MAY 2021 | piprocessinstrumentation.

com

INNOVATIONS IN
ULTRASONIC
FLOWMETERS

Reimagining the instrument

manifold for greater reliability
Page 16

How and when to perform

periodic verification or calibration
of temperature sensors
Page 20

Effective instrument commissioning

enables seamless project startups
Page 24
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 INSIDE
MAY 2021 | VOL 27 | ISSUE 5

COVER STORY: Ultrasonic Flowmeters

12 Advancing ultrasonic flowmeters
through continued innovation
Ongoing technology advancements
have improved the accuracy and
versatility of ultrasonic flowmeters,
making them an effective solution for
measuring volumetric flow in the most
demanding environments.

FEATURES

16 Reimagining the instrument manifold

for greater reliability
12 A better manifold keeps process fluid
from damaging the pressure transmitter
while still ensuring it gives accurate
cover: Courtesy of Rachael Haas — Badger Meter pressure readings.

20 How and when to perform periodic

verification or calibration of
DEPARTMENTS temperature sensors
Following these guidelines will ensure
4 Editor’s Note accurate and repeatable output from your
PRTs and keep your process in control.
6 Industry News
8 Application & Quiz Corner
10 Product Focus: Sensors, Software & Monitoring
16
24 Effective instrument commissioning
enables seamless project startups
Finishing a major project on time and
31 Advertiser Index on budget could potentially depend on
putting the best digital tools in the hands
32 Piprocessinstrumentation.com of highly skilled people. Here’s how.

Facebook
facebook.com/PIprocessinstrumentation
Twitter
twitter.com/pi_processinst
LinkedIn
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2 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021
28 Level measurement with time domain
reflectometry guided radar offers advantages
TDR level instruments have several
advantages over other non-contact
radar options, especially for tanks
with a horizontal cylinder shape and
in environments with heavy steam
or condensation.
28
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products solutions services

 EDITOR'S NOTE
dvancements in technology
A
are having a major, and con-
tinual, impact on almost ev-
ery area of a processing op-
eration. And process instrumentation is
no exception to that trend.
Look no further than this month’s
cover story for proof. Cheryl Ades An-
spach of Badger Meter details how on-
going technology advancements have
improved the accuracy and versatility of
ultrasonic flowmeters.
She writes: “For many industrial ap-
plications, ultrasonic flow measurement
technology represents the next genera-
tion of smart metering. While accuracy,
reliability and long service life are the
underpinning characteristics of this
technology, there are many more value-
added benefits than what meets the eye.”
Elsewhere in this issue, Emerson’s
Brandon Haschke explains how a rede-
signed instrument manifold can lead to
fewer process interruptions, more reliable
pressure readings and more consistent
product. He writes: “A better manifold
keeps process fluid from damaging the
pressure transmitter while still ensuring
it gives accurate pressure readings. By
keeping fluid from negatively affecting the
pressure transmitter, it, in turn, extends
the life of the transmitter, as well.”
Bill Bergquist of Burns Engineering
outlines how and when to perform peri-
odic verification or calibration of temper-
ature sensors. He writes: “The platinum
resistance thermometer (PRT) is one of
the most widely used temperature sensors
for control and monitoring of manufac-
turing processes. … Like any measure-
ment instrument, they may experience
changes that affect their accuracy and
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Todd Loudin, Flowrox | Bob Steinberg, Sage Metering | Jeff Jennings, Equilibar LLC |
Mitch Johnson, JMS Southeast | Steve Milford, Endress+Hauser U.S. |
John Merrill, PE, EagleBurgmann Industries | George Weihrauch, ABB Motors & Mechanical |
David W. Spitzer, PE, Spitzer and Boyes LLC | Jesse Yoder, Ph.D., Flow Research
4 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021
that can lead to a process that is out-of-
control. Performing a periodic calibra-
tion or verification is necessary to monitor
the PRT performance and predict pos-
sible future replacement.”
Next, Endress+Hauser’s Ryan Wil-
liams describes how effective instru-
ment commissioning enables seamless
project startups. And lastly, Gilles Kno-
bloch of KROHNE Inc. shares how level
measurement with time domain reflec-
tometry guided radar can offer signifi-
cant advantages.
I hope you find the content in this is-
sue both interesting and informative. As
always, thank you for reading.
Coming in June: Innovation
Awards nominees
The June issue of P.I. Process Instrumen-
tation will feature the nominees for the
2021 Innovation Awards. Our annual In-
novation Awards program recognizes the
latest innovations and technology break-
throughs in process instrumentation.
More than 20 nominations were re-
ceived, and we are excited to share those
with you next month. Voting will begin im-
mediately thereafter, and readers can cast
their votes via our website, starting in June.
Thank you to the companies that
nominated their products this year. The
Innovation Awards winner and honor-
able mentions will be featured in the
October issue.
Sincerely,
EDITOR IN CHIEF
josborne@endeavorb2b.com
The Measurement of Process Parameters
CONTENT
Publisher Jim Semple
jsemple@endeavorb2b.com
Editorial Director Angela Godwin
agodwin@endeavorb2b.com
Editor in Chief Jesse Osborne
josborne@endeavorb2b.com
Managing Editor Molly Rogers
mrogers@endeavorbusinessmedia.com
Columnist David W. Spitzer
Art Director Ryan Carlson
rcarlson@endeavorbusinessmedia.com
Production Manager Shirley Gamboa
sgamboa@endeavorbusinessmedia.com
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281-980-5831 | jhaas@endeavorbusinessmedia.com
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Chief Administrative and Legal Officer Tracy Kane
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 INDUSTRY NEWS
MAY 2021 THE LATEST NEWS & EVENTS FROM AROUND THE INDUSTRY piprocessinstrumentation.com

COMPANY NEWS
Pepperl+Fuchs’ VisuNet HMIs join the
Rockwell Automation Encompass Program
Pepperl+Fuchs Inc. — an industrial automa-
tion company that develops, manufactures
and provides industrial sensor technology,
intrinsic safety and explosion protection prod-
ucts globally — announced the inclusion of
several HMIs into Rockwell Automation’s En-

Courtesy of Endress+Hauser
compass Program. The Encompass Partner
Program is part of the PartnerNetwork. Join-
ing several other of Pepperl+Fuchs’ products
in this Program are the Div 1 Edge Series HMI
and the Zone 1/21 VisuNet GXP System.
The VisuNet Edge is an all-weather work-
station optimized for washdown areas up to
Div 1. Edge workstations feature an adaptable

Eastern Controls expands northeast territory indoor/outdoor, all-weather watershed housing

that is especially suited for washdown areas.
to include municipal market The VisuNet GXP is a modular, field main-
tainable HMI system for life science applica-
tions. It offers a compact design with easy
Endress+Hauser announced that its representative partner, Eastern Controls, is its ex-
setup and maintenance. GXP systems consist
clusive authorized sales and service provider for the municipal market in northern New
of three main components that can be re-
Jersey and the New York City metropolitan area effective April 1, 2021.
placed in the field: display unit, power sup-
“Eastern Controls is a long-time, trusted and dedicated sales and service partner
ply and computing unit (PC or ThinManager
of Endress+Hauser,” said Shaun Beauchesne, area vice president – East Central,
Compatible Thin Client). With a stainless steel
Endress+Hauser. “We are excited to expand our partnership, which will bring new ca-
housing, VisuNet GXP components are re-
pabilities, years of experience and application know-how to customers in the municipal
sistant to all chemicals and detergents com-
market. We will continue to work alongside them to deliver best-in-class service and
monly found in the life sciences sector — and
support to our customers.”
the VisuNet GXP is the industry’s lightest Thin
Eastern Controls has been an Endress+Hauser sales and service representative in
Client for Zone 1/21 life science applications.
the Northeast for almost six years in various markets. The company’s market basket
of manufacturers, which includes instrumentation, valves, heat trace and gas detec-
Curtiss-Wright partners with Exelon to offer valve
tion, will help the team solve complex customer challenges in the water and waste-
performance improvements to power industry
water industry.
Curtiss-Wright’s Nuclear Division announced
“Eastern Controls is very excited to expand our water and wastewater industry pres-
it has signed an agreement with Exelon Gen-
ence with Endress+Hauser,” said Cliff Mclaughlin, president of Eastern Controls. “Since
eration Company LLC to license the com-
1969, our team of dedicated professionals has supported the critical infrastructure of
pany’s valve program performance data.
the United States of America with world class products, solutions, training and services.
Working in partnership with Exelon Genera-
We look forward to bringing our passion, along with the expertise of our manufacturing
tion, Curtiss-Wright will leverage the perfor-
partners, to our new customers in this important industry.”
mance data to increase the effectiveness
of its StressWave ultrasonic leak detection

