Plan 23 Mechanical Seal Design • Trends In Coriolis & Ultrasonic Flowmeters • SCADA Security

AUGUST 2012฀Vol.฀XVIII,฀No.฀8฀•฀www.FlowControlNetwork.com
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 ®

august 2012
Vol. XVIII, No.8

features 20
14 Do Your Thermowells Meet the ASME
Standard? thermowell design has become more
conservative in light of a new standard

20 Establishing a Mechanical Seal Baseline

calculation method for Plan 23 systems in hot water service
API Plan 23 has proven to be the most effective way of
sealing hot fluids in centrifugal pumps from a reliability,
26 Gaining New Ground safety and economic perspective.
reference recorders shake things up in the oil & gas industry
26
28 Leading the Way
strong r&d drives coriolis & ultrasonic flowmeters to new heights

columns
4 VIEWPOINT the pursuit of continuous quality improvement
12 APPLICATIONS CORNER
variable-speed drive energy savings

32 AUTOMATION FILE
why scada security matters for flow control professionals Reference recorders are replacing chart recorders for a
variety of applications.
36 THE PUMP GUY ‘the energy audit’
36

departments
47 THINK TANK microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)

48 QUIZ CORNER charles’ law

products Epoxy coatings can extend the service life of a water pump,
24 FOCUS ON: temperature measurement >>>>> but can they actually improve the pump’s efficiency?
Flow Control (ISSN #1081-7107) is published 12 times a year by Grand View Media Group,
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2 August 2012 Flow Control

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viewpoint
Continuous Quality Improvement
L
ike most organizations
engaged in a serious pursuit
of success, here at Flow
Control we aim for continuous
quality improvement. And while
this is our end goal, and we for-
mally discuss how we can be a
better Flow Control on the first
Monday of every month, I’d be
lying if I said there weren’t times
when we’re in such a rush to get
things done that it’s hard to imagine our level
of quality does anything but suffer. Still, I
believe the constant dialogue we have about
quality improvement creates an inertia that
inevitably leads us to do and be better.
I believe the constant dialogue we have about quality
improvement creates an inertia that inevitably leads
us to do and be better.
For example, last month while we were
racing against time to meet the deadline for
the issue you’re now reading, we learned
that Flow Control was recognized with an
“Award of Excellence” in the 24th annual
APEX Awards (www.apexawards.com). Flow
Control was one of nine winning entries
in the “Editorial & Advocacy
Writing” category in a com-
petition that, all told, received
WINNER
more than 3,400 nominations.
In addition to this year’s
award, Flow Control has won
five other APEX “Awards
of Excellence” since 2006,
including 2011 “Magazine
Series” for a six-part feature
on pumping systems optimiza-
tion; 2010 “Technical Writing”
for its July 2009 “Spilled
Ink” cover story; 2009 “Best Cover” for its
March 2009 “In Boom” cover concept; 2008
“Editorial & Advocacy Writing” for its August
2007 “How Clean Can Clean Coal Be?”
“Viewpoint” editorial; and 2006 “Best Cover”
for its July 2005 “Ant Man” cover concept.
Flow Control has also been recognized by
other leading business publication awards
4 August 2012
programs, including the American
Society of Business Publication
Editors’ “Azbee Awards”; the
Trade Association Business
Publication International’s
“Tabbie Awards”; and the
Magazine Association of the
Southeast’s “GAMMA Awards.”
In all, Flow Control has won 11
publishing industry awards since
2006.
While this year’s APEX Awards recognized
a specific article—our January 2011
“Viewpoint” editorial, “The Truth About Shale
Gas” (page 4)—to me this award recognizes
more. It validates that even though our pur-
suit of quality may vary in effectiveness from
time to time, we are on the right path. And
with this sentiment in mind, I would like to
congratulate the entire Flow Control team for
a job well done. Everybody on our staff—
John Harris, Michael Christian, Amy W.
Richardson, and Julie Flynn—is equally
deserving of the recognition
the APEX judges have
bestowed upon us. I would
also like to thank our
administrative team, who
does all of the heavy lifting
that is required to get Flow
Control’s many print, Web,
and e-media products
where they need to be,
when they need to be—
without all of you, Flow
Control could never happen.
Here’s to another award-winning year, and I
look forward to working with the rest of the
Flow Control team to bring you, our readers,
a continuously improved product in the year,
and years, to come. FC
– Matt Migliore, Executive Director of Content
Matt@GrandViewMedia.com
G R A N D
GV
V I E W M E D I A G R O U P
®
PUBLISHER
JOHN P. HARRIS | (205) 408-3765
john@grandviewmedia.com
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
MICHAEL C. CHRISTIAN | (732) 200-5963
mikec@grandviewmedia.com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CONTENT
MATT MIGLIORE | (610) 828-1711
matt@grandviewmedia.com
MANAGING EDITOR
AMY W. RICHARDSON | (859) 317-9763
arichardson@grandviewmedia.com
COLUMNISTS
LARRY BACHUS;
DAVID W. SPITZER; JESSE YODER
ART DIRECTOR
JULIE FLYNN
julie@grandviewmedia.com
MARKETING MANAGER
MARY BETH TIMMERMAN
SUBSCRIPTION & REPRINT REQUESTS:
flowcontrol@halldata.com
Administrative Team
GENERAL MANAGER
BARRY LOVETTE
VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS
BRENT KIZZIRE
VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING
HANK BROWN
DIRECTOR OF CIRCULATION & FULFILLMENT
DELICIA POOLE
CIRCULATION ANALYST
ANNA HICKS
VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE
BRAD YOUNGBLOOD
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Larry Bachus: Bachus Company Inc.
Gary Cornell: Blacoh Fluid Control
Jeff Jennings: Equilibar LLC
Peter Kucmas: Elster Instromet
Jim Lauria: Water Technology Executive
James Matson: GE Measurement & Control
John Merrill, PE: EagleBurgmann Industries
Steve Milford: Endress+Hauser U.S.
David W. Spitzer, PE: Spitzer and Boyes LLC
Tom Tschanz: McIlvaine Company
John C. Tverberg: Metals and Materials
Consulting Engineers
Jesse Yoder, Ph.D.: Flow Research Inc.
WINNER WINNER
WINNER WINNER
WINNER
Flow Control
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news & notes
APPLICATION NOTE: Putting
A closer look at a cold water testing facility for magmeters
P
recision and quality are critical
requirements for flow measurement
instruments, no matter what the
application or industry. From metering
residential and industrial water use to
measuring flowrate in water treatment,
wastewater, chemical, food and beverage,
etc., accuracy is essential.
As a producer of flow measurement solu-
tions, Badger Meter (www.badgermeter.
com) employs comprehensive product
development and testing at its Milwaukee
headquarters in the James O. Wright
Innovation Center—one of the largest cold
water testing facilities in the world.
At the Innovation Center, Badger Meter
replicates the water sources found in resi-
dential, commercial and industrial applica-
tions using a reservoir with 125,000 gal-
lons of water, assorted pumping systems,
and a weir tower. From basic mechanical
functionality to network connectivity,
products undergo rigorous testing and
improvement processes using extreme
and strict standards to ensure exacting,
reliable operation.
Control Valves & Magmeters Are
Essential to Product Testing
Research control valves and elec-
tromagnetic meters (magmeters)
are installed on all flow test lines in
the center’s Hydro Lab. The Hydro
Lab includes nine operational test
stands designed specifically for test-
ing meter accuracy using gravimetric
standards.
The control valves and magmeters
are used to set and maintain flow-
rates for meter testing. With their high
accuracy rating and dependability,
magmeters are well suited for flow-
metering tests. The magmeters pres-
ent very little pressure loss and oper-
ate over a wide range of flowrates,
while an array of control valve offer-
ings, with the flexibility for customiza-
tion, easily meets the wide flow range
required to test various meter sizes.
6 August 2012
Flowmeters to the Test
How Flow Tests Determine
Meter Accuracy
The magmeter, which consists of
a detector within the flowstream
and an amplifier for processing the
information, is used as a reference
meter for controlling the flowrate
of water passing through the test
stand. Based on the magmeter’s
reading, a technician opens or
closes a control valve to adjust the
flowrate up or down, repeating the Research control valves and electromagnetic meters
process until the targeted flowrate (magmeters) are installed on all flow test lines in Badger
Meter’s Hydro Lab.
for the test is displayed on the Photo courtesy of Badger Meter
magmeter. The control valve then
remains in this position for the duration of alternately, have an encoder installed
the accuracy test. in place of the register to perform this
While the magmeter approximates the function. A programmable logic controller
desired flowrate, the actual flowrate for (PLC) is utilized to set the flowrate using
any given test is determined by weighing data from the reference magmeter. It also
the water after each test, applying tem- instructs the control valve to open or close
perature correction factors to determine its to adjust the flowrate, begins and stops
density, and dividing the calculated volume the test, collects the data from the meter
by the time over which the test occurred. output and scale, and calculates as well as
In addition to manual testing, certain records the test results.
test stands are designed for automated Magmeters are well suited for most
meter testing. For an automated accu- water applications, including potable
racy test the meter must have a register water, wastewater, or reclaimed water.
capable of outputting real-time data or, They will measure bi-directional flow and
The Hydro Lab in Badger Meter’s Innovation Center includes nine operational test stands designed spe-
cifically for testing meter accuracy using gravimetric standards.
Photo courtesy of Badger Meter
Flow Control
perform well in many chemical, pharma- to another. Three Badger Meter Research geted flow ranges. In addition, the valves
ceutical, and food and beverage applica- Control Valves are typically installed on communicate with the test stands’ PLC to
tions, as long as the fluid is somewhat each small meter accuracy test stand. A set and maintain the flowrate when used
electrically conductive. single Series 9100 Valve is used to control in the automatic test mode.
the higher flowrates on the stands and In the 12 years the Innovation Center
Research Control Valves Provide two smaller Research Control Valves are has been open, Badger Meter engineers
Exacting Precision used to control low and ultra-low flows. have needed to perform only minimal
Control valves that meet the wide flow Standard valves are used with custom service to the magmeters and research
range required to test meter sizes, ranging trims selected to specifically meet tar- control valves.
from 0.25 to 2 inches, are used exclu-
sively on the small meter accuracy test
stands to precisely control the flowrate.
Without this precision, it is difficult to
replicate exact flowrates from one test
movers & shakers
Alicat Brings in Barger to
Lead R&D, Engineering
Alicat Scientific Inc. (www.alicatscientific.
com) has appointed veteran engineer
Michael Barger as Vice President of
Product Development for the company’s
line of pressure and mass flowmeters,
controllers and accessories. Barger will
lead the product development team in
increasing and enhancing Alicat’s range of
flow control products. Building on Alicat’s
patented laminar flow differential-pressure
technology, he will guide R&D, design, and
engineering activities.

Rotork Names Withers Technical

Director of Its Controls Division
Andrew Withers has been appointed
Technical Director for Rotork Controls
(www.rotork.com), the electric valve
actuation division of the global Rotork
flow control engineering group. In his new
position, Withers will be responsible for
new product developments and research
functions involving all of Rotork’s electric
®

actuator product lines.

Shanahan Named President of

Emerson’s Roxar Business Unit
Emerson Process Management (www.
emersonprocess.com) has named Bret
Shanahan president of its Roxar business
unit, an international technology solu-
tions provider. Prior to taking up the role
of President of Roxar, he was Managing
Director of Emerson’s Roxar instrumenta-
tion division, Roxar Flow Measurement.
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www.FlowControlNetwork.com August 2012 7

news & notes
trendlines
Programmable Logic Controllers Lead I/O Market in 2011
The world market for I/O modules, espe-
cially for Programmable Logic Controllers
(PLC) I/O modules, recovered quite strong-
ly after the recession with double-digit
growth in both 2010 and 2011, according
to a recent report from IMS Research
(www.imsresearch.com). However, the
report found recovery of the Distributed
Control System (DCS )I/O market was
somewhat slower.
I/O modules, which are mostly used
with controllers, are essential compo-
nents in complex industrial automation
systems. IMS Research says by adding
more I/O modules, the scope and flexibility
of an entire automation system can be
enhanced. PLCs, for example, can move
toward their control capability to the field
level by adding remote I/O modules. There
are many active vendors in this market,
including suppliers of a complete range
of automation products and specialists,
which mainly provide I/O modules.
Broadly, I/O modules can be segmented
into three categories by controller type
Semiconductor Flow Control & Treatment Market to Reach $2.3 Billion in 2012
Semiconductor manufacturers will spend
$2.3 billion in 2012 for flow control and
World Semiconductor Flow
Control and Treatment 2012
Revenues
Product $ Millions
Pumps 149
Valves 449
Cross-flow Membranes 236
Cartridges 485
Sedimentation/
50
Centrifugation
Monitoring 140
Total 2,309
Source: McIlvaine Company
8 August 2012
(PLCs, DCS and industrial PCs), the most
commonly used products in industrial
automation. The world recession hurt the
industrial automation market, with the
market for each controller type falling
more than 20 percent from 2008 to 2009.
The I/O market also decreased due to the
lower demand for controller products.
“The recovery since 2010 was quite
exciting,” commented market analyst Alex
Hong, in a prepared statement. “As the
entire I/O module market has benefited
from the recovery of the controller market,
especially that for PLCs.” The entire I/O
module market grew more than 20 per-
cent in 2010, and more than 10 percent
further in 2011. The main contribution
to growth came from PLC I/O modules
because of blooming machine-builder
markets, IMS Research reports.
Machine builder markets, especially
in Europe and Asia, hold a strong posi-
tion. Because they use PLCs widely, the
demand for the I/O modules, which are
attached to the PLCs, also enjoyed strong
treatment products, according to a report
by McIlvaine Company (mcilvainecompany.
com). This includes products used to
extract water from sources, purify it for
use in chip washing and other purposes,
and to purify effluent prior to discharge.
The water used in semiconductor
processing needs to be extremely pure.
Water from a river or even water already
processed in a municipal drinking water
plant must be subjected to a series of
steps, which often include granular media
filters, cartridges, reverse-osmosis, ion
exchange and degasification. The water
must be carefully monitored for a number
of parameters. For example, dissolved oxy-
gen must be measured and controlled at a
few parts per billion.
The pumps and valves used in pro-
cessing the ultrapure water are uniquely
designed to minimize any contamina-
tion. This includes special materials of
construction. The piping, tanks and other
components of the ultrapure water system
growth. On the other hand, demand for
process automation has lagged somewhat.
Cash flows for those projects were cut off
because of the recession and this situation
continued even into 2011. Thus, the mar-
ket for DCS I/O modules, which is closely
associated with the process industries,
grew slower than that for PLC I/O mod-
ules. However, worldwide PLC I/O module
revenues make up more than half of the
total I/O module target, which thus had
quite strong growth.
“Overall, the I/O module market will still
benefit from a growing PLC market in the
foreseeable future,” Hong said. However,
growth in the PLC and DCS I/O module
demand will differ, mirroring the differing
performance of the discrete and process
automation markets.”
For more information on this report,
visit www.imsresearch.com.
also have to be built to eliminate contami-
nation.
One of the recent design changes is to
reuse water where possible. Rinse water
which was delivered to a tool but not used
can undergo less stringent treatment than
water that was used as incoming plant
water.
The semiconductor industry is growing
at rates faster than GDP thanks in part to
photovoltaic production, as well as mobile
communications, according to McIlvaine.
Asia is the largest producer, and McIlvaine
predicts it will continue to outpace other
markets, as China gains on Korea, Taiwan
and Japan in the semicon space.
The demands for even more pure water
are increasing as the line sizes on the
chips are decreasing. This aspect, coupled
with the opportunity for water reuse, are
creating new opportunities, says McIlvaine.
For more information,
visit www.mcilvainecompany.com.
Flow Control
trendlines

