Tank Level, Interface Level and Temperature Monitoring in a Single Instrument

MTS level transmitters
MTS level transmitters
Level “interface” detection is a common measurement requirement in the oil & gas, food & beverage, bulk storage, chemical, and petrochemical industries.  Interface refers to the separation layer between two liquids in the same tank or vessel. A good example is such as oil and water. Because each liquid has its own density or specific gravity, separation takes place, with the lower density liquid floating on top of the higher density liquid.

Accuracy in detecting the interface is important. Imagine if you were refining oil and had a large tank of crude oil contaminated with water. Knowing where the water layer would be extremely important so it can be separated.

This video provides a quick visual understanding of interface. The instruments shown in the video (from MTS Sensors) are capable of providing accurate tank level measurement, interface level measurement, and also provides temperature measurement.

For more information on level measurement visit http://www.powerspecialties.com or call (816) 353-6550.

Type K Vane Actuator Provides Long Term Solution for Tough Power Plant Application

Rotork K-TORK vane type valve actuator
Rotork K-TORK vane type valve actuators on
bottom ash spray valve control.
Rotork K-TORK vane type valve actuator has solved a difficult flow control application found in many coal-fired power plants – high-pressure bottom ash spray valve control.

High-pressure spray water is used to sluice bottom ash and pyrites from the boilers’ hopper bottoms and to carry the ash out of the plant. The valves used are typically ANSI Class 300 double-offset high-performance butterfly designs ranging in size from 3” to 12”, automated with double-acting actuators. They cycle from four to ten times per day and discharge to atmosphere, creating a very high pressure drop. The flow media is re-circulated ash water that is abrasive and flows at pressures between 400 and 500psi.

In many power plants around the world, K-TORK actuators have provided over 10 years of maintenance-free service whilst preserving the life of the valves and valve seats in these arduous duties.

Among the challenges, it is imperative that the valves close fully and with zero leakage in a high pressure drop state. If the valve disc moves even slightly from the seat, the abrasive, high-pressure water will “wire-draw” or cut the butterfly valve seat. Traditionally, rack-and-pinion or scotch-yoke actuators have been used in this application, but “slop” or hysteresis in the rotary-to-linear conversion allows for the pressure in the pipe to move the disc from the seat, often causing premature failure of the valve after a period of only three to twelve months.

The problem becomes more acute when multiple valves are leaking, lowering the available back-pressure at the header, which makes it difficult or impossible to move the ash from the boiler.

When assembled to the valve with a ‘No-Play’ coupling, the K-TORK actuator has zero lost motion, “slop” or hysteresis. The one-piece vane and drive shaft cannot be back-driven and will hold the disc of the valve firmly in place.

Additional challenges include the location of the valves on a manifold at the bottom of the boiler where space is critical and plant air can be poor quality. K-TORK provides the smallest torque-to-size ratio and the double-opposed lip seal design is forgiving to dirty or contaminated air.

Also, the low-friction performance of K-TORK provides a speed-controlled, smooth valve operation, eliminating the risk of water hammer created by the high pressure drop.

Finally, longer run time between shutdowns demands increased reliability from the equipment in these critical applications. In particular, as the number of plant maintenance personnel has decreased, actuators that reduce maintenance (seal replacement) time and work orders have a direct payback to the owner, especially when valve life can be significantly increased through improved actuator performance.

Moisture Measurement for Incinerator Ash

Moisture Measurement for Incinerator Ash

Incinerator ash needs extensive moisture control; ash would be scattered around with very low moisture, while excess moisture would cost more (to transport).

CHINO's IM series can measure the moisture of the ash placed on the running conveyor belt quickly and without touching the material. As the results, the amount of water mixed into the ash after the burning process can be controlled properly and easily.

Because there is dust around the installation area, IRMA should be kept inside an insulated cooling box, with air purged. Usually the moisture of incinerator ash can be measured within 0 to 30 %( ±0.5% accuracy).

IM Series is equipped w/ 4-20mA Analog output which can be easily incorporated with existing process control systems.

moisture in incinerator ash

Moisture Measurement for Incinerator Ash

moisture in incinerator ash

Recommended model / Item
  • General moisture unit Model : IRMA1100S 
  • Air purge hood Model : IR-WEA 
  • Calibration checker plate Model : IR-WEB
Install at 90 deg. to measure. Strongly recommend to use air purge AND insulated cooling box to prevent lenses from dusty ash. Some samples are dark in color and not in good condition to reflect well. To get better results, place a sample in a stable condition, such as measured on leveled surface, and with proper distance; eliminating external lights, or preventing from dust, as possible. Also, it is highly recommended to run zero calibration by simply using IR-WEB every 3 months.

moisture in incinerator ash

Moisture(water) has a unique infrared absorption spectrum regions. Water absorbs at wavelength of 1.43, 1.94, and 3 micrometers.

moisture in incinerator ash
 

Calibration curve is a correlation between moisture determined by customer's reference instrument and IR absorption measured by IRMA.

Basic Sample Test for Moisture
  1. Prepare samples with various moisture content
  2. Show each sample to IRMA and record absorption level
  3. As conducting step-2, determine moisture level with your reference instrument
  4. Put all data points on a X/Y graph and see if there’s a correlation
Note: Reference instrument may vary depending on the method
(by volume or weight).


For more information on any industrial moisture analysis, contact:

Power Specialties. Inc.
www.powerspecialties.com
9118 E. 72nd Terrace
Raytown, MO 64133
Toll Free: (800) 432-6550
Phone: (816) 353-6550
Fax: (816) 353-1740

YHC5150X FieldMate Handheld Communicator

YHC5150X
YHC5150X
The Yokogawa FieldMate family effectively supports the initial setup, daily maintenance, and troubleshooting for the maximum utilization of intelligent field instruments. FieldMate is a flag ship product of the FieldMate family which is a PC based full functional and full field protocol configuration tool.

The YHC5150X FieldMate Handheld Communicator is the latest HART® Communicator from Yokogawa. All HART® field devices can be configured, polled, and trimmed utilizing a Windows Embedded CE™ based system for faster processing and greater storage capacity. All options are standard and no subscription is required. The YHC5150X is a full function, DD Direct, HART® Communicator supporting universal, common practice, and device specific commands for commissioning, configuration, and maintenance operations.

A short listing of some of the more prominent features that make the YHC5150X a powerful universal HART communicator include:
  • Reads manufacturers' DDs in their native format without the need for translations 
  • HART®-compliant modem communicates with any registered or unregistered HART® Device 
  • Features an ergonomic, handheld design 
  • Enhanced 4.3" diagonal anti-glare touchscreen with color graphic display (no stylus required) 
  • Full QWERTY keyboard for commissioning new transmitters 
  • On-Demand Help Menus and teachable device-specific short cuts 
  • More than twice the battery capacity of any handheld communicator 
  • Manage device information through PC connection 
Integrated multi-language support

The video below provides additional detail and an overview of the product in action. More information on the HART Communicator, as well as other innovative products to improve productivity and effectiveness, is available from a product specialist.