New vortex flow meter for advanced energy measurement

KROHNE has released a new vortex flowmeter, OPTISWIRL 4200, for the measurement of conducting and non-conducting liquids, gases and steam. The new device is targeted at auxiliary and supply applications in various industries, such as internal monitoring of energy flows for saturated and superheated steam or hot water, and heat metering applications. Areas of usage also cover steam boiler monitoring, burner consumption measurement or compressed air network monitoring, including FAD applications.

Based on experience gained with the predecessor OPTISWIRL 4070, the new flowmeter comes with some advanced features: in addition to gross heat calculation for steam, the OPTISWIRL 4200 now includes net heat calculation for steam and condensate as well. With one temperature sensor integrated as standard, the device can be installed as a heat meter in the feed line directly connected with an external temperature sensor in the return line. The gross and net heat calculation can be fed into a DCS to support advanced energy management.

Temperature and pressure compensation options are also available for the new OPTISWIRL 4200 to enable calculation of standard flow volume under fluctuating pressures and temperatures (online density compensation). Both compensation functions are based on the standards of NIST (for gas) and IAPWS (for steam). Another advantage is that by combining three measurements (flow, temperature, and pressure) in one two wire device, the line has to be opened only once for installation.

In addition to the standard sensor range, a version with integrated reduction of nominal diameter up to two sizes is now available for space saving installations and large measurement spans. Approximately 90% of all vortex flowmeters are ordered one size smaller than line diameter in order to increase the flow speed and to get a wider measuring range. Here, the line has to be reduced before and widened after the sensor, typically including 20 DN inlet and 5 DN outlet. With the reduction and widening of nominal diameter included in the senor, this is no longer necessary. To compensate for no straight inlet between reduction and the virtex bluff body, these devices are specially calibrated and linearised.

Enhancements have also been made on the electronics side: equipped with a new advanced vortex frequency detection function, the newly developed signal converter VFC 200 of the OPTISWIRL 4200 features advanced signal processing and filtering: interferences and disturbances in the pick up signal are suppressed, and signals apart from the relevant frequency band are filtered out. Redundant data management prevents loss of calibration and configuration data when changing electronics or display.

Adapted from a press release by Emma McAleavey.

Read the article online at: https://www.hydrocarbonengineering.com/product-news/03102014/krohne-vortex-flowmeter-133/