The Eye-Hye SmartLevel Boiler Indication System from Clark Reliance

The Eye-Hye® SmartLevel Boiler Indication System from Clark Reliance incorporates proprietary technology to automatically monitor the status of its probes, which detect the level of water in the boiler's steam drum. When the probes require cleaning to eliminate residue and mineral build-up to maintain accuracy, the system's innovative technology tells the control room or other remote locations without ambiguity that a probe column blowdown (cleaning) is required. A blowdown is needed if the blue light on the indicator illuminates.

All New SC Series Control Unit

• Status Indicator for Each Level Sensing Module
  • Operator can quickly be alerted to loss of power, processor interruption, water indication and blowdown mode.
• Lamp Test Feature
  • Comes standard without cost of additional circuits or field wiring.
• Voting Logic Circuitry
  • System is field-selectableto set the level of alarm or trip output. Standard feature.
• System Fault or Blowdown Indication of External Switch
• Can direct alerts to any external system or device, not just control room indicator.
• Accepts up to two Separate Power Sources from Separate Breakers
  • Assures continuous system operation.
• System Operates on 85 to 264 VAC 50/60 Hz
  • One model for worldwide use. Simplifies specification requirements for EPCs, OEMs and contractors.
• Multiple Remote Indicators Can be Installed up to 1 Mile (1.61 Kilometers) Away
  • You can have duplicate indicators wherever you choose for operator convenience.
• Level Detection Sensitivity
• Field selectable:
• Sensitivity for extreme water conditions
• Time delay on actuation and release 

DOWNLOAD THE BROCHURE HERE

For more information, contact Instrumentation Sales, Inc. Call them at 407-324-7800 or visit their website at https://isisales.com.

The Flowserve Valtek Compressor Anti-Surge Valve

The Flowserve Valtek Compressor Anti-Surge Valve is a groundbreaking approach to anti-surge control by combining accurate control with exceptional responsiveness in a simple, reliable package. It is designed to address common challenges seen in compressor applications, where the surge of compressors can cause equipment failure and downtime. 

By providing rapid response, driving the valve open when required, and providing steady-state positioning when recycling, the Valtek Compressor Anti-Surge Valve solution protects the compressor from catastrophic surge damage. The Valtek Compressor Anti-Surge Valve also provides the benefits of fast and simple set-up as well as easy maintenance. In addition, to existing installations, the Logix 3800JF positioner is easily retrofitted.

For more infomration about Flowserve Valtek products in Florida, contact Instrument Specialties. Call them at 407-324-7800 or visit their website at https://isisales.com.

AUMA Electric Actuators for Water Distribution and Wastewater Treatment

Drinking water abstraction and distribution, as well as sewage disposal and purification, are basic prerequisites for community infrastructure development. Security of supply is crucial for any modern water industry.

Piping of different lengths and nominal diameters must be automated with a multitude of valve types. From potable water production and distribution, to sewage treatment, to water treatment systems, AUMA actuators automate valves of any size and design. AUMA has been building electric actuators and valve gearboxes for over 50 years, and is one of the leading manufacturers in the water industry. AUMA is well implanted due to their broad product portfolio including multi-turn, part-turn, and linear actuators. In combination with high corrosion protection, they guarantee a long service life, low in maintenance.

For more information about AUMA electric actuators in water distribution and wastewater treatment, contact Instrument Specialties. Call them at 407-324-7800 or visit their site at https://isisales.com. 

Coronavirus is Proving We Need an Early Warning System to Test Wastewater

Wastewater testing, or “wastewater quality indicators” are broad descriptions for the various test methodologies to measure water quality.  These tests analyze the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of wastewater.

As countries and individual healthcare organizations work to arrest the spread of Covid-19 and to care for those who are infected, officials in some geographic locations are using wastewater testing as a possible method for identifying levels of Covid-19 in their communities.  The testing goal is to detect evidence of the Covid-19 genetic material, ribonucleic acid (RNA), in fecal matter in sewage and wastewater.

