’re asking you, our readers, to vote for the
technologies you believe are most worthy of being named this year’s Innovation Awards winners.
Review the technology summaries provided below, and visit FlowControlNetwork.com to place your
vote. Winners will be announced in the August 2013 issue of Flow Control magazine.
Alicat Scientific developed its new Whisper
Series of mass flowmeters and controllers
with pressure drops as low as 4 mbar (0.058
PSID) for use in systems with very low pres-
sure sources or very low differential-pressure
availability. Beyond low pressure drops, the
Whisper series offers all of the same features
and benefits as Alicat’s standard line of flow
devices, including fast response (10 ms for
meters, 50 ms for controllers), a 200-to-1 turndown ratio, high
accuracy (0.8 percent of the reading plus 0.2 percent of the
full-scale flow), 30 field-selectable gases and gas mixes and
real-time monitoring of mass flow, volumetric flow, pressure and
temperature, all on one device.
The Alicat Whisper couples a very low differential-pressure
sensor with a redesigned flow body utilizing
Alicat’s patented laminar flow technology to
reduce the minimum pressure requirement
for applications needing flow measurement or
control. Together, these innovations result in
a device that requires almost no differential
pressure for full scale flow.
What’s Innovative? The extraordinari-
ly low pressure drops of Alicat’s Whisper Series distinguish it
from any other mass flowmeter or controller on the market.
For most meters and controllers of the Whisper series, the
full-scale pressure drop is less than 10 mbar (.145 PSID).
Yet even at 500 SLPM, the Whisper mass flow controller
requires only 1.74 PSID.
vote for this technology @ www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
vote for this technology @ www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
Whisper Series Mass Flowmeters & Controllers
ASCO 212 Composite Valve
Ashcroft Inc.’s DG25 general-purpose digital pres-
sure gauge adopts the basic form and fit of a
standard 2.5-inch (dial diameter) pressure gauge
with a water-tight enclosure that provides IP67
ingress protection, making it suitable for wash-
down. A black or orange rubber boot is also avail-
able to further protect the gauge while installed
or carried portably as a test device. All-welded
stainless steel wetted parts also serve to protect the
gauge from adverse environmental conditions, as well
as ensure compatibility to many corrosive media. Ranges
from vacuum to 25,000 PSI are available and can be read
to accuracies of +/-0.5 and +/-0.25 percent full scale. Two
standard alkaline AA batteries power the DG25 for more than
2,000 hours. A five full-digit, .48-inch high LCD includes a bar
graph to show the pressure status relative to the full scale of
the gauge. When equipped with the optional backlight feature,
the DG25 can be easily read despite poor lighting conditions.
With the push of a button, the display can report the maximum
and minimum readings since last cleared, reset the
zero, tare a pressure preload, and read in a choice
of nine pre-programmed engineering units and
one that is user programmable.
Operating characteristics include:
• Range from vacuum to 0/25,000 PSIG• 5 full-digit LCD with optional backlight
• Battery life exceeds 2,000 hours• Accuracy to +/-0.25 percent full scale.
• 9ine engineering units, including user programmable• LCD includes bar graph indicator
• IP67 (water-resistant) enclosure
What’s Innovative? The DG25 digital pressure gauge
can be used in place of a traditional dial-mechanical pres-
sure gauge with many advantages, including easier readabil-
ity, greater accuracy and resolution, improved resistance to
shock and vibration, the ability to record max/min readings,
multiple units of measure, and more.
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com May 2013 | 23
vote for this technology @ www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
DG25 Digital Pressure Gauge
When voting for the 2013 Flow Control Innovation Awards, you will have the option to enter a random drawing to win a Kindle Fire HD. The advanced Kindle Fire HD 8.9-inch tablet delivers rich color and deep contrast from every angle. Featuring exclusive, custom Dolby audio, dual-driver stereo speakers, and auto-optimiza-tion software, the Kindle delivers clear, crisp, balanced sound. State-of-the-art dual-band, dual-antenna Wi-Fi (MIMO) technology enables fast streaming and download speeds. Place your votes now at FlowControlNetwork.com for a chance to win the Kindle.
VOTE to WIN a Kindle Fire HD
Image courtesy of Amazon.comInnovationInnovation20132013
AWARDSAWARDS®
Burkert presents a flexible solution for integration
of actuators in hygienic processes with AirLINE
Quick. The diverse areas of application for
Burkert’s valve terminals in the food and beverage and biopharma industries are
expanded by AirLINE Quick, a stainless
steel adapter plate and stainless steel
push-in connectors. Installation and com-
missioning are reduced to a minimum. End-users de-
termine the installation location of the valve terminal or valve
block: on the wall or floor of the control cabinet. AirLINE Quick
supports both options. It is reliable, compact, and saves time.
AirLINE Quick significantly reduces the number of compo-
nents in the control cabinet. Fewer pneumatic hoses and ca-
bles are needed, and AirLINE Quick can be integrated directly
in the floor or wall of the control cabinet, eliminating the need
for bulkhead connections on the cabinet. A unique feature of
Burkert’s Type 8640 and Type 8644 automation system is
the combination of the pneumatic connec-
tions, fieldbus interface, and I/O modules
directly on the floor or wall of the control
cabinet, which means the control cabi-
net can be generally smaller than in the
past. Some operating characteristics for
AirLINE Quick are:
• Reduced number of components• Fast installation
• In stainless steel for hygienic applications• In anodized aluminum for general purpose• Fully assembled control cabinet from one source
What’s Innovative?AirLINE Quick significantly reduces the number of components
in the control cabinet. Fewer pneumatic hoses and cables are
needed, and AirLINE Quick can be integrated directly in the floor
or wall of the control cabinet.
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AirLINE Quick Stainless Steel Adapter Plate & Push-In Connectors
24 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
2013 FLOW CONTROL INNOVATION AWARDS
The Vertex mercury-free pressure sensor from
Dynisco sets a new, higher standard of monitor-
ing and control for plastics extruders.
Patent-pending capacitance tech-
nology is used to register pressure
directly at the tip of the sensor, with
no mercury or other fill medium. This
direct approach is more reflective of the
true process pressure and provides faster
response for better control in precision extru-
sion systems. The solid-state design means that
end-product quality cannot be compromised by
mercury or other liquid-fill contamination if the sensor is
damaged during production. Toxic waste management issues
are eliminated for both the manufacturer and the user. Other
improvements include rugged construction features—like
a thicker, abrasion-resistant diaphragm and fortified side-
walls—that minimize maintenance requirements,
extend the working life of the sensor, and
reduce the overall cost of ownership.
What’s Innovative? The Vertex pressure sensor employs
patent-pending capacitance technology
to register pressure directly for readings that
more accurately reflect true process pressure, as well
as faster response for better control of polymer flow in
precision extrusion systems. There is no chance of mercury
contamination, and toxic waste management issues are
eliminated for both the manufacturer and the user.
Cameron’s NUFLO Scanner 2000 is a
field-mounted flow computer available with
the FOUNDATION Fieldbus H1 interface. It
is able to sense and compute flows from
integral DP, pressure and temperature sen-
sors. Additionally or alternatively, the DP
measurement can be a pulse input device
such as a PD, vortex, Coriolis, ultrasonic or
turbine flowmeter. When measuring gases
or steam, the computed values are typically volume, mass and
energy. Liquid hydrocarbon measurements result in volume
and mass computations. Many installations can also simulta-
neously measure another uncorrected liquid volume.
To support regulatory and standards-based require-
ments, data logging, user change logs, tamper indication
devices and multilevel password security
are essential. The Scanner 2000 is the
first field-mounted custody-transfer flow
computer to act like a multivariable trans-
mitter and serve this data by FOUNDA-
TION™ Fieldbus H1 protocol. Simultane-
ously, fiscal record sets can be extracted
using Modbus RTU protocol. Data can be
captured via remote connection (wired or
wireless) or directly from the device itself.
What’s Innovative? The Scanner 2000 is an H1 FISCO device on the
FOUNDATION Fieldbus network. It is the only field-mounted
flow computer listed on the fieldbus.org registry.
Emerson Process Management’s Rosemount
8800 Vortex Severe Service Sensor uses premium
nickel alloy material. The non-wetted severe service
sensor is only exposed to the ambient environment.
With the new piezo crystal design, the severe service sen-
sor provides stable performance at high temperatures up
to 850 F. Designed with the customer’s needs in mind,
the Rosemount 8800 Vortex flowmeter system with
the new severe service sensor is a good fit for harsh
environments in chemical, power and refining.
