Flowing forwards

Energy efficiency is still a hot topic and, accompanied by the global recession, is driving engineers to design for efficiency as well as enhanced performance. In process equipment, much of the development has been on ways in which higher level control systems can reduce the power demands from process equipment such as pumps, motors and fans.  However, it is equally important to enhance the fundamental components that enable higher level systems to perform.  For example, mechanical and electronic flow sensors and switches may be simple devices but if they do not provide accurate and consistent output then higher level systems may fail.

Advances in the design and construction of different flow sensors have increasingly enabled manufacturers to optimise industrial equipment and minimise maintenance. In fact, a new generation of flow sensors that are suitable for a variety of sensing operations in many applications are offering compact size, durability and low cost, delivering measurable, positive results in terms of operational efficiency.

A downside is that the plethora of flow measurement options can sometimes make it difficult for even the most experienced engineer to select the best product for each application but consultation with an expert supplier of flow measurement components provides a simple remedy.  

One way in which durability has been enhanced to reduce maintenance and increase efficiency is in the design of flow switches for marine applications.  The large flow paths now designed into flow sensors keep pressure drop low; they also enable detection to be effectively carried out where liquids, including oil, are being handled in high volumes, such as within lubrication, cooling or process applications.  To enable switch actuation at the desired flow rate, flow paddles can be trimmed during installation; this allows the paddle of the switch to pivot and move out of the liquid path as flow increases, keeping pressure drop to a minimum regardless of pipe size.

Flow sensors are now available that have been designed to offer high performance while resisting the potentially corrupting influence of high temperatures. Kidney dialysis machines require regular sterilisation and this must be carried out at extremely high temperatures. Any interruption in this critical service can bring inconvenience, delay and disappointment to patients but the designers and engineers of flow sensors have minimised the likelihood of failure with ultra-compact flow switches that are not adversely affected by high temperatures. Whereas the slow reaction times of earlier sensors have unnecessarily triggered equipment shut down, the latest flow sensors for this application are equipped with a magnetic piston that is displaced by liquid flow to magnetically actuate a hermetically-sealed reed switch isolated within the unit. 

Robust, solid-state flow switches are also available in durable stainless steel to enable their use with both conductive and non-conductive fluids. These are suitable for fluids with large particles and slurries, and are immune to changes in viscosity.  Available in various housings to suit a wide variety of pipe sizes for flow rates from .1 to 10 GPM, these switches are designed for durability and can be mounted in any orientation, offering a powerful alternative for customers that are currently using traditional flow switches with moving parts. The new wave of flow sensors designed to work in applications containing large particles and slurries have no moving parts to jam, wear or break.

The designers and developers of today’s flow measurement components have long been exercising their technological expertise to provide increasingly powerful solutions that offer advantages to OEMs in the construction of custom-engineered fluid systems. In many cases much time and money can be saved by taking advantage of ‘off the shelf’ solutions, but Gems offers personal attention and technical support when there is a need to produce bespoke systems to customers’ individual requirements.