Industrial Valve Sales To Exceed $55 Billion in 2013

Sales of industrial valves and actuators of large independent actuator companies nies generate revenues from $900 million
will exceed $55 billion in 2013, according sell to the original equipment manufactur- down to $600 million. The third tier of five
to the latest forecasts in Industrial Valves: ers and also directly to the end-users. valve companies has sales in the range of
World Markets published by the McIlvaine The top five valve companies account $450 million to $600 million.
Company (mcilvainecompany.com). for 15 percent of the total market with
Energy applications will account for sales ranging from $2.1 billion down to For more information on this forecast,
nearly 40 percent of the total revenues $900 million. The next five valve compa- visit www.mcilvainecompany.com.
while municipal water and wastewater will
account for 18 percent. The chemical indus-
try will generate sales of over $6 billion. The
forecast shows there will be a big market
for valves for basic chemical applications in
Asia, whereas the U.S. and Europe markets
will mostly be fine chemicals.
The movement toward “smart valves” is
accelerating, McIlvaine says, which allows
the condition of valves to be monitored
remotely. Actuators comprise up to 25
percent of the value market. Pneumatic,
electric and hydraulic actuators are avail-
able. Many of the large valve manufactur-
ers make their own actuators and also sell
actuators for competitors’ valves. A number

World Industrial Valve and

Actuator Revenues ($ Millions)
Industry 2013
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Chemical 6,097
Our broad P-Series rotameter line offers more choices from a source
Electronics 464 you can count on.
Food 1,171 Get the right low meters exactly when you need them from Parker’s
Porter Instrument Division. Now, the expanded line of P-Series acrylic,
Iron & Steel 2,341 glass and metal variable area meters provides even greater application
Metals 899 versatility to accommodate a wider range of low rates, temperatures, and
environmental conditions. They also come with the responsive support
Mining 1,114 and on-time delivery that Porter Instrument is known for.
Oil & Gas 9,246 Explore your options at PorterInstrument.com.
Other Electronics 359
Other Industries 6,301
Pharmaceutical 1,612
Power 7,555
Pulp & Paper 3,343
Refining 7,287
Wastewater 4,267
Water 3,619
Total 55,675
Source: McIlvaine Company
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www.FlowControlNetwork.com August 2012 9

news & notes

trendlines

Mergers & Acquisitions

✓ Global pump manufacturer Grundfos (www.grundfos. a definitive asset purchase agreement to acquire Piper Valve
com) has acquired Enaqua, (www.enaqua.com) a California- Systems Ltd. Headquartered in Oklahoma City, Okla., Piper
based company specializing in the use of UV technology to dis- Valve Systems designs and manufactures high-pressure valves
infect water, and specialized membranes for water purification. and manifold components for the oil and gas industry.

✓ DeZURIK Inc., (www.dezurik.com) a supplier of munici- ✓ Furmanite Corporation (www.furmanite.com), a large

pal and industrial valves, has reached a definitive agreement to provider of valve services, has acquired certain assets and
acquire HILTON Valve Inc. (www.hiltonvalve.com), a supplier of operations of Crane Energy Flow Solutions’ Houston Service
fabricated large-diameter and custom knife gate valves. Under Center.

✓ Parker Hannifin Corporation (www.parker.com) has

terms of the agreement, DeZURIK will acquire all HILTON prod-
ucts and production capability. HILTON operations will continue
as a stand-alone business in the company’s present Redmond, acquired the filtration business of John Fowler (India) Private
Wash. facility. Limited based in Bangalore, India. The John Fowler filtration

✓ Kaman Industrial Technologies Corporation (KIT), a sub-

business manufactures air, fuel and hydraulic filters for use in
transportation and industrial applications.

✓ Fluid and metering technologies company IDEX

sidiary of Kaman Corporation (www.kaman.com), has acquired
Florida Bearings Inc. of Miami, Fla. Florida Bearings will become
part of KIT, Kaman’s Industrial Distribution segment. Corporation (www.idexcorp.com) has acquired Matcon Group

✓ Oil States Industries Inc., a subsidiary of Oil States

Ltd., (www.matconibc.com) a provider of material processing
solutions for high-value powders used in the manufacture of
International Inc. (www.oilstatesintl.com), has entered into pharmaceuticals, food, plastics, and fine chemicals.

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10 August 2012 Flow Control

trendlines
Fieldbus Foundation Updates Specs for Remote
Operations Management
The฀Fieldbus฀Foundation฀(www.field
bus.org)฀has฀updated฀its฀FOUNDATION฀
technical฀specifications฀to฀address฀
key฀elements฀of฀its฀FOUNDATION฀for฀
Remote฀Operations฀Management฀
(ROM)฀technology,฀which฀is฀designed฀to฀
enable฀manufacturers฀to฀begin฀devel-
oping฀FOUNDATION฀for฀ROM฀devices.฀
Specifications฀have฀also฀been฀added฀for฀
transducer฀blocks฀for฀both฀wired฀and฀
WirelessHART฀devices.
The฀Fieldbus฀Foundation’s฀FOUNDATION฀
for฀ROM฀solution฀offers฀a฀unified฀digital฀
infrastructure฀for฀asset฀management฀in฀a฀
range฀of฀remote฀applications,฀from฀oil฀and฀
gas฀pipelines฀to฀tank฀farms฀and฀offshore฀
platforms,฀and฀also฀OEM฀skid-mounted฀
equipment.฀The฀technology฀enables฀
fieldbus฀connectivity฀to฀remote฀I/O฀and฀
the฀leading฀industrial฀wireless฀protocols,฀
CHECKMATE.
When it comes to check
valves, Check-All is king.
Our spring loaded check valves
are assembled to your exact
needs, ensuring absolute
precision and reliability. They
work like they should. That’s
what makes Check-All the only
choice. Plus, most lead times
are less than one week.
Count on the king.
Get me a Check-All.
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www.FlowControlNetwork.com฀
including฀WirelessHART฀and฀ISA100.11a.฀
It฀provides฀an฀interface฀to฀these฀wireless฀
technologies฀and฀uses฀Electronic฀Device฀
Description฀Language฀(EDDL)฀and฀func-
tion฀blocks฀to฀ensure฀interoperability฀
with฀FOUNDATION฀for฀ROM฀devices.฀The฀
Remote฀I/O฀(RIO)฀portion฀of฀the฀specifica-
tion฀was฀released฀in฀April฀of฀last฀year฀
and฀allows฀for฀connectivity฀of฀large฀point฀
count฀remote฀I/O฀to฀FOUNDATION฀field-
bus.฀The฀foundation฀recently฀announced฀
the฀launch฀of฀the฀HART฀and฀WirelessHART฀
specification฀for฀ROM.
Fieldbus฀Foundation฀members฀with฀
up-to-date฀license฀agreements฀can฀
download฀a฀complete฀copy฀of฀the฀latest฀
FOUNDATION฀fieldbus฀technical฀speci-
fications฀from฀Fieldbus฀Forums฀on฀the฀
foundation’s฀End฀User฀Resources฀section฀
of฀its฀website฀www.fieldbus.org.
Manufactured in West Des Moines, Iowa, USA ฀•฀ www.checkall.com
accountability file
•฀ The฀skyline฀copy฀on฀the฀June฀2012฀cover฀
teased฀“Industrial฀Cloud฀Computing,”฀how-
ever,฀the฀article฀on฀this฀topic฀did฀not฀appear฀
in฀the฀June฀issue.฀It฀appeared฀in฀the฀July฀
issue฀instead.฀We฀regret฀this฀error.
•฀ The฀headline฀for฀the฀July฀2012฀
Applications฀Note฀on฀page฀12฀should฀have฀
read฀Part฀III฀instead฀of฀Part฀ll.
•฀ In฀the฀July฀2012฀News฀&฀Notes฀section,฀
page฀10,฀the฀second฀URL฀mentioned฀for฀Lux฀
Research฀was฀incorrect.฀The฀correct฀URL฀is฀
www.luxresearchinc.com.฀Also฀on฀page฀10,฀
the฀first฀URL฀given฀for฀the฀Control฀System฀
Integrators฀Association฀(CSIA)฀was฀incorrect.฀
The฀correct฀URL฀is฀www.controlsys.org.
Help us make Flow Control the best it can be!
If you see any errors, mix-ups, or oversights,
whether grammatical or technical, please
e-mail ARichardon@GrandViewMedia.com.
SINCE 1958
August฀2012฀฀฀11฀฀
applications corner
By David W. Spitzer

Part I: Variable-Speed Drive Energy Savings

How misapplication of the Affinity Laws can lead to over-estimates

I
nstalling variable-speed drives can yield significant electrical
energy savings. Every few years, I am asked to review a paper The operation of centrifugal equipment with
citing the energy savings that can be obtained in pumping
applications where the author uses the Affinity Laws to incor- variable-speed drives can provide signifi-
rectly calculate electrical energy savings when applying a
variable-speed drive. However, misapplication of the Affinity Laws cant energy savings that can often justify
can result in over-estimates of the energy savings (sometimes
grossly) associated with operating the pump with a variable- the investment for both new and retrofit
speed drive. Let me explain.
applications. Consideration should be given
✓ Flowrate is proportional to the pump motor speed;
The Affinity Laws for centrifugal pumps state that the pump’s:

✓ Pressure generated is proportional to the square of the
✓ Motor power consumption (kW) is proportional to the cube
pump motor speed; and
of the pump motor speed.
The operation of centrifugal equipment with variable-speed drives
can provide significant energy savings that can often justify the
investment for both new and retrofit applications. Consideration
to applying them to the majority of pumps
that are used in continuous operations.
However, the Affinity Laws can seem
relatively simple and straightforward—
maybe too straightforward.
should be given to applying them to the majority of pumps that
are used in continuous operations. However, the Affinity Laws can
seem relatively simple and straightforward—maybe too straight-
forward. For example, consider a piping system where a motor/
pump produces 100 percent flow at a pressure of 10 meters of
water column. It would seem logical to calculate the energy sav-

✓ 50 percent of flow means that the motor/pump operates at

ings at 50 percent of flow as follows:

✓ Power consumption is (0.50)3 or 12.5 percent of the power

50 percent of speed (per the first Affinity Law);

✓ There is an 87.5 percent energy savings when operating the

at 100 percent flow (per the third Affinity Law); and

Flow Problems? motor/pump with a variable-speed drive at 50 percent of flow.

We Can Help WRONG!!! Give it some thought until next month. FC

David W. Spitzer is a regular contributor to Flow Control maga-

>> Troubleshoot Problem Flow Measurements zine and a principal in Spitzer and Boyes, LLC offering engi-
>> Assess Billing Flowmeter Accuracy neering, seminars, strategic, marketing consulting, distribution
>> Close Plant and Water Balances consulting and expert witness services for manufacturing and
automation companies. He has more than 35 years of experience
>> Improve Flowmeter Accuracy
and has written over 10 books and 250 articles about flow mea-
>> Select and Specify Flowmeters surement, instrumentation and process control.
>> Train Your People
Mr. Spitzer can be reached at 845 623-1830 or
WE KNOW FLOW! www.spitzerandboyes.com. Click on the “Products” tab
to find his “Consumer Guides” to various flow and level
www.spitzerandboyes.com • 1.845.623.1830 measurement technologies.
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12 August 2012 Flow Control

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installation guidelines
Do Your Thermowells Meet the ASME Standard?
Thermowell design has become more conservative in the age of ASME/ANSI 19.3TW-2010
T
hermowells are universally used in
power, chemical, hydrocarbon
and other industries. In 2010, the
only U.S. standard assessing the design
strength of thermowells was significantly
changed for the first time in 35 years.
Thermowell Fundamentals
What could be simpler than a thermowell?
Thermowells are metal products machined
and gun-drilled from solid bar stock to
encase a temperature sensor such as a
thermocouple or RTD. They are typically
welded into place or attached to a pro-
cess by means of a flanged or threaded
connection. There are three primary ther-
Various thermowell process connections and
shank styles are shown here. The ASME Code
treats each one differently.
mowell shank styles. Conveniently, each
of these is rather straightforwardly titled:
straight, tapered and stepped. The core
function of a thermowell is to enable the
removal and replacement of a temperature
sensor without opening up the process.
Designing a thermowell seems simple.
The thermowell just needs to protrude far
enough into the process fluid flow to allow
the temperature sensor to reach the tem-
perature of the process in a reasonable
amount of time. Why not simply design the
well to reach the middle one-third of the
14 August 2012
pipe and call it a day?
In many cases the middle one-third of
the pipe may be a perfectly good rule of
thumb. However, depending on process
conditions there are a number of other fac-
tors that can cause a thermowell to suffer
mechanical failure at insertion lengths less
than one-third of the pipe. These include
flow-induced vibration (wake frequency
failure), dynamic (oscillating) and steady
state stress, pressure, corrosion, erosion,
material selection, and improper installation
technique. All of these must be considered
in properly designing a thermowell for a
given installation.
So who is responsible for making the
judgment call here? The 19.3TW standard
makes plain that ultimate design respon-
sibility for a thermowell well rests with the
engineer designing the system into which
the well is being installed:
Specification of a thermowell, includ-
ing details of its intended installation and
all intended operating conditions, is the
responsibility of the designer of the sys-
tem that incorporates the thermowell. The
designer of that system is also responsible
for ensuring the thermowell is compat-
ible with the process fluid and with the
design of the thermowell installation in the
system.
Typical flanged thermowell. No welds save for flange attachment.
This is primarily due to the fact that only
the system designer has all the knowledge
and details about the process conditions
and installation arrangement required for
the thermowell design. The thermowell
supplier only knows what the system
designer tells him.
What could be simpler than a thermowell?
The devil, as they say, is in the details.
What is a Thermowell for
Purposes of the ASME 19.3TW
Standard?
Before plunging into the details of ther-
mowell design it is important to have a
good grasp of the fundamentals. Here is
an easy question: What is a thermowell?
Remember the old saying: if it looks like
a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like
a duck, it is a duck? Thermowells are not
ducks. There are many instances where
something may look like a thermowell
without falling within the design criteria for
the 19.3TW Thermowells standard.
For example, the relatively subtle dis-
tinction between protection tubes and
thermowells is an important one. There
are no welds in a thermowell, except for
a weld necessary to attach a flange to the
thermowell shank. By contrast, protection
tubes are commonly manufactured from
Flow Control

