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1. | OIL & GAS | 6. | WATER & WASTEWATER | |
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2. | POWER & ENERGY | 7. | MINING & METALS | |
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3. | PHARMACEUTICAL | 8. | FOOD & BEVERAGE | |
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4. | CHEMICAL | 9. | NUCLEAR | |
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5. | PULP & PAPER | 10. | GREEN ENERGY ( NEXT PAGE ) | |
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DOWNLOAD OIL & GAS APPLICATION NOTE >> |
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Flare Gas Mass Flow Measurement
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In a variety of oil production and refining environments, FCI’s ST100
Series mass flow meters monitor total gas flow to flare stacks as
well as through feed lines to the main flare header. As an integral
part of energy conservation and emission control systems, it meets
strict accuracy and wide turndown requirements. The ST100 is highly
reliable because of its durable construction and no moving parts
design. Units are also used to assist in the control of steam addition
and blower and louver adjustment for smokeless flares. A packing
gland option permits hot-tap installation and retraction of the flow
element without system shut down. The ST100 also features high flow
range turndown ratios up to 1000:1 and micro-processor based userfriendly
electronics.
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Tanker Loading / Unloading
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ST100 Series mass flow meters provide the solutions for several difficult
tanker loading/unloading applications. It is used to measure the flow
of hydrocarbon vapors that are vented from the storage tanks, both
on the tanker and at the port tank farm, to ensure compliance with
environmental laws governing waste vapors. It is also used to measure
nitrogen gas flow to inerting and gas blanketing systems that are
often required in these operations. Finally, FCI’s ST100 may be used
to measure flows to flare systems to assist in determining “through
put loss” for the tank farm.
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Chemical Injection/Additive Flow Monitoring
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In monitoring chemical and other additive injection flow, the ultrasensitive
FLT93L inline FlexSwitch® outperforms the competition. It
detects gas flows down to 0.6 cc/sec and liquid flows down to
0.02 cc/sec -- ideal for virtually all injection processes. The nomoving-
parts flow element design provides outstanding durability
and reliability under the harshest process conditions. And, the inherent
thermal time delay, available in all FCI flow switch/monitors, prevents
false alarms caused by flow pulsation and eliminates the need for
auxiliary time delay relays. Optional dual switch point circuitry helps
maintain product quality and process safety by alarming both high
flow and low flow conditions.
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Automated Oil Well Testing Systems
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FCI FLT93S FlexSwitch Series have continued to play a key role in
the automation of oil well testing facilities throughout the United
States. Thousands of units are in service today, monitoring the flow
of crude oil from the well, so that non-producing sites can be
quickly identified and corrected. In addition to improving productivity,
this efficient no-flow detection system eliminates time wasted on
the continued testing of non-producing wells. These rugged
FlexSwitch monitors enable the system to automatically switch to the
next well in the test cycle.
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Pump-off Control
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FCI’s FLT93S FlexSwitch Series is well suited to monitor production
in oil wells and indicate when an extended pump-off condition
occurs. Coupled with a programmable logic controller, the FLT93S
can control the operation of the well to optimize oil production;
while minimizing wear and tear on the down hole pump. In addition,
restricting the operation of the pump to periods when oil is produced
saves energy and reduces operating costs.
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Reverse Flow Switching
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Nitrogen is utilized for purging and blanketing throughout a chemical
plant /refinery. The possibility of contaminating the nitrogen supply
with hydrocarbon gas exists if the pressure at the destination becomes
greater than the pressure at the source. The FCI RF83 bi-directional
flow monitor is used to shut down the supply line if flow is detected
returning back to the supply tank.
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Interface Control in Separation Vessels
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Unlike density-dependent displacers, often used for level and interface
control, the FLT93S FlexSwitch Series relies on the specific heat transfer
properties of the media involved to identify product interface. Because
of this unique detection feature, interfaces between products of similar
density are reliably controlled in separating tanks and other vessels.
FCI liquid level and interface controllers can identify the interface
between any media including liquids, slurries, foams and even
emulsion layers. The dual switch point option allows one instrument
to control two different product interfaces. Two or more units are
used to control product discharge and intake at specified points.