6 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021

technology and promote the implementation
of best practices in valve assessment, analy-
sis and performance across the U.S. nuclear
fleet and power generation industry.
Exelon Generation has utilized Curtiss-
Wright’s StressWave technology as part of
their valve program for more than a decade.
During this time, the ultrasonic leak detec-
tion platform has delivered valuable insights
into Exelon Generation’s valve maintenance
practices, resulting in a near elimination of
premature valve failures, extension of valve
maintenance frequency and realization of
significant cost savings.
Treon launches Industrial Node 6 for
condition monitoring
Treon, a technology company making intel-
ligent wirelessly connected edge devices for
massive IoT solutions of scale, released the
Industrial Node 6 at the Hannover Messe
2021. Treon Industrial Node 6 is a wireless
battery-operated condition monitoring device
that measures tri-axial vibration and surface
temperature of rotating equipment, such as
pumps, motors and compressors, with a fre-
quency range up to 6.3 kHz. Treon Industrial
Node 6 is the newest addition to the Treon
product portfolio. The new 6 khz sensor op-
erates in a wireless mesh network, making it
easy and cost efficient to deploy on a large
scale or to retrofit existing equipment with it.
With all the benefits of its existing 1 khz
predecessor, such as cost-efficiency, scal-
ability and wide compatibility with cloud
platforms used by customers, Treon Indus-
trial Node 6 enables root cause analysis by
measuring high-resolution data over a wide
frequency range to enable highly effective
predictive maintenance. It also enables the
usage of existing analytics tools, as it can
provide a high-frequency, high-resolution
waveform in addition to pre-calculated KPIs.
Treon has developed the Industrial Node
6 in close cooperation with SymphonyIn-
dustrialAI (SIAI), a global leader in predictive
maintenance.
Brooks Instrument makes ISO/IEC 17025
certification available on SLA Series Biotech
mass flow controllers
Brooks Instrument, a global provider of ad-
vanced flow, pressure and vapor delivery
solutions, has made the ISO/IEC 17025
certification, one of the most important me-
trology and calibration certifications, avail-
able as an option on its SLA Series Biotech
mass flow controllers (MFC). Engineered
specifically for the needs of the biotechnol-
ogy market, these MFCs are used to pre-
cisely measure and control the delivery of
process gases necessary for cellular me-
tabolism in biotech applications.
This certification, in addition to FDA/USP
class VI/ADI-free elastomers and other cer-
tificates, satisfies even more regulatory com-
pliance requirements for biopharmaceutical
manufacturers that depend upon accurate
flow control calibration for their applications.
Due to increased regulations in the biotech
market, Brooks Instrument has invested in
its manufacturing facilities in the U.S. and
Hungary with high-precision metrology and
calibration systems in order to offer the ISO/
IEC 17025 accreditation issued by the glob-
ally recognized International Organization for
Standardization (ISO) and the International
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).
Yokogawa to undertake proof of concept test
of 5G, cloud and AI for remote control of
plant systems with NTT DOCOMO
Yokogawa Electric Corporation announced
the signing of an agreement with NTT
DOCOMO Inc. to jointly undertake a proof of
concept test (PoC) for the remote control of
a plant system by utilizing 5th generation
mobile communications (5G), the cloud,
AI and other technologies. The PoC will
involve the use of cloud-based Yokogawa
AI for plant control and a 5G communica-
tion module mounted on a three-tank level
control system to remotely control the wa-
ter level. This test aims to demonstrate the
ease with which companies in the chemi-
cal, oil and other process industries will
be able to modify their existing systems to
make use of cutting-edge 5G autonomous
control devices with the latest cloud-based
AI. With the goal of achieving autonomous
control in plants in the future, Yokogawa will
work together with DOCOMO to verify and
optimize this technology.
This PoC will examine whether the tech-
nical challenge of achieving low latency can
be solved by using DOCOMO’s high-speed,
large-capacity, low-latency 5G communica-
tions network, the DOCOMO Open Innova-
tion Cloud, which offers multi-access edge
computing (MEC) to achieve low-latency and
meet other such requirements of the 5G era,
as well as other cloud technologies.
PEOPLE NEWS
Motion announces new group vice president
of automation
Motion Industries Inc., a distributor of main-
tenance, repair and operation replacement
parts and a premier provider of industrial
technology solutions, announced that Aurelio
Banda will join the company as Motion’s new
group vice president of automation.
“Aurelio’s extensive industry background
in automation distribution and manufactur-
ing, combined with his education and training,
make him a perfect fit to lead our automation
strategy and accelerate growth,” said Randy
Breaux, Motion president. “We look forward
to watching our automation business flourish
under his leadership.”
Banda most recently served as president
and chief executive officer of PHD Inc., a
global manufacturer of electric, pneumatic
and hydraulic industrial automation actua-
tors of various types in Fort Wayne, Indi-
ana. Prior to leading PHD Inc., he served
as president and CEO – North America for
Beckhoff Automation, a global manufac-
turer of industrial PCs, software, hardware
and a variety of other products in Savage,
Minnesota. Banda was also the owner,
president and CEO of Controls Plus Inc., an
automation distributor in Noblesville, Indi-
ana. Additionally, he served as VP of sales
and regional sales manager for Motion Au-
tomation Inc. and a regional sales manager
for Bosch Rexroth’s Electronic Controls &
Drives. A graduate of DeVry University with
a degree in applied science in electronics,
Banda furthered his education with an MBA
in finance and operations from Notre Dame
and completed Harvard Business School’s
General Management Program.
Send news and events for consideration to
Molly Rogers at mrogers@endeavorbusinessmedia.com.
MAY 2021 | piprocessinstrumentation.com 7
 APPLICATION CORNER
By David W. Spitzer
Principal,
Spitzer and Boyes, LLC
David W. Spitzer is a principal
at Spitzer and Boyes, LLC,
which offers engineering,
focused market research,
writing/editing white papers,
strategic marketing consult-
ing, distribution consulting,
seminars and expert witness
services for manufacturing
and automation companies.
Spitzer has written more than
400 technical articles and 10
books about flow measure-
ment, instrumentation and
process control. He can be
reached at 845-623-1830 or
via spitzerandboyes.com.
8 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021
Allocating costs for
sewage districts
revious columns described the sew-
P age collection systems for two adja-
cent sewage districts where sewage
from the first sewage district and the
combined sewage (sewage plus drainage water)
from the second sewage district are treated in a
sewage treatment plant owned and operated by
the second sewage district.
The billing rate in a given year was appor-
tioned between the sewage districts based on the
flow measurements — four outfalls from the first
district and one at the inlet to the sewage treat-
ment plant. The previous year’s flow from the
first sewage district could be calculated by sum-
ming the flows measured through each of the
four flowmeters during the previous year.
The total plant flow for the previous year was
similarly calculated using the total plant flow
measurements during the same time period.
The sewage generated by the second district was
calculated by subtracting the first sewage dis-
trict flow from the total plant flow. The resultant
proportion of sewage generated by each district
could then be used to allocate the cost of operat-
ing the sewage treatment plant and calculate the
next year’s billing rate for each district.
For example, if the first and second sewage dis-
tricts deliver 40% and 60% of the liquid to be treat-
ed, the customers in the first and second sewage
districts would be expected to pay 40% and 60%
respectively of the expenses associated with oper-
ating the sewage treatment plant. This allocation
would then be used to calculate the next year’s
billing rate. In addition to being invoiced for the
normal daily treatment charges — billing rate
multiplied by the daily flow — a surcharge was
added to the second district’s bill for flow that ex-
ceeded a set amount of sewage during that day.
Read more next month about billing variations.
 Which of the following orientations can be used to install a Coriolis mass flowmeter
to measure the mass flow of a liquid in a vertical pipe flowing down?
A. U-tube down B. Inverted U-tube C. Horizontal (parallel to grade) D. Flag position

