Diagnostics, self-monitoring and digital communication detect flowmeter issues, provide insight
Accurate flow measurement is the backbone of chemical process optimization. Today’s flowmeters are being enhanced with smart technologies and other advances designed to overcome flow monitoring challenges in the chemical process industries (CPI), so processors can achieve significant improvements in cost efficiency, product quality, environmental compliance and safety.
Optimize with flow measurement
According to Don Fregelette, vice president of sales, chemical industry, for Emerson (St. Louis, Mo.; www.emerson.com), modern flow-measurement advancements allow chemical processors to handle the following tasks:
• Improve product quality: Multivariable flow devices monitor both flow and concentration, ensuring batch consistency and quality control throughout production
• Close energy and mass balance gaps: Reliable flow data are critical for tracking losses and performing accurate energy balances
• Simplify product transfers: Advanced flowmeters can directly measure mass flow, compensating for temperature and density variations to provide accurate and repeatable measurements that comply with industry standards, simplifying custody transfer and eliminating delays associated with tank gauging or scales
• Control combustion: Using the appropriate flow device for fuel and air measurement enables tighter air-to-fuel ratio control in real time, reducing emissions and energy intensity, while improving safety
• Measure emissions and flare: Ultrasonic meters, equipped with density profiling and flow-adjustment capabilities, have become the preferred solution for flare gas measurement
Specifying the right technology
However, selection of the right flow measurement instrument is key to optimizing processes, says Mason Flannery, product marketing manager for flow products, with Endress+Hauser (Greenwood, Ind.; us.endress.com). “You can’t control what you don’t measure, so if the goal is to optimize operations, reduce waste or improve product quality, there are measurements you must know, and selecting the proper instrument for the application is essential,” he says.
“First, it must reliably work in the application and fall in line with the cost-benefit of applying that technology,” he explains. “Keep in mind that a lot of instruments work great in clean fluids and stable conditions, but in a process with pressure changes, temperature swings or mixing of components, a lot of technologies may underperform, provide inaccurate measurements or become damaged. Additionally, the maintenance and validation requirements must be a fit with the process design. Balancing all of that to find the right flow-measurement device can be a significant challenge.”
Sven Goebel, head of the global industry division for chemicals at KROHNE (Duisburg, Germany; krohne.com), agrees, and suggests that selecting an instrument vendor with multiple technologies can help you identify the right solution for your specific flow application. “However, they’ll need to know as much as possible about the flow conditions to ensure the right technology fit. Having a flowrate and a pipe diameter is not enough unless it’s a simple water measurement. Knowing the fluid details and the flow conditions will determine the best solution for the application.”
Smart technology enhancements
“There will always be challenges with flow measurement in chemical applications, but if you can understand from your flowmeter what is going on inside the pipe and how that impacts the measurement it is giving you and whether you can trust it, that provides real benefits,” says Endress+Hauser’s Flannery.
“And the way to do that? Diagnostics, diagnostics, diagnostics,” he says. “Diagnostics provide reliable insight about what’s going on with your instrument, so when you do have challenges, you know you have accurate data that can be used to make a decision on how to move forward.”
Endress+Hauser’s Proline Promag electromagnetic flowmeter, which offers build-up detection, is a prime example of how the addition of smart technologies is helping processors optimize operations. “If the process is prone to build-up and the flowmeter has to be cleaned at regular intervals, traditionally you either waited until the measurement failed and provided inaccurate measurements and then sent someone to clean it, or you cleaned it on a scheduled basis, which resulted in over- or under-cleaning the device,” he explains. “But having an instrument like the Proline Promag that can provide insight regarding how much build-up there is in the line facilitates the move from reactive or scheduled maintenance to proactive maintenance, which saves time and improves product quality and consistency.”
Mohamed Tajjiou, global chemical manager for business line instrumentation at ABB’s measurement and analytics division (Zurich, Switzerland; abb.com), agrees that smart technologies bring many advantages. “When flow measurement devices are equipped with diagnostics, self-monitoring and digital communication capabilities, it not only enhances reliability and supports predictive maintenance, but also helps operators detect issues such as fouling, vibration interference or air entrainment before they lead to failure.
“When integrated with asset management systems, flowmeters become proactive tools for sustaining uptime and reducing maintenance intervention,” Tajjiou continues. “Traditionally, instruments fed into a system and decisions were made at the top, but the industry is moving toward decentralization, where decisions happen at the field level. This shift is driven by advances in computing power. For example, ABB’s flowmeters compute power is very high. They can do a lot of things and generate powerful insight.
