Selecting the right flowmeter
- Fisher-Rosemount, Eden Prairie, MN (United States). Rosemount Measurement Div.
The miles of piping found in chemical process and utility areas are visible evidence of the importance of moving fluids safely and efficiently in the ongoing quest to improve unit operations. The measurement and control of fluid flow offers often-unrecognized opportunities for improvement, not just in process control, but in the utilization of total plant assets. Potential benefits include improved quality, throughput and uptime, and reduced costs. Innovations in flowmeter technology, driven by the recent shift from analog to microprocessor-based digital circuitry, have dramatically increased the quantity and value of the data provided by flowmeters. The ability to use this information for control purposes will be further facilitated by the advent of the Fieldbus protocol, which will allow instruments to communicate directly with each other, permitting true decentralized, digital control. This article offers an evaluation process to help you narrow down your options. First, the author identifies the many factors affecting the selection of flowmeters for different types of service, then they review various concepts of flow measurement and many of the factors that influence fluid flow. Several of the most common technologies, including the newest developments, will be discussed along with their advantages and limitations. Finally, they look at how the communication and computing advances taking place in field devices will impact the ability to manage plant assets for the continuous improvement of quality, uptime, throughput, safety and return-on-investment.
- OSTI ID:
- 260816
- Journal Information:
- Chemical Engineering, Vol. 103, Issue 5; Other Information: PBD: May 1996
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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