Coriolis mass flowmeters in liquid service must be
completely full of liquid to measure accurately. The
inverted U-tube orientation (Answer B) could accumu-
late gas and should not be used for liquid applications.
The U-tube down orientation (Answer A) and
horizontal orientation (Answer C) could be accept-
able but would entail modification of the upstream
and downstream piping. Therefore, the flag position
(Answer D) would appear to be the most practical
answer; however, the flowmeter must be kept full of
liquid for accurate measurement.
around an obstruction. However, most flow downward
occurs using gravity, so keeping the flowmeter full of
liquid can be a challenge in many installations.
For example, a U-tube Coriolis mass flowmeter
oriented in a flag position (Answer D) located in
piping that is hydraulically submerged would be an
acceptable installation. However, if the flowmeter is
not hydraulically submerged in the downward pipe
(as is often the case), a hydraulically submerged
condition for the flowmeter should be created, such
as by modifying the piping to flow down, then up
through the flowmeter and then down again.

QUIZ Additional complicating factors

Liquids are generally pumped upward or horizontally
from one location to another. Pumped downward flow
CORNER can sometimes occur, for instance, in order to get
In addition, not all Coriolis mass flowmeters have
U-tube geometry, so the piping orientation should
be designed to ensure that gas is not allowed to
accumulate in the flowmeter.

10138116 ©Nostal6ie| Dreamstime.com

 P R O D U C T

FOCUS
Send products for consideration in this section
to mrogers@endeavorbusinessmedia.com

toxic gas detectors

MSA Safety’s TruCal Technology — in its Ultima X5000 and General Monitors S5000
Gas Detectors for its XCell H2S and CO sensors — has an extended calibration technology,
which automatically self-checks and corrects sensor drift to extend calibration cycles up to 24
months using Adaptive Environmental Compensation (AEC) algorithms. The detectors deliver
reliable H2S and CO protection by combining an internal electronic interrogation of the XCell
gas sensor’s functionality (pulse check) with an acoustic system (diffusion supervision), which
monitors the gas inlet path for blockages that would prevent gas from reaching the sensor.
The result is a sensor self-check capability that interprets the results of these two tests and
confirms the sensor is able to accurately respond or makes adjustments.

msasafety.com

linear position sensors

NewTek’s HAR Series of Hermetically Sealed Linear

Position Sensors provide critical position measurement in
the monitoring and control of steam turbine valves in power
plants. Ideal for power plant rehabilitation programs, these
AC-operated LVDTs serve as OEM replacements for legacy
flow measurement software applications. The HAR Series of Displacement Sensors
are resilient in harsh environments. Hermetically sealed to
Emerson’s Rapid Adaptive Measurement software boosts
IP-68, the sensors can withstand high shock and vibration
process automation and the application of the Roxar 2600
while operating over a wide operating temp range. A
Multiphase Flow Meter (MPFM) for the oil and gas industry.
remotely located NewTek LVDT Signal Conditioner provides
The software architecture enables the Roxar 2600 MPFM
the AC excitation while retrieving the sensor’s unconditioned
to do parallel computations at 10 Hz and autonomously
position output for conversion into an analog or digital
select the optimal configuration for a particular time period.
output communicated to a control system.
This leads to more automation in operational processes,
reducing the need for manual configuration changes. The newteksensors.com
embedded software supports operators with enhanced
meter performance, increased robustness and confidence
while enabling cost-efficient operations. The modularity of
Rapid Adaptive Measurement allows for individual calculation
modules to be improved and tested independently, and new
modules can easily be plugged into the framework.

emerson.com

10 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021

 SENSORS, SOFTWARE AND MONITORING

thermal flow switch
The sanitary FLT93C Flow Switch from Fluid Components
International (FCI) features stainless steel wetted
materials and standard 20Ra finish, and it supports both
skid-mount and stationary CIP systems. The Flow Switch
monitors the process cleaning solution’s minimum liquid
flow rate to ensure it is maintained during the cleaning
process runtime. Operating over a wide liquid flow range of
0.01 to 3.0 fps, the Flow Switch offers accuracy of ±0.5%
reading or ±0.04 fps. The Flow Switch ensures set point
accuracy for process temps up to ±100°F. It is suitable for
0.75 to 4-inch sanitary tubing process lines and connects
with a secure tri-clamp fitting. The dual-function instrument
indicates both flow and temperature and/or level sensing.
regulators
Proportion-Air’s hazardous location series adds four new
FM-approved devices to meet the precision pneumatic
pressure control needs of workers in environments where
flammable gases, combustible dust or fibers and filings may
be present. Two new intrinsically safe products offer higher
accuracy and flow rates for hazardous locations. The ISQB3
controls pressures up to 150 psi and flows to 30 SCFM.
The ISQB4 offers even more flow — up to 200 SCFM. The
devices feature a booster design with no stamped gaskets,
special molded diaphragms or seal parts. Two other new
products are the ISQBX, which has ports built into the
manifold instead of external fittings, and the ISQBF is a
revision to the current ISF product.
proportionair.com

fluidcomponents.com

natural gas analyzer

SpectraSensors, an Endress+Hauser company, released its J22 TDLAS Gas Analyzer for the
measurement of moisture content in natural gas. The J22 moisture analyzer offers data analysis,
internal diagnostics, multi-functional enclosures and web server connectivity. The analyzer can
replace traditional electrochemical sensors. TDLAS technology can identify the water molecules
specifically, while being unaffected by a variety of other common contaminants. The J22 is
designed for almost zero maintenance. When service is required, its components are easily
accessible and field-serviceable. The gas sample cell is simple to remove and designed for
convenient servicing. The available IP66 and Type 4X enclosures for housing the analyzer system
are suitable for installation in typical natural gas application locations.