The novel virus, SARS-CoV-2, is the virus that causes Covid-19. It is known to invade the GI (gastrointestinal) track in some patients, and so the virus is extracted in their fecal matter. 

Looking at the amount of viral matter in waste water from a community could uncover the level of Covid-19 spread in the population.  This information can then be a trigger for the required mitigation initiatives and response plans, such as testing individuals, contract tracking, and quarantine. It also allows for information to be gathered on a cross section of the population, allowing for a way to monitor public health solutions for large groups.  

Scientists from around the world are setting up pilot programs to test waste water.  The Netherlands has successfully performed a Covid-19 test for waste water and additional programs are launching in Singapore, Zurich, Lausanne,  Milan, Rome, Australia, and in parts of the US, such as Colorado, Ohio, New York, and Wyoming.  Scientists in these regions have been able to identify the novel Coronavirus at low concentrations in waste water, pointing to an early warning systems for communities.  

In April, 2020, the scientific journal, Nature, listed that over a dozen groups around the globe were doing research analyzing waste water for Covid-19, and that evidence of the virus was already found in the United States, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

Teledyne ISCO is paving the way with use of water samplers in the effort to identify the virus evidence in sewage.   Their automatic sampler readings analyze the characteristics and presence of the Coronavirus in parts per million quantities and can be laid against the population numbers of a geographic area to ascertain the existence and amount of virus existing in the waste water. 

For more information about the use of Teledyne ISCO water samplers for SARS-CoV-2 monitoring in wastewater contact Instrument Specialties, Inc. Call them at 407-324-7800 or visit their website at https://isisales.com.

The MSA ULTIMA® X5000 Gas Monitor

The ULTIMA® X5000 Gas Monitor is the future of gas detection for oxygen, toxic and combustible gases. MSA XCell® gas sensors with TruCal® technology offer calibration cycles up to 18 months (local calibration respected). The gas transmitter's advanced, multi-lingual OLED display is easy to read and the unique touch-screen interface makes it simple to navigate.

• X5000 Gas Monitor Features:
• Bluetooth wireless technology
• Check status and get alerts up to 75 ft. (23 m) away 
• Modify settings/setpoints/alarms
• Initiate calibration and view progress
• Reduce setup time by at least 50%
• Up to 1.5 YEARS between calibrations!
• Adaptive Environmental Compensation (AEC)
• 12+ Patents
• 5 Yr. Expected Life
• 3 Yr. Warranty

DOWNLOAD THE ULTIMA® X5000 BROCHURE HERE

For more information on the ULTIMA® X5000, contact Instrument Specialties, Inc. Call them at 407.324.7800 or visit https://isisales.com.

The Flowserve Valtek FlowTop GS General Service Control Valve

The Valtek FlowTop GS control valve (types V746 and V748) improves the reliability and uptime of production processes while minimizing operating and maintenance costs. Designed for general service applications, the FlowTop GS globe valve is a competitively priced, fully integrated valve-actuator-instrumentation package for continuous process flow loop control throughout the plant.

For more information, and to download a PDF cutsheet, visit this Instrument Specialties webpage.

Teledyne ISCO Samplers on the Front Line in the Battle Against the Corona Virus

Reading the headlines today, you are seeing more and more municipalities testing their wastewater for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Viruses and bacteria excreted in urine and stool collect in public sewers. The use of sewage pathogen monitoring in wastewater treatment facilities as a public health surveillance tool is now a reality. Environmental microbiologists have studied pathogens in sewage for decades, but now because of COVID-19, public health surveillance efforts focussing on tracking virus levels is at an all time high. It is critical that expanded testing and monitoring continue, as this will certainly help in understanding how the SARS-CoV-2 virus spreads and potentially affects community populations.