metal pipe with a tip welded onto the end.
Protection tubes are also commonly used
in power, chemical, hydrocarbon and other
industrial temperature measurement appli-
cations, often in low-velocity gas applica-
tions. Sometimes protection tubes are
even casually referred to as “wells,” but
their design falls squarely outside the type
covered under the scope of the 19.3TW
standard. They are welded and there is no
weld in a thermowell.
The 19.3TW standard modernized
thermowell evaluation considerably by
adopting modern bore sizes and shank
constructions. However, there are a num-
ber of common thermowell designs that
are outside the scope of the standard. For
example, thermowells outside the scope
include those that are shot-peened, coat-
ed, sleeve, or flame sprayed. Thermowells
with velocity collars, external support or
welds at any point other than a flange
attachment are also excluded. Finally, even
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plain old solid bar stock thermowells can
be outside the scope of the standard if
they do not meet specific dimensional cri-
teria. This does not mean that any of these
arrangements is necessarily bad. It simply
means that their design is outside the
scope of the standard. Hence, any calcula-
tion results from 19.3TW may not be valid.
In other words, the calculation results will
not assure that the nonconforming ther-
mowell can withstand the damage effects
19.3TW seeks to guard against.
History Prompting the Change
From the ASME 19.3 to 19.3TW-
2010 Method
So how did we end up with a thermowell
standard in the first place?
The intent of the original drafters of
the 19.3 standard in 1974 was to create
requirements for Power Test Code applica-
tions to prevent steam turbine-damaging
thermowell failures in steam lines. The
resulting document established a simple
four-page calculation yielding a pass-fail
result for steam line thermowells.1 The
location of the requirements was some-
what unique since they were included in
a code for testing rather than a code for
design (such as Boiler and Pressure Vessel
Code or Power Piping).
Due to the standard’s unique status and
simple approach, over the years 19.3 was
commonly used outside its original intended
scope across a broad range of applications
and industries. This was unintentionally
enabled in part by limitations and ambigui-
ties contained in the standard itself.
Despite broad implementation by engi-
neering firms, field failures of thermowells
cropped up and persisted on an intermit-
tent basis in non-steam applications even
among thermowells assessed by and
built to the 19.3 standard. Among many
noted thermowell failures, perhaps the
most famous involved a sodium line at the
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August 2012 15
installation guidelines
In-line forces were not considered by the 19.3 until the 19.3TW-2010
revision. Previous versions only took transverse resonance into account.
Japanese MONJU nuclear reactor where a catastrophic thermow-
ell failure resulted in a liquid sodium line leak.
Prior to the MONJU failure, engineering2 and academic3 criti-
cisms of the old standard pointed out, among other concerns, that
✓ Failed to address in-line vibration,
the ASME PTC 19.3:
✓ Failed to assess oscillatory stress independent of steady
Write in 11 or Request Info Instantly at www.FlowControlNetwork.com/freeinfo
16 August 2012
✓ Provided no fatigue factor for oscillatory stress or stress
state bending stresses,
✓ Performed the installed natural frequency calculation in a
intensification factor for fatigue at the thermowell root, and
crude manner without including any effects of foundation stiff-
ness, fluid or sensor mass.
Some publications4 and even standards5 actually referenced
the 19.3 standard and then, not trusting its result, handicapped
it. The opportunity for improvement was clearly identified.6
After approximately five years of work, in July 2010, the ASME
PTC 19.3TW (2010) standard was published and received ANSI
approval.
What Changed in 19.3TW & Why It Is So Much
More Conservative Than 19.3
In most applications, 19.3TW is significantly more conservative
than its predecessor, resulting in maximum allowable thermowell
immersion lengths much shorter than previously allowed under
the old 19.3 regime. This consideration is primarily due to con-
sideration of in-line resonance and oscillating (dynamic) stress.
In a small minority of cases primarily involving low-density gases
where viscosity values are available 19.3TW may actually permit
longer immersion lengths due to its ability to tailor the Strouhal
number to a particular application, instead of relying upon a
default value.
Other changes include accommodating modern geometries,
step-shanks, an unlimited velocity range, a predicted life cycle,
rules regarding manufacturing tolerances, dimensional limita-
tions and consideration of corrosion and erosion factors. For the
first time, 19.3TW made clear that support structures such as
velocity support collars are ill-advised and outside the scope of
the standard,7 primarily due to impracticalities regarding their
manufacturing and installation. For the first time 19.3TW recog-
nized that all thermowells are not equal in terms of their rigidity
and susceptibility to vibration. Values such as the sensor mass,
fluid mass and process connection design are for the first time
incorporated into the calculation of the installed natural frequency
of the thermowell.
However, for all of the modifications to the form and substance
of 19.3 in 19.3TW, by far the most significant factor impacting
thermowell design is the recognition of the need to avoid in-line
resonance in most cases—the factor identified as the root cause
of the MONJU failure.
Both in-line and transverse resonance are forms of wake
frequency resonance. As process fluid passes a thermowell
shank vortices are created in its wake and the thermowell stem
vibrates.
When the thermowell vibration approaches the frequency of the
shed vortices, the amplitude of vibration increases dramatically.
This exerts tremendous force and stress against the thermowell's
base. In many cases this stress is fully capable of causing the
thermowell material to fracture or even shear off at the point of
greatest stress, the thermowell root.
The 19.3 standard conceived of thermowell vibration as occur-
ring in a single plane transverse to the flow. Resonance was
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installation guidelines
judged as possible whenever the wake frequency approached
80 percent of the natural frequency of the installed well. Indeed,
transverse vibration is a real danger and its occurrence should be
avoided if possible as it can be catastrophic for the well. However,
a thermowell does not vibrate in a single plane. In reality the ther-
mowell vibrates in an oscillating fashion that includes an in-line
component. The in-line component can begin to resonate with
the shed vortices at wake frequencies spanning 40 percent to 60
percent of the installed natural frequency of the well.
Recognition and avoidance of dangers posed by in-line reso-
nance is critical to proper thermowell design, but the practical
effect of reducing the wake to natural frequency limit from
0.8 to 0.4 can be very significant. The danger of ther-
mowell resonance must be considered at velocities much
lower than previously considered problematic by 19.3.
Since process fluid speeds will not slow to accom-
modate the ideal length of a thermowell, the effect is a
reduction in the maximum allowable unsupported lengths
for many thermowells. This reduction challenges engineers
involved in design of thermowell applications to update their
standards to reflect appropriate immersion lengths based upon
a more conservative mechanical standard or to bulk up their
thermowells to enable a sufficient immersion length. As a result,
engineers applying the 19.3TW standard can now be more con-
fident in their thermowell installation integrity. For every give,
however, there is a take and the complexity of the calculation
required to assess thermowell designs has greatly increased.
Supplier-generated thermowell design software applying
the 19.3TW standard such as SwiftyCalc (www.jms-se.com/
SwiftyCalc) is helpful, but like everything else in order to reap
a full benefit it is helpful to have a fundamental understanding
of how and why the standard works the way that it does. The
19.3TW standard provides two example calculations that can be
used to validate the software results.
But Does the 19.3TW Really Work?
The Proof Of the Pudding Is In the Tasting.
So here is a quick tale of two wells in a common trap for the
Typical thermowell installation on outside elbow of circulating water line.
18 August 2012
thermowell designer prior to the publication of 19.3. The setting
is a large circulating water line with thermowells installed on
the outside elbow of the pipe. Thermowells are designed based
upon traditionally successful engineering in-house standard and
installed on the outside of the water line following an elbow.
A month following the installation the gauge installed in
the well is found to be leaking water by operators. The well is
removed and is discovered to have failed. Because the shank of
the well is missing entirely, the
operators at first suspect that
a ceramic well has been pro-
vided by accident.
First catastrophic well failure
caused by wake frequency
vibration. Root cause: supplier
not providing well as specified.
A root cause analysis is per-
formed and wake frequency calcula-
tions per the original 19.3 requirements
are performed providing velocity values calculated
from the maximum flowing condition, based on pump run-out.
The thermowell passes muster under the calculation. Because
the investigating engineer is on the 19.3TW committee, the then-
unpublished 19.3TW calculation is applied to the incident. The
well also passes muster under 19.3TW. The thermowell design
itself is examined and it is found that the manufacturer supplied
an “off-the-shelf” thermowell instead of the specified design.
An order is issued for a replacement well. Proper manufacture
is confirmed and the well is re-installed. A few weeks later the
operators call back. The well has failed again!
This time the velocity value is questioned and a computational
fluid dynamic (CFD) model is performed. The model shows that
actual velocity at the well location is approximately twice what
had been designed for based on pump run out.
The CFD model demonstrated how the fluid flow stratified signifi-
cantly along the backside of the elbow, resulting in a much higher
velocity than the average. Wake frequency calculations were then
performed again using the new predicted velocity and pursuant to
Approximate
Location of failed
thermowell
CFD print-out showing a plan view of the piping. Fluid velocity is shown in
color with the highest fluid velocity in dark red.
Flow Control
the old 19.3 method. Surprisingly, the well design passes muster
under 19.3, but 19.3TW accurately predicts the failure.
A new well is designed and manufactured in conformance with
19.3TW. Essentially, the well is shortened 4 inches and a quarter-
inch of mass is added to the root diameter. Following the third
installation, the well has been in place for years without report of
incident.
Location of
thermowell tip
CFD print-out showing pipe cross section. Dark red indicates the area of
highest velocity.
Challenges Ahead
Engineers seeking an optimal thermowell design face a sig-
nificant challenge. Temperature measurement considerations
indicate that the longer and leaner the thermowell, the more
accurate and responsive will be the installed temperature sensor.
Conversely, considerations promoting mechanical strength dictate
as short and stout a design as possible. For more than 35 years
engineers around the world have relied upon the ASME 19.3
standard. Now the new 19.3TW standard will help better navigate
a solution to these opposing design considerations.
Engineers involved in the design, specification and procure-
ment of thermowells should familiarize themselves and refresh
their engineering standard to comply with the 19.3TW standard.
In the course of doing so, alliance with a knowledgeable vendor
or an experienced engineering consultant can be the key to
avoiding incidents resulting from thermowell failure ranging from
the mildly annoying to catastrophic. FC
Mitch Johnson, J.D. is the president of JMS Southeast (www.
jms-se.com), a manufacturer of custom temperature sensors
and thermowells based in Statesville, N.C. Mr. Johnson is a
member of the ISA and serves on the ASTM E20 Committee,
the ASME 19.3TW, 19.3 and 40.9 Committees. Recently, he co-
authored “Practical Thermocouple Thermometry” (2nd Ed.), and
was named a “Control Engineering Leader Under 40.” He can be
reached at mjohnson@jms-se.com.
Allan Gilson, PE, is the Instrumentation and Control Section
Head for Black & Veatch Energy (www.bv.com), headquartered in
Overland Park, Kan. He provides process management and con-
sulting for Instrumentation and Control engineering practices for a
www.FlowControlNetwork.com
variety of energy and oil/gas projects. He is a member of
ISA and ASME, and currently serves on the PTC 19.3 Temperature
Measurement committee. He has authored and co-authored a
number of presentations and technical articles on thermowells,
process tubing, and other subjects, including “The New ASME
Thermowell Standard and Optimal Thermowell Design,” 2011. He
can be reached at gilsonag@bv.com.
References
1. ASME/ANSI 19.3 “Temperature Measurement” (2004).
2. Gibson, I.H., “Optimal Selection of Thermowells”, ISA
Transactions 34 (1995).
3. Brock, J.E., 1974, “Stress Analysis of Thermowells”, Report
NPS-59B074112A, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA.
4. See e.g., Gibson, I.H., “Optimal Selection of Thermowells”,
ISA Transactions 34 (1995) 209-216(establishing 70%, not 80%
established by 19.3, as the controlling ratio between natural fre-
quency and wake frequency).
5. See e.g.,“Process Measurement Instrumentation”, API
Recommended Practice 551, Sec. 5.2.3 (2007) (establishing 66
percent, not 80 percent established by 19.3, as the controlling
ratio between natural frequency and wake frequency).
6. Bartran, D.S., Frikken, D.R., Yee, R., “Are Your Thermowells
Safe?” TAPPI Journal, April 2002.
7. ASME/ANSI 19.3TW-2010, Tables 4-1-1 and 4-2-1..
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August 2012 19
best practices

Establishing a Mechanical Seal Baseline

Calculation method for Plan 23 systems in hot water service

O
il refineries began using the precursor to API Plan 23 to seal
Nomenclature & Units Of Measure
light hydrocarbons that had to be cooled to prevent flash-
A Area, m2 Q Volumetric flow rate, L/s
ing and short mechanical seal life. Circulating devices were
Cp Specific heat, J/kg-°C q Heat transfer, W
added to the seal design to circulate the process fluid through a
d Diameter, m ReReynolds number
shell and tube heat exchanger in a nearly closed loop. Decades
e Absolute roughness, m T Temperature, °C
later, API Plan 23 has proven to be the most effective way of seal-
f Friction factor t Thickness, mm
ing hot fluids in centrifugal pumps from a reliability, safety and
g Gravitational constant, m/s2 U Overall heat transfer
economic perspective. These systems, extended from refining to
H Head, m coefficient, W/m2-°C
power generation, are used widely today in water applications
L Length, mm v Velocity, m/s
above 80 C, such as boiler feedwater services.
M Mass flow rate, kg/s μ Dynamic viscosity, kg/m-s
Detailed design calculations are not required in most cases where
m Heat soak factor (same as Pa-s)
the application is a typical Plan 23, the mechanical seal contains
P Pressure, kPa ρ Density, kg/m3
a well designed circulating device, best practices are used for the
layout and piping of the loop, and a well designed heat exchanger The method introduced here is iterative. This is due to:
with known performance characteristics is used. But in some cases 1. The use of the log mean temperature difference (LMTD)
where one or more of these parameters is unusual, the application is used in determining heat exchange rate,
hazardous, plant critical, or a due diligence study is advisable, then 2. The determination of the mass flowrate of the recirculated
predictive calculations can be performed. process fluid as a function of friction losses,
3. Some parameters are nonlinear functions, such as:
a. Absolute viscosity as a function of temperature
(exponential curve fit),
b. Friction losses (empirical),
c. Head-versus-flow function of the circulating device
(curve fit).
In order to achieve accuracy, the following input parameters are
required:
1. The operating temperature of the process fluid,
2. Liquid density and viscosity as functions of temperature,
3. Dimensionless factors m1 through m6, as defined by Buck
and Chen (2010),
4. The head-versus-flow curve for the circulating device in the
mechanical seal,
5. Several dimensions of the seal cooler and interconnecting
piping,
6. The flowrate and temperature of the cooling fluid entering
the seal cooler,
7. Mechanical seal generated heat.

Figure 1. Plan 23 systems installed on a high-pressure multistage pump
These calculations can be used as a baseline to determine
if the mechanical seal is leaking, the Plan 23 tubing has been
clogged or fouled, or the cooling water supply is insufficient. In
each case, one will see a rise in the Plan 23 loop temperatures
over time. If the performance parameters are measured in the
field, this algorithm can be altered empirically for further com-
parison. Altering the overall heat-transfer coefficient is usually the
best way to do this.
At the end of this article, some rule-of-thumb values for quick
“back of the envelope” calculations will be included. These are
valuable when one does not have a detailed description of the
mechanical seal, the seal cooler or pump construction.
The Physical System of a Plan 23
The calculations in this method are based on a shell and tube
cooler wherein the process fluid flows through the tube side, and
the cooling liquid flows through the shell side (Figure 1). (One can
easily modify these calculations for other cooler configurations.)

