Summary

Zhejiang Xinhecheng Co., Ltd., founded in 1999, manufactures functional chemicals including nutritional ingredients, fragrances and polymer materials. For a trial project, the customer needed to measure a liquid containing 10% metallic solid particles at an operating temperature of 150°C. Traditional electromagnetic and differential-pressure flowmeters proved unsuitable because electrodes and primary elements were quickly worn down by the solid particles, requiring frequent maintenance, causing unplanned shutdowns and reduced yield. Clamp-on ultrasonic technology stood out because it can be installed externally without modifying the pipe or interrupting the process.

Application

Fig. 1: C-PT 1 MHz clamp-on transducer installed on a 2″ stainless steel line carrying the hot liquid catalyst.

Solution

Panametrics conducted the field test using a PT900 portable flowmeter with 1 MHz clamp-on transducers. The transducers were mounted on a vertical pipe (Fig. 1) with flow from bottom to top. As the pipe was insulated, the insulation was removed for the test, and installation took approximately 15 minutes. The customer assessed the meter accuracy by triggering the control valve and comparing the resulting changes in flow – the flowmeter responded as expected, with readings tracking the valve’s percentage opening. Satisfied with the results, the customer decided to purchase permanent clamp-on instrumentation: the XMT1000LC with C-PT 1 MHz transducers, with an initial plan for two units. The meters have now been in service for several years, continuing to meet expectations while reducing maintenance costs and improving production yield. For future installations, the customer plans to use C RS HT transducers rated up to 230°C.