The unmatched reliability at high temperatures
makes it a good choice for solar power and high-
temp hydrocarbon applications. Offshore and near-
shore applications specify nickel alloy sensors be-
cause of corrosive environmental concerns, and high
temperature will often further magnify the corrosion-
resistant needs. A major up-
stream oil and gas producer
has adopted the Rosemount
vortex severe service sensor
to avoid issues with marine
environment chloride stress
corrosion cracking on the
vortex sensor in high temperature process lines.
What’s Innovative? Rosemount 8800 Vortex severe service sensor
provides stable performance at high temperatures
up to 850 F, exceeding the 750 F high-temperature
thresholds of competitive devices.
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Vertex Mercury-Free Pressure Sensor
NUFLO Scanner 2000 With FOUNDATION Fieldbus H1
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Rosemount 8800 Vortex Severe Service Sensor
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com May 2013 | 25
InnovationInnovation20132013
AWARDSAWARDS®
Endress+Hauser’s Promass 100 Heartbeat Technology
(HBT) provides on-board diagnostics, monitoring and
traceable verification to ensure product and process
safety with or without manual intervention and without
interrupting the process. The HBT monitor-
ing system is continuously online and guar-
antees the process is safe by ensuring the
meter is in good operating condition. In the
case of a sensor or electronic problem, real
text remedy instructions are provided for a fast and safe trouble-
shooting per NAMUR standards. The Proline Promass 100 is
an industry-optimized Coriolis flowmeter that offers fewer mea-
suring points in a compact, hygienic design. With one single
device for multivariable measurements, the Proline Promass
100 measures mass flow, volume flow, density, temperature,
and with the Promass I, viscosity with accuracy up to +/-0.05
percent—even with immunity from process and environmental
influences. With its compact and hygienic design, the Proline
Promass 100 is ideal for modular skid-mounted process facili-
ties looking for full functionality in the smallest footprint. Thanks
to its new circuit board design and low-mass components, the
Promass 100 has a 30 percent smaller footprint than typical
flow transmitters, and this compact design helps it meet hy-
giene and sterility requirements by offering 316L stainless steel
enclosures. The Promass 100 allows for seam-
less integrations into a variety of digital com-
munication protocols such as, EtherNet/IP,
Modbus RS485, and 4-20mA HART.
The Proline Promass 100 with Heartbeat
Technology includes three key features:
• Continuous self-checking with
Heartbeat Diagnostics—qualitative information and
device status from the sensor to the output is displayed in a
clear, concise way—based on NAMUR standards.
• Device measurement values through Heartbeat
Monitoring—continuous quantitative data can be used to
enhance process operations and allow proactive reaction.
• Seamless and traceable with Heartbeat Verification—
seamless and traceable verification results permanently stored
and can be retrieved immediately during recurring test.
What’s Innovative?Now with Heartbeat Technology, it is possible for the Proline
Promass 100 to monitor, diagnose and produce verifications
in its capabilities to ensure proper operating process func-
tion, and satisfy reporting requirements demanded in process
applications.
Equilibar has introduced its ZF Series back pressure regulator
to extend its uniquely high-precision performance down into
the nano-flow range. Traditional back pressure regu-
lators (BPRs) have limited precision across widely
varying flowrates. Many traditional BPRs incorporate
a pressure offset of several percent between their
steady state flowrate and their shut-off (zero
flowrate) condition. The new Equilibar ZF
regulator holds the inlet pressure within 0.5
percent from full flowrate down to an absolute zero
flow condition. Like Equilibar’s existing products, the ZF
is dome-loaded, sealing directly on the diaphragm. However, the
patent-pending ZF uses a rubber o-ring with a special floating
hub support (pictured top right here) to accommodate pres-
sures up to 3,000 PSIG. Incumbent products have a variety of
limitations. Traditional spring-adjusted back pressure regulators
are frequently used in lab settings, but often operate in a binary
(on/off) manner at very low flowrates (for example below 100
ml/min). These devices are useful in many research applica-
tions, but suffer from temperature limitations, modest precision,
and thermal cycle leakage. Equilibar’s back pressure regulators
address many of the issues mentioned above.
Operating characteristics of the new ZF Series include:
• Can be used up to 3000 PSI
• Can be used up to about 250 C• Has steady state (non-pulsing) low
down into the nano-flow range (<0.01
ml/min gas)
• Pressure control down to true zero low (hours or days with valved-off inlet condition;
stable pressure)
• Upper low limit recommended up to about 2,000 ml/minute
• Precision of 0.5 percent range through more than eight orders of flow magnitude
• Agreement between parallel units at similar lowrates is approximately 0.2 percent.
• FFKM o-rings to allow for repeated thermal cycles with-
out maintenance
• SS316L or Hastelloy diaphragms can be used for sensi-tive Helium or Hydrogen applications
• Stability of pressure across about 10 orders of low mag-
nitude is about 0.5 percent.
What’s Innovative? The new Equilibar ZF regulator
(originally nicknamed “Zero Flow” regulator) holds the inlet
pressure within 0.5 percent from full flowrate down to an
absolute zero flow condition—a vast improvement over typi-
cal BPRs that have pressure offsets of several percent.
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Proline Promass 100 with Heartbeat Technology
ZF Nano-Flow Back Pressure Regulator
26 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
2013 FLOW CONTROL INNOVATION AWARDS
Fox Thermal Instruments’ Fox Model
FT3 thermal mass flowmeter and tem-
perature transmitter was designed to help
plant operators improve process efficiency,
comply with environmental mandates, and elimi-
nate the cost of annual factory calibration.
Of the many new design features of the Model
FT3, Calibration Validation is the most compel-
ling. It has optimized the way operators interface
with flowmeters by allowing the calibration of the meter to be
validated in-situ (without the need to remove the meter from
the pipe or send to the factory for re-calibration). Using CAL-
V, the test may be performed in the pipe, at process condi-
tions, with just a push of a button. The test takes about four
minutes to complete and a “Pass/Fail” result is given at the
conclusion of the test. Zero CAL-CHECK is a com-
panion test to the CAL-V Calibration Validation
feature, which tests the functionality of the sen-
sor and its associated signal processing circuitry. It
checks for build-up on sensor, validates the
zero stability of the meter, and checks ther-
mal conductivity.
What’s Innovative? The meter’s calibration can be checked with-
out sending it back to the factory. Without CAL-V and Zero
CAL-CHECK Calibration Validation, the meter must be returned
to the manufacturer annually in order to check its functionality
and for recalibration. With a “Pass” result from the CAL-V and
Zero CAL-CHECK tests, these tasks are no longer necessary.
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Fox Model FT3 Thermal Mass Flowmeter and Temperature Transmitter
GF Piping Systems’ Signet 9900 Smart-
Pro Transmitter provides a single-channel
interface for multiple parameters includ-
ing flow, pH, ORP, conductivity/resistivity,
pressure, temperature, level, salinity, and
more. Designed for complete flexibility,
plug-in modules enable the unit to be eas-
ily adapted to meet changing customer
needs. The device has improved visibility over previous units.
A key feature of the device is its extra large (3.90 inches by
3.90 inches) backlit display that allows visibility at four to five
times the distance of other transmitters. This highly illuminat-
ed display and large characters reduce the risk of misreading
or misinterpreting the displayed values. The display shows
separate lines for units, main and secondary measurements,
as well as a dial-type digital bar graph.
Other capabilities include relay and warn-
ing LEDs and an intuitive menu for easy
programming. Older units were limited in
visibility to 3 feet, while the newer 9900s
are visible up to 30 feet away.
Optional plug-in modules include relay,
direct conductivity/resistivity, HART Com-
munications, and a PC configuration tool.
What’s Innovative? The single-channel, multi-parameter capability and field-
upgradable modularity enables increased service levels while
maintaining reduced inventories. Plug-in modules allow for
complete flexibility. Improved visibility over previous units.
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Signet 9900 SmartPro Transmitter
The EXAIR USB Data Logger is a com-
pact device, which connects directly to any
EXAIR Digital Flowmeter to log and record
the compressed air flowrate through the
pipe on which the flowmeter is installed. It
can be set up to log the flowrate at intervals
ranging from once a second (covering a pe-
riod of about nine hours), up to once every
12 hours (over two years’ worth of data.)
When it is removed from the digital flowme-
ter and plugged into any available USB port on a computer, the
data can be viewed using the included EasyLog USB software,
or it can be exported directly into Microsoft Excel. The USB Data
Logger can be easily installed on an existing digital flowmeter, or
it can be ordered pre-installed on a new digital flowmeter.
EXAIR digital flowmeters have always
had the capability to provide an output
signal (4-20 Milliamp, Pulse, or RS-
485). These, however, can be limited by
the maximum functional cable length.
