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PETROCHEMICAL, CHEMICAL & ENERGY INDUSTRY NEWS


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Why clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters will become necessary for refineries and petrochemical plants lines or applying for hot-work permits.


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Flow measurement has always been a compromise between precision, cost and practicality.


In the past, refineries and petrochemical plants had to choose between highly accurate in-line meters that required intrusive installation, or less precise systems that could be deployed without cutting into process lines.


Recent advances in ultrasonic technology have changed that balance.


Clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters now deliver a blend of accuracy, safety and flexibility that makes them one of the fastest-growing measurement technologies in the process industries.


The non-intrusive advantage


At its simplest, clamp-on ultrasonic flow monitoring uses a pair of externally mounted transducers to measure how long it takes sound waves to travel through the pipe wall and the moving fluid.


By comparing the difference in transit time between signals sent upstream and downstream, the meter calculates flow velocity and converts it to a volumetric rate.


Because the transducers are fixed to the outside of the pipe, the process fluid never comes into contact with the sensor.


No cutting, tapping or welding is required.


The result is a genuinely non-intrusive technology that can be installed in minutes, without interrupting operations, depressurising


This makes clamp-on systems particularly attractive for brownfield refineries and chemical plants where lines are difficult to access or cannot be taken out of service.


Utilities such as cooling water, condensate and steam return systems are common early adopters, but the technology is now spreading to product and feedstock lines, where it can verify or back up existing in-line meters.


Solving old problems in flow measurement


Traditional flow technologies—Coriolis, turbine, differential pressure and positive displacement— each have performance strengths but share the same operational drawbacks: they disrupt flow, introduce pressure losses, and often require invasive maintenance.


Installation can involve line shutdowns, cutting into high-pressure or hazardous systems, and extended commissioning.


Clamp-on ultrasonics remove those risks.


For operators, the difference is not marginal but structural: measurement points can now be added or relocated without production downtime.


For instrumentation teams, the absence of wetted parts eliminates corrosion, wear and contamination concerns. For safety managers, there is no need to break containment, reducing exposure risk and eliminating the cost of hot-work authorisation.


Refinery in Manilla Bay. Public domain. Accuracy closes the gap


Early clamp-on meters were valued for convenience but not precision.


They struggled with high-temperature service, variable pipe wall thicknesses and non-uniform velocity profiles.


In recent years, those technical weaknesses have been steadily resolved.


Multi-path designs, which use two or more acoustic paths to sample the velocity profile across the pipe, now deliver repeatability and linearity close to in-line instruments.


Advanced digital signal processors compensate for pipe attenuation, scale build-up and acoustic noise.


Some manufacturers claim liquid-phase accuracy of ±0.5 %—competitive with traditional in-line technologies for many applications.


New high-temperature couplants and wave- guide mounts extend operating limits to over 400 °C, allowing deployment on hot hydrocarbon or steam lines.


Automatic configuration software can determine pipe thickness, alignment and acoustic path length within minutes, reducing installation skill requirements


Read the rest of this story online: ilmt.co/TL/XWL3


Advanced furnace inspection technology from an industry expert Measurement and Testing


small, early-stage issues such as coke buildup or flame impingement that may have gone unnoticed with older technology. In an industry where early detection can mean the difference between a planned repair and a catastrophic failure, resolution matters.


Infrared thermography has become an indispensable tool in the petrochemical and refining industries, and Jason Czajkowski, IRT Thermography Manager at PROtect, is leading the charge in applying the latest technologies to improve safety, efficiency, and asset integrity.


A Level III #13966 certified Master Thermographer and CWI, Czajkowski and his team at PROtect are early adopters of FLIR’s newest furnace inspection tool: the FLIR G609. This article outlines why PROtect transitioned from the trusted GF309 to the advanced G609 and how this upgrade is transforming furnace inspections in high- heat industrial environments.


For years, the FLIR GF309 was the standard for IR furnace inspections, but it offered only 320 × 240-pixel resolution. Czajkowski recognised the limitations this presented specifically, lower image clarity and reduced ability to spot subtle temperature anomalies at a distance. The FLIR G609, with its 640 × 480 resolution, delivers over four times the pixel count, enabling inspectors to identify


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Beyond improved resolution, the G609 brings a suite of advanced features that modernise the inspection process. Its redesigned heat shield mounts with a single screw and provides superior protection during live furnace inspections. The intuitive 4-inch touchscreen interface allows for quick navigation, even with gloved hands. Czajkowski emphasises the value of the 1-Touch Level/Span feature, which automatically adjusts image contrast with a single tap. This allows inspectors to focus on capturing actionable data instead of fumbling with manual settings.


Additionally, the G609’s custom furnace lens is calibrated to capture clear thermal images through furnace flames and refractory, something legacy systems struggled with. According to Czajkowski: “It’s not just about seeing through the flame it’s about seeing what matters behind it.”


Pairing the G609 with FLIR’s Thermal Studio Pro software transforms the camera into a full inspection and reporting solution. PROtect leverages the Route Creator plug-in to plan inspections in advance, assigning inspection points and optimal paths. Once on site, the G609 guides inspectors through this pre- planned route, ensuring no critical component is missed.


Thermal Studio Pro streamlines post- inspection reporting by batch processing images and applying consistent templates. Reports that once took hours to compile can now be generated in minutes, improving turnaround times for clients.


“The software enables consistency and speed,” said Czajkowski. “We can now deliver high-quality reports faster than ever before,” he added.


Czajkowski notes that the G609 isn’t just an improvement in specs it represents a long-term investment in reliability. Its durable design, compatibility with evolving software platforms, and ease of use make it ideal for onboarding new technicians without sacrificing inspection quality. Real-world usage continues to validate its benefits; PROtect has already identified developing issues during inspections that older models would have missed.


The FLIR G609 has redefined what’s possible in IR furnace inspections. With Jason Czajkowski’s expertise guiding implementation at PROtect, the new technology delivers unparalleled image quality, user-friendly controls, and efficient software integration. As the refining and petrochemical industries demand ever-higher standards of safety and uptime, PROtect’s forward-thinking approach ensures its clients stay ahead of the curve.


More information online: ilmt.co/PL/A8ej 66155pr@reply-direct.com


Portable Heat Exchanger


Simplified cleaning enhances heat exchanger efficiency


Maintaining heat exchangers is vital to system efficiency. Sludge, slime, and scale work against heat exchangers, driving up costs and damaging crucial system components.


Goodway Technologies has pioneered a range of heat exchanger cleaning systems over nearly six decades. From advanced rotary tube cleaning systems to projectile guns, descaler pumping systems, and ScaleBreak®


chemical descaling


products, the company offers solutions for virtually any heat exchanger cleaning need.


From chillers and boilers to shell and tube heat exchangers, plate and frame, and everything inbetween. To discuss specific needs, contact a Goodway expert.


Power meets portability in this must-have machine for cleaning large-volume tube bundles. The latest update to the RAM-5 delivers even faster and easier tube cleaning with the introduction of the Reverse Stop Assembly Speed-Feed gun. This updated gun combines speed-feed technology, which fires the shaft quickly into the tube at the pull of a trigger, with the new Reverse Stop Assembly that automatically detects when the brush is retracted from the tube and stops it in the optimal position.


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