endress.com

MAY 2021 | piprocessinstrumentation.com 11

 ULTRASONIC FLOWMETERS
COVER STORY
Advancing ultrasonic flowmeters
through continued innovation
Ongoing technology advancements have improved the accuracy and
versatility of ultrasonic flowmeters, making them an effective solution
for measuring volumetric flow in the most demanding environments.
By Cheryl Ades Anspach, Badger Meter
ltrasonic flowmeters have
U made tremendous strides
since their development for
industrial applications just
a few short decades ago. The flowmeters
are now widely employed in applications
where minimal pressure drop, chemical
compatibility and low maintenance are a
must. The clamp-on transit-time variety
of these meters are particularly versatile
devices with many advantages.
This article describes how ongoing
technology advancements have improved
the accuracy and versatility of ultrasonic
flowmeters, making them an effective so-
lution for measuring volumetric flow in
the most demanding environments.
Introduction more than 60 different metering tech-
Practical flow measurement devices
first emerged in the late 19th century
for industrial and utility purposes. They
niques in use across all industrial sectors.
While some f low measurement
technologies have not changed much
subsequently evolved to meet the ever- over the past decades, others have
increasing requirements for custom seen significant advancement. Some
transfer and flow measurement of liq- the biggest improvements have been
uids and gases. However, industrial end in electronics and advanced diagnos-
users are still looking for solutions that tics that make flowmeters much more
will perform complicated flow measure- useful in a host of measurement and
ment tasks with greater ease, accuracy control applications.
and reliability, as well as deliver increased
financial savings to their bottom line.
Although flow measurement technol-
ogy is continually improving, the variety
of meter types and styles has not stopped
expanding, either. There are currently
 Through enhanced design and oper-
ating principles, modern flow metering
equipment allows non-technical users
to instantly understand what is occur-
ring within the process, and this has
had a major effect on both control and
safety within work environments.
Progress of ultrasonic technology
Ultrasonic flowmeter technology has
seen significant progress since its in-
fancy in the early 1970s. Today, it is a
dependable, accurate and cost-effective
method of liquid and gas flow measure-
ment across a broad scope of industries.
Ultrasonic flowmeters use sound
waves at a frequency beyond the range
of hearing. This ultrasound signal is sent
into a stream of flowing liquid by using
wetted (inline or insertion) transducers
that make direct contact with the liquid
or external (clamp-on) transducers that
send the ultrasound through the pipe
wall. Clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeters
allow users to measure the volumetric
flow rate of a fluid without having to
penetrate the pipe, thus reducing instal-
lation and maintenance costs.
There are two main technical approach-
es within ultrasonic flowmeter technology:
• Doppler meters that send an ultra-
sonic signal across a pipe, measure
the signal reflected off particles in the
moving fluid and compute flow speed
by measuring the Doppler shift.
• Transit-time meters that transmit
two ultrasonic signals to a receiver
on the other side of the pipe — one
with the flow and one against the
flow. The unit measures the differ-
ence in transit times between the
two signals to calculate flow.
With an ultrasonic transit-time flowme-
ter, two ultrasonic transducers alterna-
tively emit and receive signals protrud-
ing into the pipe. The signal going with
 Figure 1: Since ultrasonic flowmeters
do not have any moving parts, they have become
a compelling choice for end users seeking to
replace mechanical-type flowmeters.
Courtesy of Rachael Haas © Badger Meter
 Figure 2: Ultrasonic clamp-on flowmeters enable non-contact measurement of the most corrosive liquids
while providing an overall lower cost of ownership. Courtesy of Badger Meter
the flow travels the distance faster than
the one against the current. This time
difference is measured and allows for
the calculation of the flow velocity and
the volume flow rate.
Ultrasonic clamp-on flowmeters have
no moving parts and utilize secure silicon
connections to process piping. This ap-
proach enables non-contact measurement
of the most corrosive liquids while provid-
ing an overall lower cost of ownership.
Since the introduction of ultrasonic
transit-time flowmeters in the 1990s,
instrumentation manufacturers have
continually improved their measure-
ment and signal processing capabilities.
Past innovations included the ability to
measure gas and low flows. Flowmeter
suppliers also brought out new mul-
tipath ultrasonic meters with enhanced
features for custody transfer of natural
gas and petroleum liquids.
According to Mordor Intelligence, a lead-
ing market research firm, the COVID-19
outbreak has had a positive impact on the
growth of ultrasonic flowmeter technol-
ogy. World Health Organization (WHO)
guidelines dictate that the water supply
must be kept safe, owing to the chances of
transmission of the virus through sewage
water. This factor is driving the adoption of
biological wastewater treatment systems,
which are well-suited for the use of ul-
trasonic flow measurement devices.
Latest meter design enhancements
Ultrasonic technology has found
greater use in industrial flow measure-
ment largely due to improvements to
ultrasonic transducers, making them
less expensive, more accurate, smaller
and more widely available. Advanced
integrated analog circuits have made
it easier to perform real-time capture
and processing of ultrasonic trans-
ducer waveforms to get accurate time-
of-flight information. Since ultrasonic
flowmeters do not have any moving
parts, they have become a compelling
choice for end users seeking to replace
mechanical-type flowmeters.
The current breed of ultrasonic transit-
time flowmeter offers key features such as
increased data acquisition speed, as well as
speed of sound measurement and digital
communications. The meter’s increased
resolution enables it to precisely track fluid
movements in the lowest flow conditions.
The latest transit-time devices sample the
entire cross-sectional area of the flow pro-
file to obtain a true average flow velocity
and can calculate time measurement dif-
ferential data to within nanoseconds.
In addition, developments in ultrasonic
flowmeter technology are keeping pace
with the digital world where the need
for communication and connectivity
increases by the day and end users are
looking for smart metering solutions. In
MAY 2021 | piprocessinstrumentation.com 13
 contrast to mechanical flowmeters, ul-
trasonic meters offer remote reading ca-
pabilities without the use of any add-on
devices. This not only contributes to a sig-
nificant decrease in data collection time
but also saves time and money for more
value-adding activities. Improvements in
digital signal processing techniques also
Pressure Conductivity
14 P.I. PROCESS
2105PI_PendoTech 1 INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021
enable large amounts of data to be pro-
cessed and stored in real time.
Manufacturers of ultrasonic flow-
meters have taken advantage of on-
going technology improvements so
that diagnostic parameters can now
be used to perform a “health-check” of
the meter when in operation. This can
 Figure 3: Some modern ultrasonic transit-time
flowmeters support an encoder output for use with
cellular end points for connecting to cloud-based
advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) software.
Courtesy of Rachael Haas © Badger Meter
help the diagnosis of potential prob-
lems with the measured fluid or the
measurement system.
Some modern ultrasonic transit-time
flowmeters support an encoder output
for use with cellular end points for con-
necting to cloud-based advanced meter-
Temperature
ing infrastructure (AMI) software. The
UV Absorbance
end points collect flow data and securely
transmit it to a data collection system
at routine intervals. With this approach,
intelligent data and analytics empower
end users to identify and quickly address
flow issues or equipment problems. Fur-
thermore, the use of cellular networking
minimizes the need for complicated in-
frastructure. The end points may be set up
to automatically broadcast meter reading
and event data to system software on a
predetermined schedule. Alert conditions
can also be created to monitor and notify
users of system exceptions.
The development of unique algorithms
and techniques has resulted in ultrasonic
flowmeters that work well in the most de-
manding low-flow conditions. Advance-
ments in signal processing permit flow
measurement across the entire Reynolds
number range so that both viscous and
non-viscous fluids can be metered accu-
rately, while signal discrimination identi-
fies anomalies in the flow.
Advanced ultrasonic flowmeter designs
can even employ an integrated remote re-
striction valve, which enables users to ac-
tuate the valve remotely to either an open,
restricted or partially restricted position.
4/15/21 12:49 PM
Looking to future improvements
There’s no question that the technol-
ogy behind ultrasonic flow measurement
will see continued advances in the years
ahead. The ultrasonic flowmeter market
is benefiting from the drive for new energy
sources, including the search for more oil
and gas and expanding renewable energy
development. The market is also continu-
ing its shift from traditional flowmeters to
“new technology” like ultrasonic meters
at an increasing rate. Growing concerns
with accuracy and reliability in measure-
ment could accelerate this trend.
It is possible that tomorrow’s ultra-
sonic transit-time flowmeters will have
a much faster sampling capability, pro-
viding dramatic improvements in their
measurement resolution. This increased
resolution would allow for the design of
advanced transit-time meters that can
precisely track fluid movements down
to a true zero flow condition in the
Process Instrumentation
most challenging service environments.
Going forward, ultrasonic transit-
time instruments will have the horse-
power and accuracy to fit demanding
flow applications that historically would
have required more expensive flow
measurement methods.
Conclusion
For many industrial applications, ultra-
sonic flow measurement technology
represents the next generation of smart
metering. While accuracy, reliability
and long service life are the underpin-
ning characteristics of this technology,
there are many more value-added ben-
efits than what meets the eye.
Ultrasonic flowmeters perform with
high levels of precision and repeatabil-
ity, require almost no maintenance and
are versatile enough for use with a va-
riety of conductive and non-conductive
fluids. Most importantly, they offer the
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The Measurement of Process Parameters
flexibility for installation in virtually any
location at any time. Future innovations
are expected to simplify complexities,
reduce setup times and make clamp-on
ultrasonic devices a wise investment for
a wider range of end users.
Cheryl Ades Anspach is a
senior product manager of
flow instrumentation with
Badger Meter. She has over
30 years of experience in product man-
agement, industrial automation and indus-
trial networks. In her current role, she is
responsible for ultrasonic and precision
turbine flowmeters. Prior to joining Badger
Meter, Anspach was involved with servicing
and programming automation equipment
in a wide range of industries, ranging from
golf courses to oil tankers. She holds a
degree in electrical engineering from Cali-
fornia Polytechnic State University, San
Luis Obispo.
piprocessinstrumentation.com
MAY 2021 | piprocessinstrumentation.com 15
 PRESSURE MANAGEMENT
Reimagining the instrument
manifold for greater reliability
A better manifold keeps process fluid from
damaging the pressure transmitter while still
ensuring it gives accurate pressure readings.
By Brandon Haschke, Emerson
anifolds are one of the hard-
M est working pieces of equip-
ment across the process in-
dustries. They are found in
chemical, upstream oil and gas, and even
food and beverage applications, where
their ability to shut off or equalize pres-
sure is an essential part of the process to
keep a plant running efficiently.
However, traditional manifolds are
often plagued with reliability issues,
especially in applications involv-
ing fluids that are viscous or contain
abrasive materials or grit, which can
make them more difficult to operate.
A manifold that gets plugged or has
degraded over time can pose poten-
tial safety risks to not just the process
but also to personnel.
Liability and reliability are of equal im-
portance in any process, especially those
that deal with abrasive or dangerous
16 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021
materials. Being able to efficiently
and safely isolate, vent and equalize
pressure within the system is why
manifolds are an important piece of
the equipment that could benefit from
a better design.
Redesigning an instrument manifold
to better meet the needs of operators
dealing with challenging operations
could ensure fewer process interruptions
and more reliable readings, as well as a
consistent product. A better manifold
keeps process fluid from damaging the
pressure transmitter while still ensuring
it gives accurate pressure readings. By
keeping fluid from negatively effecting
the pressure transmitter, it, in turn, ex-
tends the life of the transmitter as well.
A better manifold
A better design — such as one that fea-
tures Emerson’s Pressure-Lock valve
 Figure 1: Unlike standard
manifold needle valves, enhanced
manifolds with a two-piece stem
design offer simplified operation,
enhanced reliability and increased
operating safety.
All images courtesy of Emerson
 Figure 2:
Instrument manifolds
provide isolation,
venting and
equalization for
various types of
pressure measurement
applications.