The USB Data Logger, however, can be
quickly and easily removed from its host
flowmeter for data transfer to the com-
puter, and just as quickly and easily re-
attached to begin gathering data again.
What’s Innovative? When the data logger is plugged into a computer, the data
can be viewed in the included software or exported to Excel.
This allows end-users to track flowrate easily on a computer.
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USB Data Logger for Digital Flowmeter
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com May 2013 | 27
In March 2013, Max Machinery’s Model P001
flowmeter hit the market. Designed to eclipse
the low-end capabilities found in other low-
flowmeters, the new P001 ultra-low flowmeter
offers capabilities of reporting flow volumes
down to 0.005 cc/min (for fluid viscosities
above 100 CPS).
The solution, which supports flowrates from
0.005 to 200 cc/min, is the world’s small-
est radial piston flowmeter. The P001 is at
the limits of what can be achieved in positive-
displacement resolution and offers the ability to
accurately measure in the sub 1 cc/min range of flow.
Meeting this challenge was achieved through a combination
of precision miniature machining, and advanced heat treating
technologies in conjunction with corrosion-resistant materials.
The positive-displacement flowmeter provides an answer
for start/stop flow applications, does not suffer from zero
drift, and is insensitive to flow turbulence. The P001 offers
4,000 pulses per meter revolution and k-factors as high
as 24,000 pulses per cc. It comes in at half the cost of
an ultra-low flow Coriolis meter, provides accuracy in in-
termittent applications, and offers enhanced output resolu-
tion with innovative, linearized transmitters with adjustable
dampening and anti-dither functionality.
What’s Innovative?Compared to other micro flow options, the P001 gives high
accuracy, immediate response and exceptionally low pres-
sure drop with thicker fluids.
Nanjing Youyang Control Technology Co.,
Ltd.’s SPINDLE is a new differential-pres-
sure flowmeter that generates the pres-
sure drop required to measure flow via a
spindle-like central body as the primary
flow element. The flowrate is determined
from the difference of the pressure mea-
sured at the pressure taps located in the
wall of the pipe in front of the SPINDLE and
at the annular channel between the central body
and the wall of the pipe. Providing optimized conditioning of
the flow inside the flowmeter is an important feature of the
SPINDLE meter, as accurate flow measurements require
the same flow conditions (same velocity profile, same Reynolds
number, same turbulence level, and same geometry of pipe-
line, etc.) when the flowmeter is calibrated in the laboratory
and when it is operated in industry. As the SPINDLE is
forcing an annular channel flow through a well-designed
central body, it is able to modify the dif-
ferent flow characteristics upstream of
the flowmeter into a very stable, repeat-
able and well characterized flow.
What’s Innovative?The SPINDLE minimizes the drag of the
central body (throttle), as the shapes
of the central body and the fins have
been carefully optimized so that no flow
separation occurs while keeping the pressure drop as high as
possible, hence, most of the pressure drop can be recovered.
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SPINDLE Differential-Pressure Flowmeter
Model P001 Radial Piston Flowmeter
Magnetrol International’s ECLIPSE Model 706
is 2-wire, loop-powered, 4-20 mA level transmitter
that leverages the principle of Guided Wave Radar
(GWR) technology. High frequency electromagnetic
energy is sent down a probe that is contacting the
medium to be measured. A reflection occurs at
the product surface, and high-speed circuitry mea-
sures the time of flight and translates it into a level
measurement.
Key Advantages of the ECLIPSE MODEL 706
Include:
• Improved signal strength and a first-in-class signal-to-noise ratio enables use in very difficult high-pressure, high-temper-
ature, low-dielectric industrial applications.
• A broad overfill-capable probe line allows for accurate measurement all the way up to the top
of the probe.
• Advanced diagnostics allow the transmitter to automatically save pertinent troubleshooting
information and waveforms during an upset.
• Intuitive Local User Interface with graphical LCD display offers simple, easy-to-use configuration.
What’s Innovative?With an accuracy of up to +/-0.1 percent of
probe length or 0.1 inch (whichever is greater); and operat-
ing pressures and temperature up to 6,250 PSI and 850 F,
the transmitter is becoming a standard in the industrial liquid
level market.
ECLIPSE Model 706 Level Transmitter
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InnovationInnovation20132013
AWARDSAWARDS®
28 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
2013 FLOW CONTROL INNOVATION AWARDS
Sage Metering’s Sage Rio Thermal Mass Flowmeter pro-
vides the performance, reliability, and accuracy of the Sage
Prime series of products, while meeting
requirements for hazardous areas Class 1,
Division 1, Groups B, C, D and ATEX Zone
1 approval (II 2G Ex d IIB+H2 T6 Gb). In
addition to the expanded hazardous area ap-
provals the Rio comes standard with HART in
addition to the 4-20 mA and pulse output
signals.
Class 1, Division 1 hazardous area
approval on the Sage Rio Thermal Mass
Flowmeter complements the Class 1 Division 2
approval of the Sage Prime. ATEX Flameproof ap-
provals combined with HART allows the Rio to be
used in Europe and other locations that prefer
ATEX safety ratings. One distinct feature of the Rio
is the low power consumption and heat input, which permits
the use of the product in some hazardous areas where other
thermal mass flowmeters cannot be used due to the need for
higher energy input.
What’s Innovative?Sage thermal mass flowmeters have demonstrated the capa-
bility for measuring the mass flowrate and utilization of gases.
They measure very low flowrates of gases with high turndown
capabilities and negligible pressure drop. Best accuracy is
obtained using actual gas calibrations. The reproducibility of
the instrument is excellent permitting the use of the unique
in-situ calibration verification, which confirms that the instru-
ment operates the same as the original NIST traceable
calibration.
Sage Rio Thermal Mass Flowmeter
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Flow Problems?We Can Help>> Troubleshoot Problem Flow Measurements
>> Assess Billing Flowmeter Accuracy
>> Close Plant and Water Balances
>> Improve Flowmeter Accuracy
>> Select and Specify Flowmeters
>> Train Your People
WE KNOW FLOW!
www.spitzerandboyes.com • 1.845.623.1830Write in 31 or Request Info Instantly at www.FlowControlNetwork.com/freeinfo
The Parker Veriflo HCV Cylinder Valve provides
maximum safety in oxygen delivery systems for
medical, laboratory, industrial, aviation, space, and
mining applications. Tested at pressures up to 6,000
PSI, the HCV Cylinder Valve maximizes product safe-
ty even in extreme conditions, including high-pres-
sure oxygen. All oxygen-wetted metal components
are constructed of burn-resistant alloys. The seat
is protected against particle impact, which reduces
the chance of ignition. The non-rotating seat design
reduces the potential for seat wear and damage that
can increase the risk of flow friction ignition and rotating
threads are outside the oxygen-wetted region, reducing par-
ticulate that could be generated and become an ignition risk
or contribute to seat damage.
What’s Innovative?The HCV valve’s unique combination of materials and design
features address historical cylinder valve ignition risks and
ensures maximum product safety.
1. Flow Friction: The HCV’s patent-pending design
includes several major innovations to the cylinder
valve’s seat. Most importantly, the seat is out of
the direct flow path, greatly reducing flow impinge-
ment/friction and adiabatic compression.
2. Adiabatic Compression: The valve seat is behind
a burn-resistant Monel keeper, reducing its exposed
surface area and protecting it from ignition. The seat
moves straight up-and-down (instead of rotating) and
has a metal-to-metal stop to prevent over-torqueing.
Both features greatly reduce wear and damage (extru-
sion) to the seat that can increase the risk of ignition from
either flow friction or particle generation/impact.
3. Particle Impact: Threads on traditional cylinder valves are
in the direct flow path, potentially creating particles that
can become an ignition risk. By contrast, the HCV’s rotating
threads are outside the oxygen-wetted area, limiting their
potential for particle generation.
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Parker Veriflo HCV Cylinder Valve
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com May 2013 | 29
InnovationInnovation20132013
AWARDSAWARDS®
Sierra Instruments’ QuadraTherm
640i/780i Series flowmeters offers
accuracy of 0.5 percent of reading
above 50 percent of full scale flow,
which is the highest accuracy specifi-
cation in the thermal dispersion flow
measurement market. High accuracy
is important for users because it im-
proves the quality of product and, in
the case of custody-transfer, saves
money. According to Sierra, the QuadraTherm 640i/780i can
compete with the accuracy of Coriolis meters, but at a frac-
tion of the installed cost.
