800-631-5454
https://millerenergy.com
A blog specializing in pressure, temperature, level and flow instrumentation, control valves, process analyzers, and all other areas of process measurement. Courtesy of Miller Energy, a New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio process instrumentation Rep and Distributor.
Pulsed Ultraviolet Fluorescence (PUVF) is an analytical technique with a wide range of applications. It is used to measure the concentration of sulfur compounds in various matrices, such as liquid fuels, gases, and process streams. This versatile technology is widely used in industrial applications and in online sulfur analyzers, demonstrating its adaptability to different industries and settings.
Here's how PUVF works:
PUVF technology offers several advantages over other sulfur measurement techniques:
PUVF technology is widely used for online sulfur monitoring and control in many industries including:
Because EtherNet/IP™ and PROFINET use the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP™), support exists from a vast ecosystem of solution providers for industrial process automation. EtherNet/IP™ and PROFINET readily connect to a wide range of DCSs and PLCs, including:
Due to the ability of contract manufacturers and end-users to use the EtherNet/IP™ and PROFINET protocols to:
Brooks Instrument engineers worked with Rockwell Automation to provide an upgraded device profile that simplifies the setup and integration of the MFC into the Rockwell Automation (Allen-Bradley) PLC. The SLA5800 and SLAMf are now compatible with EtherNet/IP™ from renowned automation manufacturers.The upgraded device/add-on profile:
On the SLA5800 and SLAMf with EtherNet/IP™ or PROFINET, we deliver on our promise to provide value without losing equipment space. Brooks Instrument designed EtherNet/IP™ and PROFINET directly into the mass flow controller, eliminating the need for add-on adapters or modules. The SLA5800 and SLAMf MFCs completely integrate EtherNet/IP™ and PROFINET. The EtherNet/IP™ or PROFINET equipped SLA5800 and SLAMf MFCs have the same footprint as the regular SLA5800 and SLAMf. They also link to your EtherNet/IP™ or PROFINET networks, eliminating the need for additional hardware such as gateways, analog I/O cards, or bespoke cabling and wires. All you need is standard ethernet wiring to get your device running and linked to the network.
The SLA5800 and SLAMf with EtherNet/IP™ or PROFINET have a user-friendly TCP/IP configuration. A web-based interface connects the MFC to the user's EtherNet/IP™ or PROFINET networks. Once on the network, the user can quickly identify individual MFCs, saving time if the system has several MFCs.
Intelligent and data-rich mass flow controllers, the SLA5800 and SLAMf with EtherNet/IP™ or PROFINET may improve operational efficiency in equipment automation, metrology, and maintenance.For example, limiting the upstream gas input pressure may affect MFC accuracy. The alarm data could be supplied to an operator via the built-in restricted flow alarm.
A new level of device flexibility significantly improves the flexibility of the entire bioreactor unit operation with the Brooks Instrument SLA Series Biotech mass flow controller – essential for process development and biomanufacturing.
Learn about the key benefits of mass flow controller flexibility for your bioprocess in this new white paper:
Miller Energy, Inc.
https://millerenergy.com
This video demonstrates how to calibrate a 4-20 mA transmitter in a hazardous environment using a portable calibrator, in this case, the WIKA CPH7000 Ex.
Before you do calibrations in a hazardous (Ex) space, you must be aware of several things. There are many levels of dangerous areas, as well as various levels of calibrating equipment to choose. A hazardous location includes or may contain combustible substances (whether indoors or outdoors). It could be a liquid, gas, vapor, or dust that is combustible. Depending on the hazardous area classification, a flammable substance may be present all of the time, a particular percentage of the time, or just in specific instances, such as during shutdowns or accidents.
In the best of circumstances, calibration can be a challenging task. Doing so in an area with a risk of explosion raises the complexity level to a new level, requiring the technician to have the necessary training and equipment. The WIKA CPH7000 Ex process calibrator is a precise, easy-to-use portable instrumentation calibrator that tests process transmitters in hazardous areas.
For more information WIKA products, or about instrument calibration in general, contact Miller Energy, Inc.
Miller Energy, Inc.
800-631-5454
https://millerenergy.com
Pulse Burst Radar sends short bursts of energy to the surface of a liquid. The time it takes for a signal to be reflected off the liquid surface is measured by ultra-high-speed timing circuitry.
Filtering out false reflections and other background noises is accomplished through sophisticated signal processing. The precise level is then calculated by taking tank height and additional configuration information into account. Because the circuitry is highly energy-efficient, no duty cycling is required, as with other radar devices. This enables the device to track rapid level changes of up to 4.5 m/minute (180"/min).