20 August 2012 Flow Control

 By John Merrill

Plan 23 systems
for Drive End and perature. Density of a liquid is a nearly linear function of tempera-
Non-Drive End ture. The density change across the cooler and the mechanical
Seals seal can be 1-5 percent (particularly within the iteration steps), so
this function must be included on the hot side of the Plan 23 loop.
Graphic courtesy
So, the two terms are modeled as:
of KSB (ksb.com)
! ! = !" ! !! + !! Eq. (3)
Plan 23 Loop Flowrate
We will need a Plan 23 mass flowrate, Mhot, in order to calculate ! ! = !! ! + !! Eq. (4)
the rate of heat transfer, qcooler. This flowrate is generated by the
circulating device in the mechanical seal. There are two basic For clean water, these terms are:
types of circulating devices used for mechanical seals: radial !! = −4.7! − 4, !! = 0.0024, !! = 1009, !! = −0
circulating rings and positive-displacement pumping screws.
!! =
Each has a characteristic −4.7!
curve − 4, below.!A! radial
as shown = 0.0024,
circulat- !! = 1009, !! = −0.441
ing ring curve can be approximated by a second order curve as (These constants must be consistent with the units specified
shown. A pumping screw curve is linear, as can be expected from above.)
a positive-displacement device.
The flow velocity for a flow Q: The average temperature of the liquid in the Plan 23 loop, T, will
be an iterative value as shown later.
!! !! !" !
0.001  Eq. (1) !" = Eq. (5)
!=! ! ! !
!!"#$ !" < 2100 !"#$%"& !"#$
Where: !" ≥ 2100 !"#$"%&'! !"#$
!
!!"#$ = !!! Eq. (2) Reynolds numbers can range from 1,000 to 6,000 when the
4
Plan 23 flow is on the shell side of the cooler, so the laminar or
The Reynolds number is calculated to determine if the flowrate is turbulent check is important. The friction factor f is calculated
laminar or turbulent. The Reynolds number equation contains the as follows. A slight discontinuity will exist at Re = 2,100. Friction
viscosity term, μ, and the density term, ρ. The viscosity of nearly factor relationships that can model the entire laminar-transition-
all liquids can be characterized as an exponential function of tem- turbulent range exist but are very difficult to evaluate, and the

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best practices

increase in accuracy and continuity do not justify their use.1 Hf is equal to Hscrew. Setting these two relations equal to one
64 another gives
!!"#$%"& = Eq. (6)
!" !!" ! ! !!!"#$
= !! + !! = 1000!!!"#$ !! + !!
!! 2! !!
0.001 
!
0.25 Eq. (7)
!!"#$"%&'! = ! This can be arranged as a quadratic equation with v as the vari-
! 5.74 able and the other terms constants:
!"#!" 3.7!! + !" !.! !!"
! ! + −1000!!!"#$ !! ! + −!! = 0 Eq. (12)
!! 2!
The dimensionless friction factors, k, can be determined.
Which has the solution:
!
!!"#$ =!
!! ! 2!!"
1000!!"#$ !! ± 1000!!"#$ !! + !
!! ! ! Eq. (13)
!!"#$%"&! = 1.0!!"
!=
!!"
!!"#$ = 0.78!!" !! !
!!!"$ = 0.6!!"#$ Which will produce a positive and negative value of v, and we
select the positive one. Finally, the mass flowrate, M, can be
Where n is the number of entrances or exits in the system loop. determined.
There will be two of each: in and out of the seal; in and out of the Eq. (14)
!!!" = !"!!"#$
cooler. One can add k factors for other resistive causes, such as
tees, elbows, valves, but since these devices are not recommended, The mass flowrate of the cooling fluid is calculated. Since the
they are ignored. The overall friction factor ktotal is the sum of all k’s. flowrate of the cooling fluid is assumed to be constant and rela-
tively high (0.5 to 1.25 L/s), and the temperature rise through the
!!"!#$ = !!"#$ + !!"#$%"&! + !!"#$ + !!"#$ Eq. (8) cooler should not be greater than about 10 Δ°C, the change in
density will be less than 1 percent and can be considered con-
The equivalent length of the piping system is stant.
!!
!! Eq. (9) !!"#$ = !!"#$ !!"#$ 0.001 
!!" = !!"!#$ !
!
And now the head loss Hf can be calculated for any flow velocity v. The Heat Transfer System
There are two main sources of heat flowing into the Plan 23
!!" ! ! process liquid—heat soak, qsoak, and seal generated heat, qseal.
!! = Eq. (10)
!! 2! There is one significant source of heat removal—the seal cooler,
qcooler. If these sources are at steady state then the heat transfer
A pumping screw device in a mechanical seal will have a linear balance equation is:
head versus flow relationship of the form:
!!"#$ + !!"#$ − !!""#$% = 0
!!"#$% = !! !!"#$% + !! Eq. (11)
From Buck and Chen (2010)2, heat soak may be calculated as
where a1 and a0 are constants specific to the screw dimensions, follows:
fluid and speed. The flow generated by the pumping screw Qscrew
!!"#$ = !! !! !! !! !! !! !"!! !" Eq. (16)
will enter the interconnecting Plan 23 tubing, which has a flow
area Aflow, calculated above. Where m1 through m6 are the dimensionless factors used to cor-
rect the equation recommended by API 682, which recommends
!!!"#$ a singular UA value of:
!!"#$% =
!! !" = 249  W/m-°C
0.001 
!
Substituting this into the pumping screw relation !! = seal balance diameter, m
!!!"#$ And:
!!"#$% = !! + !!
!! !" = !!!"!$%% − !!!!
0.001 
! Where Tprocess is the process liquid bulk temperature in the pump
The flow velocity through the Plan 23 tubing will be that at which casing and Tchm is the average bulk temperature in the seal

22 August 2012 Flow Control

chamber. If the pump has a cooling jacket in front of the seal, it is Solution Example
acceptable to use qsoak = 0. Inputs: Outputs:
The seal generated heat, qseal, can be calculated using the Plan 23 loop and cooling fluid = water Qhot = 0.09 L/s
method recommended by API 682 or obtained from the mechani- dB = 100 mm qsoak = 3058 W
cal seal manufacturer. The heat transfer occurring across the heat qseal = 1500 W qcooler = 4561 W
exchanger can be calculated three ways, all of which are required Qcold = 0.75 L/s Th1 = 46.3°C
in this method. Tc1 = 25°C Th2 = 58.8 °C
!!""#$% = !!!" !!,!!" !"!!" Eq. (17) Tprocess = 150 °C Tc2 = 26.5 °C

!!""#$% = !!"#$ !!,!"#$ !"!"#$ Eq. (18) Quick Calculations

!!""#$% = !!""#$% !!" !"!" Eq. (19)
In these three equations, the subscripts hot and cold refer to the
side of the heat exchanger containing the process fluid and the
side containing the cooling liquid, respectively. The dT values are
calculated as follows:
!"!!" = !!! − !!!
!"!"#$ = !!! − !!!
!!! − !!! − !!! − !!! Eq. (20)
!"!" = !!""#$%
! − !!!
!" !!
!!! − !!!
The log mean area is used because the U value used for the heat
exchanger is an overall heat transfer coefficient defined neither
by the OD nor the ID of the tubes:
!! − ! !
!!" = Eq. (21)
!
!" !!
! !!!" = 0.1
Where:
! !
!! = ! !!! and !! = ! !!!
The overall heat transfer coefficient, Ucooler, can be calculated
using several different empirical formulas, but one can obtain
good accuracy by using curve fit functions or singular values
obtained through testing. (520 W/m2-°C is a reliable value to use
for modern seal coolers supplied by seal manufacturers.)
Now we have the system of equations that govern the Plan
23 flow and heat transfer relationships. Unfortunately we cannot
solve for the unknown temperatures Th1, Th2 and Tc2 because of
the nonlinear log mean temperature equation for dTLM. We cannot
solve directly for the mass flowrate through the system because
the viscosity and density terms in the Reynolds equation are
functions of the unknown temperatures and the nonlinear expres-
sion for the friction factor fturbulent used if the flow is in the turbu-
lent regime. But several methods of solving a system of nonlinear
equations exist. Most methods use a convergence criterion, which
defines when a solution has been found. For our problem, one
could keep guessing at Th1 until Eq. (15) has been satisfied to
within 0.5 percent or so. Using the Solver function in Microsoft
Excel is one of the easiest ways to solve this system of equations
(see “Solution Example” sidebar).
The following values and calculations can be used for simple
hot process water analysis where many of the detailed variables
above are unknown. This method is useful for troubleshooting
applications in the field or sizing heat exchangers or cooling
water requirements for budgetary proposals:
!"
!!!" = 0.001  · seal size, mm
! · !!
!"
!!"#$ = 0.75   
!
!!""#$% = 3000 · !!"#$ · 2°C   )answer in Watts
!"!!" =  )answer in °C
3000 · !!!"
The actual loop temperatures, Th1 and Th2, will be functions of
seal generated heat and heat soak (neither of which are measur-
able in the field) but should each be between 30 C and 50 C, and
the dThot should be between 2 and 4 Δ°C.
The results of the quick calculations are:
!"
 
!
!!""#$% = 4500 ! 
!"!!" = 15 °! 
John Merrill is the U.S. Principal Engineer for EagleBurgmann,
a manufacturer of mechanical seals and sealing solutions. Mr.
Merrill has been designing, installing, troubleshooting, and test-
ing mechanical face seals and seal support systems since 1991.
His market sector experience includes upstream and downstream
oil and gas, mining, chemical production, biopharmaceuticals,
fossil and nuclear power generation. Mr. Merrill currently serves
as chairman of the Hydraulic Institute’s Seals Committee and par-
ticipates in the Reliability Committee. He can be reached at john.
merrill@us.eagleburgmann.com or 704 525-9672.
www.eagleburgmann.com
References
1. See McKeon, B.J., C.J. Swanson, M.V. Zaragola, R.J. Donnelley,
and A.J. Smits. "Friction Factors for Smooth Pipe Flow." J. Fluid
Mech. 511 (2004): 41-44.
2. Buck, Gordon S., and Tsu Yen Chen. An Improved Heat Soak
Calculation for Mechanical Seals. Proc. of Proceedings of the 26th
International Pump Users Symposium, Houston, TX, 2010.

www.FlowControlNetwork.com August 2012 23

focus on: temperature measurement
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Combo Pressure/Temperature
Sensors
American Sensor Technologies’
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provide both pressure and temperature
outputs from a single process point.
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acquisition program such as Excel or allowing for a quick and simple change
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the Web page is a JAVA Applet that plots either 4-20mA or 0-10Vdc with an accu-
a chart over the LAN or Internet in real racy of +/-0.2 C + 0.05 percent of reading.
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Remote Reading Thermometer

Dwyer Instruments’ Series RRT3 Remote Reading Thermometer with Switch combines
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24 August 2012 Flow Control
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technology spotlight
Gaining New Ground
Reference recorders shake things up in pressure measurement
W
ithin the pressure measurement industry, relentless inno-
vation has become the norm. New technology continu-
ally supplants the old. In other technology spheres, PCs
pushed aside typewriters. Cell phones drove out telephones. And
today, reference recorders are shaking up old standards in the oil
& gas industry.
A reference recorder is a new class of instrument that is gain-
ing ground over other common pressure instruments. Chart
recorders, deadweight testers, and analog pressure gauges all
brought several advantages in their time. Increasingly, reference
recorders replace all three with a single instrument.
What Is a Reference Recorder?
Reference recorders unify the recording capability of a chart
recorder, the high accuracy of a deadweight tester, and the con-
tinuous measurements of a pressure gauge into one tool that is
easier to use and less expensive.
“On their own, none of these features are unique, but when you
put them all in the same device and make it cost-effective, you end
up with something really useful,” says Jim Pronge, sales manager
for Crystal Engineering (www.crystalengineering.net), a San Luis
Obispo, Calif.-based company that produces reference recorders
and pressure gauges. “Offering reference recorders for both labora-
tory and field applications is really the icing on the cake for us.”
While data logging devices are nothing new, Pronge points out
that, “improved microprocessors allow today’s reference record-
ers to read and record faster and more accurately than ever.”
Reference recorders detect readings from modules, which may
read pressure, temperature, current, or voltage—and store the data
in their digital memory. These modules are usually interchangeable
and recorders generally accept two inputs at a time. In addition to
their compact size, reference recorders offer several improvements
to bulky chart recorders.
Improving On a Chart Recorder
Chart recorders were originally pat-
ented in 1915. They produce a graph
on a moving paper chart, and rely
on ink pens mounted on mechanical
arms, which pivot in response to pres-
sure. Their primary advantage is their
ability to record for extended periods
in remote locations. Chart recorders
may be battery-powered or entirely
mechanical (requiring no external
power), allowing them to operate in
the presence of flammable materials.
An experienced user may provide Figure 1. Reference recorders are replacing chart recorders
for a variety of applications.
preliminary analysis on the output
26 August 2012
from a chart recorder in the field. Communicating or storing
this data electronically becomes possible only after a technician
enters or scans the chart into a computer. This process typically
takes several days before results become available. Chart record-
ers typically claim an accuracy ranging from 0.25 percent to 1
percent of span, but that figure depends on changes in ambient
temperature and on the thickness of its pens—which can cause
an additional error up to 1 percent of the recorded reading.
By contrast, a reference recorder exports digital data and records
with higher accuracy. Many reference recorders are also rated
Intrinsically Safe for use in the presence of flammable materials.
Using Deadweight Testers in the Field
Deadweight testers are used primarily in a laboratory setting.
They produce a repeatable reference pressure by balancing cali-
brated masses on a piston of known area. Operators must use a
different set of masses for each engineering unit (i.e., one set of
weights for PSI, another for kPa). In an indoor, temperature-reg-
ulated environment, deadweight testers can be very accurate—
serving as a primary standard for the calibration of other pressure
measurement devices. Field versions also exist but, outside the
lab, their accuracy depends on a host of factors.
In order to deliver an accurate reading, a field deadweight
tester must be perfectly level. Additionally, ambient temperature,
humidity, wind, and local gravity will all impact the reading.
Without adjusting for these, a field deadweight tester’s accuracy
may be no better than a common pressure gauge. Even with
these compensations, a field deadweight tester cannot actively
detect or record changes in pressure—it only offers an accurate
reference pressure for comparison.
A reference recorder serves two purposes. First, it stores read-
ings continually, with update rates up to 10 readings per second,
and allows the operator to record an
entire test from start to finish; second,
such a device will provide a consis-
tent, accurate reference for field cali-
brations. Measurements from modern
reference recorders are independent
of local gravity or humidity, and pro-
duce their accuracy via a proprietary
mathematical algorithm that corrects
for ambient temperature. Achievable
accuracies range from 0.025 percent
of the indicated reading at lower
pressures, to 0.1 percent of reading
up to 15,000 PSI.
“A good reference recorder’s
accuracy should not change with
temperature across its operating
Flow Control

Figure 2. Any PC can download the digital data from a reference recorder.
range,” says Pronge. This is where recorders vary widely. The
best manufacturers will provide proof of their accuracy claims,
with a calibration certificate from an accredited lab, showing test
data at different temperatures.”
Replacing Multiple Pressure Ranges
Pressure and temperature gauges are widespread and varied
in form. Gauges will continue being useful for years, because of
their portability, customizability, and affordable cost. In contrast,
their drawbacks stem from their inherent fragility and the neces-
sity to carry multiple gauges to cover a given pressure range.
According to Pronge, “Linearity and ruggedness are the two
most important features of any pressure gauge. Many pressure
Reference recorders unify the record-
ing capability of a chart recorder, the
high accuracy of a deadweight tester,
and the continuous measurements of
a pressure gauge into one tool that is
easier to use and less expensive.
gauges would be useful across a much larger pressure range
if their sensors were more linear and predictable. Also, many
gauges continue to display readings that appear accurate, even
after their sensors sustained damage.”
To overcome these challenges, reference recorders extend their
usability by accepting different modules, each of which covers
a wide pressure range. Within each module range, a reference
recorder will have superior accuracy and linearity, compared to
most pressure gauges. The advanced self-diagnostics in refer-
ence recorders prevent the device from displaying an invalid
www.FlowControlNetwork.com
By Patrick Klima & David K. Porter, P.E.
reading if it sustains damage.
Reference recorders offer a reliable improvement over the
decades-old technology commonly seen in the oil & gas industry.
Replacing chart recorders, deadweight testers, and older pressure
gauges with reference recorders helps companies reduce their
equipment costs, training time, and operator error. FC
Patrick Klima is the technical writer at Crystal Engineering. After
majoring in Mechanical Engineering at California Polytechnic
State University, he wrote technical material and articles for a
variety of industries, including energy management and green
construction. His articles on pressure measurement solutions and
digital pressure gauges have been published in a variety of trade
magazines. He can be reached at sales@crystalengineering.net.
David K Porter, P.E. is the vice president of engineering at Crystal
Engineering. He has over 25 years experience; the last 12 in the
test and measurement field developing rugged, highly accurate,
and easy-to-use instruments. He has a degree in Mechanical
Engineering from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis
Obispo where he is still active on the Industry Advisory Board.
Do You
www.crystalengineering.net
Know & Understand
Your Pumps?
Larry Bachus ("The Pump Guy") is the
co-author of Everything You Need to
Know About Pumps, one of the best
selling technical books on pump systems
in the world. This book is written exclu-
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pumps. Whereas other pump books are
written from a design point of view, this
book is written with maintenance in
mind. While most technical books sit on a
reference shelf gathering dust, this book
gathers dirt smudges. Its pages get
creased and folded when mashed by the
lid of a photocopy machine. It gets sneezed on and splashed with snot on cold
mornings. It gets soaked with leaking oil, grease, and coffee. Basically, it gets
used ... because it's tremendously useful. The straightforward guidance it pro-
vides will help you ensure the efficiency and lifespan of your pumping systems.
To order your copy of Everything You Need to Know About Pumps,
call (615) 361-7295 or order online at
www.bachusinc.com/books.htm.
August 2012 27
flow update