 Figure 3: Enhanced manifolds are available in both coplanar and inline connection styles to use with
a variety of pressure instrumentation.

with a two-piece stem design and non- easier and safer. The risk of a process
rotating valve tip — makes it easier for fluid leak is reduced as the control over
operators to position securely than a the flow is greater with better-designed
standard needle valve (Figure 1). A two- equipment (Figure 3).
piece stem does not rotate in the seat In most instances, the pressure mea-
and provides solid closure with mini- surement is always being read. Howev-
mal wear. Using a valve that utilizes er, there are times when a valve needs
a two-piece design makes it easier to to be closed or opened manually to re-
turn the handle, which makes it easier direct or stop the flow of process fluid
to achieve a positive shutoff. It also cre- to the transmitter — for instance, for
ates a mechanical barrier that protects scheduled transmitter maintenance.
against valve blowout in the event of a Particularly challenging process
major pressure spike f lows of materials
— a feature that can “Being able to control such as hot tar, maple
prov i d e increased syrup or peanut butter
safety to the opera-
the valves in a pressure — to name a variety of
tor. This is critical in measurement application the extremes — can
challenging processes through easy-to-use build up and clog a
such as fracking, for manifold, especially if
example, where sand instrument manifolds a bore channel is too
and grit in the flow makes a process engineer’s narrow to accommo-
can cause unexpect- date the speed of the
ed pressure changes.
job easier and safer.” flow, which also af-
Designing an in- fects the pressure that
strument manifold the meter registers.
with wider bore channels further re- This buildup can then lead to an erro-
duces the likelihood of clogging as it neous pressure measurement, which
allows small sedimentary materials could cause the system to incorrectly
such as sand, grit or even sludge to flow compensate elsewhere in the process,
through the manifold. possibly altering the flow, the pressure
and, ultimately the end product.
In the plant
Being able to control the valves in a In the field
pressure measurement application Another area where instrument mani-
through easy-to-use instrument mani- folds provide a valuable service is in
folds makes a process engineer's job fracking — the process of pumping a

MAY 2021 | piprocessinstrumentation.com 17

 water and sand mixture into the ground
to free up the oil and gas found in be-
tween shale plates. It is a tricky process
that needs to be monitored carefully,
ensuring that the right balance of water
and sand goes in and closely watching
the mixture that comes back up. The
mixture pumped up from the shale
plates will often have debris in it along
with the oil and water — such as peb-
bles, sand and other gritty materials
that can clog a manifold.
If too much other material comes
up with the oil, including if the mix-
ture has too much water, it might not
need to go in the tank for oil but in-
stead need to be pumped back into
the ground as unusable. Similarly,
if the pressure changes become too
great from gas coming up with the oil
and water mixture, it becomes critical
to be able to release or equalize that
pressure safely and avoid a blowout.
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18 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021
2105PI_Neoperl.indd 1
Having a manifold that is easy to op-
erate makes maintenance easier by
simplifying transmitter isolation —
ensuring that all measurement points
are fully prepared and calibrated to
handle any severe process conditions
or sudden changes.
Cumbersome manifolds that require
special tools or are uncomfortable to
operate can contribute to decreased op-
erational efficiencies and can potential-
ly strain an operator's hand over time
with continued use.
Using a better manifold
Looking at the drawings again, it be-
comes clear that a two-piece stem de-
sign with a non-rotating tip can make
operations run more smoothly. The ad-
justable packing nut simplifies mainte-
nance and allows for easier open-and-
close operations. In addition, the stem
and bonnet threads are fully isolated
2101PI_SpitzerBoyes 1
3/31/21 1:03 PM
from the process fluid to minimize po-
tential corrosion.
Keeping process fluid in the bore
channel and away from the measure-
ment sensor whenever possible ensures
a longer life for equipment, especially
in processes that have highly corrosive,
sludgy or gritty materials in the flow.
A redesigned manifold that meets in-
dustry requirements is proving to be an
asset to plants as they look for greater effi-
ciency and reliability across processes.
Brandon Haschke is a product
manager focusing on instru-
ment manifolds for Emerson's
Rosemount instrumentation
business. He is currently focusing on help-
ing operators in a variety of industries get
the most out of their pressure measurement
points. Haschke holds degrees in chemistry
and chemical engineering from the University
of Minnesota.
G
M
C
P
A
f
P
O
t
P
12/15/20 2:39 PM
 subscribe today.

P.I. Process Instrumentation serves professionals who

design and operate the instruments that measure the
parameters of systems that control liquids and gases in
industrial processes.