Magnetrol uses Pulse Burst Radar for Radar level measurement rather than frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW), which is today's more common operational technology. Pulse Burst Radar operates in the time domain and does not necessitate the complex and costly processing required for FMCW.
Pulse Burst Radar is more efficient at sorting through extraneous echoes and selecting the one reflected by the actual level because echoes are discrete and separated in time. Pulse Burst Radar also has excellent averaging characteristics, vital in applications where the return signal is affected by the factors described in "Don't Forget the 3 D's of Radar" below.
Unlike actual pulse devices, which send a single sharp (fast rise-time) waveform of wide-band energy, Pulse Burst Radar sends out short bursts of 6 GHz or 26 GHz energy and measures the transit time of the signal reflected from the liquid surface. The following equation is used to calculate distance:
The level value is then calculated by taking tank height and other configuration information into account. The sensor reference point – the bottom of an NPT thread, top of a BSP thread, or face of a flange – is the exact reference point for distance and level calculations.
Remember the 3 D's of Radar
Three fundamental conditions influence radar applications:
Low dielectric media can weaken radar's return signal, reducing the effective measurement range of a device. Pulse Burst Radar provides accurate measurements even in low dielectrics. However, when the dielectric is extremely low, as with liquid gas, fuels, and solvents, or when boiling and/or flashing can occur, Guided Wave Radar (GWR) may be the better choice in radar technology.
The distance, or measurement range, of Pulse Burst Radar, is determined by the antenna used, the dielectric constant of the medium, and the presence of signal interference. Turbulence, foam, false targets (interior tank obstructions causing false echoes), multiple reflections (reflections off the tank roof), and a frequent level change rate can all weaken, scatter, or multiply radar signals. Excessively high or extremely low liquid levels can also be problematic.
The Processing of Signals
Because radar exhibits interference effects similar to those seen in light, the signal processing function is critical. The quality of a device's signal processing is what distinguishes today's cutting-edge radar transmitters from the rest.
Pulse Burst Radar extracts accurate levels from false targets and background noise through its sophisticated signal processing capabilities. Because pulse burst radar circuitry is highly energy-efficient, no duty cycling is required to achieve effective measurement. As a result, Pulse Burst Radar can track high rates of change that would be impossible to track with other loop-powered radar transmitters. Although Pulse Burst Radar has a robust false target recognition and rejection routine, proper installation significantly minimizes false target reflections.
Antennas
The radar signal is transmitted and received by the antenna on the transmitter. Each antenna's maximum measuring range is primarily determined by dielectric constants and the degree of turbulence. Horn antennas can measure dielectric media as low as 1.4, whereas rod antennas have a minimum dielectric of 1.7.
Benefits
Pulse Burst Radar measures a wide range of media accurately and reliably in a wide range of process conditions, from calm product surfaces and water-based media to turbulent surfaces and aggressive hydrocarbon media. As a non-contact device, Pulse Burst Radar is immune to the complications that can occur when a probe comes into contact with the process media, such as coating from high viscosity media or corrosive attack from aggressive chemicals. Given the cost of extended probe lengths, the greater the measuring range, the more radar proves to be the cost-effective solution. Temperatures, pressures, the presence of vapors, and air movement within a vessel's free space have little effect on the radar. Specific gravity, conductivity, and dielectric constant changes do not affect measurement accuracy. The lack of moving parts in a 100% electronic instrument translates into low maintenance costs, and, as a two-wire, loop-powered device, power requirements and installation are greatly simplified.
Miller Energy, Inc.
https://millerenergy.com
In New York Metro and Northern NJ
Phone: 800-631-5454
In Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware:
Phone: 610-363-6200
In Western Pennsylvania:
Phone: 412-257-0200
In Ohio:
Phone: 440-735-0100
In the chemical, manufacturing, food and beverage, life sciences, and other process industries, foam is sometimes a problem in liquid tanks. There is no "one-size-fits-all" level measurement option for foam because of its fluid nature. Understanding the properties of the foam and the type of measurement required is critical. Foam can form in a tank for various causes, including injecting air or gas into the liquid or agitator/mixing blade activity. Understanding the nature of the foam and the process is essential to minimize potentially costly errors when choosing a level measurement technique, regardless of the source.
For more information about applying the right instrumentation for level measurement in the presence of foam, contact Miller Energy, Inc.
In New York Metro and Northern NJ
Phone: 800-631-5454
In Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware:
Phone: 610-363-6200
The Ball Sector Valve is intended to perform well in harsh environments such as slurries, dry media, fluids containing suspended solids, or liquids containing fibers. When combined with pneumatic and electric actuators, it is the best choice for exact control in various process industries such as mining, pulp and paper, and the chemical industry.