Teledyne ISCO Samplers

Teledyne ISCO, the leader manufacturer of instruments for water / wastewater sampling and monitoring, is helping in this effort. Teledyne ISCO manufactures a full line of rugged and reliable  portable and refrigerated samplers. Using this equipment as part of their overall Coronavirus strategy, municipalities have at their disposal portable and refrigerated samplers ready for widespread collection and testing. These samplers can be used in any type of environment or testing situation. They are easy to use and program, and have many configuration options.

With so little known about the spread SARS-CoV-2, this approach may be highly important. The data accumulated from an implementation of wide-scale sewerage sampling and testing for Coronavirus can provide the information needed to build dynamic maps of the virus spread, and ultimately, the ability to foresee and prevent flare-ups.

Wastewater Treatment Facilities Provide Possible COVID Tracking for Public Health Surveillance

New studies show that SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19, is shed in human feces and is collecting in our city sewers.  If the pandemic continues in waves as the latest estimates believe, wastewater treatment plants could provide early warnings to prevent ICUs and hospitals from being swarmed.

It needs to be mentioned that experts believe, based on previous coronavirus research, that SARS-COVID-2 is effectively removed through traditional water treatment processes. The focus on these public health surveillance efforts track virus levels before treatment.

Environmental microbiologists have studied pathogens in sewage for decades. In 1989, Israel set up a Polio virus sewage surveillance system. The use of sewage pathogen monitoring in wastewater treatment facilities as a public health surveillance tool, however, is a fairly new area of study. 

Biobot, Somerville, MA company who specializes in wastewater epidemiology, is establishing protocols to test sewage for SARS-CoV-2. Biobot analyzes viruses, bacteria, and chemical metabolites that are excreted in urine and stool and that collect in sewers. If the SARS CoV-2 protocol is successful, the data will give communities a dynamic map of the virus as it spreads to new places.

Data from sewage will enable communities to:

• Measure the scope of the outbreak independent from patient testing or hospital reporting, and include data on asymptomatic individuals,
• Provide decision support for officials determining the timing and severity of public health interventions to mitigate the overall spread of the disease,
• Better anticipate likely impact on hospital capacity in order to inform hospital readiness and the necessity of public health interventions,
• Track the effectiveness of interventions and measure the wind-down period of the outbreak, and
• Provide an early warning for reemergence of the coronavirus (if it does indeed have a seasonal cycle).

To learn more about their program, visit the Biobot website.

Other useful links about the effort to use wastewater for SARS-CoV-2 tracking:

https://news.stanford.edu/2020/03/26/understanding-spread-covid-19/

https://news.engin.umich.edu/2020/03/a-sewage-surveillance-effort-to-track-covid-19/

Measuring Flow in Open Channels: Weirs, Flumes, Rivers & Streams

This video helps you find the best solution to your open channel flow issues. Whether your flow challenge be a flume, weir, river or stream, this presentation by Business Development Manager at Teledyne ISCO, Darrell Kuta, provides expert tips on how to overcome them.

Teledyne ISCO manufactures a wide range of products for professionals working in water pollution monitoring and abatement, engineers and managers involved with wastewater process control. They maintain an outstanding library of educational videos videos here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtcYqTAaloE2TBoEkWeIMTA.

For more information about Teledyne ISCO products in Florida or the Caribbean contact Instrument Specialties by calling 407-324-7800  or visit their website at http://isi.group.

Instrumentation and Plant Safety Case Study: Refinery Explosion

A case study of the 2005 BP refinery explosion in Texas City, TX. This video recaps the events and circumstances leading up to a catastrophic explosion. Contributing factors include inadequate level and safety instrumentation, as well as breakdowns in safety monitoring and standard operating procedures. This video, courtesy of the Chemical Safety Board (csv.gov) is an excellent educational reference and should be viewed by engineering, maintenance, and plant management personnel everywhere.

Instrument Specialties, Inc.
http://isi.group
407-324-7800

The Flowserve Logix 3200 Positioner: Calibration Procedure

This video describes the calibration procedure for the Flowserve Logix 3200 positioner.