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<< DOWNLOAD POWER & ENERGY APPLICATION NOTE |
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Pulverized Air Flow Monitoring
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The measurement and control of mill air flow in coal-fired boilers
to minimize pulverizer performance problems is an industry-wide
challenge. Minimizing Nox and maximizing plant efficiency has now
taken center stage for this task. Measurement of air flow is important
in controlling mill slugging, feeder runback and coal spillage. It is also
a main factor in minimizing emissions and maximizing fuel response
to the furnace, thus maximizing efficiency for these plants. FCI’s MT
Series multipoint mass flow meters measure wide flow rate ranges
in high temperature applications. The no moving parts design prevents
highly corrosive fly ash from clogging or fouling.
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Condenser Air In-Leakage
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Changes in the discharge flow represents air in-leakage through the
compressor. The negative effects of air in-leakage in the vacuum
system are well understood. FCI's GF90 Series mass flow meter detects
small changes in flow that represent changes in efficiency of the
compressor. Pre-requirements for successful monitoring require
low flow sensitivity, wide flow range measurement, repeatability
and accuracy -- all of which are standard features of FCI thermal
mass flow meters.
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Hydrogen Flow Monitoring
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Hydrogen is a commonly used cooling agent in power plant turbine
generators. Leaking hydrogen gas can pose a safety concern in the
power plant. FCI’s GF90 Series mass flow meters detect increase in
usage; thereby alerting operators of leaks. In addition to monitoring
for hydrogen leaks, plants need to measure the flow rate for custody
transfer billing verification from the gas supplier to the utility. Also,
multiple plants typically draw from a common hydrogen supply by
using FCI’s GF92 inline unit. FCI’s GF Series mass flow meters measure
the flow at each location, so each plant can be assessed their
appropriate share of hydrogen usage.
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Reverse Flow Vent Monitoring
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To ensure critical flows and detect changes in the direction of air
purge in and out of chemical plants, the solid-state RF83 bi-directional
flow monitor is the best suited instrument available. It may be mounted
on the inlet ducts to monitor all flow into the building. If the flow
reverses, safety alarms will trip for failure notification of the fans.
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Pump Protection
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FCI’s FLT93S FlexSwitch® is the ideal instrument to protect pumps
from failure due to low flow operation. The no moving parts design,
capable of low flow sensing, is well suited to identify a wide variety
of product flows in harsh industrial environments. The dual switch
points may be set to alarm low flow or high temperature, both indications
of conditions that cause pump failure.
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Compressed Air Flow Monitoring
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Frequently, in a plant environment, there is a controller that monitors
the use of compressed air within the facility. The controller automatically
determines the optimum number of compressor units that
need to be in operation at any given time to handle the facility load. By
only operating the units that the demand requires, a tremendous
amount of energy is saved. The demand is determined by the total
mass flow of air used by the plant, and FCI’s ST98 FlexMASSter®
Series mass flow meters are designed specifically for this purpose.
The controller then sets the compressor usage based on the mass
flow rate indicated by the ST98.
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Seal Gas Detection
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Coolant and lubricant seal leakage are a serious threat to the efficiency
of pumping systems. Fluid contamination to the product and
loss of product through damaged seals are avoided with FCI’s
FLT93L inline FlexSwitch or FR78 inline low flow monitor. Even a leak
as small as 1.0 cc/sec is detected by these highly sensitive instruments.
Because the FCI sensor elements operate without obstructing the seal
vent line, there is no excessive pressure drop if a severe seal rupture
occurs. For slurry pumps, the dual switch point option may be used
to identify either a low seal water flow or a high flow seal rupture.
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DOWNLOAD PHARMACEUTICAL APPLICATION NOTE >> |
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Temperature & Air Flow Monitoring
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Food processors require proper air flow to ensure optimum
growth and high quality of many products, for example -- yeast,
cheeses, etc. A reliable and accurate flow meter for this application
is FCI’s ST98 FlexMASSter® Series. The ST98 is installed on the air inlet
line to the batching vessel to monitor inlet air flow and temperature.
