Sodium Analysis for Industrial Operations

Model 2111XP Sodium Analyzer
Courtesy Thermo Fisher

Sodium, because of its pervasiveness and reactivity with other materials, is often a concern in industrial processes. The production of demineralized water is a common application for sodium analysis, as well as monitoring of boiler feedwater, steam condensate, and many other process water streams.

Thermo Fisher's Orion™ brand line of sodium analyzers has been the preferred choice for industrial applications in the power, semiconductor, chemical, petrochemical, pulp and paper markets because of the products' unmatched reliability at analyzing sample streams. Some other applications within these industries include:

• Process Feedwater and make-up water
• Boiler feedwater
• Drum boilers
• Demineralized water
• Steam condensate
• Cation exchange breakthrough
• High acid sample analysis

I have included a data sheet for the Orion™ Model 2111XP Sodium Analyzer which provides illustrations, options, specifications, and a general overview of the benefits that come with the unit. More information is available from product specialists to provide solid solutions to your sodium analysis and other water quality monitoring challenges.

Sodium Analyzer for Industrial Applications from Classic Controls, Inc.

Level Measurement - Simple Accurate Bubbler Method

Instrument layout for level
measurement

Measuring liquid level in a tank or vessel can be accomplished in a number of ways, all of which require some arrangement of instrumentation to either infer the liquid level from the measurement of a related physical property, or directly deliver the liquid level visually using a scaled gauge arrangement. One indirect method of level measurement is often referred to as the bubbler method, so named because it employs a purging gas that continually vents from the bottom of a tube extending into a tank of liquid. Through a simple apparatus, the level of a liquid can be inferred by the amount a back pressure exerted upon the gas flowing through the tube.

Probably the greatest advantage of this method of liquid level measurement is that the liquid does not contact the sensing instrumentation. The only portion of the apparatus in contact with the liquid is a tube immersed into the tank. Basically, a purge gas flows through the immersion tube and may bubble out the immersed end of the tube, which is open to allow the contained liquid to exert a hydrostatic pressure on the purge gas. The back pressure on the gas that is exerted by the liquid contained within the tank will vary directly with the depth of the liquid. The back pressure can be correlated to a liquid level. The accuracy of the measurement is related to the proper regulation of the purge gas (explained in the application note below) and the measurement capability of the pressure transmitter. Once the depth of the liquid is derived, further calculations, employing tank shape, dimensions, and the liquid density can provide an indication of the volume and mass of the liquid. Here is an illustration of the setup, provided courtesy of Yokogawa, a recognized leader in flow and pressure measurement with a global presence. Included below, an application note from Yokogawa on applying rotameters to the setup, as well as data sheets for the instruments employed in the illustrated apparatus.

Share your level measurement challenges of all types with the application specialists at Classic Controls. Combining your process expertise with their product application knowledge will yield the best process measurement and control solutions.

Bubbler Method Liquid Level Measurement from Classic Controls, Inc.

Differential Pressure Transmitter From Yokogawa from Classic Controls, Inc.

Rotameter Variable Area Flowmeters from Classic Controls, Inc.

Selecting and Using the Right Temperature Sensor

Temperature measurement is an ubiquitous primary element of almost every fluid process control operation, as well as a host of other industrial applications. Selecting and properly applying a temperature sensing technology is key to effective process measurement. Of the two common technologies, RTD and thermocouple, each has advantages under a certain set of operating conditions, and it is useful to be familiar with the basics of how they work and how they should be applied.

Pyromation, a long standing manufacturer of temperature measurement devices for industrial and scientific applications, provides us with a useful white paper detailing thermocouple and RTD operation, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of each in application.

Read the white paper. Share your process temperature measurement challenges with a product specialist. Combining your knowledge of the application with their knowledge of the products will produce the best solution.

Selecting and Using the Right Temperature Sensor from Classic Controls, Inc.

Conductive Level Switches for Point Level Measurement

Multipoint Conductive Liquid Level Switch
Courtesy VEGA

Level switches utilizing the conductivity principle are applicable to liquids with sufficient conductivity to complete an electrical circuit. For detecting liquid level, probes of specific lengths are immersed into the subject tank, vessel, or pipeline. These probes, and in some cases a conductive tank wall, serve as contacts of an electric circuit. Multiple probes of differing lengths can be extended into a tank or pipeline and are monitored by a single controller. Each probe length extends to the level to be detected. As the vessel fills or empties, electrical conductivity between the tank wall (or the reference probe) and the level measurement probes will change due to the liquid media reducing or increasing the resistance of a conductive path between the monitored points. The established connections will be detected by the controller, which activates a relay providing an output signal.