QuadraTherm’s innovative sensor design accounts for all
the heat transfer variables that can skew thermal mass flow
readings. The innovation in the patented four-sensor technol-
ogy on which the QuadraTherm is based provides the critical
inputs to achieve +/- 0.5 percent
accuracy. In traditional “two-sensor”
flowmeters, the heat lost via stem
conduction is not accounted for. This
can introduce errors as high as 20
percent, depending on the gradient
between the gas temperature and
the temperature outside of the pipe.
What’s Innovative?As shown in the Figure here, two new temperature sensors
(T4 and T2) are added to the two-sensor design (T3 tempera-
ture and T1 velocity) used in traditional flowmeters. T4 and
T2 provide real-time measurement of stem conduction and
the heat lost to the outside environment. This innovation,
from two to four sensors, is the foundation for the shift in
accuracy offered by Sierra’s QuadraTherm 640i/780i.
seepex’s Pre-Engineered Skid System supports a wide vari-
ety of liquid chemical dosing applications, primarily in the dis-
infection processes of water and wastewater treatment
facilities. The customizable skid system comes com-
plete with all the components necessary for chemi-
cal dosing packaged into a single unit with (or
without) controls and framework. Compo-
nents include calibration column, pressure
gauge, pressure switches, dry-run protec-
tion, and flowmeters. Also included are supe-
rior quality seepex Progressive-Cavity Pumps. Com-
ponents of the pumps, such as valves, pressure switches,
and flowmeters, as well as materials of construction of pumps,
such as elastomers, exotic metals, and plastics, are custom
designed to the application. An integrated vector drive with au-
tomatic (4-20mA) or manual speed control also comes stan-
dard, eliminating the need for a local interface/control panel.
What’s Innovative?seepex packaged skid systems are designed to
eliminate the valuable time and costs associ-
ated with engineering, procuring, assembling, and
commissioning flow control systems. Systems are
commissioned at the factory according to the appli-
cation’s flow ranges and then calibrated according
to the flow control loop. The skids can deliver mild
to aggressive, thin to highly viscous liquids, as well as
corrosive and solid-laden chemicals. With chemical-resistant
materials, all skid components will hold up in harsh acidic
and caustic chemical environments.
Siemens’ SITRANS FC430 Coriolis Flow Sensor is
a compact, in-line mass flow sensor for liquids and
gases that provides high levels of accuracy and re-
peatability. The sensors can also measure the den-
sity and the temperature of the fluid in the flow
stream, and when the mass flow is combined
with the process density, volumetric flow can
also be measured.
Key features include:
• Small footprint low sensor for easy handling• SIL 3 certiication designed in from concept to production for safety and redundancy
• +100Hz signal processing for fast data delivery• Easily assessable internal back-up of all perfor-mance and certification data
• High immunity to external and process noise• QR code readable data onboard for easy ac-
cess of key equipment data, FAQs, and support
What’s Innovative? The SITRANS
FC430 flow sensor supports data update rates of
100Hz, and its small footprint makes it easy to handle
and a good fit for retro-fitting. Robust construction protects
against process noise. An online GUI with wizards makes
the device easy to set up and secure configuration.
QuadraTherm 640i/780i High Performance Thermal Mass Flowmeter
Pre-Engineered Skid System for Chemical Dosing
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Coriolis SITRANS FC430 Flow Sensor
30 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
2013 FLOW CONTROL INNOVATION AWARDS
Spire Metering Technology’s RH40 Handheld Clamp-
On Ultrasonic Flowmeter is designed for convenience
is mobility. The meter weighs about 1 lb. and can be
operated with one hand. It is the smallest flowmeter
on the market, and its performance matches a fully
featured wall-mount flowmeter.
The RH40 relies on clamp-on ultrasonic trans-
ducers to effectively perform both flow and BTU en-
ergy measurements from outside of a pipe. It requires
no pipe-working and no process shutdown. With the
unique built-in Quick Start guide, one can conduct the
measurement within 10 minutes.
The RH40 combines several frequency systems into one
unit. This allows it to measure not only regular size pipes,
but also small and large pipes with excellent accuracy and
stability. With its Bluetooth interface, the RH40 can be
easily linked to a computer for data management. It
also offers 4-20mA and digital output for real-time
flow and BTU monitoring. Its data logger can log up
to 2GB data on velocity, flow, energy, temperature
and events.
What’s Innovative?The RH40 employs a patented signal processing
technology to maximally extract information from
received signal and to reduce statistic variants.
This technology has been implemented in a low-
cost microprocessor without using an expensive DSP chip,
resulting in increased accuracy at lower cost (30–50 percent
less) compared to similar performing ultrasonic meters.
RH40 Handheld Clamp-On Ultrasonic Flowmeter
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InnovationInnovation20132013
AWARDSAWARDS®
Warren Rupp’s mobile applications for SANDPIPER and
Versa-Matic pump models are designed to help
pump owners at the distribution and end-user
level quickly and easily find the tools needed to
support their pump. With the mobile apps, cus-
tomers can quickly locate information related to
a specific pump using the “My Pump Details”
feature; can review the SANDPIPER and Versa-
Matic “Chemical Compatibility Guide,” browse
the latest full-line product catalogs, or watch
service and training videos. Pump owners can scan the
QR code located on the pump tag or manually enter a pump
serial number to get started.
Before the app was developed, customers had to either
call the manufacturer or visit the website and search for the
information needed to support their pumps. Customers
also had to reactively ask us for the information
they thought they needed. Now, the mobile app
proactively and comprehensively provides the
technical information any time of day, any day
of the week. In addition, the mobile app al-
lows the user to instantly submit a request for
quotation (RFQ) for SANDPIPER or Versa-Matic
products, right from their smart phone or tablet.
What’s Innovative?The mobile app is a first in the world of air-operated double-
diaphragm pumps. Pump owners can scan the QR code
located on the pump tag or manually enter a pump serial
number to get started.
Mobile Applications for SANDPIPER & Versa-Matic Pump Models
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Singer Valve’s Model 106-SPI-MV is a single-point insertion
electromagnetic flowmeter installed and calibrated in con-
junction with a Singer valve to provide an accurate flowrate
that can be utilized with the metering valve as a stand-
alone option or built into a 106-2SC-PCO pilot sys-
tem to provide complete flow-based valve control.
The sensor is available for 1-inch taps, depend-
ing on valve size and application. The compact
insertion design fits in confined spaces and offers
complete accessibility. The flowmeter can be re-
moved for easy inspection, cleaning, calibrating or verification.
The flowmeter is available for valve sizes from 4 inches
(100mm) to 36 inches (900mm). The flow sensor comes
pre-calibrated and requires no recalibration in the field, and
is accurate at 2 percent of reading, not full scale like existing
in-valve meters. With no moving parts and a single-piece
design, the SPI Mag’s sensor contains nothing to wear
or break, and it is generally immune to clogging by
sand, grit or other debris.
The 106-SPI-MV Magnetic Flowmeter is pro-
filed for the valve body, further enhancing its
measurement accuracy by allowing precise de-
termination of mean velocities.
What’s Innovative?This is the first time a magnetic flowmeter has been coupled
with a control valve. Singer says in-valve metering has been
limited to turbine meters, vortex meters, or calculated flow
using position transmitters and differential-pressure transmit-
ters. The new insertion meter option provides better accuracy.
Singer Model 106-SPI-MV Metering Valve
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Defining New-Technology FlowmetersNew-technology flowmeters are defined
by the following characteristics:
1 The core technology was introduced
after the end of World War II. 2 They incorporate technological ad-
vances that avoid some of the problems
in earlier flowmeters.3 They receive more focus in terms of
new product development than older
technologies.4 Their performance, including criteria
such as accuracy, is at a higher level
than that of traditional technology flow-
meters.5 They are quicker to incorporate
recent advances in communication
protocols such as HART, Foundation
Fieldbus, and Profibus than traditional
technology meters.
Generally, flowmeters that fit in the
“new technology” category include
Coriolis, magnetic, ultrasonic, vortex,
and thermal.
CoriolisCoriolis is the fastest growing flowmeter
market, and there are a number of rea-
sons for this. One is that Coriolis flow-
meters remain the most accurate flow-
meter, and they are highly reliable with
little need for maintenance. Coriolis
meters do not place any obstruction
in the flowstream, although bent-tube
meters can slow down flow veloc-
ity. Straight-tube meters have been
developed to address this effect and
to suit the needs of sanitary applica-
tions, which pose an issue for bent-tube
meters, which can accumulate material
building at their bending points.