“The real enabler, however, is connectivity. Without Ethernet-APL (advanced physical layer), tapping into this intelligence is difficult. With Ethernet-APL, simply powering your field devices gives direct access to insights that inform decision and diagnostics, transforming raw data into meaningful outcomes.”
ABB flowmeters, including the new Swirl FSS400 flowmeter, incorporate these advanced diagnostic tools to enable condition monitoring for devices. Built-in self-diagnostics continuously verify signal quality, check for sensor obstruction and provide early warnings in case of vibration or flow profile disturbances. “The Swirl FSS400 offers simplified connectivity and high-speed collection and analysis of process and diagnostic data thanks to Ethernet-APL integration,” he says. “This opens new possibilities for operators to make operational decisions and carry out predictive maintenance based on real-time data, significantly reducing potential errors and downtime.”
Innovations for CPI challenges
As these technologies continue to advance, they allow instrument providers to update their flow measurement devices so processors can better manage common CPI challenges, such as complex flows and demanding environments.
For example, KROHNE’s Entrained Gas Management (EGM) technology was developed for the OPTIMASS Coriolis mass flowmeter product line (Figure 1) to handle air or gas entrainments in a liquid. “Its built-in control algorithms allow these complex flowmeters to maintain operation over the full range of gas fractions and complex flow conditions, even during a complete transition from a pure liquid phase to a gas phase,” explains Goebel.
FIGURE 1. KROHNE’s Entrained Gas Management (EGM) was developed for the OPTIMASS Coriolis mass flowmeter product line to handle air or gas entrainments in a liquid.
“Where traditional Coriolis mass flowmeters would stall, EGM delivers uninterrupted operation in situations like plant startups or shutdowns or empty-fill-empty applications,” he continues. “These may be situations where gas is entrained in the liquid phase that changes its density. Furthermore, immediate detection and indication of an unexpected two-phase flow or air-gas entrainment conditions provide an unprecedented level of process diagnostics, minimizing downtime, extending the life of process equipment and improving product quality and consistency.”
And, for processes with changing fluid properties, Yokogawa’s ROTAMASS TI Coriolis flowmeter with Total Insight technology (Figure 2), which provides diagnostic and verification tools and can include a microSD card for datalogging and parameter storage, measures mass flow directly, instead of just volumetric flow. “By doing so, it simultaneously delivers real-time measurements of mass flow, fluid density, temperature, volumetric flow (at operating or reference conditions) and concentration (for suitable mixtures),” says Chris Costlow, field instruments product marketing manager with Yokogawa (Tokyo, Japan; www.yokogawa.com).
FIGURE 2. Yokogawa’s ROTAMASS TI Coriolis flowmeter with Total Insight technology, which provides diagnostic and verification tools and can include a microSD card for datalogging and parameter storage, measures mass flow directly, instead of just volumetric flow
“This multi-parameter output means users don’t need separate sensors for density or temperature. For processes with changing properties, such as density or temperature variations, this translates into consistent, reliable data and better control over mixing, dosing, batching and other flow-sensitive operations,” says Costlow.
In processes where fouling, coating, erosion and wear related to harsh chemical environments affect the accuracy of flow measurements, Tony Lopez, European sales manager with Badger Meter (Neuffen, Germany; www.badgermeter.com), says today’s clamp-on ultrasonic technologies provide an effective alternative. “They minimize contamination risk and offer stable accuracy even in demanding conditions,” Lopez explains.
“At the same time, smart diagnostics and IoT-connected platforms support predictive maintenance and remote oversight, helping plants avoid unplanned outages and improving workforce efficiency,” he says. “Looking forward, AI [artificial intelligence] and machine-learning capabilities are opening new possibilities in signal processing. These tools can stabilize noisy flow conditions, improve the reliability of batching and dosing operations and mitigate issues, such as hydraulic hammer by analyzing raw meter data and enabling smarter control responses.”
Badger Meter’s Dynasonics TFX-5000 ultrasonic clamp-on meter (Figure 3) exemplifies these advancements. It can be installed without pipe cutting, making it ideal for corrosive, abrasive or high-purity applications. And when paired with the SoloCUE device manager, users can gain simplified configuration, diagnostics and verification of workflows, reducing maintenance efforts and improving transparency and traceability.