The 4-20mA output may be used to input the plant distributed control
system or programmable controller.
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Hydrogen Bleed-Off Monitoring
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Measuring hydrogen flow to a hydrogenation reactor is crucial in
the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. Reduced hydrogen consumption
by the process is a critical indication of the completion of the
batching process. The ST98L FlexMASSter Series, with its wide turndown,
is ideal for measuring flow during both the high demand
batching process and the low demand at the completion of the
batch. A second critical factor in this process is reducing hydrogen
leaks to safe limits. An integrated system of FCI’s inline mass flow
meters is required to continuously measure the hydrogen flow. The
ST98L provides accurate indications of uptakes of hydrogen in the
reaction process. And coupled with a wide range totalizer, our system
will serve as a much needed safety interlock by initiating a shutdown
sequence to manage hydrogen bleed-off.
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Nitrogen Tank Blanketing/Monitoring
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Measuring hydrogen flow to a hydrogenation reactor is crucial in
the manufacture of pharmaceuticals. Reduced hydrogen consumption
by the process is a critical indication of the completion of the
batching process. The ST98L FlexMASSter Series, with its wide turndown,
is ideal for measuring flow during both the high demand
batching process and the low demand at the completion of the
batch. A second critical factor in this process is reducing hydrogen
leaks to safe limits. An integrated system of FCI’s inline mass flow
meters is required to continuously measure the hydrogen flow. The
ST98L provides accurate indications of uptakes of hydrogen in the
reaction process. And coupled with a wide range totalizer, our system
will serve as a much needed safety interlock by initiating a shutdown
sequence to manage hydrogen bleed-off.
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H.V.A.C Monitoring
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FCI has been a major supplier of flow switch/monitors for HVAC
systems since 1978. Selected for its reliability and sensitivity, the
FLT93F is available to meet standard industrial and commercial
HVAC requirements. Models can be supplied for detecting at rates
as low as 0.25ft/sec -- compared with differential pressure and
mechanical flow detectors that become insensitive below 30ft/sec.
By directly sensing flow, the FLT93F FlexSwitch Series is able to
detect filter blockage, blocked ducts and other failures not detected
by blower current monitoring detectors.
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Compressed Air Flow Monitoring
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Frequently, in a plant environment, there is a controller that monitors
the use of compressed air within the facility. The controller automatically
determines the optimum number of compressor units
that need to be in operation at any given time to handle the facility
load. By only operating the units that the demand requires, a
tremendous amount of energy is saved. The demand is determined
by the total mass flow of air used by the plant, and FCI’s ST98
FlexMASSter Series is designed specifically for this purpose. The
controller then sets the compressor usage based on the mass flow
rate indicated by the ST98.
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Low Flow Monitoring
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Carbon dioxide is used in the bottling process to displace air from
containers during filling and capping. Velocity flow meters are not
suitable for this application because they are not able to accurately
measure the widely varying mass flow rates encountered in start-up
and low production periods. FCI’s ST98 FlexMASSter Series has the
low flow sensitivity required for these start-up and low flow rates,
as well as wide turndown capability to handle normal production
rates for accurate accounting and quality control.
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Low Flow Switching
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In the bottling business, there are many critical applications that
depend on reliable indication of liquid flow. These include preventing
carbon dioxide addition, stopping the bottling line, or shutting
down chillers or refrigerant systems upon loss of product flow.
FCI's FLT93C Sanitary FlexSwitch and FS2000L NuTec® inline flow
switches are specifically designed to provide the highest level of
dependability and cleanliness in these critical applications.
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<< DOWNLOAD CHEMICAL APPLICATION NOTE |
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Seal Detection
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Rotating equipment, such as pumps, typically use a seal system to
prevent process fluids from leaking into the atmosphere. These
seals are charged with either an inert gas or a liquid similar to glycol.