Leading the Way

Strong R&D drives Coriolis & ultrasonic flowmeters to new heights
Shipments of Single- and Dual-Path Transit-Time
I
t is no secret that at the end of 2008 and through 2009, the
United States and much of the world experienced the most Clamp-on Ultrasonic Flowmeters Worldwide by
severe recession since the 1930s. This recession was so Region in 2011 (Percent of Dollars)
severe that even some new-technology flowmeters, such as 6.3% North America
Coriolis and magnetic, experienced a downturn. In 2010, however, 15.7% 27.2%
Western Europe
both the Coriolis and ultrasonic rebounded strongly, as did the
Eastern Europe/FSU
thermal flowmeter market. 5.1%
In 2011, the Coriolis and ultrasonic flowmeter markets world- Mideast/Asia

wide continued their torrid pace of expansion, significantly out- Japan

pacing all other flowmeter technologies. What is behind the rapid 15.2%
China

development of these two technologies? The simple answer is 22.6% Rest of Asia
that these two markets have growth factors that are not shared 2.7% 5.2% Latin America
by other flowmeter types. In addition, they have become the
Courtesy of Flow Research Inc.
focus of conferences and workshops that consume much of the
intellectual mindshare in the flowmeter world. As a result, the
major flowmeter suppliers are focusing the bulk of their research industries, as well as other applications. Battery-powered flowme-
and development efforts on these two technologies, and this is ters offer low energy consumption independent of the main power
unlikely to change in the foreseeable future. grid and can help reduce prices on the worldwide market. Battery-
powered applications are also growing for magnetic flowmeters.
Growth Factors for the Ultrasonic Flowmeter Market
✓ Greater Appreciation of the Application Advantages;
Growth factors for the ultrasonic flowmeter market include: Acceptance as the Highest Accuracy Gas Technology:

✓ Acceptance as the Highest Accuracy Gas Technology;

Ultrasonic flowmeters have become accepted as the highest accu-

✓ Technology Improvements.
racy technology for gas, and acceptance for liquids is following suit.
In fact, some users trust ultrasonic flowmeters so much that they
employ them with limited or no on-site proving. The acceleration
Greater Appreciation of the Application Advantages: in trust for gas ultrasonic meters began following approvals by the
Ultrasonic flowmeters have been gaining acceptance over the last American Gas Association (AGA, www.aga.org) for use of ultrasonic
10 years as end-users come to understand and appreciate the flowmeters in custody transfer of natural gas in 1998.
technology—although some end-users are just now discovering
the advantages and potential of ultrasonic flow measurement.
Advantages of ultrasonic flowmeters include high accuracy, high
reliability, high turndown ratios, long service life, low maintenance,
relatively low cost, valuable diagnostics, no moving parts, and redun-
dancy capabilities. Clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters, in particular, can
offer redundancy by providing an easy check of an inline meter.
In addition to the traditional advantages, suppliers are sig-
nificantly improving accuracy, sensitivity and reliability. Energy,
including energy conservation, and other markets have the
potential to create even more demand, particularly as the tech-
nology improves to enable new applications. As oil prices have
increased, ultrasonic has played a more important role in the oil
patch and in custody-transfer applications.
Further sweetening the pot is the fact that average ultrasonic
prices are holding their own or even declining, which adds to their
appeal. In comparison, the average price for Coriolis flowmeters
has had upward pressure due to the recent introductions of large- KROHNE’s Altosonic V12 is a custody-transfer gas flowmeter that has 12
chords. Here is a transparent version of the meter on display at the 2012
line size models in the 10- to 16-inch diameter range. CEESI Ultrasonic Flowmeter Workshop to show its inner workings.
The increased use of battery power supplies opens up additional Photo courtesy of Flow Research Inc.
opportunities for ultrasonic flowmeters in the water and irrigation

28 August 2012 Flow Control

 By Jesse Yoder, Ph.D.

Technology Improvements: Flowmeter
manufacturers are focusing a great deal of
attention on ultrasonic flowmeters, perhaps
at the expense of other meters such as
vortex and turbine. Suppliers have made
significant progress in enhancing the accu-
racy and reliability of ultrasonic flowmeters.
This has mainly been done by increasing
the number of paths, thereby increasing
the number of measurement points, and
also by adding greater diagnostic capabil-
ity. The enhanced diagnostic capability, it is
claimed, can reduce the need for upstream
piping, as well as increase the ability of
the ultrasonic meter to determine sources
of error. Lately, new and more accurate
meters have been developed for custody
transfer of petroleum liquids, as well as for
custody transfer of natural gas.
Growth Factors for the Coriolis
Flowmeter Market
Growth factors for the Coriolis flowmeter
bent tubes, straight-tube Coriolis meters
have been developed that address some
application problems with bent-tube
meters. KROHNE introduced the first
commercially successful straight-tube
Coriolis flowmeter in 1994. Straight-tube
meters address the problem of pressure
drop because the fluid does not have to
travel around a bend. This makes them
better able to handle high-velocity fluids.
Straight-tube meters can be drained more
easily, which is important for sanitary
applications. Liquids do not have a bend
or curve to build up and leave residue on.
Straight-tube meters also have a more
compact design. Bent-tube meters can
be quite large and unwieldy, especially in
the larger sizes. Having a more compact
meter can be an advantage where space
is a concern.
Straight-tube meters are quite popular in
the pharmaceutical industry. However, not
all pharmaceutical applications are appro-
priate for straight-tube
meters. Most straight-tube
meters use titanium, which can
leach into certain products. As a result,
stainless steel is used for some applica-
tions where leaching can occur. In many
chemical applications, pressure drop is not
an issue, so both straight- and bent-tube
meters are used. Straight-tube meters are
also widely used in the food processing and
chemical industries.
Growth in Coriolis Flowmeters for Large
Line Sizes: The expansion in the number
of suppliers offering large line size Coriolis
flowmeters is one of the major recent
headlines in the flowmeter world. Rheonik
used to be the only Coriolis flowmeter com-
pany to offer meters in line sizes above 6
inches. Then Rheonik was acquired by GE
Measurement, and GE Measurement contin-
ued to produce the large line-size meters.
In the past several years, Endress+Hauser,

✓ Users Are Looking for Low

market include:

✓ Straight-Tube Meters Address Some

Maintenance;
✓ Coriolis Flowmeters for Large Lines.
Issues with Bent-Tube Meters;
Users are Looking for Low
Maintenance: Coriolis meters have a
reputation for being high-priced meters.
However, most users today take into
account the distinction between purchase
cost and cost of ownership, or lifecycle
cost. Even though Coriolis meters have
a higher purchase cost than many other
flowmeters, they may cost less over the
lifetime of the meter due to reduced main-
tenance costs. Unlike turbine and positive-
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quality assurance, improve process initiatives, and apply scheduled maintenance
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displacement meters, Coriolis meters do
not have any moving parts, apart from
the vibrating tube. They are not subject
to wear in the way that orifice plates are.
With many companies reducing their engi-
neering and maintenance staffs, having a
meter that does not require a great deal of
maintenance can be a major advantage.
Straight-Tube Meters Address Some
Problems with Bent-Tube Meters: While
the original Coriolis flowmeters all had
include:
• Optional HART or RS485 Modbus
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Write in 16 or Request Info Instantly at www.FlowControlNetwork.com/freeinfo

www.FlowControlNetwork.com August 2012 29

flow update
At this year’s CEESI Ultrasonic Flowmeter Workshop, industry veteran
John Lansing talks shop with fellow attendees. During the event, it was
announced that Mr. Lansing was leaving his position with SICK to take on
a new role with CEESI.
Photo courtesy of Flow Research Inc.
Micro Motion, and KROHNE have joined the companies offering
Coriolis flowmeters in the 8- to 16-inch line-size range. This devel-
opment is dramatically changing the Coriolis flowmeter market.
One factor behind the move to larger line sizes is the need for
greater accuracy and reliability in measurement. Coriolis meters
are the most accurate meter made, and with no moving parts
have high reliability. Another major driving factor is the search for
energy, especially in the oil & gas industry. Rising oil prices put a
premium on accurate measurement of oil. And even though natural
gas prices have remained relatively low, the use of natural gas
is increasing as natural gas is seen more and more as a cleaner
alternative to oil. Natural gas is also viewed by many as a bridge to
renewable, a bridge that may need to last at least 20 to 30 years.
Many of the new large line size Coriolis meters are designed for
custody-transfer applications in the oil & gas industry.
Intellectual Mindshare
Ultrasonic flowmeters have grabbed much of the intellectual
mindshare of the flowmeter world. Ultrasonic is one of few flow-
meter technologies that have spawned international conferences
devoted to exploring new product developments and applications.
In 1999, Steve Caldwell of Colorado Engineering Experiment
Station, Inc. (CEESI, www.ceesi.com) began an annual Ultrasonic
Meter Workshop (USM). The first Workshop was held in 1999 in
Clear Lake, Iowa, and had 30 attendees. In 2012, the 14th annual
USM was held in Colorado Springs, Colo., with 213 attendees. The
USM has also branched out into Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and Kuala
Lumpur, Malaysia. CEESI is also planning to expand the Workshop
to a location in Europe in 2013.
A second conference that focuses on ultrasonic flowmeters is
the North Sea Flow Workshop. This event was held in Tønsberg,
Norway in October 2011 and attracted 330 delegates from 29
countries. The 2012 North Sea Flow Workshop will be held in
Scotland October 23-26. The workshop is primarily the work of
Christian Michelsen Research AS (CMR, www.cmr.no) and TUV
SUD NEL Ltd. NEL is involved in flow testing and maintains the
30 August 2012
UK’s National Flow Measurement Standards. Both

CMR and NEL are “think tanks” that work with suppliers and end-
users to solve industry problems. Some of these solutions are
presented at the annual conferences.
In addition to focusing on ultrasonic flowmeters, the North Sea
Flow Workshop focuses on multiphase flowmeters. While multi-
phase flowmeters have been around for over 25 years, the inter-
est in them has intensified in recent years due to the expanded
search for oil and gas and other forms of energy. They were the
product of a perceived need to more efficiently measure the three
primary flow elements of wellhead output—oil, gas, and water—
at a single measuring point. The idea was to effectively combine
one or more existing solution technologies into a single unit that
would provide real-time data and, if properly packaged, would
have the added benefit of portability. Many multiphase flowmeters
use a nuclear source to measure density.
Coriolis flowmeters were also featured at the 2011 North Sea
Flow Workshop. The recent development of large line-size Coriolis
meters by multiple suppliers has brought Coriolis meters into play
in the energy sector. Topics addressed include their suitability
for fiscal liquid applications and the ability of Coriolis meters to
handle two-phase measurement.
Flowmeter conferences provide more than the ability to pres-
ent papers and view exhibits. A lot of interaction among the par-
ticipants goes on at these conferences, and technical problems
are discussed by suppliers and end-users alike. This facilitates
research and promotes the development of new features and
products. This type of networking is not typically going on among
positive-displacement, turbine, and variable-area flowmeter suppli-
ers and users. The growing interest in and attendance at ultrasonic,
Coriolis, and multiphase conferences helps demonstrate that these
technologies are at the intellectual forefront of the flowmeter world.
Nothing Will Change & Yet Everything Will Change
It is difficult to see what can stop the ultrasonic and Coriolis flow-
meter markets. These flowmeters have so many advantages not
shared by other types of meters that the shift to these meters is
bound to continue. The only flowmeter type that can compete in
terms of growth is multiphase, but multiphase meters do not
compete with ultrasonic and Coriolis meters. In fact, some multi-
phase meters incorporate Coriolis meters as components. Vortex,
thermal, positive-displacement, and turbine meters have their
advantages, but they are smaller in scope compared to the
advantages of ultrasonic and Coriolis meters. So look for more
solid growth in the ultrasonic and Coriolis flowmeter markets, as
these meters continue to displace other types. FC
Jesse Yoder, Ph.D., is president of Flow Research Inc. in
Wakefield, Mass., a company he founded in 1998. He has 25
years of experience as an analyst and writer in process control.
Dr. Yoder specializes in flowmeters and other field devices, includ-
ing pressure and temperature products. Dr. Yoder can be reached
at jesse@flowresearch.com.
www.flowresearch.com
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automation file
Under Control
Why SCADA security matters for flow control professionals
C
yber security isn’t just a media
buzzword, or a priority for IT pro-
fessionals, it has become a real
concern for everyone who has an e-mail
account, banks online or uses a credit
card. On a larger scale, recent events
have shown that industry too is not only
susceptible to cyber crime, but could also
be a favorite new target. Fluid handling
professionals play an important role in
keeping vital industrial systems operating
properly and safely. Whether for oil & gas,
water treatment, chemical processing, or
power generation, this includes ensur-
ing plant Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA) Systems are secure.
When it comes to cyber security in
process control, SCADA can be mislead-
ing. Nearly all of the process control
systems today, including PLCs, SIS,
DCS, and so on, use Ethernet and TCP/
IP for their communications. They also
use or connect to COTS (Commercial-
Off-The-Shelf) technology like USBs and
the Windows operating system. Even
flowmeters today can be purchased with
Ethernet interfaces. All of these factors
make systems vulnerable to some form
of cyber event, whether deliberate, like
the Stuxnet attack that crippled centri-
fuges at a nuclear plant in Iran in 2010,
or accidental, like the shutting down of
cooling water controllers at Browns Ferry
Nuclear plant in 2006.
In order to ensure the reliability of
any system, experts say fluid handling
engineers need to factor in cyber secu-
rity. “Fluid handling engineers need to
implement good cyber security practices
in order to ensure high availability and
reliability of their systems,” says SCADA
security expert Eric Byres, CTO and VP
Engineering of Tofino Security (www.
tofinosecurity.com), part of Belden’s
Hirschmann industrial networking group.
“They can’t think that SCADA does not
apply to them. Indeed, virtually all process
control systems today use Ethernet, TCP/
32 August 2012
IP and COTS technologies, making them
vulnerable to cyber events.”
Major Trends in SCADA Security
Byres has seen several major trends in
SCADA security over the last five to 10
years that deal with the convergence of
company networks and industrial tech-
nologies. Traditionally, companies devel-
oped distributed control systems (DCS)
and SCADA systems that were separated
from other corporate systems. Today,
many control systems have become
accessible through non-SCADA networks
due to the demand for real-time opera-
tional data and the demand for support
access. The business demand to make
control networks more accessible to a
wider range of users proves to be cost-
effective, but also comes with the poten-
tial risk of making the control system
more vulnerable to viruses, worms and
hackers. Some of the trends Byres sees
are the shift from enterprise to industrial
network connections, the use of COTS
systems, and the adoption of TCP/IP net-
working technology.
✓ Enterprise to Industrial Network
Connections. Businesses want real-time
data to enhance performance and are
connecting their network to the network
on the plant floor to get it. The result is
increased cyber security risk.
✓ COTS—Commercial-Off-The-
Shelf-Technology. Industry has been
adopting standard equipment such as
Windows workstations instead of pro-
prietary equipment as in the past. While
there are still many industrial-specific
technologies being used, the adoption of
COTS has been compelling due to reduced
costs. Again, the result is increased cyber
security risk.
✓ TCP/IP—Transmission Control
Protocol/Internet Protocol. Similarly,
the adoption of TCP/IP as a networking
technology saves money, but can expose
industrial networks to more cyber
security risks.
Stuxnet & SCADA
Along with new technology shifts, the
computer worm Stuxnet set off another
trend in the security community. Byres
describes Stuxnet as a “game changer
that awakened the hacker and ‘security
researcher’ community to how easy it is
to cause damage to industrial systems.”
Dubbed as a “super cyber weapon,”
Stuxnet was the first malware to specifi-
cally target an industrial process. It was
designed to attack Siemens PCS7, S7 PLC
and WinCC systems and was successful in
infiltrating thousands of computers around
the world.
Knowledgeable security experts had
been advising and warning about SCADA
security concerns for more than 10 years,
and certainly more strongly since 9/11.
However, management and the public
largely ignored concerns until Stuxnet,
says Frank Dickman, an engineering and
technical consultant to leading data com-
munications firms. “It was a wake-up call
demonstrating that earlier warnings were
not just hot air,” he says. “Stuxnet took the
idea of ‘hacking’ to a new definition—It is
no longer some disenfranchised teenager
hacking away in his bedroom. Hacking is
the current province of criminal organiza-
tions, nation states, foreign competitors,
and terrorists.”
Dickman points out there were industrial
security products on the market that were
capable of detecting and blocking Stuxnet,
or other advanced persistent threats, prior
to the initial discovery of Stuxnet. For
example, he points to the mGuard product
by Phoenix Contact (www.phoenixcontact.
com). In its wake, Stuxnet left a blueprint
for cyber war and a heightened awareness
of both the need for more robust cyber
security and the increased risks faced
Flow Control

