FEATURE FLOW & LEVEL CONTROL ECLIPSING OTHER GWR
The problematic issue of measuring a low dielectric constant at a polyolefin producer in Germany has been solved by the installation of GWR technology from Magnetrol. The Eclipse Model 706 replaces previous GWR transmitters from another supplier, which had consistently failed
O
ne of the largest polyolefin producers in Germany faced a complex interface
measurement challenge on a vessel containing a mixture of benzene and water. Benzene, an aromatic hydrocarbon that is an important constituent in gasoline, has a very low dielectric constant (low conductivity), which can be problematic for certain measurement technologies. The level technology used in this case
was a guided wave radar (GWR) transmitter mounted in a chamber on the side of the vessel. The chamber had the potential to fill completely and there was a tendency for the GWR to lose signal near the top of the probe due to the low amplitude signal produced by the benzene. Outside of a sight glass, the GWR was
the only level technology in the vessel. The existing GWR signal was being lost at different times of the day, including in the middle of the night, allowing zero remote visibility into the process and causing safety concerns due to potential overfill. Sometimes the signal was lost for hours and the only method of reacquiring signal
was to disconnect the power supply and restart. During these periods of lost signal, a technician needed to be sent out to the vessel, no matter the time of day or night, in order to physically view the sight glass. This occurred many times over an 18- month span, as the GWR manufacturer could not resolve their issues related to the top of probe impedance mismatch, adding substantially to the total cost of ownership of the device. Because of the failed GWR, the user
considered moving to a displacer transmitter due to the historical reliability of the technology. However, one last opportunity was given to GWR by installing the MAGNETROL Eclipse Model 706. The Model 706, with its specifically
designed impedance matched chamber probe, has been performing flawlessly. The impedance matching allows for level measurement up past the process connection (100% level point), providing overfill prevention and measurement in full chambers. It has eliminated maintenance and
ELECTRIC ACTUATORS CONTROL CRUDE OIL
More than 2,500 Rotork IQ3 electric actuators have been installed at a Chinese oil refinery and petrochemical complex. Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical Company, which refines oil and manufactures chemical products, ordered the actuators for the refinery which is in construction on the island of Zhoushan, near Shanghai. The actuators operate gate valves, ball valves and butterfly valves to control the flow of crude oil and
product oil at the plant. Zhejiang Petroleum & Chemical Company also purchased IB multi-turn bevel gearboxes which provide a
torque range up to 8,135 Nm (6,000 lbf.ft) and a thrust range up to 1,320 kN (296,750 lbf.ft). The company, which also offers oil storage and transportation services, says Rotork’s reputation for quality as well as the reliability and stability of the IQ3 were key in its decision to buy from the business. Rotork’s intelligent IQ3 electric multi-turn electric
actuator allows the user access to a wealth of data to maximise plant efficiency. Available in 1-phase, 3-phase and direct current variants, the IQ3 relays real-time information on an advanced dual stacked display which can be accessed even in the event of a power outage. The IQ3 provides a torque range from 10 to 3,000 Nm with a direct drive and up to 44,000 Nm when combined with an IS or IB gearbox. When complete the entire project will feature two
refineries capable of producing 400,000 barrels a day and two ethylene plants capable of producing up to 1.4 million tonnes a year. Rotork
12 DECEMBER/JANUARY 2019 | PROCESS & CONTROL
The Model 706 has eliminated maintenance and service time at the vessel
service time at the vessel and those inconvenient times when signal was lost. Supporting proof of reliability can also be provided through Safety Integrity Level (SIL) documentation, such as certificates and FMEDA reports. This extract is part of a Magnetrol series
on interface measurement based on the company’s new white paper.
Magnetrol
www.magnetrol.com
GO WITH THE LOW FLOW
The Atrato range of inline low flow flowmeters from Titan Enterprises use patented ultrasonic technology, which enables it to operate with accuracy over wide flow ranges (0.002 to 20 litres/minute). Its rugged, clean bore construction
makes the Atrato suitable for almost any low flow application, from research and development, to industrial processes and even metering of chemically challenging liquids. The ultrasonic sound waves
travelling down the Atrato flow tube are symmetrical, and as a result, any changes in a fluid’s velocity profile across the pipe diameter will be averaged out by the signal as it passes from the transmitter to the receiver. As a result, the Atrato performs well when metering low flows whether laminar or turbulent, and is also largely immune from viscosity. The range of flowmeters are said to offer excellent turndown (> 200:1), repeatability (+/- 0.5%), linearity and accuracy of better than +/- 1.0% of reading. Different models are available for measuring fluid flow from -10°C to +110°C and pressures up to 30 bar. A USB interface permits users to
www.rotork.com
directly monitor the rate and total on their PC while also altering some of the operating parameters. Titan Enterprises
www.flowmeters.co.uk
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