FCI's FLT93L FlexSwitch® inline flow switch is typically installed
in the line feeding fluid to the pump to detect the extremely low
flow volumes consumed by a normal operating seal. When a seal
deteriorates, the leakage flow volume increases and is detected by
the switch immediately activating a set point alarm for the operator
to schedule an overhaul of the seal before actual contamination of
process fluid appears. FCI offers various styles of inline flow switches
capable of detecting flows as low as 0.05 cc/min in liquids and
1 cc/min in gases.
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Pump Protection
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Pumping systems are extremely important to the safety and economical
operation of chemical plants. Demand is very high for
plant systems to be 100% operational with minimal downtime. As a
result, flow monitoring for reliable and trouble-free pump protection
is a necessary requirement. FCI's FLT93S FlexSwitch detects
extremely low flow rates which can prevent the potential for pumprun-
dry events. Preventative flow monitoring extends the pump lifecycle
and increases the intervals between scheduled maintenance. The
FLT93S FlexSwitch flow sensing element features no moving parts
with all welded material of construction in virtually any kind of
exotic metal. The flow switch features two adjustable alarms that
can be set at low flow and no flow (indicating an empty pipe).
Temperature compensation is a standard product feature that
allows the alarm set points to be set for seasonal operating temperature
ranges or start-up conditions. The FLT93S FlexSwitch is
optimally installed in the feed line or discharge line of the pump.
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Gas Distribution
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Many chemical processes require large varying volumes of nitrogen,
argon and oxygen for inert ion or purging, hydrogen as a catalyst,
and many other gases. FCI's GF90 Series mass flow meters measure
mass flow directly for process control and/or inventory purposes.
FCI flow meters measure very low gas flows for leakage monitoring
and are installed with no pressure drop in the process media. The
GF90 Series features wide flow range turndown ratios up to 800:1
and integral or remote electronic configurations with HART,
Profibus or Modbus in accordance with FM and ATEX approval
standards. NIST traceable calibration certificates are supplied with
every flow meter as a standard product feature.
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Level Interface Detection
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The reactor is often the central process of every chemical plant.
FCI's FLT93 FlexSwitch Series is used for various applications to
protect and insure the accuracy of reactor processes. FCI flow and
level switch products feature rugged design with a high level of reliability.
For low level monitoring, the FLT93S is mounted in the reactor
or the reactor discharge line to detect an empty reactor thereby
eliminating contamination between batches. The FLT93S is also used
for high level monitoring and to detect the interface of foam or
emulsion. Inside the reactor vessel, FCI multipoint level assemblies are
used to detect interface levels and indicate non-miscible fluid volumes.
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Flare/Waster Gas Monitoring
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A variety of industrial chemical environments use the FCI GF90
Series mass flow meters to measure total gas flow to flare stacks
and in feed lines to the main flare headers. The GF90 Series features
a no moving parts design, high reliability with durable construction
and extremely low flow range detection as mandated by EPA regulations.
FCI mass flow meters are also used to balance and optimize
the control of steam addition, and blower/louver adjustment for
smokeless flares. An optional retractable packing gland assembly
permits hot tap installation and retraction of the flow element without
system shutdown. Microprocessor-based electronics and a built-in
keypad provide user-friendly operation and maintenance, high performance,
and easy on-site programming.
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Relief Valve Flow Monitoring
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When installed in lateral lines or downstream of relief valves feeding
into the main flare header, the FCI FLT93 FlexSwitch Series can quickly
and precisely indicate the source of flare gas thereby allowing the
plant operator to readily identify problems in the process. As a
relief valve monitor in flare systems or other processes, one FLT93S
FlexSwitch can be calibrated to detect product "blowdown" and
leakage using the standard product features for sensing wide flow
ranges and two set point alarms.
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Nitrogen Gas Supply
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In many plant operations, nitrogen is used to control the process
media or avoid unwanted contact of the process media with oxygen /air.
Reactors are filled and /or blanketed during operation with nitrogen.
Continuous flow monitoring of nitrogen feed lines can prevent:
excessive gas consumption, hazardous situations due to insufficient
gas supply, and expensive gas leakages. FCI's FLT93 FlexSwitch flow
switches and ST98 FlexMASSter® Series flow meters are used for
these applications and feature a wide flow range (turndown ratio),
direct mass flow measurement, and no pressure drop in the
process media.