Conductive level switches provide a simple, robust, and maintenance free solution to many level measurement challenges. Complete level measurement systems are available in numerous configurations to accommodate a wide range of application and installation details. Immersion probes are available in several materials to provide compatibility with appropriate liquid media. Share your level measurement and control challenges with process measurement specialists and get their input for the best solution for your application.

Conductive Level Switches for Industrial Process Control from Classic Controls, Inc.

New Product Integrates Burner Monitoring and Control - Video

Burner Pro - Burner Management Controller

While all industrial applications carry an array of safety concerns and requirements, combustion operations have the threatening combination of fuel and flame to accommodate. Even very small combustion apparatus can produce extremely dangerous conditions if improperly maintained or operated. The combustion process requires close control, monitoring, and automatic safety response to provide suitable operation.

Fireye, a manufacturer of state-of-the-art commercial and industrial flame safeguard controls, flame scanners and igniters, has introduced an addition to their burner management control systems. The new Burner Pro Flame Safeguard Control provides simplified operation for single point applications using integrated flame safeguard and boiler control operation.​

Fireye brand products are used in schools, factories, petrochemical plants, power utilities and other large buildings throughout the world. The video included below provides a quick description of how the Burner Pro works. You can find out more about how to apply the Burner Pro to its best use from a combustion specialist.

Selecting the Right Flow Meter Technology

Vortex Flow Meter
Courtesy Yokogawa Corp.

Magnetic Flow Meter
Courtesy Yokogawa Corp.

Many industrial process control operations require fluid flow measurement as an essential element in the process design. Accurate flow measurement can be obtained with the proper application and installation of a flow meter as part of the fluid transfer system.

Industrial flow meters employ differing technologies to directly or indirectly measure fluid flow rates. Among the many available technologies for fluid flow measurement, vortex flow meters, magnetic flow meters, Coriolis flow meters, and rotameter flow meters are among some of the most common found in industry.

Coriolis Flow Meter
Courtesy Yokogawa Corp.

Rotameter Flow Meters
Courtesy Yokogawa Corp.

Each of the separate technologies have attributes which can make them more suitable to certain applications. Selecting the most appropriate flow measurement technology for an application is one of the initial and crucial steps to designing a well functioning fluid measurement system.

Selection criteria, such as fluid temperature, pressure, and velocity will be part of the selection process. Additional considerations include whether the fluid may be abrasive, corrosive, clean or dirty. The state of the fluid, liquid or gas, must also be considered.

The table below provides quick general guidance on which technologies to consider, based upon the factors outlined above. This will help you better focus further product selection research efforts.

Flow Meter Technology Selection Table
Courtesy Yokogawa Corporation of America

Selecting the right device is not always an easy task, especially since it may be something that you do infrequently. Manufacturers often have knowledgeable local representatives that are experienced in this field and more than willing to contribute their expertise to your selection process.

Time Saving Process Instrumentation Selection Tool From Yokogawa

Yokogawa Corporation of America, an industry recognized source for innovative process measurement and control products, has made available an easy to use product selection tool for those navigating through the company's extensive product offering. The Product Finder is a great time saver that enables a user to quickly locate product and technical information on Yokogawa products that meet the user's selected criteria.

Let's step through a quick example. You will see how this quick and easy to use tool saves time by navigating quickly to the website pages detailing products meeting your requirements.

The Product Finder is accessible through a number of links throughout Yokogawa's network of representatives. Clicking the link lands you on the start page of the Product Finder. For this example, I am going to search for a flow meter with the following characteristics:

• Mass flow measurement 
• Non-conductive liquid
• Accuracy of 1%
• Flow measurement device must have an integral transmitter
• Tri-clamp connections

Above, I declared my location as United States. The next step, shown below, is to select "Flow" as the measurement parameter. You will see in the drop down menu that there are many measurement elements that can be selected, with Yokogawa products for each.

My selection of "Flow" returns a list of all the company's flow measurement devices, of which there are many (this cropped screenshot, shown below, only shows four, but there were many more) . This is where the selector really helps you. Instead of examining several or many different models, the user can focus the search by adding more product characteristics. You can see the list of prompting questions on the left side of the page. Answering these will narrow the search results to the show only the products meeting all the criteria specified by the user.

The next image (below) shows selections of all  my sample product attributes entered on the left column. Note that there is now only a single product that matches all of my sample criteria. The whole process took less than two minutes. By clicking on the "View More Details" button below the product image, I gain access to all of the available technical, support, and product data for my selected flow measurement device.

The process instrumentation specialists at Classic Controls are available to provide additional help in meeting your measurement challenges. Combine their product knowledge and expertise with your process know-how for the best solutions.