FIGURE 3. Badger Meter’s Dynasonics TFX-5000 ultrasonic clamp-on meter installs without pipe cutting, making it ideal for corrosive, abrasive or high-purity applications
Another common flow-measurement challenge is achieving reliable measurements in space-constrained installations, says Emerson’s Fregelette. Emerson’s Micro Motion G-Series Coriolis meter (Figure 4) offers a solution for processors seeking to optimize operations and overcome reliability challenges.
FIGURE 4. Emerson’s Micro Motion G-Series Coriolis meter offers a compact design and minimal straight-run requirements, making it suitable for space-constrained installations, while still delivering accurate mass flow and density measurement for liquids and gases
“Its compact design and minimal straight-run requirements make it ideal for space-constrained installations, while still delivering highly accurate mass flow and density measurement for liquids and gases, which is critical for precise batching, blending and custody transfer,” he explains. “Built-in Smart Meter Verification and advanced diagnostics enable on-demand performance checks without removing the meter from service, reducing downtime and maintenance costs.”
Another example of a device designed for constricted spaces is Armstrong International’s VERIS Accelabar, (Figure 5) which is suitable for processors working in tight piping spaces with variable loads and shifting temperatures and pressures. “This flowmeter combines two differential pressure technologies to produce operating ranges never before attainable in a single flowmeter,” says Jon Zoppa, global sales director, VERIS flow measurement group, with Armstrong International (Three Rivers, Mich.; www.armstronginternational.com).
FIGURE 5. Armstrong International’s VERIS Accelabar is suitable for processors working in tight piping spaces with variable loads and shifting temperatures and pressures
The Accelabar consists of a toroidal nozzle design and a Verabar averaging pitot in the throat. The nozzle has a straight run “settling distance” that accelerates, linearizes and stabilizes the velocity profile sensed by the Verabar, which is located within the nozzle to accurately measure and increase the differential pressure output to increase the operating range (turndown). The Accelabar offers a constant flow coefficient and produces an accuracy of up to±0.50 out of the box.
“This means the meter can be installed in extremely limited piping configurations as the necessary straight run and flow conditioning are integral to its design due to the unique toroidal nozzle,” Zoppa says. “This eliminates the need for extensive upstream or downstream pipe lengths, which are typically required for accurate measurement with other flowmeters.
“And, the Accelabar is capable of measuring flowrates across a wide operating range with turndown ratios tested up to 65:1 in some applications,” Zoppa continues. “This rangeability allows it to measure both very low and very high flow conditions accurately within a single device.”
Flowmeters for energy transition
Advances in flowmeter technologies also lend themselves to energy transition initiatives.
“The industrial sector is undergoing a transformative shift driven by decarbonization mandates and evolving regulatory pressures and the broader goals of the energy transition,” says ABB’s Tajjiou. “Accurate flow measurement underpins energy optimization and emissions reports, while inaccurate readings can mask inefficiencies and undermine decarbonization strategies.”
Also central to this shift is the increasing use of hydrogen as a chemical feedstock and as a low-carbon energy carrier. “ABB provides thermal mass-flow measurement technologies tailored to hydrogen applications,” he continues. “For clean, dry hydrogen gas, especially at low pressure conditions, ABB thermal mass flowmeters offer direct mass flow measurement without requiring additional temperature or pressure compensation. This is used for monitoring low-density gases, as thermal mass technology is highly sensitive and does not impose a significant pressure drop.”
Dietrich Wins, product portfolio manager with Siemens (Munich, Germany; siemens.com), says hydrogen presents unique measurement challenges, so Siemens offers various H 2 -ready measurement instruments for hydrogen applications. “For example, the SITRANS FS230 ultrasonic clamp-on flowmeter was already successfully tested with up to 100% hydrogen gas flow measurement on third-party test rigs. The instrument is well suited to existing and future hydrocarbon pipelines,” says Wins.
“And, SITRANS FC Coriolis flowmeters are available for highly precise hydrogen measurements and can measure mass flow, as well as other parameters like density and temperature in the same device,” he explains.
KROHNE has also developed solutions for processes related to the energy transition. “For example, across the hydrogen value chain, the ALTOSONIC V12 ultrasonic flowmeter is available with customized ultrasonic transducer technology to provide a robust and reliable option that is resistant to hydrogen embrittlement, even at elevated temperatures,” says Goebel. “This makes it ideal for high-performance hydrogen custody-transfer applications.
“The current energy transition is like those we have experienced in previous industrial eras: If there is a process, then it needs to be controlled. If it needs to be controlled, it first needs to be measured,” says Goebel.
Fortunately, flow-measurement technologies continue to advance, so processors can be well positioned to keep up with both current transitions and those in the future and future.
Joy LePree