Industrial Control System Specific
Vulnerabilities in the Public, 2001–2011
Source: “Documenting the ‘Lost Decade’—An empirical analysis of
publicly disclosed ICS vulnerabilities since 2001,” by Sean McBride,
Critical Intelligence
by industrial facilities. With this came the
trend of vulnerability disclosures. Ever
since Stuxnet, security researchers have
been busily releasing vulnerability disclo-
sures for industrial equipment, complete
with exploit code, which can now be pur-
chased on the Internet. According
to a presentation by Critical
Intelligence’s Sean McBride, The
‘Lost’ Decade: An Empirical Analysis
of ICS-Specific Vulnerabilities since
2001, 215 ICS vulnerabilities were
made public in 2011. That number
accounts for more public disclosure
of vulnerabilities than in the previous
decade. Furthermore, the publicly
disclosed vulnerabilities are only a
fraction of what exist, Byres says.
Key Threats to SCADA
Systems
While Stuxnet is known as the first
cyber attack to target an industrial
process, it will certainly not be
the last. And threats among non-
industrial sectors to date, are now
becoming threats to industry, even
if in less obvious ways. Some of
those concerns, according to Byres, Oil and gas refinery network segmented into zones as per the
include Advanced Persistent Threats ISA IEC 62443 standard. Conduits connect the zones and are
(APTS), malware, and “spear- secured using designed-for-industry firewalls.
phishing.”
www.FlowControlNetwork.com
By Amy W. Richardson
✓ Advanced resources and expenses to eliminate it. For
Persistent Threats example, Stuxnet was aimed at a uranium
(APTs), such as the enrichment plant, but it infected thousands
complex worm known of computers around the world. Once it
as Flame, are focused was made public, it cost the “bystander”
on industrial espio- companies millions of dollars to eliminate
nage and aim to steal it from their systems.
✓ “Spear Phishing” attacks. In the
business information
rather than disrupt
processes. They are last two years both the United States and
hard to detect, they Canadian governments have announced
can hide and collect that their employees have received
data for years, and e-mails that seem to come from trusted
the losses resulting sources, asking them to download or
from them are finan- access something, leading to the installa-
cial and reputation- tion or spread of malware in government
related rather than systems.
safety or environmen-
tal incidents. These Protection Through Standards
types of threats have been used to attack Some ways industry is reacting to cyber
the financial sector in the past, but now security threats in general is with new
they are attacking industry too. technology and through new standards
✓ Malware not aimed at the plant can
and certifications. Byres recommends
the ISA IEC 62443 standard, which
still be costly due to losses in manpower originated with the International Society
of Automation (ISA, www.isa.
org), and has been internationally
endorsed through the International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC,
www.iec.ch). It advises companies to
use a “zone and conduit” model of
dividing up their network into zones of
devices with similar security require-
ments. Conduits between zones
regulate the access to the devices in
the zone. This model is often a more
realistic and cost-effective method of
providing cyber security than trying to
secure legacy equipment itself, Byres
says. Major oil and gas and chemi-
cal companies, such as Exxon, Dow
and DuPont are using this standard.
“The ISA IEC 62443 standard pro-
vides an excellent starting point and
guidance for building IACS (Industrial
Automation & Control System) cyber
protection programs,” Byres says.
A newer certification on the mar-
ket is ISA Secure, which a number
of major vendors in flow and pro-
Courtesy of Tofino Security cess control are moving toward,
August 2012 33
automation file
Byres says. Honeywell was one of the
first, announcing in June 2011 that its
Honeywell Safety Manager (a Safety
Integrated System or SIS control system)
achieved ISA Secure Level 1 certification.
ISA Secure certification is based on a
rigorous security validation process that
starts with a Communications Robustness
Test (CRT) assessment phase, followed
by two more assessment phases, the
Functional Security Assessment (FSA)
and the Software Development Security
Assessment (SDSA). According to Byres,
the additional second and third assess-
ments are where real progress in ICS and
Fluid handling engineers need to implement good
cyber security practices in order to ensure high
availability and reliability of their systems.
SCADA security will be found “because
they consider the underlying design,
development practices and vendor-recom-
mended deployment of the product, rather
than just whether it stands up to some
bad traffic,” Byres wrote in a Tofino blog
post in 2011.
New Security Solutions for
Industry
SCADA security products are also under-
going a transformation. Until recently,
security products have been designed
largely for the needs of IT personnel and
enterprise applications, not for control
engineers and industrial control systems.
But now a number of new products, such
as the Honeywell Modbus TCP Firewall and
the Tofino Industrial Security Solution, have
been specifically designed to secure highly
critical control systems. Unlike IT-focused
security products, new products have
been developed with the environment and
requirements of the process control world
in mind. They are specially engineered
to handle harsh operating environments
and support industrial communications
protocols. Further, new industrial security
products can be installed, configured, and
updated without having to shut down the
control network.
34 August 2012
“At the present time, as it has been for areas rather than spread
several decades, IT professionals have throughout a plant. In the future,
been largely uninvolved with SCADA smart facilities will take on layered strate-
control systems,” Dickman says. “SCADA gies in which networks, control devices,
systems remain the responsibility of and control systems are individually and
engineering and production personnel. As collectively secured.
a result, it is imperative that engineers Going forward, Byres sees technology
familiar with SCADA be involved in imple- solutions continuing to move toward more
menting the security and protection of industry-focused solutions. IT firewalls
these systems while coordinating with and that protect against things like mail and
educating IT.” http breaches don’t apply in industrial set-
tings. Now there are solutions for industri-
Securing the Future al-specific protocols like OPC and Modbus.
Looking ahead into a future where cyber These solutions also use advanced tech-
security issues will firmly remain, experts niques like Deep Packet Inspection (DPI),
a deeper investigation of communications,
and deployment of rules that takes place
after traditional firewall rules have been
applied.
“In the future, SCADA systems will be
better protected through increased appli-
cation of defense in depth strategies,
including use of the ISA IEC 62443 zone
and conduit model, and through the appli-
see “perimeter defense” models for secur- cation of technology solutions that are
ing SCADA systems—strong on the out- designed from the ground up for industrial
side, but vulnerable on the inside—falling requirements,” Byres says. FC
to the wayside in favor of multiple-point
security. Today, sophisticated companies Amy W. Richardson is the managing edi-
are already choosing “defense-in-depth” tor of Flow Control magazine. Contact her
strategies that include zones that allow at ARichardson@GrandViewMedia.com.
security problems to be contained in small
5 Key SCADA Security Resources & Trainings
Tofino Security Blog: Eric Byres and other cyber security experts blog
1 regularly about SCADA security at www.tofinosecurity.com/blog.
United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT):
2 Follow ICS CERT announcements and subscribe to receive them at
www.us-cert.gov/alerts-and-tips.
National SCADA Test Bed (NSTB) Advanced Training: Red Team/Blue Team
3 training exercises are held at the Idaho National Laboratory.
(www.inl.gov/scada/training/advanced_scada.shtml).
SCADAhacker: Security expert Joel Langill offers cyber security training,
4 ICS (DS/SCADA) security services, and security research and development
at www.scadahacker.com.
Exida: This company offers cyber security certification, training, software,
5 resources, and more at www.exida.com.
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Write in 17 or Request Info Instantly at www.FlowControlNetwork.com/freeinfo
the pump guy
mailbag: ‘The Energy Audit’
The importance of having your priorities straight
Pump Guy,
I am the principal engineer at an energy
company in upstate New York. We perform
energy audits. We have an upcoming audit
on some pumps. I have some questions
because I have never worked in mainte-
nance.
What are pump wear rings? I heard
that you can improve the performance
of a pump by coating the internals with
epoxy. Have you mentioned this in your
articles? Is there something I can read on
this topic?
Ronald A., PE
Hello Ronald,
I’m glad to know someone in the energy
sector is thinking about pumps and the
energy to operate a pump. I’ll offer some
thoughts on wear rings, coatings, and con-
serving energy.
Wear rings are also called wear bands.
Neither of these terms describes the func-
tion and purpose of these rings. The rings
are not designed to wear, although it hap-
pens. A better word is “Efficiency Rings” or
“Efficiency Bands.”
Wear rings are concentric metallic (or
other material) rings used on some pumps
with enclosed impellers to control and
maintain the pump’s original efficiency.
The inner wear ring normally seats onto
the outside diameter of the eye of an
enclosed impeller. This ring locks into
place and rotates with the impeller. Dual-
suction impellers have two wear rings. The
outer ring is normally static and seats into
a bore in the pump casing.
There is a gap or clearance between the
outside diameter of the inner ring and the
bore (ID) of the outer ring. The clearance
is typically 0.006” to maybe 0.030”. The
clearance is a function of pump size, design,
purpose, and the nature (temperature,
36 August 2012
lubricity) of the liquid, and any entrained
solids (crystals, sediment, contaminants) in
the liquid. The rings actually separate zones
of high pressure in the pump (discharge
pressure) from zones of low pressure in the
pump (suction pressure).
This clearance and the recirculation of
liquid through the gap
becomes part of the
pump’s total efficiency.
The total efficiency
is composed of the
mechanical efficiency,
the volumetric efficiency
and the hydraulic effi-
ciency.
Over time, there
is wear or erosion at
the strict clearance.
A small portion of the
pumped liquid recircu-
lates through the wear
rings as high pressure
searches for low pressure (Pascal’s Law).
The erosion is accelerated if the liquid
carries crystals or sediment. The gap is
destroyed if there is misalignment or shaft
deflection leading to rubbing and scraping
between the rings.
As the gap erodes between the inner and
outer wear rings, more liquid is recirculated
inside the pump, and the pump loses volu-
metric efficiency, and thus total efficiency.
The wear rings can be replaced to return
the pump to original factory efficiency.
Ronald, because you do energy audits
By Larry Bachus
and you hope people will take your rec-
ommendations to heart, let me say that
replaceable wear rings are a desirable
option to consider when purchasing a new
pump.
Cheap pumps (the pumps that normally
win a competitive bid) don’t normally carry
replaceable wear rings. As the clearance
erodes on a cheap pump, it is necessary
to install a new impeller and casing to
repair the pump. Thus, the cheap pump
becomes more expensive to own and
maintain than a well-built pump.
I have written about epoxy coatings in
previous articles. Epoxy coatings are good
where rogue solids (sediment, crystals, fine-
slurry) can accelerate damage and erosion
to the pump internals. The epoxy provides
a harder surface to the pump internals. The
coating should be reapplied periodically
because the coating also erodes.
I think it is a stretch to say the epoxy
coatings will improve the efficiency and per-
formance (head and flow) of a water pump.
Instead, I’ll say the epoxy coatings can
recover some of the pump’s lost efficiency
and lost performance from erosion. The
epoxy coatings can extend the service life of
a water pump with periodical re-coatings.
You ask about wear rings and epoxy
coatings because of your energy audit. We
Flow Control
REMEMBER ASHCROFT
…AND THEN FORGET IT
Your pressure and temperature readings are
extremely important, we know you depend on
your instruments for steadfast performance. But
you also have a lot of other things to think about.
That’s why we provide reliable, high quality
instrumentation that you can install and then
forget about. No maintenance issues, no headaches,
just the accurate measurements you require.
PRESSURE & TEMPERATURE INSTRUMENTS
Write in 18 or Request Info Instantly at www.FlowControlNetwork.com/freeinfo
®
So whether you need a thermometer, pressure
gauge, transmitter, switch, digital indicator, big or
small, with or with out media isolation, remember
to specify Ashcroft® and enjoy some peace-of-mind.
Check out our huge selection of sizes, ranges,
features and configurations. Call the Ashcroft
ActionLine® 800-328-8258 or visit our
website at www.ashcroft.com.
ASHCROFT INC.
250 EAST MAIN STREET
STRATFORD, CT 06614-5145, USA
TEL: 203-378-8281 • FAX: 203-385-0408
email: info@ashcroft.com
the pump guy
should all be concerned with energy and
energy savings.
An eroded gap in the wear rings can
cause the pump to lose maybe 2 percent
efficiency. Replacing the wear rings can
recover those lost efficiency points. Epoxy
coatings can recover some of the pump’s
lost efficiency from erosion and scale.
This is peanuts and not worth 30
minutes of banter in a Friday morning
Reliability Meeting. Pipe system design
and pump operation influence efficiency
and performance much more than epoxy
coatings, or an eroded gap on a set of
wear rings. I’ll offer a verbal illustration.
Let’s say you need a pump to deliver
a liquid at 600 GPM. Your pipe arrange-
ment, elbows, valves, fittings and process
devices will eat 90 ft of energy. Flow can
oscillate plus or minus 10 percent. You
need a pump that develops 600 GPM at
90 ft of head. The best pump for this ser-
vice might be 80 percent efficient at these
duty coordinates.
The pumping system is designed to allow
(restrict) this pump to operate at or close
to 600 GPM @ 90 ft. Let’s say the system
is designed to allow the flow to oscillate
between 540 GPM (minimum) and 660
GPM (maximum). The head will oscillate
between 87 ft (min.) and 93 ft. (max.).
If the system is designed with this
operation window, the pump would always
be between 78 percent and 80 percent
efficient, or within two points of best effi-
ciency. This is everything you might have
gained or lost with those replaceable wear
bands or the labor-intensive epoxy coat-
ings, and you don’t have to rebuild the
pump to accomplish it. That’s why I use
the word “peanuts.”
If the pump operators aren’t trained to
monitor instrumentation, or if the opera-
tors have no gauges to consult, or if the
operators don’t know how to correct the
pump as the system changes, the system
can drag this pump away from these duty
coordinates. Here are three classic exam-
ples to illustrate how this might happen in
a process plant.
Elevated system resistance (a clogged
downstream strainer, for instance with no
instrumentation to report it) could drag
and hold this pump to 200 GPM for hours
38 August 2012
where the pump may be only 35 percent
efficient. Compare 35 percent efficiency
to 80 percent efficiency. Over half of the
pump’s efficiency is out the window. How
does this compare to the 2 percent effi-
ciency loss with eroded wear rings?
Low system resistance (for example,
inadequate pressure in a downstream
header, with no transducer to report it in
the control room) might drag the pump to
the right end of the performance curve,
where the efficiency might be only 40
percent. How do you feel now about your
efficiency gains with epoxy coating?
Maybe a process engineer needs more
temperature in a pressurized downstream
reactor vessel fed by a process pump.
“If I were performing an energy audit, and making
recommendations to save energy (money), I’d look
first at pump operation and system design.”
The back-pressure on the pump will rise
with the increased temperature. The pump
deadheads against the system and flow
stalls at 0 GPM and 0 percent efficiency.
(The motor is on, but no work or produc-
tion is performed at 0 GPM. Efficiency is 0
percent.)
There is no flowmeter to report the
problem because flowmeters are expen-
sive. So, the operator assumes he is
pumping into the reactor vessel because
the motor is on and the valves are open.
Before long, this pump will go to the
shop with premature seal or bearing fail-
ure. And while in the shop, the engineer
tells the mechanic to replace the eroded
wear bands to recover 2 percent efficien-
cy. Am I making sense?
I know there are pump operators who
don’t pay attention to their instrumentation
(gauges, flowmeters, level indicators). And
there are many more pump operators with
no gauges to interpret. They do the best
they can with the cards they were dealt by
the production engineer.
As I write these words, there are a few
pump operators in every process plant,
refinery, and power plant all over the world
who are operating their pumps for days
and weeks against a closed valve, or a
totally clogged downstream filter. Some
operators leave pumps running long after
the suction tank is drained and empty.
These pumps are 0 percent efficient for
hours, days, weeks, and months.
Of course the mysterious vibrations go
up. This is the reason reliability engineers
invest in vibration analysis for their pumps.
(Now I’m rubbing your nose in it. But you
knew that. Didn’t you?)
Pumps consume maybe 20 percent
of the world’s available energy. Keeping
these pumps at optimum efficiency is
critical. If I were performing an energy
audit, and making recommendations to
save energy (money), I’d look first at pump
operation and system design.
Show your customer how he or she can
save 30–60 points of efficiency on each
pump in the plant. Don’t waste his or her
time talking about 2 percent efficiency
savings. Wear rings and epoxy coatings
are way down on the priority list.
Some industries like oil refineries, phar-
maceutical plants, food production (soup,
dairies, beer, vegetable oil) and municipal
water distribution are pump intensive.
Eighty percent of the monthly electric bill
goes through the motors and pumps to
move, mix, filter, heat, ferment, refine,
strain, cool, and bottle liquid products.
The “bean counters” need to look seri-
ously at system design and operator train-
ing. The engineers and operators, with
some training and a few gauges, can turn
all pumps into energy stars of efficiency.
A good pump operator can compensate
for inadequate system design and system
upsets.
Remember, the driver (the operator) has
the most influence on a car’s efficiency.
The driver (operator) determines if a car
is a high-maintenance car or a low-main-
Flow Control
This Is NOT Your
AVERAGE TRAINING
Are your engineering, maintenance
and operations teams struggling
with persistent pump problems?
“I thought this seminar was one of the best I’ve
attended in my career. Larry gave me the practical
tools/steps to analyze a pump system. Now I feel I can
go back to my plant and look at a few systems that we
seem to be working on too much.” THE PUMP GUY
– Attendee comment, Houston 2010

