New flowmeter can be installed ‘hot’ into live pipework
29 Nov 2012
Spirax Sarco has launched a rotor insertion flowmeter for steam, gas and liquids, which is designed for rapid installation in live pipework.
The new RIM10 can be fitted directly into operational pipework using standard hot-tapping techniques, eliminating the need to disrupt production for installation.
This, said Spirax Sarco, saves costs by keeping productivity high and maintenance schedules clear. Installation can be completed in a fraction of the time taken to install conventional flowmeters, which require a complete shutdown for the cutting and welding of pipework.
A hot tap configuration allows sites to install the flowmeter when needed instead of having to wait weeks or months for planned plant shutdowns, as well facilitating withdrawal of the meter, should the rotor need changing for maintenance or re-ranging.
Three models are available to cover a range of applications, including those involving high pressure flows (137.8 bar g) and high process temperatures up to 400°C.
The meter has a turndown of 25:1, providing accuracy at high and low flow rates across all media, while the electronics are said to ensure error-free readings accurate to ±1.5% of rate with liquids and ±2.0% of rate with gas and steam.
The flowmeter is suitable for pipelines ranging from 75mm to 2000mm, and is especially economical for large pipe diameters of 300 mm (8”) and upwards, where inline installation costs tend to be prohibitive, in areas such as high volume manufacturing and power applications.
The flowmeter requires only ten pipe diameters of straight pipe upstream and five downstream for installation, making it a compact choice where other flow metering technologies, such as orifice plate or vortex meters, may struggle to perform.
Also, the low flow obstruction of the sensor ensures a negligible pressure drop and energy loss, often seen in other flowmeter models, said Spirax Sarco.
Set-up and commissioning of the unit can be performed through a local display or remote configuration/monitoring via Ethernet/HTTP web interface. Simultaneous measurement signals can be delivered through Modbus RTU via RS448 or Modbus TCP/IP protocols.