The most important recent advance
in the Coriolis market is the develop-
ment of Coriolis meters for line sizes
above 6 inches. Rheonik, now part of
GE Measurement, used to be the only
company offering large line-size Co-
riolis meters. In the past five years,
Micro Motion, Endress+Hauser, and
KROHNE have all entered this market.
Many of these meters sell in the range
of $75,000. They are primarily targeting
oil & gas applications. Many of them,
though not all, are designed for custo-
dy-transfer applications.
Coriolis meters, along with ultra-
sonic, are getting a substantial portion
of the research & development dollars
from the major flowmeter companies.
As a result, a steady stream of new
products and new features for existing
products is entering the market. This is
clearly one of the driving forces behind
the rapid growth in the Coriolis flowme-
ter market.
MagneticThe growth rate of the magnetic flow-
meter market is not as great as that
of Coriolis, but the magnetic flowmeter
market is already one of the largest of
any flowmeter type. This is true despite
the fact that magnetic flowmeters can
only measure conductive liquids. This
means they cannot measure steam,
gas, or hydrocarbon liquids. However,
suppliers have made some progress in
enabling magnetic flowmeters to mea-
sure low conductivity liquids.
Magnetic flowmeters are widely
used in the chemical, food & beverage,
FLOW UPDATE | Flow Measurement
32 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
Inline ultrasonic meters have two or more transducers embedded into the flow-meter (sensor tube) body. They are installed by cutting into a pipe and having either wafer or flange style fittings. (Photo courtesy of Flow Research)
Part I: Flow Trend WatchA look at recent developments in new-technology flowmeters
The following is the first in a two-part series on broad-based trends in flowmeter technology and applications
based on results of Flow Research’s new Volume X: The
World Market for Flowmeters, 4th Edition. The focus of Part I will be on new-technology flowmeters. Part II will focus on trends in traditional-technology flowmeters.
By Jesse Yoder, Ph.D.
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com May 2013 | 33
and pharmaceutical industries. There is
a wide variety of linings used for sanitary
applications. PFA and PTFE are the two
most popular types of liners. PTFE is a
combination of fluorine and carbon that
is also known as Teflon. Other popular
types of liners are hard rubber, ceramic,
and polyurethane. A significant per-
centage of magnetic flowmeters come
in sizes of 1 inch or less, and they can
measure very low flows.
The most popular industry for mag-
netic flowmeters is the water & waste-
water industry. They excel at measur-
ing any kind of water, whether clean or
dirty, and can measure slurries that few
other flowmeters can tolerate. For clean
water, they are relatively inexpensive,
although inline magnetic flowmeters
can fit line sizes of 108 inches or more.
These meters are quite expensive. As a
result, a number of suppliers have in-
troduced insertion meters that are not
as accurate, but are significantly less
expensive than their inline counterparts.
UltrasonicIt used to be conventional to segment
the ultrasonic market into transit time,
Doppler, and hybrid. While this is still
valid, transit-time meters have become
capable of measuring many of the fluids
that formerly only Doppler meters could
measure, and they have cut signifi-
cantly into the market share of Doppler
meters. As a result, it is now more
useful now to segment the ultrasonic
market into inline (spoolpiece), clamp-
on, and insertion.
Inline ultrasonic meters have two or
more transducers embedded into the
flowmeter (sensor tube) body. They are
installed by cutting into a pipe and hav-
ing either wafer or flange style fittings.
Inline ultrasonic meters are distin-
guished according to whether they have
single-path, dual-path, or multipath
configurations, meaning three or more
paths. Custody-transfer applications re-
quire three or more paths.
Ultrasonic meters for liquids are built
differently than ultrasonic meters for
gas. The market for inline ultrasonic me-
ters for custody transfer of natural gas is
one of the fastest growing niches in the
entire flowmeter market. Companies
such as Caldon (now part of Cameron)
and KROHNE have also introduced ul-
trasonic flowmeters for custody transfer
of petroleum liquids.
Clamp-on meters have the advan-
tage of portability (though some are
fixed), and are widely used for check
metering. However, they cannot achieve
the same accuracy levels as inline me-
ters for several reasons. One is that they
are mounted outside of a pipe and the
ultrasonic signals have to go through
the pipe wall. This can attenuate the
signal. The amount of attenuation de-
pends on the type of material the pipe
wall is made from. Build-up on the side
of the pipe wall can also have an effect
on the ultrasonic signal, introducing an-
other level of uncertainty.
Insertion ultrasonic meters are
mounted in a pipe by cutting a hole
in the pipe and inserting the flowme-
ter into the pipe. Insertion meters are
significantly less expensive than inline
meters because the cost of the meter
body is eliminated. However, they can-
not achieve the same levels of accuracy
as inline meters. One of the chief ap-
plications for insertion ultrasonic me-
ters is for measurement of stack gas
and exhaust gas emissions. Here they
compete with averaging Pitot tubes and
thermal flowmeters.
VortexIn many ways, vortex meters are the
most versatile type of meter. They can
reliably measure all types of fluids,
including liquid, steam, and gas. They
are somewhat more intrusive than ultra-
sonic meters since they require insert-
ing a bluff body into the flowstream.
This bluff body is required so that the
meter can generate the required vor-
tices whose frequency is proportional
to flowrate. While the bluff body can
get knocked out of position, vortex
meters are far less intrusive than tur-
bine meters or positive displacement
meters.
For many years, vortex meters did
not have the same types of industry
approvals as differential-pressure, tur-
bine, ultrasonic, and Coriolis meters.
This changed in 2007, when the Ameri-
can Petroleum Institute (API) approved
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FLOW UPDATE continued
a draft standard for the use of vortex
flowmeters for custody-transfer applica-
tions. This approval was reaffirmed in
2010. However, up to this point it does
not seem to have had much impact on
the measurement of petroleum liquids
or gases for custody-transfer purposes.
However, the draft standard has been
used in the custody transfer of steam.
Vortex flowmeters offer accurate and
reliable flow measurement at a com-
petitive price. Even though vortex me-
ters are not as accurate as Coriolis me-
ters, many vortex meters offer accuracy
readings of better than one percent, de-
pending on fluid and application. While
vortex meters are somewhat intrusive
compared to magnetic and ultrasonic
meters, they are much less intrusive
than the orifice plates used with DP
transmitters to measure flow. Pressure
drop from vortex meters is minimal,
since most shedder bars are relatively
small in size. Vortex meters are less
widely used than magnetic flowmeters,
due, in part, to the fact that they were
introduced nearly 20 years after mag-
meters.
ThermalThermal flowmeters are used almost
exclusively for gas. For many years,
they have been associated with envi-
ronmental applications. In the early
1990s, multipoint thermal flowmeters
were developed to handle continuous
emissions monitoring (CEM). At that
time, the Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) developed regulations
designed to reduce the amount of sul-
furic oxide (SOX) and nitrous oxide (NOX)
in the air. Multipoint thermal flowmeters
were developed for these applications.
Multipoint averaging Pitot tubes and
ultrasonic flowmeters were also used
for this purpose.
While thermal flowmeters are still
used today for CEM applications, they
are also used for a variety of other en-
vironmental applications. Under the
Obama administration, their use for
flare gas, biogas, biomass, coalbed
methane, and landfill gas has become
more prominent. Other popular appli-
cations for thermal flowmeters include
submetering, compressed air, boiler in-
let, and wastewater treatment.
Many of the environmental applica-
tions for thermal meters involve inser-
tion meters. However, inline thermal
meters are also widely used for a variety
of gas applications. One disadvantage
of thermal flowmeters is that it is nec-
essary to know what type of gas is be-
ing measured. Thermal flowmeters have
also not achieved the accuracy levels of
Coriolis or ultrasonic meters, and their
accuracy is typically less than 1 per-
cent. However, suppliers have made
important strides in the areas of ther-
mal flowmeter accuracy and reliability.
Expect to see continued developments
and improvements in this area for ther-
mal flowmeters. FC
www.flowresearch.com
34 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
FLOW UPDATE | Flow Measurement
Jesse Yoder,
Ph.D., is president
of Flow Research Inc.
in Wakefield, Mass.,
a company he found-
ed in 1998. He has
25 years of experi-
ence as an analyst
and writer in process
control. Dr. Yoder specializes in flowme-
ters and other field devices, including
pressure and temperature products.
Dr. Yoder can be reached at jesse@
flowresearch.com.
For more information on Flow
Research’s Volume X: The World
Market for Flowmeters, 4th Edition
study, visit www.floweverything.com.