TRENDS IN
GAS FLOW
MEASUREMENT

TRENDS IN
GAS FLOW
MEASUREMENT
Calibrating Coriolis flowmeters
Page 16

Assessing liquid leakage

from shaft seals
Page 24

Overcoming control valve

trim selection challenges
Page 27

DECEMBER 2020 | piprocessinstrumentation.com Calibrating Coriolis flowmeters

Page 16

Assessing liquid leakage

from shaft seals
Page 24

Overcoming control valve

trim selection challenges
Page 27

DECEMBER 2020 | piprocessinstrumentation.com

The Measurement of Process Parameters

piprocessinstrumentation.com/subscribe
 TEMPERATURE CONTROLS
 Figure 1: Typical test setup
How and when to perform
periodic verification or calibration
of temperature sensors
Following these guidelines will ensure accurate and
repeatable output from your PRTs and keep your
process in control.
By Bill Bergquist, Burns Engineering
he platinum resistance
T thermometer (PRT) is one
of the most widely used
temperature sensors for
control and monitoring of manufactur-
ing processes. High accuracy, repeat-
ability and long-term stability over a
wide temperature range are reasons
PRTs are so popular.
Like any measurement instrument,
they may experience changes that affect
their accuracy and that can lead to a pro-
cess that is out-of-control. Performing a
periodic calibration or verification is nec-
essary to monitor the PRT performance
20 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021
for insulation resistance.
All images courtesy of
Burns Engineering
and predict possible future replacement.
Two of the most important checks to
make are the insulation resistance (IR)
and ice point resistance (R0).
Insulation resistance (IR)
Before performing either a verification
or calibration test, an insulation resis-
tance test should be performed to en-
sure that the sensor is free of moisture
or other contaminants that can affect
performance. Using a megohmmeter,
touch one lead to the probe sheath and
the other to the lead wires. Set the
meter to 50 VDC or 100 VDC, and the
resistance should be at least 200 meg-
ohms at room temperature. Many man-
ufacturers perform this test at 100 VDC
and 500 megohms as the acceptable
range. Low insulation resistance can
cause a lower than actual temperature
sensed by the PRT. For example, at 100k
ohm, the error is about -0.25°C. Low IR
can also cause the probe to be unstable
and not repeatable.
Verification
Verification is a check of the PRT re-
sistance at a known temperature,
usually at 0°C in an ice bath, to see if
it meets either of the two PRT stan-
dards, ASTM E1137 or IEC 60751, in-
terchangeability tolerances. The test
can be performed in a lab but is more
commonly done in the field using an
ice bath or by comparison to a tem-
perature standard while immersed in
a constant temperature bath.
  Figure 2: Lead wire colors are defined by ASTM
1137 and IEC 60751. Some manufacturers use
green in place of the yellow leads in dual elements.

of the PRT sensing element, and that

is the number you will compare to
the standards.
The interchangeability tolerances are
what the PRT manufacturers strive to
meet. They can be shown graphically
as shown in Figure 3. Note that the IEC
tolerances are wider than the ASTM tol-
erances and that they grow as the tem-
perature moves away from 0°C.
There are equations that will calcu-
late the interchangeability tolerance at
any temperature for each of the grades
or classes of PRT. You will need to know
The easiest and most accurate test which of the tolerance bands your PRT
is performed using an ice bath and an manufactured to know if it falls within
ohmmeter. Accuracy of 0.05°C or bet- the original tolerance band.
ter can be achieved with an ice bath
“The easiest and most accurate
provided it is made up correctly. Use test is performed using an These equations are:
ice made from distilled or purified wa- ice bath and an ohmmeter.
ter and crush it to about 1/4-inch pieces,
pack it into an insulated container and Accuracy of 0.05°C or better can
then top off with just enough distilled be achieved with an ice bath
water to fill in the gaps without having
the ice float. Then, insert the PRT about
provided it is made up correctly.”
4 to 6 inches, connect the ohmmeter
and wait for the reading to stabilize.
This may take a few minutes for every-
thing to equilibrate.
If your meter has a three- or four-
wire resistance input capability for
eliminating the lead resistance, then
you can read the measurement directly
from the display. If not, then you will
need to make two measurements to
manually compensate for lead resis-
tance. PRTs will have either three or
four wires with color codes of red and
white. Typically, there are two red leads
connected to one side of the PRT resis-
tor and the white lead(s) to the other.
First, measure resistance in the red
leads and then measure the resistance
between one of the red leads and a
white lead. Subtract the red leads mea-
surement from the red and white mea-
surement, and you are left with a very
close approximation of the resistance  Figure 3: Interchangeability graph

MAY 2021 | piprocessinstrumentation.com 21

  Figure 4: Calibration lab equipment

A key feature of a calibration is that it es-

For example, at -50°C for a PRT that
was manufactured to the IEC 60751
Class A, the interchangeability toler-
ance is: ± 0.15 + 0.0020 (50) = ± 0.25°C
Calibration
Calibration is performed to verify sensor
performance over a wide temperature
range and characterize the R versus
T relationship.
When we think of calibration, it usu-
ally involves adjustment of the instru-
ment. However, there is no adjustment
to an RTD, therefore, it is a character-
ization of the sensor resistance at any
given temperature.
tablishes traceability of the measurement
to national or international standards.
Calibration is usually performed in
a lab using high accuracy measuring
equipment that is at least four times
more accurate than the device being
tested. Tests are performed by com-
parison to a temperature standard im-
mersed in a constant temperature bath
along with the test units. A data acqui-
sition system collects the resistance
readings and software outputs a report.
Manufacturers of this equipment offer
turnkey packages, or you may opt for
a custom system consisting of compo-
nents from various manufacturers.
A typical setup for a comparison is
shown in Figure 4. The cost of these sys-
tems vary based on your desired accuracy.

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22 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021

2105PI_ValMaticValve 1 4/16/21 4:02 PM
Frequency
This information about verification
and calibration is great, but how often
should I perform either of these tests?
This is one of the more difficult ques-
tions to answer. It all depends on your
process and your confidence level in
the measurement.
There are several factors to consider:
• New plant or equipment commis-
sioning. Performed to verify man-
ufacturer test and performance
data. Shipping and installation
damage can occur or rarely a PRT
may be defective.
• Establish and record initial perfor-
mance as a baseline to show trends
for predictive maintenance. This
may be as simple as an IR and ice
point resistance check.
• Manufacturer recommendations.
• Process characteristics can have
a large influence on the long-term
repeatability and stability of the
PRT. High vibration and/or temper-
ature cycling will cause the PRT to
drift over time.
• Third-party audit requirement may
specify a minimum frequency.
• Safety. Overheated process may cause
a fire or explosion.
• After an event such as a lightning
strike or equipment repair.
• Before and/or after a critical mea-
surement or batch process. A batch
process for a high-value product
may require a calibration or veri-
fication before and after to ensure
that the sensor remained accurate
throughout the process.
Summary
Periodic calibration or verification of
performance is necessary to maintain
the measurement accuracy of your
process. Frequency is determined by
the process characteristics, product
value or safety concerns. Vibration,
mechanical shock, temperature cycling
or time near maximum temperature
may cause the PRT to drift slowly. A
simple verification test in an ice bath is
the best method to track performance
and set future recheck intervals. Com-
pleting five verification or calibration
cycles without a shift in performance
allows for doubling the time between
checks. Following these guidelines will
ensure accurate and repeatable output
from your PRTs and keep your process
in control.
Bill Bergquist is principal
applications engineer and
RTDologist at Burns Engineer-
ing with 37 years of experience
in temperature measurement with RTDs and
thermocouples in the aerospace, industrial
and laboratory markets.

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MAY 2021 | piprocessinstrumentation.com 23

 INSTRUMENTATION
Effective instrument commissioning
enables seamless project startups
Finishing a major project on time and on budget could potentially depend on
putting the best digital tools in the hands of highly skilled people. Here’s how.
By Ryan Williams, Endress+Hauser USA
ver the last several decades,
O process instrumentation
has become far more accu-
rate and versatile but can be
more complex to configure. As a case in
point, consider a basic process pressure
measurement:
• A mechanical gauge had a range, a
class and perhaps an accessory, but
that was it.
• Early electronic transmitters (1970s)
had half-a-dozen settings.
• Later electronic transmitters (1990s)
added more internal processing,
which meant more settings.
24 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021
Today’s transmitters are extremely pow-
erful with internal electronics to pro-
cess the basic reading, deliver additional
variables, perform internal diagnostics,
monitor other process conditions, self-
calibrate, retain historical performance
data, monitor power quality and more.
Most recently, the growth of IIoT capa-
bilities adds even more sophistication.
As an example, an Endress+Hauser
Proline Coriolis flowmeter can detect
a wide variety of process conditions be-
yond the normal set of variables (Table
1). Every type of transmitter cannot do
every function, but a full configuration
All images courtesy of Endress+Hauser
can often require verification of 100 or
more settings.
Multiply this by the hundreds and po-
tentially thousands of instruments and
smart devices involved in a process unit
upgrade, new process unit or a greenfield
facility, and it becomes clear why pro-
ducer companies doing such projects of-
ten hire a primary system provider (SP).
It also explains why SPs hire integration
specialist and partner with instrumen-
tation technicians to do advanced com-
missioning. With the right digital tools, it
is much easier and faster to do this de-
tailed work accurately and efficiently.

