Many process plants have difficulty finding ideal installation points for flow-measurement devices due to requirements for long length of inlet run and undisturbed flows. The Prosonic Flow P 500 (photo) addresses these and other issues with its FlowDC function. The device requires only minimal straight inlet runs and it can be installed directly onto the exterior of the pipe, so there is no need to interrupt operations. The Prosonic Flow P 500 can be installed in nearly any location, independent of the pipeline design. Prosonic Flow P 500 provides measurement for a wide variety of fluids, such as chemicals, liquid hydrocarbons, solvents, acids, bases, water and many others. It can be mounted on a wide variety of pipeline types and materials: on metal pipes made of steel or cast iron; plastic pipes; glass-reinforced plastic pipes; and pipes made of composite materials — all with or without lining. A special, maintenance-free contact foil (coupling pad) provides optimal sound transmission between the sensor surface and the pipe. — Endress+Hauser, Greenwood, Ind.