Jesse Yoder
Coriolis Flowmeter | Flow Mea-
surement | Flow Research | Jes-
se Yoder | Magnetic Flowmeter |
Thermal Flowmeter | Ultrasonic
Flowmeter | Vortex Flowmeter
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With so much domestic growth in
LNG, LPG (liquid petroleum gas), and
oil—as well as alternative energy sourc-
es such as ethanol—worker, facility and
regional safety will be a top priority to
help assure secure fuel storage and dis-
tribution. And though each new facility
designs its own safety systems, guid-
ance is available from standards bodies
and insurers.
The Role of Thermally Activated Emergency Isolation ValvesThermally activated Emergency Isolation
Valves (EIVs) are critical components in
refinery, terminal and distribution safety
systems. Thermal activated shutoffs
work like fuses in the piping that carry
extracted fuels. When a fire occurs, the
fuel flow is shut down, preventing the
fuel from feeding the fire.
Historically, thermal shutoffs relied
on fusible links made of metal alloy.
Once the alloy melts, a spring-armed
plug is released, which stops the flow
of fuel. The problem with the fusible
link design is that once triggered, the
unit needs to be replaced and, likewise,
cannot be field-tested.
However, new technology for thermal
shutoffs uses a Nitinol shape memory
alloy system, originally developed for
NASA space station applications. Ni-
tonol’s shape memory effect changes
certain metal alloys from one shape to
another with temperature changes—
a direct result of a transformation of
the alloy’s crystal structure. The shape
memory element senses the ambient
temperature and, through a phase in-
duction change, rapidly produces the
force and motion to operate the shutoff.
When the thermal shutoff senses
temperatures above the shape memory
alloy’s actuation level, the shape mem-
ory element simultaneously vents pneu-
matic actuator air pressure and closes
upstream supply pressure. A manual re-
set allows routine performance testing
for safety maintenance programs.
Hydrocarbon Processing Plants“The standard insurance recommenda-
tion report for a gas processing facil-
ity includes a request for a Process
Hazards Analysis and an Emergency
Shutdown System with multiple emer-
gency isolation valves,” says Jesse
Wilson, president of Allrisk Engineering
STANDARDS & REGULATIONS | Thermal Shutoffs
36 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
Emergency isolation valve with local (thermal) and remote shutoff. (Photo courtesy of Assured Automation)
Safety MeasuresThermally Activated Emergency Isolation Valves for Oil & Gas Applications
The recent annual World Energy Outlook report from the Paris-based International Energy Agency (IEA, www.iea.
org) predicts the United States will displace Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest oil producer by 2020. Meanwhile, the ExxonMobil 2013 Outlook for Energy report forecasts:
• The United States will become the world energy leader by the end of the decade.• Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) will surpass coal as a fuel source globally by 2025.• North America will become a net exporter of all sources of energy by 2035.
By Jean Steckler
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com May 2013 | 37
Inc. (www.allriskengineering.com) in Auburn,
Wash. “Emergency isolation valves are the risk
mitigation ‘bread and butter’ for most Compressed
Natural Gas (CNG) and Liquid Natural Gas (LNG)
facilities.”
The entire gas plant, as well as many of its
processing subsystems, are mechanically isolated
and de-energized by the Emergency Shutdown
(ESD) System. ESD systems are independent of
the basic process control system; however, they
can be triggered by critical process control vari-
ables, such as product flow and pressure. ESD systems can
also be initiated manually by operators located in the field or
in the control room.
ESD systems typically include gas detectors and heat de-
tectors interlocked with Emergency Isolation Valves (EIVs).
EIVs are failsafe, on/off type valves used for emergencies
only. Most insurers recommend that each EIV be provided
with some type of local thermal actuation device.
Factory Mutual publishes data sheets to assist in designs
for emergency isolation and shutdown. The FM Global Prop-
erty Loss Prevention Data Sheet, titled “Fire and Explosion
Protection for Process Structures 7-14,” includes a Piping
and Instrumentation Diagram (P&ID), which identifies where
in the process automatic and remote manual valves are rec-
ommended. The Ignitable Liquid Operations 7-32 data sheet
also includes a P&ID, outlining where Safety/Emergency Shut-
off Valves are recommended for inert-gas transfer systems.
Joseph Looney of FM Global says safety shutoff valves with
pneumatic or electric actuators are used for the startup and
routine shutdown of systems, while emergency shutoffs are
one-time operated shutoff valves used in emergency scenar-
ios, such as a fire.
The following list of recent fires reinforces the neces-
sity and value of emergency shutdown procedures and
technologies:
Jan. 13, 2013 fire at Chevron’s El Segundo
refinery, south of Los Angeles. The refinery can pro-
cess 279,000 barrels of feedstock a day, and supplies
40 percent of the jet fuel to Los Angeles International
Airport and 20 percent of the region’s gasoline.
August 6, 2012 Chevron Refinery Fire in Richmond,
Calif., which processes 245,000 barrels of crude oil a day.
Oct. 2, 2012 Exxon Mobil’s Baytown, Texas, refinery
fire in the diesel hydrotreater unit. The refinery has a capac-
ity of 584,000 barrels a day, making it the largest operating
refinery in the U.S. and one of the largest in the world.
Dec. 11, 2012 natural gas pipeline explosion near
Sissonville, W. Va., owned by the NiSource subsidiary
Columbia Gas Transmissions. It took about an hour after
the initial rupture for officials to stop the flow of gas and
shut off the line. The pipeline was not equipped with auto-
matic or remote shutoff valves.
Sept. 9, 2010 natural gas pipeline explosion in
a residential area of San Bruno, Calif., owned by
Pacific Gas & Electric. It took 60 to 90 minutes to shut
off the gas after the explosion, according to San Bruno
Fire Chief, Dennis Haag. The tragedy reached a death
toll of eight people and 38 homes destroyed. The U.S.
Geological Survey registered the explosion and resulting
shock wave as a magnitude 1.1 earthquake. Eye wit-
nesses reported the initial blast “had a wall of fire more
than 1,000 feet high.” On Jan. 13, 2012, an indepen-
dent audit from the State of California issued a report
stating that PG&E had illegally diverted over $100 mil-
lion from a fund used for safety operations, and instead
used it for executive compensation, bonuses, and PG&E
shareholders.
Lessons Learned
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New technology for thermal shutoffs uses a
Nitinol shape memory alloy system, origi-
nally developed for NASA space station
applications. Nitonol’s shape memory
effect changes certain metal alloys from
one shape to another with temperature.
“”
FLOW UPDATE continued
Large Propane Storage FacilitiesSince Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG),
commonly known as propane, is stored
and transported under high pres-
sure, this fuel requires its own set
of safety systems. The NFPA 58—
Liquefied Petroleum Gas Code requires
Emergency Shutoff Valves have all of
the following means of closing:1 Automatic shutoff through ther-
mal (fire) actuation;2 Manual shutoff from a remote
location; and 3 Manual shutoff at the installed
location.
Before the shape memory thermal
actuators described above were widely
available, LPG storage facilities relied
on fusible-link thermal shutoffs to au-
tomatically shut down LPG flow when
a fire occurred. Ted Lemoff, of TLemoff
Engineering, says he has never had any
issues or problems with fusible link-
based thermal shutoffs in his 25 years
of experience. Lemoff has written ex-
tensively on the NFPA 58 LPG Standard
during his tenure at the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA).
Fuel TransportOnce processed, fuel is distributed
to local markets by pipeline, rail car,
and trucks. Each transport method
requires its own set of safety systems,
including automatic thermal shutoffs.
Alloy Custom Products (www.alloycu-
stomproducts.com), a manufacturer of
cryogenic semi-trailers, uses automatic
thermal shutoffs for LNG, oxygen, and
mixed-use vessels. The company uses
shape memory thermal (fire) actuators
to automatically shutdown the flow of
fuel in the event of fire. These air-oper-
ated, self-closing thermal shutoffs are
housed in a rear cabinet of the trailer
and are used for fire protection in both
the loading and offloading of LNG.
The Promise of Safe and Secure Domestic Oil & Gas
Safety in the refinery, delivery and ter-
minal business continues to improve
based on lessons learned from experi-
ence (see sidebar on page 37).
With increasing reductions in staff-
ing, refinery and terminal facilities are
more reliant on automation. However,
if a fire damages the control system,
an electronic remote shutoff no longer
works. These type of systems need:
Failsafe designs to close valves in
the event of power loses; or
Automated valves with motorized
assembles including spring return and
battery backup.
To prevent the escape of fuel during a
fire, thermally activated shutoffs are
also needed, such as the shape mem-
ory thermal actuators or fusible link-
based systems detailed in this article.