The Flowserve Logix 3200 Series Digital Positioner includes:

• Two versions: Basic & Advanced (Advanced includes pressure sensors to measure actuator pressure)
• HART Command 1, 3, 9, 33 & 48
• Burst Mode available to continuously transmit
• Position command analog loop current
• Final value of command after characterization
• Supply pressure (advanced), Temperature (basic)
• Stem position in percent
• Onboard temperature sensor to measure local positioner ambient
• Stroke speed limiter (configurable through HART)
• Stainless steel version available
• Enhanced Device Description for advanced signature diagnostics
• Step test, friction test, HRL, data logger

For more information, contact Instrument Specialties, Inc. by calling 407-324-7800 or visit http://isi.group.

SOR Introduces the 1800 Series for Intrinsically Safe Applications and Conventional Transmitter Installations

The new SOR 1800 Series are available in 3 different models: gauge pressure measurement with standard over pressure rating, gauge pressure measurement with high over pressure rating, and differential pressure measurement.  The new line is well suited for intrinsically  safe applications or conventional transmitter installations where a compact footprint is impractical. The 1800 Series transmitters utilize an advanced monosilicon pressure sensor and incorporate a patented encapsulation technology to achieve exceptional mechanical and thermal isolation.

All 1800 Series transmitters include external push-buttons for device setup and calibration. If ordered with HART® output they can also be programmed with a HART® communicator. Additionally, they are available with 2, 3, or 5-valve manifolds. With a standard ±0.075% accuracy, the SOR 1800 Series conventional transmitters are an exceptional solution for continuous pressure monitoring.

Download the Series 1800 specification sheet and selection brochure from this Instrument Specialties web page.

For more information, contact Instrument Specialties by calling 407-324-7800 or visit their web site at http://isi.group.

Seametrics iMAG Series Electromagnetic Flowmeter

The Seametrics iMAG-Series is the most economical flanged electromagnetic flowmeter on the market. With electrodes designed to discourage fouling, it is available in 3” to 12” pipe in municipal or industrial water, waste and reclaimed water, pump stations, and packaged plant applications. Minimal straight pipe requirements allow iMAG-Series meters to be used in piping configurations where there is little space between the meter and an elbow.

iMAG-Series meters are CE certified, certified to NSF/ANSI standard 61 and are rated IP68 for applications where the meter may be operated under water to a depth of at least 10 feet (3 meters) continuously.

The display can be meter mounted or remote, and both rate and total indication are standard. Rate and total units and pulse scaling can be set via the front panel touch key pad by the user.

Bidirectional flow reading is standard with totals available in forward, reverse, net flow, batch forward flow, and batch reverse flow. Batch totals can be reset.

A power/output cable allows outputs for use with a variety of Seametrics and other displays and controls for remote reading and telemetry applications. Pulse output is standard on all models and 4-20mA passive current loop is standard on the iMAG 4700p. In addition, 4-20mA loop, HART protocol, high speed digital, and Modbus® protocol outputs are optional on the externally powered units, depending on model.

For more information, contact Instrument Specialties, Inc. by calling 407-324-7800 or visit their web site at http://isi.group.

AUMA Electric Actuators Now Support Industrial Ethernet

Ethernet enables computers to communicate over one network - in today's environment, communication between machines would not be feasible without it. First created in the 1970s and subsequently standardized as IEEE 802.3, Ethernet is the leading standard in office settings for data networks today.

"Industrial Ethernet" defines the improvements that allow Ethernet to be used in industrial automation, even for critical applications. Industrial Ethernet is Ethernet applied to an industrial environment, often requiring more robust connectors, wires, and, most importantly, better determinism. 

