TOM MICHALOWSKI | Panametrics
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When someone thinks of steam, heating and cleaning are the most common applications. Heating could take the form of warming a house or building to being a part of a large district heating system in which steam consumption is a significant concern due to billing and energy rebates. For cleaning, steam is consumed for sterilization or deep cleaning in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage and other industries.
In the chemical and petrochemical industry, steam is commonly used for heat exchanging and as a reactant for steam cracking. Heat exchangers use steam to transfer energy to increase or maintain the optimal temperature of another fluid. In steam cracking, steam is introduced with a feedstock and sent to a cracking furnace to break the feedstock molecules into more valuable components. With these process steam flow measurements, it is critical to optimize performance and not waste energy or money from the generation of steam.
Unfortunately, measuring steam flow is not easy. Steam has the challenge of operating at high temperatures and across a wide pressure range, from close to ambient pressures to significant high pressures, based on final use cases and requiring little pressure drop to not waste energy. Steam users also desire a relatively high turndown or flow measurement range to understand energy usage during peak and low demand needs.
When it comes to measuring steam, ultrasonic technology may provide advantages over traditional technologies. For example, ultrasonic flow meters are known to have a high turndown ratio, which means users can measure steam during seasons when consumption is typically low. A single ultrasonic flow meter can cover a wide range of flows, providing users with additional savings. Using a single ultrasonic flow meter to cover the full range results in lower capital and installation costs.
In addition to a high turndown, ultrasonic meters provide no pressure drop. When measuring steam flow rate, pressure drop caused by orifice or vortex shedding meters robs energy from the steam, reducing the amount of power and heat delivered to the user. However, using a flow meter with two ultrasonic transducers that do not protrude into the flow stream is more effective as transducer installation causes no pressure drop and reduces steam generation costs.
Ultrasonic meters minimize the long-term cost of ownership. They have no moving parts to wear out or collect debris and require no regular maintenance or calibration. Titanium transducers are not affected by erosion from condensate droplets and will not fail due to thermal expansion cycles. Considerable costs are involved in maintaining, retesting and recalibrating other traditional flow technologies. As end users are increasingly looking to technology to optimize operations and reduce cost, these are the ultrasonic solution has risen in popularity.
Compact ultrasonic transducers are either installed in a flow cell (spool piece) or directly in the steam pipe, one upstream of the other with mounting nozzles. Transit-time ultrasonic flow meters take advantage of a simple principle called &#;time of flight,&#; as illustrated in Image 1.
Specifically, the time it takes for an ultrasonic signal to travel against the flow (i.e., upstream), tup, is longer than that it takes following the flow (i.e., downstream), tdn. The difference between upstream and downstream traveling times, Δt, is directly proportional to the flow velocity as seen in Equation 1.
Equation 1
Where V is the flow velocity to be measured, P is the ultrasonic path length, and Θ is the acute angle between the ultrasonic path and the axis of the flow cell or pipe section. In Equation 2, volumetric flow, Q, is then calculated by multiplying the velocity of the fluid, V, by the cross-sectional area of the conduit, A, and a meter factor, K, which depends on the interrogation path and the flow profile.
Q =K x V x A
Equation 2
In Equation 3, mass flow, M, is further derived through the density of the fluid, ρ.
M =ρ x K x V x A
Equation 3
In the case of steam, steam density, ρ, can be readily computed using a steam table if temperature, pressure and steam quality are known. Equation 1 shows that the operation of an ultrasonic flow meter strongly depends on the timing of tup, tdn, and the dimensional measurement of path length P and angle 0. In addition, it is shown that flow velocity measurement is independent of the medium flowing inside the pipe.
The transducers send and receive ultrasonic pulses through the steam. The meter measures the difference between the upstream and downstream transit times and uses digital signal processing to calculate velocity and volumetric flow rate. The mass flow is then calculated from temperature and pressure inputs and built-in steam tables.
Steam flow measurements will continue to be critical in chemical and petrochemical industries as users continue to minimize energy costs and optimize process performance. Ultrasonic flow meters will remain a measurement of choice due to their accuracy, reliability, wide range, no pressure drop and no regular maintenance.
By Emily Newton
Flow measurement sensors are essential parts of water treatment plants. It&#;s increasingly common for those products to have Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity. One industry report indicated the intelligent flow meter market will reach $3.1 billion in market worth by , representing a 4.4% compound annual growth rate between and .1
The flow sensors in this category are more expensive than those without IoT connectivity. Many decision-makers in the water treatment space deem them well worth the cost. However, leaders who don&#;t yet have firsthand experience with how these products work may feel reluctant to invest in them. Similarly, someone without purchasing authority may need to convince higher-ups to expand the budget and accommodate these sensors.
People must give numerous compelling arguments to strengthen their case. Here are some of the points they may bring up during those discussions.
1. Increased Flow Measurement Accuracy
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One of the most common reasons for leaders in the water treatment sector to choose smart flow meter technology is because it will give them more reliable statistics about operations. They can then use the associated data to see if anything&#;s amiss and feel more confident about their choices after analyzing the information.