“Every type of transmitter cannot do every function,
but a full configuration can often require verification
of 100 or more settings.”
Table 1
Stages of a project
While a large-scale project can be laid
out in far finer divisions, for our pur-
poses, we will consider one of three
major sections:
• Plant design and engineering
• Installation and commissioning
• Operations and maintenance
It is the middle where problems can
develop because the design work has
to be realized in an actual installation
and made to operate correctly so the
plant can start up on time. The risk is
huge since a plant that is not running
when it should be is piling up extra
costs and not generating income — a
double penalty on profitability — and
fingers point to those doing the hands-
on implementation tasks.
The SP is usually responsible for
the automation and instrumentation
parts of the project. Its function, in
broad terms, is to oversee the actual
building contractors — fabricators,
pipe fitters, electricians, etc. — while
creating the software programs and
networks to support process auto-
mation. This means the PLC, DCS
or whatever type of host systems,
plus the various networks, HMIs, field
device I/O, instrumentation, loops
and so forth. There are typically mul-
tiple subcontractors performing all
these tasks, and the SP has to keep
everything moving and coordinated.
Figure 1: Commissioning instruments requires deep understanding of functionality and the practices of
multiple manufacturers.
There is also the need to keep every-
thing documented, as virtually every
act, no matter how trivial, from tighten-
ing bolts on a pipe flange to verifying a
control loop, has to be specified and re-
corded. Consider, a plant can easily have
several thousand loop folders. Yet, even
this far into the 21st century, for many
SPs and especially subcontractors, these
are still manual procedures recorded on
paper forms and entered into some man-
agement system after the fact.
This methodology takes a considerable
amount of time and is potentially error-
prone, and it makes it difficult to monitor
progress since it introduces significant lag
time. Fortunately, it is also unnecessary giv-
en the availability of sophisticated digital
tools designed specifically for this purpose.
Keeping the project on track requires
a small army of highly skilled people,
always in short supply, driving the need
for greater efficiency and productivity.
Fortunately, there are digital tools to
meet this challenge.
Instrumentation commissioning
— its own skill set
As mentioned earlier, commissioning
MAY 2021 | piprocessinstrumentation.com 25

“The software application aspects of the platform must be clear
and intuitive, so information is easy to find, while helping users
avoid typing errors.”
Figure 2: Endress+Hauser's Netilion platform combines digital services and system components for
life-cycle management, maintenance and support of instruments and analyzers.
instrumentation and other field devices
requires skills to understand the dozens
of settings that may be required for a full
configuration. The list includes primary
process instruments (pressure, flow, lev-
el, temperature), analyzers, valve actua-
tors and even motor controllers (Figure
1) from a variety of vendors. Moreover,
devices may communicate via analog,
fieldbus, wireless and Ethernet networks.
If not executed well, instrumenta-
tion commissioning can cause major
problems during startup and poor
plant reliability. Project managers
may press ahead with the startup only
to discover, one-by-one, that various
field devices and control loops are
not operating as intended, delaying
the project while the problem is fixed.
This typically happens under close
scrutiny from multiple managers, so
delays become conspicuous.
But an ef fective instrum enta-
tion commissioning team, equipped
26 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021
with the right digital tools, can elimi-
nate or at least mitigate project delays,
cost overruns, safety incidents and
poor-quality work. Startups can run
smoothly, ensuring the plant delivers its
value stream on time. Let’s look at how
this works.
Step-by-step process
To start, all the information related to
the project from the client and/or SP
must be consolidated and transferred
to a digital commissioning management
platform, such as Netilion (Figure 2). This
includes all the device lists, data sheets,
work instructions, drawings and other
documents supporting the scope of
work. This management platform serves
both the site commissioning managers
and the individual technicians.
For the manager, it is the mechanism
used to maintain real-time tracking of
overall progress and completed phases.
The right platform supports efficient
project planning with checklists, en-
ables collaboration and supports proj-
ect execution details.
For the technicians, it is the primary
and authoritative guide for work pro-
cesses and execution details. Since it is
digital, it is also dynamic. If a change
is handed down by the SP — for ex-
ample the range on PT-143 needs to be
changed from 0-100 psi to 0-130 psi —
the instruction can be changed instant-
ly if the task has not yet been done, or
it can instruct the technician to go back
and make the revision. Since the infor-
mation is updated constantly, there is
effectively no lag time.
The software application aspects of
the platform must be clear and intui-
tive, so information is easy to find, while
helping users avoid typing errors. As
soon as an order is completed, the tech-
nician updates it so there is no lag time.
The actual work in the field is where
training and skill are critical. It is one
thing to have a work order to commis-
sion a flowmeter, but doing it quickly,
efficiently and intelligently is another.
A technician has to interpret the in-
structions and determine how to set
many unspecified parameters based
on the function of the instrument in
the larger process context. Most of the
main parameters are spelled out in the
work order, but others may not be, and
the technician has to determine which
must be specifically configured versus
what can be left in the default setting.
In some cases, a seemingly simple
device may prove to be more complex
than anticipated. For example, a motor
drive may be considered very basic, but
its context may call for more sophisti-
cated thinking. Suppose it is running a
pump that is part of a loop and must
respond to the output of a flowmeter,
varying the speed of the pump to modu-
late flow. Considering a situation like
this, the technician can configure set-
tings to optimize performance. These
are captured as part of the device re-
cord in the commissioning manage-
ment platform so plant personnel will
understand the situation going forward.
Typical deliverables
The scope of the instrumentation
commissioning team’s responsibili-
ties varies by project requirements.
When a project is comprehensive,
the team will begin during the plan-
ning phase, helping set commission-
ing strategy and scheduling. This can
extend into final equipment selection
based on the P&ID and process infor-
mation. Throughout this phase, the
team will gather loop sheets, motor
schematics, spec sheets and check-
lists and move all these into the digi-
tal management platform.
Once on site, the commissioning
technicians must verify the work done
by the piping and electrical contractors.
Inspection confirms that the right de- Figure 3: Netilion maintains all the information related to a project and can extend into operation. It interfaces
vice has been installed, it matches spec- easily with conventional networks, or IIoT.
ifications and has been connected cor-
rectly before powering-up the device.
Once verified, the actual configura- If the situation calls for it, trainers can choice, it is possible to have a successful
tion takes place. This involves a variety also remain on site to work with client project with all critical deliverables pro-
of actions based on the type of device: operators and maintenance, using infor- vided, including:
• Bump motors to verify rotation mation stored in the digital platform. • Real-time visibility and insights
• Run valves through their full stroke into work progress, obstacles and
• Check instrument response to completion.
simulated process variables “Delivering documentation • Efficient project setup with auto-
• Confirm correct scaling at the HMI with the full, detailed history matic data sheets, tag lists and tem-
• Confirm VFD settings plates for effective work planning.
• Make final adjustments to of the project is an easy • Collaborative and dynamic digital
configurations task since everything has guides for work process execution.
• Intuitive and easy-to-use digital man-
It is also necessary to ensure each device
been gathered and kept in agement platform for all technicians
functions properly in its process context: a consistent format.” and supervisors.
• Verify interlocks
• Testing for batch phase, sequence This is a step that's able to make a critical
and logic difference when considering a project, to
• Monitor water or other runs Planning projects keep it on time, on budget and safe.
• Complete commissioning When planning a project, a company
has to decide how to approach the task Ryan Williams is the na-
Now the unit is ready for startup and and what outside help will be necessary. t i o n a l p r o d u c t m a n ag e r
final hand-over. At this point, the im- Few companies have the internal re- for Solutions and Ser vice
portance of the digital management sources to take on anything major, turn- at Endress+Hauser U S A .
platform, like Netilion, becomes es- ing instead to an engineering firm, SP, Williams graduated from Purdue Univer-
pecially clear (Figure 3). Delivering and partner specialists for project ser- sity in 2005 with a degree in electrical
documentation with the full, detailed vices. These firms may have their prefer- and computer engineering technology.
history of the project is an easy task ences of subcontractors, but the client He came to Endress+Hauser with more
since everything has been gathered company makes the ultimate selection. than 14 years of experience at Rock-
and kept in a consistent format, Commissioning services are too criti- well Automation and has been with
ready to transfer to the SP’s and cli- cal to accept the default choice without Endress+Hauser since 2018.
ent’s servers. exploring other options. With the right