Industrial Ethernet (IE) is the use of Ethernet with protocols that provide determinism and real-time control in an industrial setting. Factors such as high reliability, robust communication, and device exchange during running operation are crucial. Industrial Ethernet utilizes specific protocols in combination with Ethernet to accomplish improved determinism. These protocols are already widely available and for which integration into the DCS is straightforward. PROFINET^®, EtherNet/IP^®, EtherCAT^®, and Modbus TCP/IP,  are some of the most common.

Industrial Ethernet Topology with Electric Actuators

EtherNet/IP^® is an industrial network protocol that adapts to the Ethernet standard to the Common Industrial Protocol. EtherNet/IP^® is one of the USA's leading industrial protocols and is commonly used in a variety of sectors including factory, hybrid and process control.

Electric Actuators using Industrial Ethernet in a water
treatment plant (AUMA)

AUMA, a leading manufacturer of electric actuators, is continuing to invest in pioneering Industrial Ethernet communication and now offers an Ethernet/IP^® interface.

Ethernet/IP^® is the third Industrial Ethernet standard that AUMA supports, in addition to PROFINET^® and Modbus TCP/IP.

Ethernet/IP^® offers superior connectivity and enhanced network flexibility. With bandwidths up to 100 Mbit/s, AUMA actuators with Ethernet/IP provide reliable and rapid exchange of both cyclic process data and acyclic diagnostic data from the actuators.

Industrial Ethernet has many technical advantages:

• Transmission of real-time and IT data via a common medium
• Virtually unlimited number of participants and network expansion
• Flexible topologies which can easily be scaled and expanded
• Quick transmission even of extremely large data volumes
• Integration of web servers and IoT interfaces such as OPC UA within the device
• Simple access to field level device data without proprietary gateways
• Reliable in operation, no complex termination, simple maintenance
• Future proof

For more information, contact Instrument Specialties by visiting http://isi.group or by calling 407-324-7800.

Measuring Fluctuating Temperature Water Level Using Density

A thermal power plant needed to measure the liquid level in a water storage tank, but due to mounting restrictions and space limitations, they are unable to use traditional liquid level sensing products.

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DOWNLOAD THE PDF VERSION OF THIS APPLICATION NOTE FROM THE INSTRUMENT SPECIALTIES WEB SITE HERE

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Another approach for indirectly measuring level of water in a storage tank is by using a differential pressure transmitter to measure pressure, and then calculating liquid level through calculating the density. However, the density of water changes with temperature; when temperature increases the water expands in volume and vice versa. This causes the water level to rise without varying the amount of pressure being applied to the transmitter’s sensors. If only a pressure measuring device is used, the system will lack the temperature data required for correctly adjusting the density calculations. Temperature compensation is needed to accurately determine the level of water within the process.

SOLUTION

An SOR 815DT Smart Differential Transmitter combined with an SOR 1400 Series Temperature Transmitter Assembly gave the plant personnel all the necessary information they required to calculate the density, and therefore, indirectly measure the water level. With the SOR 815DT’s compact design, it was able to be installed into confined areas where other instruments would be too large.

Both transmitters constantly measure the temperature and pressure and the process data is relayed to a digital control system. The temperature transmitter data is used to compensate the level readings accordingly. The combination of transmitters provides the digital control system with the process parameters needed for precisely calculating the density and thus, it is able to accurately determine the water level within the storage tank.

For more information regarding any level, pressure, temperature, or flow requirement, contact Instrument Specialties, Inc. by calling 407-324-7800 or visiting http://isi.group.

Instrument Specialties: Providing Services that Drive Safety, Reliability and Performance

With engineering, design, and support resources available in Florida and the Caribbean, Instrument Specialties delivers value-added solutions that improve operations and increase profitability for our customers in the energy, municipal water, wastewater treatment, gas & oil, chemical, mining, agricultural, food service, pharmaceutical, and aerospace industries.