Ball sector valves deliver exceptional performance in demanding applications. When conventional butterfly and ball segment valves are closed, their critical sealing components are subjected to the most wear in the valve. Because of the unique design of the ball sector, the seal seals through a surface part that is less prone to wear. The ball sector valve facilitates sealing through less exposed areas of the ball sector to avoid abrasion-caused leakage. The sealing surface is not exposed to high flow velocities significantly extends the service life of ball sector valves. A self-adjusting PTFE packing with an integrated spring element seals the shaft and protects the bearing from media particles. This innovative seal design, combined with a variety of materials and finishes for the ball sector and valve seat, significantly extends the valve's life compared to other valve technologies. As a result, it is particularly suited to abrasive, high viscosity, or fiber-containing media.
The modified equal-percentage operating characteristic (difference pressure increases as the valve closes) combined with the outstanding rangeability of 300:1 means that the valve can be used for most control tasks. The valve body's special connection ensures that the differential pressure on the valve has little effect on the actuating torque.
Other technologies, such as a segmented ball or rotary globe valves, employ an excentric shaft, causing the ball or plug to lift up from the valve seat when the valve begins to open. As a result, sealing areas are immediately subjected to permanent wear. Particulate can become lodged between the seal ring and the ball/plug. The ball sector valve has centric and robust trunnions that allow the ball sector to maintain constant contact with the valve seat, preventing media contamination. Changes in differential pressure have no effect on the permanent actuation torque.
For more information about Schubert & Salzer products, contact Miller Energy by calling 800-631-5454, or visit https://millerenergy.com.
Many industrial processes involve the movement of fluid product components, either liquid or gaseous, through pipes. Because processing is about control, an input to the facility's management, measurement, or data logging centers will answer the query, "How much is going through that pipe?"
In the industrial process measurement and control industry, there are several ways for quantifying flow, each with unique characteristics that may be useful under certain operating situations. All flow measuring methods are indirect because the actual measurement is of a character influenced predictably by a change in the media flow. Flow measurement is a critical component that, when paired with other fluid properties, is used to calculate the total mass of a fluid passing through the measurement site.
The variable area meter, commonly known as a rotameter and VA meter, is a tried and true flow measuring device that operates by creating an equilibrium between an upward force created by fluid motion and a downward force, gravity. A tapering glass or metal tube encases a specifically shaped float, also known as a shaped weight, in the device. VA meters must be positioned vertically, with the media flowing upward from the bottom, so that the gravity force required for functioning is correctly aligned with the flow direction. As fluid flows upward via the precisely tapered tube, drag is created on the float enclosed within the tube, pulling it upward. As the float rises, the open space between the float and the tube wall expands, causing the fluid velocity and drag force to decrease. The flow velocity within the tube will cause the weight to climb for any given flow volume until the drag force generated by the flow reaches equilibrium with the countervailing power of gravity on the float. The tube and float are well designed, allowing for an immediate indication of flow volume.
Variable area flowmeters have the following operating characteristics:
Brooks Instrument, a world-renowned maker of flow, pressure, and level measurement equipment, created a brief paper highlighting the parameters to consider when specifying a VA meter and how each aspect influences the unit's performance. The description is realistic and straightforward to grasp. It is suggested reading for all process stakeholders who want to improve their flow measuring skills.
For more information about variable area flow meters contact Miller Energy. Call 800-631-5454 or visit https://millerenergy.com.
United Electric's Excela™ is the first switch of its type. Excela™ provides plant operators with an affordable way to upgrade to electronic performance. It has only two wires and is simple to place into the existing mechanical switch infrastructure. This unique, high-quality electronic pressure and temperature switch provide everything operators require for improved performance at an affordable price.
There are benefits and drawbacks to using advanced transmitters and old electromechanical switches at a facility. In terms of maintenance, an operator may spend at least ten times trying to maintain a switch over a transmitter. A transmitter, on the other hand, can be expensive and excessive for a modest application. There is a market void for economical, easy-to-install, drop-in-upgrade instrumentation for a facility's old mechanical switch infrastructure. To address the maintenance and upgrade cost concerns, the Excela™ was designed from the ground up to combine the benefits of the electromechanical switch (e.g., simplicity) and the transmitter (e.g., precision) at an inexpensive price point.
The Excela™ electronic switch is for plant upgrades by replacing mechanical switches with cutting-edge digital switch technology. It makes use of the existing mechanical switch wire as well as the attached discrete input power supply. In most cases, Excela™ is a direct drop-in replacement for existing mechanical pressure, differential pressure, and temperature instrumentation, making upgrading instrumentation within a plant cost-effective and straightforward. Typical uses are monitoring pressure and temperature for alarm and emergency shutdown in lubricating oil, boiler, furnace feed pumps, cooling, chiller water injection pumps, compressors, and many others.