The Wastewater Treatment Resource Recovery Facility (WWTRRF) in Pendleton, Oregon, treats approximately 2.5 million gallons of water daily while serving 17,000 people.2 Leaders there realized improved measurement capabilities would lead to numerous operational advantages and decided to install electromagnetic flow meters at the facility.
They liked how the chosen model took accurate measurements regardless of the mounting location. That&#;s crucial, particularly since many pipes at water treatment facilities feature tight bends, short runs, and other challenges.
Before implementing the flow meters, the facility&#;s employees could only make estimates. Now, they get real-time data, aiding decision-making and saving time. Besides collecting information in the moment, the sensors can compile it and show what happened over 24 hours.
That makes it easier for the facility&#;s technicians to spot and fix problems such as leaks or open valves. The estimate-based system caused them to lose thousands of gallons of water before noticing the problem. They now get alerts sooner, which accelerates the detection and resolution of the issue.
2. Improved Disinfection
People working at wastewater treatment plants directly maintain human health by managing the challenges associated with water contamination. Statistics indicate that viral pathogens cause more than half of all waterborne illnesses.3 Connected flow measurement sensors help control those risks by ensuring people use the right amounts of disinfecting agents to support water safety and meet regulatory requirements.
Smart flow meters allow using a similar approach to effectively control bacteria. Legionella management requires using chemicals, copper, and silver to kill it. A faster flow rate means it&#;s necessary to add more of those substances to get the desired results.
Flow meter deployment also happens when people monitor chlorine levels at wastewater treatment plants. These products strike a balance between water safety and an appealing taste.4 Using the right amount keeps consumers from contracting potentially deadly illnesses from waterborne pathogens. However, too much chlorine gives the water a distinctive taste and smell many people dislike. Leaders commonly choose thermal mass sensors for this wastewater treatment application.
People often use connected flow meters along with other smart technologies that keep operations running smoothly and economically. Statistics indicate people can save 8% to 12% over preventive maintenance costs by switching to predictive solutions that use the IoT.5 Water treatment executives can then avoid catastrophic failures that could risk human health.
Consider how two cases of pipe breakage in Finland sickened hundreds of people when that issue caused wastewater to enter the distribution system.6 In both instances, it took employees days to notice the problem. However, many people affected by the contamination started showing symptoms the day after drinking the dirty water. IoT sensors can typically collect real-time data and send it to the cloud, significantly reducing the detection time frame.
3. Enhanced Sustainability
Water is a precious resource, and flow measurement technology helps ensure there&#;s as much as possible available. Statistics suggest industrial water facilities lose more than half of their fluid because of problems such as leaks.7 However, flow measurement sensors can reduce that figure by highlighting unusual instances of water loss. Looking at how flow rates change during specific periods gives people the knowledge they need to act quickly to stop further waste.
Many plant managers also use ultrasonic flow meters to measure the amount of clean surface water produced by a facility daily or within any other time frame.8 That makes it easier to pinpoint operational problems that could negatively impact sustainability.
However, flow meter readings change for reasons beyond what happens in a plant. Illegal distribution line connections can also cause them. Even so, catching and remedying such issues supports a plant&#;s overall sustainability by providing better visibility against unlawful resource usage.
Some wastewater treatment managers also use smart sensors to detect sewage overflow events contaminating local waterways and putting nearby wildlife at risk. The UK has more than 500,000 kilometers of underground wastewater network infrastructure.9 It&#;s understandable why many current measures of tackling sewage overflow events there are costly and time-consuming. However, deploying artificial intelligence-based sensors may significantly reduce network overwhelm issues that cause spillage.
Considerations Before Choosing A Smart Flow Measurement Solution
These examples show why it often makes good business sense for water treatment plants to use IoT flow measurement solutions. However, evidence of success in these cases does not guarantee similar results in all circumstances.
Decision-makers must consider several things before committing to new flow measurement solutions in their industrial facilities. What&#;s the organization&#;s budget? Which specific goals do leaders hope to achieve with the technology? Have the selected tech providers previously deployed solutions for other clients in the wastewater treatment sector?
It will take more time after installation for the responsible parties to tweak the setup for optimal performance. It&#;s also necessary to figure out how and when people will get alerts. Receiving real-time data about problems allows for the most proactive approach. However, confusion and alert fatigue could result if too many employees simultaneously receive notifications, hindering productivity.
One possibility is to have department managers initially get prompts to investigate issues. They can then distribute the necessary information to others to get help as required.
Thinking things through carefully sets expectations for using smart flow meters in a facility. Fully understanding the benefits can also help people feel more confident about tech implementation, whether relying on connected flow meters for the first time or expanding their existing usage.
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Emily Newton is an industrial journalist. She regularly covers stories for the utilities and energy sectors. Emily is also editor-in-chief of Revolutionized (revolutionized.com).