Non-invasive Burst Detection
January 1st 2006

Lucite International (LI), supplier of Methyl Methacrylate is using pressure management systems from Elfab to safeguard production processes at its Billingham site in stockton-on-Tees.

When LI wanted to recommission an old section of its plant, it became aware of the need to update the autoclave's pressure-relief device. This relied on a traditional type of detector, activated by fluid flow following an overpressure event.

To avoid spurious alarms, Elfab supplied an Opti-gard reverse-acting bursting disc assembly with integral Flo- Tel sensor. Integral Flo-Tel is an ATEX-approved, noninvasive burst detection system, based on magnetic field-sensing.

Barry Johnson, engineering surveyor at LI, says "The best thing about the Opti-Gard system is that you can check the operation of the sensor without interrupting your process. "The Integral Flo- Tel detector can be replaced and tested without removing the bursting disc unit; there is no potential for damage during installation nor spurious alarms to cause unnecessary downtime."

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