A complete Emergency Isolation Valve
assembly provides:
Local thermal shutdown for auto-
matic shutdown in the event of fire
Remote shutdown to isolate sub-
systems
Local manual shutdown (optional)
Optional limit switch and lock-out
device FC
Note: The online edition of this article
at FlowControlNetwork.com will include
a bonus sidebar on Regulations &
Standards for Thermal Shutoffs.
Jean Steckler is a fire protec-
tion and safety code team leader at
Assured Automation, an assembler of
automated valves and flowmeters. She
has submitted code modifications to
the ICC on gas safety and consulted
with the NFPA and FM Mutual. Ms.
Steckler can be reached at jeans@
aa-fs.com.
www.assuredautomation.com
38 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
STANDARDS & REGULATIONS | Thermal Shutoffs
America Petroleum Institute |
FM Global | NFPA | Oil & Gas |
Safety Valve | Thermal Shutoff
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Mr. Bachus,
I am a project engineer for a Midwest municipality waste-
water authority. I’d like your opinion on some recent events
with a pump.
In 2010, we installed a new variable-speed pump at the
final collecting station at the treatment plant. The pump oper-
ates between 500 RPM and 600 RPM. The speed varies to
maintain a constant water level in the wet well 7 feet over the
pump centerline.
Since 2010, we have documented the following issue:
The pump starts and runs up to 600 RPM (25,000 GPM)
when the high level sensor trips in the wet well. The pump
speed slowly reduces, sometimes to 500 RPM (20,850 GPM)
as the level drops in the well. If incoming flow increases into
the well, the pump speed reaccelerates.
However, after the pump speed reaccelerates to 600 RPM,
the flow peaks at about 22,000 GPM rather than 25,000
GPM. Sometimes the level in the well continues to rise even
with the pump at 600 RPM. The only way to return to 25,000
GPM and control the level in the well is to stop and restart
the pump. As we stop the pump, we lose the discharge water
column back into the well and this further exaggerates the
problem and the anxiety.
We called the pump manufacturer. The engineer referred
to a “time dependent steady state capacity drift” issue. After
the engineer repeated the term a couple of times, he reduced
it to “TDSSCD.” I have never heard of this term.
We will remove the pump from service and inspect it for
signs of air entrainment or a suction recirculation problem. Is
there any sign or indicator that might identify or support suc-
tion recirculation?
Also, what do you know about TDSSCD?
Regards,
Harry R.
Hello Harry,
Three points come to mind that might affect the flow through
your pump.1 Consider air/gas entrainment: Remember you’re
pumping intestinal waste (methane gas) and air from every
commode flush that feeds the lift station. Air and gas can col-
lect at the impeller eye and block flow into the pump, which
will reduce the discharge flow.2 Consider air vortices: Vessels tend to form vortices (air
tornadoes) when filled and drained at the same time. The vortex
is attracted to the tank exit nozzle and the pump. The air can fill
the pump and displace the liquid leading to reduced flow.3 Consider the foot valve: In your message, you said
you lose your liquid column back into the well when the pump
is turned off. If the flapper is stuck and won’t actuate properly,
it can either starve the pump or cause excess turbulence that
releases air and gas into the pump.
An impeller suffering suction recirculation normally shows dam-
age on the leading edge (the high pressure side) of each impel-
ler blade close to the eye of the impeller. You will see this on
examining the impeller blades when the pump is disassembled.
An impeller suffering air or gas entrainment normally
shows damage on the trailing edge (the low pressure side) of
each blade close to the eye of the impeller. We cover these
issues with plenty of pictures in my Pump Guy Seminar se-
ries. (For more information on upcoming Pump Guy trainings
in Chicago and Philadelphia and a full course outline, visit
FlowControlNetwork.com/PumpGuy.)
Some Thoughts on Acronyms in GeneralIn the 1980s, our society became aware of an illness that
was called the “Auto-Immune Deficiency Syndrome.” This long
phrase began consuming a lot of time and energy in spoken
conversation and medical conferences. The term consumed a
lot of paper and ink in newspapers and press releases, eventu-
ally being reduced to the acronym AIDS.
Many years ago, the French marine explorer Jacques Cous-
teau perfected a device that allowed humans to stay under wa-
ter for long periods. Cousteau called his device the “Self-Con-
tained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.” After repeating this
phrase many times in conversation and print, self-contained
underwater breathing apparatus became the acronym scuba.
In the Second World War, there was a small military util-
ity vehicle that any soldier could start and drive without a
key if one were available. The vehicle was labeled “Govern-
ment Property.” Eventually the Government Property became
known as a G.P. This is the vehicle we know today as the Jeep.
TV will always be short for television. And PC will always be
THE PUMP GUY | Pumping Systems
mailbag: TDSSCD ... OMGMaking sense of senseless pump terminologyLarry Bachus
40 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
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250 EAST MAIN STREET
STRATFORD, CT 06614-5145, USA
TEL: 203-378-8281 • FAX: 203-385-0408
email: [email protected]
13 May Flow Cont 008-5748_Layout 4/3/13 4:12 PM Page 1
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short for personal computer. But scuba is in a family of acronyms
like Jeep, laser, radar, aids and sonar that have become their
own words. Many people don’t even know they are acronyms.
Your industry uses the common acronym WWTP meaning
Waste Water Treatment Plant. The pump industry has a few ac-
ronyms like GPM, PD, API, AODD and NPSH. Acronyms, whether
justified or not, often lend credibility to the terms they describe.
Now, Let’s Consider TDSSCD Years ago, you could call a pump manufacturer and speak
with the senior design engineer. The pump engineer’s voice
would ooze and drip with useful knowledge.
If you call a pump manufacturer today, you are likely to
get lost in a NEAM. What is a NEAM? It’s an acronym I just
invented for “Never-Ending Answering Machine.”
Today, pump companies are managed by accountants and
‘bean counters.’ They can tell you which parts are cast in
China and which parts are assembled in India. The only way
they can feign product knowledge is to spout acronyms and a
few buzzwords like “Proactive,” “Win-Win,” “Stretch the Enve-
lope,” “MTBF,” “Bad Actor,” etc.
If somebody uses “TDSSCD” in an email or phone conver-
sation, the other party might assume this acronym is a real
term or phrase because it is reduced to an acronym. After
writing or saying “Time Dependent Steady State Capacity Drift”
8,326 times, it becomes necessary to reduce the phrase into
its acronym TDSSCD. Obviously, you must be “OIL” (Outside the
Information Loop) if you are unfamiliar with TDSSCD.
Personally, I don’t think TDSSCD exists. I believe the phrase
“Time Dependency” exists in many communications. I believe
the term “Steady State” is a rather popular term in some circles.
And “Drift” is a term used by instrumentation technicians. But
TDSSCD doesn’t, in my opinion, exist. This seems like some-
one’s attempt to appear IIL (Inside the Info Loop). FC
LOL,
Larry Bachus
www.bachusinc.com
THE PUMP GUY | Pumping Systems
42 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
Air Entrainment | Cavitation | Larry Bachus | Pump Guy | Pump Guy Seminar | Recirculation
Find related content @ flowcontrolnetwork.com ... Search on:FLOWSTREAM
Larry Bachus, founder of pump services firm Bachus
Company Inc., is a regular contributor to Flow Control
magazine. He is a pump consultant, lecturer, and inventor
based in Nashville, Tenn. Mr. Bachus is a retired member
of ASME and lectures in both English and Spanish. He can
be reached at [email protected].
Do YouKnow & Understand
Your Pumps?Larry Bachus ("The Pump Guy") is theco-author of Everything You Need toKnow About Pumps, one of the bestselling technical books on pump systems inthe world. This book is written exclusively forpeople who must maintain pumps. Whereasother pump books are written from a designpoint of view, this book is written withmaintenance in mind. While most technicalbooks sit on a reference shelf gathering dust,this book gathers dirt smudges. Its pages getcreased and folded when mashed by the lidof a photocopy machine. It gets sneezed onand splashed with snot on cold mornings. It gets soaked with leaking oil, grease,and coffee. Basically, it gets used ... because it's tremendously useful. Thestraightforward guidance it provides will help you ensure the efficiency andlifespan of your pumping systems.
To order your copy of Everything You Need to Know About Pumps,call (615) 361-7295 or order online atwww.bachusinc.com/books.html
Do YouKnow & Understand
Your Pumps?
LarryBachus-datescartoon:Layout 1 11/6/12 3:56 PM Page 1
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This Is NOT Your AVERAGE TRAINING
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Are your engineering, maintenance and operations teams struggling with persistent pump problems?