Instrument Specialties offers our customers a group of services designed to provide outstanding value and cost savings throughout your equipment's life span. By integrating access to best-in-breed equipment manufacturers, decades of application experience, and state-of-the-art tools, Instrument Specialties helps customers:

• Improve plant and personnel safety
• Optimize asset uptime and performance 
• Lower total cost of operation and maintenance
• Increase equipment reliability

PARTS, REPAIRS, UPGRADES AND FIELD SERVICES

Instrument Specialties mobile service personnel and advanced diagnostic technologies, along with the unparalleled expertise of their technicians, is equipped to address virtually any process equipment service requirement, regardless of the manufacturer.

Repair and Upgrades — Instrument Specialties repairs and/or upgrades equipment, providing new life to existing process instrumentation, valves, and control systems.

Replacement Parts and Components — Using its broad network of manufacturer's service facilities, and our own local stocking centers, Instrument Specialties provides timely delivery of quality parts that keep your operations running smoothly and profitably .

Field Service Personnel — From maintenance to management, highly qualified Instrument Specialties project managers, engineers and technicians will assist you in keeping your plant running smoothly .

ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SERVICES

Technical Analysis — Instrument Specialties can perform system audits to identify operational issues that may be constraining output or elevating operating costs, and then recommended laser-focused solutions.

Reliability and Efficiency Services — Instrument Specialties lends their decades of hands-on experience to offer practical solutions that improve the performance, efficiency, and reliability of your process control equipment - all while lowering your total cost of ownership.

Loop Design, Integration and Engineering Support — Instrument Specialties engineers engage with our customers, providing on-site support for grassroots project planning, system design, or project management requirements.

ASSET MANAGEMENT AND OPTIMIZATION

Instrument Specialties continues to invest in its capabilities and technologies to help our customers realize more payback from their plant assets.

Equipment Life Cycle Optimization — Through a combination of on-site assessments and technology, ISI experts help customers benchmark operational performance, define key metrics, and implement precise solutions to achieve long-term operational goals.

Intelligent Product Solutions — By employing an array of sophisticated products, services, and software that collects, examines and understands data, Instrument Specialties helps customers use predictive analytics to take action and improve asset reliability and reduce downtime.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Instrument Specialties offers a wide range of innovative training programs to help plant operators, managers, reliability specialists, engineers and maintenance staff further develop their understanding of critical equipment and processes.

Training at ISI — At our state-of-the-art facility in Sanford, Florida, highly trained instructors provide hands-on training and instruction in the principles of process control, instrumentation maintenance, control valve operation, and equipment reliability.

Customer On-site Training — Instrument Specialties will design, develop, and deliver training programs tailored specifically around the people, equipment and processes at a customer’s facility.

Instrument Specialties, Inc.
http://isi.group
407-324-7800

Handy Hazardous Area Classification Guide

The electrical classification term "Hazardous Location" refers to areas where flammable gases, vapors, liquids, combustible dusts, ignitable fibers or flyings are present in the atmosphere in sufficient volume to cause an explosion of fire.

Electrical equipment placed in hazardous locations must be carefully selected and applied in accordance with national and international "HazLoc" (sometimes referred to as explosion-proof) standards. These standards evaluate the threat of explosion based on quantitative and qualitative criteria such as material phase, specific gas of liquid, and likelihood of exposure.

SOR, a world leading manufacturer of process control instrumentation, offers a handy quick reference page on their website. For your convenience, we are including a link below to the PDF version on the Instrument Specialties website for download.

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Download the PDF version of this reference sheet
from the Instrument Specialties website here.

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This guide is just for reference. Consultation with a qualified applications specialist prior to the selection or installation of any hazardous area product is strongly suggested.

For more information, contact Instrument Specialties, Inc. by calling 407-324-7800 or by visiting http://isi.group

Crispin Valve: Air Valves, Butterfly Valves, Check Valves, and Plug Valves

Crispin Valve manufactures air valves, butterfly valves, check valves, and plug valves primarily for the municipal water industries. Other markets where Crispin valves are used: mining, energy and chemical processing companies. 