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DOWNLOAD PULP & PAPER APPLICATION NOTE >> |
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Interface Detection
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The difficult and challenging interface application of black liquor
and soap is solved by using FCI’s thermal dispersion technology to
differentiate between the black liquor and soap at the high and low
levels in the skim tank. FCI’s FLT93S FlexSwitch® level switches feature
a rugged, no moving parts design with 316L all welded stainless
steel that is not prone to the typical failure of mechanical flotation
devices or dp level systems. The FLT93S FlexSwitch also feature two
field adjustable alarm relays and is temperature compensated for
wide temperature changes in process media.
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Natural Gas Flow Monitoring
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The amount of chemical recovery that takes place in pulp and paper
mills has a direct impact on profitability. Lime is an important chemical
used in the mill cooking process and the lime kiln consumes
tremendous amounts of fuel that can be very costly to its recovery.
FCI’s ST98 FlexMASSter® Series mass flow meters provide exceptional
accuracy in measuring mass flow to insure proper natural
gas/air ratio for maximum efficiency. The ST98 FlexMASSter features
thermal dispersion technology with no moving parts and all welded
316L stainless steel construction. This technology also features mass
measurement of very low flow rates with wide turndown capabilities
and no pressure drop in the process media.
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Fuel Oil Flow Monitoring
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The start up cycle of recovery boilers is a very critical application
that commonly uses atomized #2 fuel oil and steam. Inconsistencies
in fuel oil flow leads to a longer start up process that directly
impacts profitability. FCI’s FLT93L FlexSwitch inline flow switches
feature no moving parts with 316L all welded stainless steel construction
that provide outstanding reliability and extreme low flow
sensitivity. The FLT93L FlexSwitch also features two alarm relay
circuits that can be field adjusted or factory preset for low and high flow
alarm conditions, offering additional safety during process operation.
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Combustion Air Flow Monitoring
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Mill power plants maximize efficiency and reduce NOx emissions by
accurately measuring the ratio of pulverized coal to air in coal-fired
boilers. Air flow measurement and accuracy is also important in
controlling mill slugging, feeder runback and coal spillage. FCI’s
MT Series multipoint mass flow meters accurately and reliably measure
wide flow ranges in these high temperature, erosive applications.
The MT Series features flow elements with no moving parts design
and stainless steel or optional Hastelloy C materials of construction
that will not plug or foul when exposed to very high temperatures.
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Pump Protection
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FCI’s FLT93S FlexSwitch flow switch is the ideal instrument to protect
pumps from failure due to low flow or loss of flow. With no moving
parts design, high reliability and extreme low flow sensitivity, the
FLT93S FlexSwitch is ideally suited to monitor a wide variety of
processes in harsh industrial environments. The FLT93S dual switch
point circuitry is field adjustable to alarm on low flow or high temperature,
both contributing factors of pump failure.
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Chemical Injection
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In monitoring chemical and other additive injection flow, the ultrasensitive
FLT93L inline FlexSwitch outperforms the competition. It
detects gas flows down to 0.6 cc/sec and liquid flows down to
0.02 cc/sec -- ideal for virtually all injection processes. The nomoving-
parts flow element design provides outstanding durability
and reliability under the harshest process conditions. And, the inherent
thermal time delay, available in all FCI flow switch /monitors, prevents
false alarms caused by flow pulsation and eliminates the need for
auxiliary time delay relays. Optional dual switch point circuitry helps
maintain product quality and process safety by alarming both high
flow and low flow conditions.
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Compressed Air Flow Monitoring
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Frequently, in a plant environment, there is a controller that monitors
the use of compressed air within the facility. The controller automatically
determines the optimum number of compressor units that
need to be in operation at any given time to handle the facility load. By
only operating the units that the demand requires, a tremendous
amount of energy is saved. The demand is determined by the total
mass flow of air used by the plant, and FCI’s ST98 FlexMASSter
Series mass flow meters are designed specifically for this purpose.