CAN HELP!
“Excellent presentation! While I have done system
calculations (i.e., “pump calculations”) for over 15 years,
I can see that what I have been doing has missed the
mark in a lot of cases. Thanks to Larry, I now know how
to provide a good calculation/analysis of a system that
will truly meet its extremes of operating.”
– Attendee comment, McIntosh, Ala. 2011

“For my line of
work, this seminar was
dead on. It met my needs fully.
Best money my company has ever
spent for a training course.”
– Attendee comment,
New Orleans 2009

For more information & to register for the

Oct 16-18 Pump Guy Seminar in Los Angeles,
visit FlowControlNetwork.com/PumpGuy.
the pump guy

tenance car. The driver determines the
ultimate service life of a car.
If I were performing an energy audit at
a power plant, refinery, hospital, chemical
plant, or municipal water plant, I’d recom-
mend that we look critically at pipe and
process system design and pump operator
training. With little effort and time, the pipe
systems can be improved or modified so
that all pumps run at their optimum effi-
ciency with minimal operator intervention.
Cheap pumps are generally inefficient
pumps. A high-efficiency pump can be
5–10 efficiency points better than a com-
parable cheap pump. A purchasing agent
may think he saved his company $1,000
on a pump purchase and not realize that
the electricity for the cheap pump will cost
$4,000 more per year due to poor efficien-
cy. The $1,000 savings on the invoice is a
one-time savings. The $4,000 additional
energy will hit the company every year
the pump is in service. And the cost per
kilowatt-hour will rise over time.
Incorrect clearance on a pump’s wear
bands can cost a pump maybe 2 or 3
efficiency points. This is not trivial but it is
inconsequential compared to the energy
savings of proper system design and
operator training.
Our industry dedicates much effort,
many words, and even more dollars into
proper alignment and balance. Laser align-
ment and dynamic balance can recover
(not improve) maybe 2 percent lost effi-
ciency from misalignment and imbalance.
But it can’t compare to proper system
design and correct equipment operation.
I believe in lubrication. A lubrication pro-
gram is vital. Inadequate lubrication is easy
to improve. However, a pump operating on
the extreme of its performance curve is 0
percent efficient even with the best, high-
est quality, synthetic grease or oil on the
bearings. So why do we pay attention to
lubrication and do nothing about inadequate
system design or operation?
Ronald, this may be more information
than you wanted. I perceived you were
looking for some guidance to help with
your recommendations after you conduct
your energy audit on your client’s pumps.
Good luck with the audit. FC
Larry Bachus, The Pump Guy
The Pump Guy Seminar will be in
Los Angeles, Oct. 16-18. See the
previous page for details and visit
FlowControlNetwork.com/PumpGuy.
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 inven-
tor based in Nashville, Tenn. Mr. Bachus
is a retired member of ASME and lectures
in both English and Spanish. He can be
reached at larry@bachusinc.com.
www.bachusinc.com

The 2012 American School of Gas Measurement

Technology will be held September 17-20 at the
Marriott Houston Westchase Hotel, Houston Texas

The ASGMT combines Lecture and Hands-on

Classes, Plant Tours, Educational Exhibits Educating the
and networking functions with the objective Measurement
of providing the skill sets required to safely Professional
and effectively install, operate and Since 1966
maintain natural gas transmission and
distribution measurement facilities.

Registration fee $125. Registration increases

to $150 after August 30, so register early.
Continuing Education Units (CEUs) through
Texas A&M Kingsville are also
available for an extra $33.
American School of Gas Measurement Technology
To register online or for additional
information, visit our website at September 17-20, 2012
www.asgmt.com Marriott Houston Westchase

Training the Natural Gas Industry to Meet Tomorrow’s Needs.

Write in 19 or Request Info Instantly at www.FlowControlNetwork.com/freeinfo

40 August 2012 Flow Control

Write in 20 or Request Info Instantly at www.FlowControlNetwork.com/freeinfo
new products
FREE PRODUCT INFO: For FREE PRODUCT INFO, circle the numbers listed with each product in the FREE INFORMATION section on the
reader service card bound in this issue of the magazine, or visit www.FlowControlNetwork.com/freeinfo.

Pipeline Mixer for High-Shear Mixing

Chemineer Inc.’s Greerco Pipeline Mixer is designed for continuous high-
speed, high-shear processing for applications involving homogenization, mixing,
dispersion, and emulsion. This mixer features a patented skewed turbine/stator
unit, which operates at tight tolerances to produce high-shear axial mixing.
With pumping capacities from 10 to 1,300 GPM, the pipeline mixer is used in
the cosmetic, chemical, pharmaceutical, petrochemical, and food industries for
a range of applications including lotions, creams, dispersions, resins, solvents,
and sauces. Standard models feature 316 stainless steel construction and
single mechanical seals with other options available. Sanitary models are also
available.
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 104 | www.chemineer.com

Detachable Electric Ball Valves Pressure Reducing Regulator

From the W.E. Anderson Division of Dwyer Instruments Emerson Process Management’s
Inc., the Series HBAV & 3HBAV electrical ball valves high-capacity, pressure reducing
are a good fit for flow control in hot Tartarini 10-inch Type FL regulator is
and cold water HVAC systems. a pilot-operated regulator that is
These valves are typically a good fit for high-pressure drop
used in conjunction with applications, such as city gate
air conditioning systems, stations, power plant fuel supply
heating systems, water and turbine fuel supply. The SR
treatment, and produc- II noise attenuation option can
tion industries. The HBAV reduce noise levels as much as
& 3HBAV are electrically 20 dB(A) depending on flows and
driven to open and/or close via pressure drop. The FL can also be con-
a bidirectional AC motor. Featured figured to be used as a relief valve or back-
with the electrical valve is a detach- pressure regulator.The regulator complements Emerson’s cur-
able actuator that has a manual switch rent family of 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 6-, and 8-inch-size FL regulators. It
and position indicator. Both are available in a handles higher capacities while providing all of the benefits of
modulating or floating version. the other FL sizes, such as true no-bleed design, easy startup,
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 105 | www.dwyer-inst.com noise attenuation options, balanced trim design, bubble-tight
shut off, 1,480 PSIG inlet/outlet rating, control accuracy, and
modular design.
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 106 | www.emersonprocess.com

3-Inch Diaphragm Pump

Graco’s Husky 3300, a 3-inch (76.2-mm) air-operated double-diaphragm pump family fea-
tures a modular, stall-resistant air valve design, which can achieve flowrates up to 300 GPM
(1,135 lpm). The pumps also utilize a pilot valve for faster changeover, maximizing efficiency
and reducing pulsation. The pumps are available in three materials of construction, including
aluminum, polypropylene and stainless steel. In addition, there are ball, seat and diaphragm
material configurations to handle a range of abrasive and corrosive applications. The pumps
also have a four-bolt joint design, which provides even sealing pressure for leak-free opera-
tion and a three-piece manifold for increased installation flexibility. The new polypropylene
version has a fluid section containing an overmolded frame that decreases joint relaxation
and increases strength to eliminate fluid leakage.
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 107 | www.graco.com/husky

42 August 2012 Flow Control

 Plunger Valve for Water Systems Digital Humidity/Temperature Sensors

Henry Pratt Innovative

Co.’s Series 300
Plunger Valve
is designed to
reduce cavita-
tion and stagnant
water creation
to help water
systems improve
operational safety,
efficiency and flow
control. The plunger valve features a field-replaceable control
insert that enables water systems to effectively reduce flow
pressure while reducing cavitation levels. It contains a valve
actuator mechanism that provides non-linear closure with
precise surge resistance and effective control ranges as high
as 96 percent. The plunger’s o-ring seal, which is located
outside of the cavitation zone, and four hard-faced cylinder
support guides work together to help minimize wear and pro-
vide the valve with a longer operational lifespan. The valve’s
input shaft features a dual inboard seal that helps protect the
shaft and the shaft bore from corrosion while helping to avoid
stagnant water creation.
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 108 | www.henrypratt.com
Sensor
Technology’s
Hygrochip Series
digital humidity
sensors combine
the advantages of
a precise capaci-
tive humidity sensor element with the high integration density
and functionality of an ASIC. The integrated signal processor
receives the measured data and directly delivers the physi-
cal parameters of relative humidity and temperature over an
I2C compatible interface. Both nonlinearity and temperature
dependence are corrected “OnChip” by computation, to ensure
accuracy (+/- 1.8 percent rH, +/- 0.2 C) for a range of appli-
cations. Compared with monolithic solutions, the new digital
humidity modules offer notable performance advantages. The
P14 humidity sensor, featuring a high performance polymer, is
characterized by high chemical resistance, ability to recover
after dew formation, and long-term stability in critical applica-
tion areas with high humidity.
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 109 | www.ist-usadivision.com

Wet/Wet Differential Pressure Transmitter

Omega’s PX5200
series of range-
able wet/wet dif-
ferential-pressure
transmitters are
CE-compliant,
compact trans-
mitters that
feature a backlit
display for easy
Level Problems?
reading. The
series also features stainless steel, FKM, and ceramic WE CAN HELP
wetted parts. It comes with a flow measurement total- >> Troubleshoot Problem Level Instruments
ization/square root extraction function, program lock >> Assess Billing Level Instrument Accuracy
function, and is quick ranging with internal pushbuttons,
and a backlit display that rotates in 90-degree incre-
>> Close Material Balances
ments to fit the location. The transmitter has rugged, >> Improve Level Instrument Accuracy
aluminum NEMA 4X (IP65) enclosure measures, which >> Select and Specify Level Instruments
make it a good fit for flow and tank level applications >> Train Your People
where low differential pressure measurements are
required.
WE KNOW LEVEL!
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 110 | www.omega.com www.spitzerandboyes.com • 1.845.623.1830
Write in 21 or Request Info Instantly at www.FlowControlNetwork.com/freeinfo

www.FlowControlNetwork.com August 2012 43

new products

All-Electric Actuators No-Valve Metering Pump

Rotork’s CMA series of all-electric
modulating actuators are sized
for linear, quarter-turn and rotary
control valve and pump applica-
tions requiring precise position
control and continuous modulation.
They can be powered by single-
phase or direct-current supplies,
eliminating the need for air hoses
and compressors used with similar
pneumatic control valve actua-
tors. Set-up and configuration is
done via pushbuttons and an
internal six-segment LCD display.
Resolution is 0.25 percent on lin-
ear and quarter-turn applications
and 2 degrees on the multi-turn
configuration. Other features
include a permanently lubricated
and maintenance-free drivetrain; a
4-20 mA loop-powered, feedback signal; and digital commu-
nication options including HART, Foundation Fieldbus, Profibus,
Pakscan, RIRO, and Modbus.
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 111 | www.rotork.com
Watson-Marlow
Pumps Group’s Qdos
30 is designed to
eliminate ancillary
equipment, enhance
productivity, and
reduce chemical
waste through more
accurate, linear, and
repeatable metering
than typical solenoid
or stepper-driven
diaphragm metering
pumps. The Qdos 30
pump range deliv-
ers a 5,000-to-1 flow from 0.002 to 8.0 GPH at 100 PSI
while integrating easily through IP66 manual, analog, and
PROFIBUS control options. Featuring Watson-Marlow’s pat-
ented ReNu pumphead technology, the pump is fully sealed
for safe, tool-free maintenance. There are no seals or valves
in the flow path to clog, leak or corrode. Advanced control
features include fluid level monitoring, fluid recovery, line
priming, and intuitive flow calibration. Applications for this
pump range include disinfection and pH adjustment of drink-
ing water and industrial process water; flocculation; industrial
cooling water preparation; reagent dosing in mineral process-
ing, and more.
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 112 | www.wmpg.com

Large Size Magnetic Flowmeter

Yokogawa has expanded its lineup of ADMAG series mag-
netic flowmeters to include the AXW large size magnetic
flowmeter. The AXW series is a good fit for industrial pro-
cess lines, water
and other basic
applications. Sizes
are available from
500 mm (20 in.) to
1000 mm (40 in.)
with a wide liner
selection such as
PTFE, hard rubber
and polyurethane
lining. The AXW
series comes stan-
dard with ASME,
AWWA, EN, JIS,
or AS flanges. A
submersible version is also available. The design is robust,
featuring a shorter face-to-face dimension for a smaller
footprint and an easier, cost-effective installation.
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 113 | www.yokogawa.com/us