MAY 2021 | piprocessinstrumentation.com 27

 LEVEL MEASUREMENT
Level measurement with time
domain reflectometry guided
radar offers advantages
TDR level instruments have several advantages over other non-contact
radar options, especially for tanks with a horizontal cylinder shape
and in environments with heavy steam or condensation.
By Gilles Knobloch, KROHNE Group
evel measurement of tanks
L and silos is a critical part of
the processing industries.
Of the many available level
measurement technologies, time do-
main reflectometry (TDR) guided radar
stands out for its accuracy, reliability and
safety. Now, new technology is available
with a powerful 2 gigahertz (GHz) signal
— the strongest signal for low dielectric
applications — and a variety of probe
options to meet application and pro-
cess-specific needs. The devices come
in compact and remote versions and are
equipped with new features that promise
even more accurate level measurement.
Ensuring level measurement
accuracy and reliability
Continuous measurement of level,
28 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021
distance, volume, mass or liquid-liq-
uid interface is critical for the process
industries. For maximum accuracy
and reliability, operators should take
several different measurements on
each tank — one continuous level
measurement, four switch points
(low, very low, high, very high), and
one local measurement of the level.
A variety of level measurement tech-
nologies are available, including TDR
guided radar, frequency-modulated
continuous wave (FMCW) radar, ultra-
sonic, displacer, potentiometric and hy-
drostatic pressure.
Selecting the right instrument is
based on the dielectric constant of the
headspace (Ɛr) and reflectivity of the
medium in the tank. TDR guided radar
is considered the best option for high-
ID 154347966 ©Andrey Muravin | Dreamstime.com
pressure/high-temperature applica-
tions, very low dielectric media, heavy
steam applications, and for measure-
ment of the interface between two liq-
uids. The Ɛr influences the reflectivity
of the electromagnetic pulse, and the Ɛr
is also frequency independent. Instal-
lation details are also critical elements
in selecting the right instrument. The
tank/silo design, nozzle dimensions
and process connection information
(size, pressure and temperature) are key
items to be considered.
With TDR, electromagnetic pulses
are emitted at the speed of light and
guided along a probe. Each pulse is re-
flected with an intensity that depends
on the dielectric constant of the prod-
uct. The distance is calculated by mea-
suring the transit time of the pulse, and
  Figure 1: TDR measurement principle.
All figures courtesy of KROHNE Inc.

with heavy steam or condensation.

When using a non-contact radar, a
horizontal cylinder can create a signal
disturbance because it multiplies reflec-
tions. When the liquid level is at low or
very high levels, the non-contact radar
signal can be disturbed by multiple re-
flections. Using guided radar avoids this
issue, because the signal always stays
along the line of the probe.
In applications with high levels of
steam or condensation, non-contact
radars using horn antenna can result
in signal noise issues, with the signal
transmitting slower and slower. By con-
trast, TDR guided wave radar is less
this distance is then converted into the use in measuring air, solids and liquid disturbed by steam — the signal stays
tank’s level. levels in tanks. strong from the process connection all
The TDR measurement principle was the way to the probe end. This option
originally developed in the 1990s for use Advantages of TDR provides the full energy of the signal
in cable testing. Companies used the level instruments from top to bottom of the tank.
method to troubleshoot signal break TDR level instruments have several ad-
issues with underground telephone, vantages over other non-contact radar Selecting the right TDR instrument
telecommunications and electricity options, especially for tanks with a hori- KROHNE offers a variety of TDR in-
cables. When a cable was broken, the zontal cylinder shape and in environments struments in its OPTIFLEX product
electromagnetic technique was used to
determine the breaking point. The dif-
ference in the time between emission
“When using a non-contact radar, a horizontal
and reception was shorter at the break, cylinder can create a signal disturbance because
enabling engineers to quickly find the
location of the broken cable. Using the
it multiplies reflections.”
formula in Figure 1, engineers could
pinpoint the location of the break to a
very specific distance from where they
generated the signal.
KROHNE was a pioneer in adapt-
ing this TDR measurement principal
for use in level measurement of tanks.
Engineers reasoned that if distance
could be measured by using a cable,
why not place the cable directly into
a tank to determine its level? The
company produced the market’s first
guided wave radar transmitter level
measurement device in 1996 and has
since expanded the technology for

 Figure 2: TDR guided wave radar has advantages

over non-contact radar for horizontal cylinder tanks.

MAY 2021 | piprocessinstrumentation.com 29


“TDR guided wave radar is less disturbed by steam —
the signal stays strong from the process connection
all the way to the probe end.”
 Figure 3: TDR guided wave radar is preferable to non-contact radar for steamy environments.
portfolio for level and interface measure-
ments (those that measure levels of in-
terface between two liquids in the tank).
Different models have been developed
for applications processing liquids with
hygienic requirements, solids from gran-
ulates to powders, liquids in storage and
process applications, and liquids at high
temperature and pressure.
Th e new models include a powerful
2 GHz signal for a more accurate level mea-
surement and smaller dead zones. They
also offer the strongest signal for low di-
electric applications. Loop power compact
(C) or remote (R) versions are available for
all models. Each model offers level or in-
terface measurement without additional
charge (except the OPTIFLEX 1100).
Ceramic process sealing (single or
dual for more safety features) is also
offered. A new multi-variable switch
output has been incorporated in the
housing, which reduces wiring costs by
providing information on level, interface,
dielectric, volume, diagnostics status
and SIL 2/3. Finally, the devices include
30 P.I. PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION | MAY 2021
a new interface reverse measurement
for measuring the interface in a vessel
containing two liquids. In most measure-
ments, the low dielectric is the upper liq-
uid, and the high dielectric is the lower
liquid. With the new reversed probe, us-
ers can measure the interface when the
upper liquid is the high dielectric and the
lower liquid is the low dielectric.
The instruments are available with
three different probe types. The most
common is a single probe (rod or cable).
Also available are twin probes (rods or
cables), which reduce the signal diam-
eter to minimize disturbances in a tank.
The third option is a coaxial probe, in
which a rod is protected by a tube to
ensure that the entire signal stays in-
side the tube. With a coaxial tube, no
obstacles located inside the tank ( for
example, a ladder, level switch or heat-
ing coils) will disturb the measurement.
Application examples
As noted, selecting the right instrument
must consider the dielectric constant
and reflectivity of the medium in the
tank as well as the tank/silo design, noz-
zle dimensions and process connection
information.
• For example, for level measurement
at a water purification system (skid),
the OPTIFLEX 1100 C was used with
Ø2 millimeter (mm) and 0.08-inch
single cable probes.
• For level measurement of pharma-
ceuticals mixed with pure water
stored in vertical cylinder tanks
with 4-foot agitators, the operators
selected an OPTIFLEX 3200 C with
stainless steel housing and a 0.32-
inch single rod probe.
• The OPTIFLEX 6200 C was selected
for level measurement of hydrated
lime (powder) at a desalinization
plant using vertical cylinder silos.
• At a waste treatment plant with a
6-foot vacuum tank holding clean-
ing water containing small amounts
of acids and suspended particles,
operators opted for an OPTIFLEX
7200 installed on stilling wells inside
the chambers.
• For level measurement of sugar con-
densate at a sugar refinery, an OP-
TIFLEX 7200 F (remote) with 4-foot
(1.2 m) probe was selected.
• A final example is level measure-
ment of softened water (alkaline)
in industrial boilers (LP), where the
OPTIFLEX 8200 C with single ce-
ramic process seal system and coax-
ial probe was selected for the 5-foot
(1.5 m) horizontal cylinder tank.
Signal strength and options for
wide range of applications
For continuous measurement of level,
distance, volume, mass or liquid-liquid
interface, new OPTIFLEX TDR technol-
ogy offers the signal strength and probe
options to meet a wide range of applica-
tion and process-specific needs.
Gilles Knobloch is the busi-
ness development manager at
KROHNE Group.
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