For more information about Crispin Valve, contact:

Instrument Specialties, Inc.

https://isisales.com

407-324-7800

SUPERIOR Water Solutions Gas Chlorinators

The SUPERIOR Gas Chlorinator is con­sidered the industry "workhorse" of gas chlorinators. The efficient design, coupled with the long lasting materials, creates reliable water disinfection systems with a safety first, user friendly design that is cost effective to install and so easy to operate and maintain. The SUPERIOR Gas Chlorinator is the optimum choice for water disinfection, whether for drink­ ing water, sewage treatment, industrial processes, food pro­cessing, cooling water, or swimming pools.

The vacuum-operated, solution feed type SUPERIOR Gas Chlorinator can be either mounted directly on a chlorine cylin­der valve, or wall mounted. Chlorine flow rate is manually adjusted. The design is such that a number of automatic flow rate control devices can be easily added. Modern mod­ular design makes it easy and cost-effective to expand or upgrade the system.

Download the complete SUPERIOR Gas Chlorinator brochure.

For more information, contact Instrument Specialties, Inc. by calling 407-324-7800 or visiting their website at http://isi.group.

Superior Water Solutions Gas Chlorinators from Instrument Specialties, Inc.

Influent Flow Monitoring at Wastewater Treatment Plant

Figure 1: Signature flow meter  with LaserFlow
sensor sheltered in weather enclosure.

Four Teledyne ISCO Signature Flow Meters, each configured with 360 LaserFlow sensors, were installed at the inlet of a very large wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). This flow monitoring technology provided a unique solution for the challenging flow conditions at this site. Non-contact Doppler laser technology was chosen by the user for their continuous and maintenance free flow monitoring.

Inlet Section Overview

Flow monitoring in the wastewater treatment process is key for verifying performance of the plant as a whole, as well as its individual processing sections. Due to the enormity of the plant’s processing capacity sewage streams are transferred to the plant through different main sewers, which merge into four rectangular inlet channels, each with a width of 1.5 m. At this location, the Signature flow meters and their non-contact LaserFlow sensors were installed over each of four inlet channels and sheltered in all-weather enclosures (Figure1).

Figure 2: Multi-point/Multi-depth velocity method.

Site Challenges

Sludge buildup at the bottom of the channels and high sediment concentration in the flow streams were the major problems for continuous flow rate measurement. The performance of submersible, continuous wave Doppler sensors, previously installed at the site, had been adversely affected by site conditions and required costly maintenance.

Finding the Solution with LaserFlow

The Teledyne Isco distributor recommended using the non-contact LaserFlow sensor at the site. The conditions at the bottom of the channels were less than ideal for traditional flow monitoring. Being placed over the channel LaserFlow overcomes this. First, the unit’s built-in ultra-sonic level transducer determines the stream’s level. This is done by emitting an ultrasonic pulse and measuring the time it takes for the echo to return from the stream’s surface. By using ultrasonic level measurement the sensor can calculate a subsurface point at which to focus an optical laser. The frequency shift (Doppler shifting) of the returned light from the laser is proportionate to the water’s velocity. LaserFlow is able to measure velocities at up to fifteen points below the water’s surface. Being able to measure at multiple points minimizes the effects of turbulence and eliminates the need for manual profiling. Above average results are achieved by producing a level measurement and an exceptionally accurate mean velocity reading.

Measuring Results and Feedback

Figure 3: Flow Rate Measuring Results for four
inlet channels in dry weather conditions.

Thanks to its non-contact technology for velocity and level measurement, the Signature configured with a LaserFlow was capable of providing consistent and continuous flow rate results (Figure 3).

The end-user was able to reduce costs of service by limiting site visits to periodic inspections of the LaserFlow without the need for stopping flow, entering into the manhole and/or cleaning the sensors.

For more information, contact Instrument Specialties, Inc. by calling  407-324-7800 or visiting http://isi.group.