44 August 2012 Flow Control

Fluid Handling Reference Shelf
Literature

Automation Product Catalog

Omega Engineering’s FREE LITERATURE New Horizons in Automation Version No. 30 con-
tains over 100 full-color pages of the latest state-of-the art products from Omega’s auto-
mation line: programmable logic controllers, smart relays, enclosures, process measure-
ment and control devices, motion control sensors, human machine interface, pushbuttons,
proximity sensors, relays and timers, wire connection, and more. A user-friendly index is
available for easy product search, economical choices, popular models and accessories.
As you flip through Omega’s impressive line of products, enjoy pages of original Rube
Goldberg cartoons! To request your copy of this handbook, visit omega.com.
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 200

PVC Hose & Tubing Industrial Flow Measurement

Kuriyama’s new Kuri & Control Solutions
Tec® PVC Hose & Badger Meter Inc.’s (BMI)
Tubing catalog fea- industrial product brochure
tures the company’s features the company’s
new Klearon™ 68 product offerings in agricul-
Series tubing with a tural, automotive, commer-
68 Shore “A” rating; cial, and industrial process
Series 3300, an ether- applications. Advanced flow
based polyurethane- measurement and control
lined clear PVC tub- solutions, data manage-
ing; and the Series ment software, and techni-
A1730, a flexible FDA cal support services are
polyethylene hose for highlighted in the literature.
handling a variety of fluid-transfer applications. Contact To download a PDF of the Badger Meter brochure, visit
Kuriyama at 847 755-0360, kuriyama.com, or sales@ badgermeter.com/industrialbrochure.aspx.
kuriyama.com. FREE INFO: WRITE IN 201 FREE INFO: WRITE IN 202

DotComs

www.cmeflow.com www.smartflow-usa.com butechvalvecatalog.haskel.com

Measure Gas Flow Accurately
CME offers a complete line of lami-
nar flow elements, analog and digital
flowmeters and flowmeter calibra-
tors for both laboratory and process
applications. Visit us online to view our
accurate, dependable, NIST-traceable
flowmeters. FREE INFO: WRITE IN 203
Cooling Water Accessories
Smartflow-usa.com features cooling
water-handling accessories, including
water mani-
folds, and
mechanical
and elec-
tronic flow-
meters. See
all new features of the Tracer Switching
Flowmeter, now with analog outputs
for flow and temperature. The Tracer
includes Fluid Condition Indicator “FCI”
for Turbulent Flow indication based on
water temperature and line size.
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 204
High-Pressure Valves & Fittings
Haskel International’s interactive e-cat-
alog contains a comprehensive product
catalog and configurator. It features all
standard BuTech high-pressure valve and
component
products.
It’s intuitive
navigation
menu walks
users through
a selection
process using
formula-assisted parameter selection,
full/partial product number, or descrip-
tion/keyword. FREE INFO: WRITE IN 205

www.FlowControlNetwork.com August 2012 45

Advertiser Index
Find company websites and get free product information online at www.flowcontrolnetwork.com/freeinfo.
BC = Back Cover - IBC = Inside Back Cover - IFC = Inside Front Cover
Name Page RS # Name Page RS # Name Page RS #

American School of Dynamic Flow Computers 35 17 Kuriyama of America 45 201

Gas Measurement 40 19
Endress+Hauser IBC, BC 23, 24 The Lee Company 5 4
Ashcroft Inc 37 18
Magnetrol International 13 25
Fox Thermal Instruments Inc 29 16
Assured Automation 21 14
Nanmac Corporation 10 7
Flow Control Career Center 31 NA
Bachus Company Inc 27 NA
Omega Engineering Inc 1, 45 2, 200
Flow Research Inc 17 12
Badger Meter 45 202 Process Flow Direct 41 20
GPIMeters.com 3 3
Burger & Brown Porter Instrument – Parker 9 6
Engineering – Smartflow 45 204 GF Piping Systems IFC 1
Pump Guy Seminar 39 NA
CheckAll Valve Mfg Co 11 8 Haskel International 45 206
Sage Metering Inc 7 5
CME Aerospace Innovative Sensor
Control Products 45, 48 203, 22 Spitzer & Boyes LLC 12, 43 9, 21
Technology 19 13

WEFTEC 25 15
Collins Instrument Co 15 10 John C Ernst Company 16 11

PRODUCT INDEX Page RS #

FREE

PRODUCT INFORMATION ONLINE American Sensor

Follow these 4 steps to receive free product information from suppliers.
Technologies 24 100
1 Go to: www.flowcontrolnetwork.com/freeinfo

2 Select appropriate issue of Flow Control Magazine. Chemineer Inc 42 104

3 Select advertisements that interest you.

4 Enter your email & click “Submit Request”. Emerson Process

Management 42 106

Dwyer Instruments 24, 42 103, 105

Graco 42 107

Your Source For Fluid Handling Videos Henry Pratt Co 43 108

YouTube’s for fun; FlowTube ’s for fluid handling knowhow.
Place your fluid handling videos on FlowTube, the only fluid Innovative Sensor
handling-specific Internet video repository for end-users. Technology 43 109

FlowTube sponsors receive: NEWPORT Electronics 24 101

•฀ ฀Premium฀placement฀on฀FlowControlNetwork.com
•฀฀A฀branded฀FlowTube video page with company
logo, live links, video archive, etc. Omega Engineering Inc 24, 42 102, 110
•฀ ฀Featured฀placement฀in฀monthly฀FlowTube e-blast
to 45,000 fluid handling professionals
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Rotork Process Controls 44 111
e-news to 45,000 fluid handling professionals
Watson-Marlow Pump Group 44 112
For more information about FlowTube
sponsor packs, e-mail FlowControl@GrandViewMedia.com. Yokogawa 44 113

46 August 2012 Flow Control

think tank
June Winner: William Knopke, Production Manager, GLOSSARY OF TERMS: MicroElectroMechanical Systems (MEMS)
ISurTec (St. Paul, Minn.)
ACCELEROMETERS: An example of a MEMs device, accelerometers are used for
Solve This Word Search measuring rate of velocity in direction or speed and often feature high-resolution,
Win a $50 Best Buy Gift Card smart-embedded functionalities and advanced power-saving features.
One lucky entrant who has solved the puzzle correctly will win a
$50 Best Buy gift card. Best Buy is North America’s leading con- ANISOTROPIC ETCHING: Wet etching process used to create a functional MEMS
sumer electronics retailer. You can use your gift card in the store or structure. This directional chemical etching depends upon the crystallographic
online at www.BestBuy.com.
orientations of silicon such as <111>, <110> and <100>.
Fax solution to: (205) 408-3799
If there are no completely correct entries, a winner will be ANODIC BONDING: Used in MEMS processes, anodic bonding is the process of
selected from among the entries with the most words found.
bonding a conductor to an insulator in presence of high voltage and temperature,
I would like to receive/continue Flow Control magazine: _____ Yes _____ No.
such as silicon to glass.
Signature: _______________________________ Date: _______________
Name: _____________________________________________ BORON: P-type dopant is used to make strain gauges in silicon-based
Title: ______________________________________________ pressure sensors.
Company: __________________________________________
Address/City/State/Zip:_________________________________ CVD: CVD, or Chemical Vapor Deposition, is the process technique for depositing
__________________________________________________ metal and insulating thin films involving reaction of gaseous mixtures.
Phone: ____________________________________________
E-Mail: ____________________________________________ DOPING: A process where boron or phosphorus is used to alter the conductivity
of silicon.
R A N G N P R E S S U R E B O R O R R G S
E I G N I H C T E C I P O R T O S I N S C DRY ETCH: Etching and sculpturing of silicon using Deep Reactive Ion Etching
M M N A N O D I C B O N D I N G E I E G U (DRIE) without chemicals.
H D C I D O D A P I N G L T N T H R R N R

I S T R V L A C S E P E A I E C U D C I N
ETCH STOP: Allows for predetermined thickness of silicon specially related to
S R E U C D P D O C G E N R T T E E D H A
O E Y S G C R E I N I I U E C S R I R C E
diaphragm thicknesses of a MEMS device.
T T R S G S E N U L H T C U H U Y R Y E G

R E D E N S S R I C C I R C S C C B E C I ISOTROPIC ETCHING: This wet etching process features chemical etching or milling
O M I R I H S S A U P T T E T A T C O I A
of silicon structures at the same rate in each direction.
P O O P P E U M R O S E R Y O R T T I P N

I R T L O R O S R O H P O T P I S D P O C
C E T O D R O T R R S C U P A S C A L R T MASK: Photographic image of a layer for special processes such as oxidation,
E L S S C R O C R T E C H S T O P N M T N metallization, etching, and diffusion in silicon.
T E O I C S I A I O O H C T E Y R D T O O
C C M I I M A C C E L E R A M E T E R S I
MICROMACHINING: Fundamental technology for fabrication of MEMS devices,
I C M N C O R R B M B O R O O N E I H I D
N A A D M B G P H O E N O C C I L I S N R
micromachining involves the process that fabricates three-dimensional
G M D I R A I T I N R S N O C I L I S A C
microstructures.
D O P I N O S O U E I O K I E G N A R C R
R G R R S P C K O A T D N C M G I O N S A MICROSTRUCTURE: Featuring small structures that range from millimeter to
micrometer range. This is the essence of MicroElectroMechanical Systems.
ACCELEROMETERS ISOTROPIC ETCHING
PASCAL: An international unit of pressure (Pa) widely used throughout the world.
ANISOTROPIC ETCHING MASK Pa is rapidly replacing the use of pounds per square inch (PSI) unit.

ANODIC BONDING MICROMACHINING PRESSURE: The force acting over a surface expressed in terms of force-to-area ratio.

BORON MICROSTRUCTURE RANGE: Measurement values specified by the upper and lower limits of a sensor.

CVD PASCAL
SILICON: Silicon sensors made from silicon employing both electrical and mechani-
cal properties of silicon.
DOPING PRESSURE
The terms and definitions for this word search were provided by Karmjit Sidhu, Vice
DRY ETCH RANGE President Business Development, American Sensor Technologies (AST, astsensors.
com), a manufacturer of MEMs pressure sensors, pressure transducers, and pressure
ETCH STOP SILICON transmitters.

www.FlowControlNetwork.com August 2012 47

think tank
By David W. Spitzer

quiz corner: Charles’ Law

where V is volume and T is the absolute temperature. In this

I
ncreasing the temperature of a gas from 30 C to 60 C will
increase its volume by approximately: application, T0 is approximately 300 Kelvins (273+30) and T is
approximately 330 Kelvins (273+60). The new volume is therefore
approximately 1.1 times (330/300) times the old volume, so the
A. 0 percent (no volume change) new volume is about 10 percent greater than the old volume.
Therefore, the correct answer is Answer C.
B. 5 percent
Additional Complicating Factors
C. 10 percent Charles’ Law was used above assuming that the gas is ideal. If
the gas is not ideal, other methods can be employed to account
D. 50 percent for non-linearity and pressure effects on density such as the Non-
Ideal Gas Law, density tables, or other such techniques. In actual
E. 100 percent applications, remember that the composition of the gas can
change and affect these calculations. FC

Commentary David W. Spitzer is a regular contributor to Flow Control maga-

For flow measurement purposes, Charles’ Law is often used to zine and a principal in Spitzer and Boyes, LLC offering engi-
calculate the change in volume that occurs when temperature neering, seminars, strategic, marketing consulting, distribution
changes: consulting and expert witness services for manufacturing and
automation companies. He has more than 35 years of experience
V / V0 = T / T0 and has written over 10 books and 250 articles about flow mea-
surement, instrumentation and process control.

GAS FLOW ACCURACY

ASSURED
Mr. Spitzer can be reached at 845 623-1830 or
www.spitzerandboyes.com. Click on the “Products” tab in the
with Model 60B Flow Computer
navigation menu to find his “Consumer Guides” to various flow
and level measurement technologies.

JULY SOLUTION: Pressure Measurement

Model 60B Flow
Computer P I R T R A N S D U C E R C L V E S S S
The 60B Flow Computers con- P E E S T R A I N G A U G E S E E R R A
stantly process pressure, temperature and
R S G E G U A G E R U S S E R P G O E N
flow data from a Laminar Flow Element (LFE)
with a resulting accurate (± .75% of point- E O U U P S B E Y L O S L A W E L T G U
NIST traceable) display of Standard (Mass) S E L R A R R E T T E M O N A M O A U U
and Volumetric flow. Totalizers and optional
outputs are available. S C A U S G E T R V E B O Y L E S L A W
FCS-9003 Portable Calibrator
U T A E A M N S R E G U L A T E R U G E
Save downtime and money with the FCS 9003 portable Flow Calibrator. It utilizes
R E H R S P L A S M A S H I E L D G E E
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ferent flowmeter types. The portability of the system saves test time and the soft- E E S R P O L E I U U R V G P E R E V L
ware compensates for flowmeter types and test conditions eliminating manual C O E U O E N A S T R E N P L R O R I L
calculations. Print and store compliance data reports after each calibration.
O E L R O T E T L M S E S R A D S I T E
For more information on the Model 60B Digital Flow Computers, the FCS N T R E M O T E S E N S O R S I N R I P
9003 Portable Calibrator or any of these CME products:
T E M C D R M L L I S S E V M A I U C P
Laminar Flow Elements • Mass/Volumetric Digital Flowmeters • Custom Test
Stands • Analog Flowmeters • Digital Manometers & Altimeters R M U U C V U P E M E T M A A P S S A A

See us at: www.cmeflow.com

Call Rich Kennedy, 800-845-0927 O O L D S T U L C V E N D C S H E S P A
L N E S S S C S S M A T S U H R T E A A

L A N A R I A P O V S L O U E A O R C E
The originators of gas laminar flowmeters
/Div. of Aerospace Control Products, Inc. E M C R L D V N L P G U V A I G M P P S
1314 West 76th Street, Davenport, IA 52806 • FAX: 563-391-9231 R S V T D I A P H A G M V E L M E S L N
E-mail address: info@cmeflow.com H H O V E M E O H U L I E R D R R E O L
Write in 22 or Request Info Instantly at www.FlowControlNetwork.com/freeinfo

48 August 2012 Flow Control

 Your instruments tuned to perfection.

Just as a piano needs to be tuned to ensure a perfect pitch, so do c ritical process measurement instruments. Calibration servi ces
from Endress+Hauser deliver the skills and tools necessary to ensure your quality, safety, or environmental measurement devi ces
are tuned to perfection. Calibration from Endress+Hauser – let us help you stay in tune! www.us.endress.com/calibration

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 New perspectives without the compromise.

Industry-optimized ultrasonic
flowmeter reliably measures biogas
from anaerobic digesters or landfills
The Proline Prosonic Flow B200 is the first true 2-wire,
4-20mA HART®, loop powered ultrasonic flowmeter for
multi-variable measurement of volume flow rate, temperature
and methane content. With the B200, it is now possible –
using precisely measured sound velocity and an integrated
temperature sensor – to simultaneously measure the methane
content directly in the pipe without additional devices. This
one of a kind feature opens up completely new perspectives:

s Continuous, around the clock monitoring of

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s Fast and targeted reaction in case of interference
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s Efficient process control and energy balancing
by calculating additional characteristic values
(Corrected volume, calorific value, energy flow)

www.us.endress.com/prosonic-flow-b200

Endress+Hauser, Inc.
2350 Endress Place
Greenwood, IN 46143 Sales: 888-ENDRESS
inquiry@us.endress.com Service: 800-642-8737
www.us.endress.com Fax: 317-535-8498
Write in 24 or Request Info Instantly at www.FlowControlNetwork.com/freeinfo