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46 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
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BC = Back Cover - IBC = Inside Back Cover - IFC = Inside Front Cover
ASCO Valve Inc 19 16
Ashcroft Inc 41 26
Assured Automation 9,45 8,203
Bachus Inc 42 NA
Burkert Fluid Control Systems 12 11
CME Aerospace Control Products 48,45 28,202
Emerson Process Mgmt – Fisher 3 3
Emerson Process Mgmt – Micro Motion 35 22
Emerson Process Mgmt – Rosemount 44 100
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This video explains how to correct pump soft foot via a three-step process: 1. a rough alignment;
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THINK TANK | Filtration & Separation
ABSOLUTE FILTRATION: The absolute filtration rat-ing, or cut-off point, of a filter refers to the diameter of the largest spherical glass particle, normally expressed in micrometers (mm), which will pass through the filter under laboratory conditions.
BACKWASH: To clean a filter element by reversing the direction of flow through it.
COALESCING FILTRATION: A steady state process whereby aerosols are caused to come together into even larger droplets as they pass through the filter element’s fiber matrix, eventually becoming large enough to be gravitationally drained.
CARTRIDGE: A porous device, usually fitting in a filter housing, which performs the actual process of filtration.
EFFECTIVE AREA: The area of a medium that is exposed to flow and usable for its intended purpose—coalescing, filtering, or separating.
FILTER EFFICIENCY: A method of expressing a filter’s ability to trap and retain contaminants of a given size. Usually given as a percent.
FILTRATION RATING: A measurement of the average size of the pores of the filter medium.
HYDROPHOBIC: Non-water wetting. Having an antago-nism for water. Not capable of uniting or mixing with water.
MICRON: A unit of length in the metric system. One-millionth of a meter or 0.000039 of one inch. Contaminant size is usually described in microns.
NOMINAL FILTRATION: The nominal filtration rating refers to a filter capable of cutting off a percentage by weight of solid particles of a specific contaminant (usu-ally again glass beads) greater than a stated micron size, normally expressed in micrometers (mm), i.e. 90 percent of 10 micron.
PLEATED: A filter element whose medium consists of a series of uniform folds and has the geometric shape of a cylinder, cone, disc or plate.
PRE-FILTER: Filter for removing gross contaminate before the product stream enters a separator/filter.
PRESSURE DROP: The difference in pressure between two points, generally at the inlet and outlet of a filter.
SEPARATOR: A device whose primary function is to iso-late contaminants by physical properties other than size.
WOVEN: A filter medium made from strands of fiber, thread, or wire interlaced into a cloth on a loom.
Rosedale Products (www.rosedaleproducts.com), a devel-oper of technology for liquid filtration systems, provided the terms and definitions for this word search.
GLOSSARY OF TERMS:
FILTRATION & SEPARATION
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com May 2013 | 47
S S R S R O T A R A P E S E P A R A T O F
D E T T A E L P I B A C K W A S H T A N S
B A C K W C P L E A T E D C E M I C R O R
A E R A E V I T C E F F E F E P T A R I M
F Y N S L F T P R R N P E E I R O A D T I
I C N O C I B O H P O R D Y H E P L E A P
L N O E I C A R T R I D G I T - L I R R R
T E R I V T D D U F T T C F N F E F U T E
R I D N L A A E F C A E R F O I A - S L F
A C E T F P W R L R R L T L R L T E S I E
T I R T R F L U T N T U N N C T E R E F C
I F U T U R A S V L L L C R I E O P R G R
O F S G T F I S D C I R O T M R C P P N E
N E S F I L T E R E F F I C I E N C Y I S
R R E U I R S R D N L T E O R I R E S C R
A O R W O V I P R L A C T T F P G C O S F
T T P P - P I R S E N R A E U D D H E E N
I L H Y D R O P H O I A O R I L S R O L O
N I T B A W O V E N M P R R T A O L R A L
G F P R E - F I L T O R T R K I R S N O F
O S O P A R A T U R N R V C F A D L B C A
Y R O T T T M I C R A N A E F R O G I A I
S R R R E R I D I C L B U E S P Y C E I E
ABSOLUTE FILTRATION
BACKWASH
COALESCING FILTRATION
CARTRIDGE
EFFECTIVE AREA
FILTER EFFICIENCY
FILTRATION RATING
HYDROPHOBIC
MICRON
NOMINAL FILTRATION
PLEATED
PRE-FILTER
PRESSURE DROP
SEPARATOR
WOVEN
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One lucky entrant who has solved the puzzle correctly will win a $50 Best Buy gift card. Best Buy is North America’s leading consumer electronics retailer. You can use your gift card in the store or online at www.BestBuy.com.
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Solve This Word SearchWin a $50 Best Buy Gift Card
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THINK TANK | Flowmeter Operation
quiz corner: Measuring the Flow of Mixed Liquids
48 | May 2013 Flow Control Magazine
CommentaryIf the component liquids were miscible to form a homoge-
neous fluid, any orientation within the limits of the flowmeter
technology would be possible. Answer D would appear to be
correct.
However, oil and water are generally not miscible, so sepa-
ration of the oil and water could occur in the horizontal piping
upstream of the flowmeter. This can affect flowmeter perfor-
mance because the liquid entering the flowmeter would not
be homogeneous. Answer C is not necessarily correct.
Locating the flowmeter in a vertical pipe flowing upward
mitigates the potential separation problem encountered in
horizontal pipe. However, it does not ensure that the flow is
homogeneous because the oil and water may have already
separated upstream of the vertical pipe. Answer A is not nec-
essarily correct. Similarly, locating the flowmeter in a vertical
pipe flowing downward will cause Answer B to not necessarily
be correct.
Additional Complicating FactorsThere is no definitive correct answer. Such flow measurement
applications should be engineered carefully on an individual
basis.
B N M G T A N G E N T I A L F L O W P H
I B U O L O G I C O T G R R V O N G S I
E R Y U S I N G L E U W O E I M S V L G
R S G R E S U E L G N I S B R B B I L L
E V S U A N E I P I S W I M U N M R W N
B I N U R N G N I T N O O A S Y A U R R
M R T A E U R T O M R R U H F R H S R W
A U O N E L B E L T M Q A C I A C F C P
H S I N O N G O T G S T R G T N G I I I
C F T N O L P N I A S I G N R R N L G R
G I A N E W T O I B U O P I A I I T O L
N L S R O L O I B S N Q T P T T P R L R
I T L B I O B U R D E N R M I A M A O M
M R U N I D R U B O I B U U O U U T I N
U A P I S O N O E O I L T P N Q P T B A
P T W A R G N N O I T A S L U P W W O L
M I O L D N O I T A S L U P W O L I L R
P O L B N C H R O M A T O G R A P H Y R
L N S A F T A N G E N T A I L F L O W P
A R L I G N I S N R L O N T U N R A N T
/Div. of Aerospace Control Products, Inc.1314 West 76th Street, Davenport, IA 52806 • FAX: 563-391-9231E-mail address: [email protected]
The originators of gas laminar flowmeters
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Save downtime and money with the FCS 9003 portable Flow Calibrator. It utilizesa custom Windows™ based program to provide superior calibration of many dif-ferent flowmeter types. The portability of the system saves test time and the soft-ware compensates for flowmeter types and test conditions eliminating manualcalculations. Print and store compliance data reports after each calibration.
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March Solution: Biopharmaceutical Processing
What piping orientations are acceptable for a flow-
meter to measure the flow of an 80/20 mixture of
a liquid having a specific gravity of 0.80 and water?
A. Flow up
B. Flow down
C. Flow horizontal
D. All of the above
David W. Spitzer David W. Spitzer is a regular con-
tributor to Flow Control magazine and a principal in Spitzer
and Boyes, LLC, offering engineering, seminars, strategic,
marketing consulting, distribution consulting, and expert
witness services for manufacturing and automation com-
panies. Mr. Spitzer has more than 35 years of experience
and has written over 10 books and 250 articles about flow
measurement, instrumentation and process control.
David W. Spitzer | Flow Measurement | Flowmeter
| Liquid Separation | Piping Orientation
Find related content @ flowcontrolnetwork.com… Search on:
FLOWSTREAM
By David W. Spitzer
Endress+Hauser, Inc2350 Endress PlaceGreenwood, IN [email protected]
Sales: 888-ENDRESSService: 800-642-8737Fax: 317-535-8498
Flowing with great possibilities.
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Proline Promass 100Compact without compromise
Proline simply clever
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Hands-on training through real-life simulation.
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What makes Endress+Hauser unique is our PTUTM (Process
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Endress+Hauser, Inc2350 Endress PlaceGreenwood, IN [email protected]
Sales: 888-ENDRESSService: 800-642-8737Fax: 317-535-8498
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