The controller then sets the compressor usage based on the mass
flow rate indicated by the ST98.
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<< DOWNLOAD WASTEWATER APPLICATION NOTE |
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Digester Gas Flow Monitoring
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The flow measurement of digester gas is critical to waste water
treatment plant operations. Typical plants have multiple digesters
that need constant monitoring. FCI’s ST98 FlexMASSter® Series
mass flow meter provides extremely low flow sensitivity and wide
turndown range. The no moving parts design is unaffected by this
dirty, humid gas.
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Flocculant/Sludge Control
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Many sludge clarifiers separate solids from the effluent system by
introducing air and flocculants, so that sludge rises to the top the
vessel and spills over a weir. The amount of air and flocculant are
controlled by the level of the interface between the sludge and
water. Optical detectors, as interface sensors, have not been successful
in this application because the sensors fail due to fouling.
FCI’s FLT93S FlexSwitch® Series multipoint assembly identifies the
changing level of the sludge interface to enable control of flocculant
and air addition.
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Oxygen/Ozone Flow Metering
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Advanced water treatment plants are using ozone and activated carbon
filters to reduce chlorine requirements in order to improve the
taste and appearance of the water they produce. On-site generation
of ozone can become a significant operating expense; thereby making
its measurement and control an important requirement to efficient
operation of the plant. Ozone flow needs to be introduced into the
filtration process at three different points: For coagulation prior to
primary filtration, for low flow as an oxidizing agent, and for high
flow disinfecting to breakdown pesticides. FCI’s ST98L FlexMASSter
inline mass flow meters are installed at each point to measure the
ozone flow. The ST98L has the dynamic flow range and accurate
sensitivity required for ozone applications.
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Chlorine Gas Flow Monitoring
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Municipal water districts and waste water treatment facilities use
chlorine to disinfect water. Proper, real-time control of chlorine
dosage is critical to ensure smooth operation. FCI’s ST98 FlexMASSter
Series mass flow meters with a Hastelloy C-276 flow element
installed directly in the chlorine line ensures this critical flow. It is
specifically calibrated to anticipate chlorine demand based on water
temperature, flow rates, time of year and residual chlorine levels.
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Reverse Flow Detection
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Large water storage reservoirs are often filled and drained through
the same water line. Federal and state requirements mandate that
all water delivered for human consumption be disinfected. In order
to minimize disinfectant usage, avoid overdosing and forgo disinfecting
water going into the reservoir, it is critical for water plant
operators to know the direction of water flows within the pipe lines.
The use of FCI’s RF83 bi-directional flow monitor detects instantaneous
flow direction, providing improved disinfectant control.
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Chemical Injection/Additive Flow Monitoring
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In monitoring chemical and other additive injection flow, the ultrasensitive
FLT93L inline FlexSwitch outperforms the competition. It
detects gas flows down to 0.6 cc/sec and liquid flows down to 0.02
cc/sec -- ideal for virtually all injection processes. The no-movingparts
flow element design provides outstanding durability and reliability
under the harshest process conditions. And, the inherent
thermal time-delay, available in all FCI flow switch /monitors, prevents
false alarms caused by flow pulsation and eliminates the need for
auxiliary time-delay relays. Optional dual switch point circuitry
helps maintain product quality and process safety by alarming both
high flow and low flow conditions.
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Sample flow & Gas Chromatography
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FCI inline flow switch /monitors are an integral part of sampling
equipment ranging from ultra-sensitive gas chromatographs to
large fluid sampling systems used to test for toxic agents in wastewater
effluent. Highly repeatable, with low flow sensitivity, FCI flow
switches ensure that sample rates will be maintained at the right
flow for accurate analysis. In systems where several products are
tested individually by the same analyzer, each sample line is monitored
to verify that products are flowing one at a time. The FR73 inline ultra
low flow monitor is especially well suited for gas chromatographs;
while the FLT93S FlexSwitch Series and FR78 inline low flow monitor
are recommended for larger analyzers.
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