A Flow Meter (or flow sensor) is an instrument used to measure linear, nonlinear, mass or volumetric flow rate of a liquid or a gas. When choosing flowmeters, one should consider such intangible factors as familiarity of plant personnel, their experience with calibration and maintenance, spare parts availability, and mean time between failure history, etc., at the particular plant site. It is also recommended that the cost of the installation be computed only after taking these steps. One of the most common flow measurement mistakes is the reversal of this sequence: instead of selecting a sensor which will perform properly, an attempt is made to justify the use of a device because it is less expensive. Those "inexpensive" purchases can be the most costly installations. This page will help you better understand flow meters, but you can also speak to our application engineers at anytime if you have any special flow measurement challenges.
When left unmonitored, several of the gases emitted in research and industry can pose significant explosion, asphyxiation, or poisoning risks. The first line of defense against these invisible threats are Gas Detectors, but it can be challenging to understand which type of detector to employ for a specific application.
A wide range of gas detection hardware is available on the market, from portable single-gas detectors to fixed sensor arrays that can precisely monitor huge quantities of different gases at the same time (known as multi-gas or multi-component detectors).
Gas hazards can be generally categorized as either toxic, combustible, or asphyxiating (where the body is deprived of oxygen). Researching the possible gas hazards in a specific application is an integral part of ensuring the safety of personnel in wastewater treatment plants, petrochemical processing facilities, and a range of additional industries. After specific gas hazards have been determined in a particular environment and all potential measures have been put in place to reduce the risk of dangerous gas accumulation or gas leaks, companies must remain vigilant.
Both fixed and portable gas detectors are important life-saving devices that should be correctly used in any environment that may pose a gas risk.
A Pressure Transmitter is a mechanical device that measures the expansive force of a liquid or gaseous sample.
Also known as a pressure transducer, this type of sensor is typically composed of a pressure sensitive surface area made of steel, silicon, or other materials depending upon the analyte’s composition. Behind these surfaces are electronic components capable of converting the applied force of the sample upon the pressure sensor into an electrical signal.
Pressure is generally measured as a quantity of force per unit of surface area, and is expressed as the value required to stop a liquid, gas, or vapor from expanding. Various derived units are used to quantify pressure, including:
As a proportion of / relation to a pascal (Pa), or a single newton per square meter (1 N/m2);
A value of pounds per square inch (psi).
Pressure sensitive environments such as the gas, petrochemical, laboratory, and pharmaceutical industries often require pressure transmitters to monitor the applied force of liquids and gasses as a value of either Pa or psi. This necessitates the precise integration of pressure transmitters into rapid electrical conversion equipment, to ensure results are accurate and delivered in real-time.
A Flow Switch, like all switches, is a device designed to make and break an electric current in a circuit. In an industrial system, a flow switch is essential in monitoring and controlling the flow rate of process media – such as steam, liquids, and gases. Flow switches help maintain safe and manageable rates of flow by triggering actions in various machines within a system to provide on/off flow control of process media. As previously stated, flow switches are used to monitor and control the flow rate of fluid within an industrial process system. Automated industrial systems that process fluid media rely heavily on flow switches to ensure safe and optimal flow rates. Flow switches respond to pre-set flow rate levels and perform two functions when those levels are reached: namely, closing its contacts and turning a specific piece of equipment ON, or opening its contacts and turning a specific piece of equipment OFF.
