FLOW INSTRUMENTATION FOR HVAC APPLICATIONS

1
FLOW INSTRUMENTATION FOR HVAC APPLICATIONS
Your Logo Here

• Dave Schmitt and Derek Esch
• Escondido / Irvine
• Serving the Southwests Instrumentation Needs
  Since 1987

2
Overview S.C. CONTROLS, INC.

• Rep / Distributor / Integrator
• Escondido / Irvine offices
• Founded in 1987
• Specializing in FLOW, LEVEL, TEMPERATURE, DENSITY
  MEASUREMENTS
• Degreed Engineers
• Offering solutions not just sales

3
Overview

• Briefly describe the theory of flow
  measurements
• Outline different types of flow meters.
• Discuss advantages/ disadvantages in
  applications.
• Present examples of instruments for measurement
  solutions
• Questions / Answers

4
Flow Measurement Theory

• WHAT IS FLOW ??
• Measure of the velocity of a fluid per unit area
  in a closed conduit ie pipe or duct
• FLOW VELOCITY (fluid) X Area of Pipe or Duct
  or Stack
• FLOW FPM X FT2 or IN2
• Q AV (Area X velocity)
• Q ? AV (density x area x vel)
• Mass flow

5
FLOW - In our everyday lives

• Water flow meter at our home or apartment
• used for billing purposes
• Mechanical flow meter with local rate and total
• Relative accuracy

6
FLOW - In our everyday lives

• Gas Flow Meter - natural gas measurement of gas
  used for cooking and heating
• Mechanical Meter - turbine type
• Liquid flow meter - Gasoline - at the local gas
  station where we pumped gas this morning
• Positive displacement type with output signal to
  electronic counter for billing

We use flow meters every day to measure fluids we
use.
7
Why meter?

• Business Need
• Mitigate rising energy costs
• Manage energy consumption efficiently
• Apportion energy costs by usage and not square
  footage, creating behavior change
• You cannot control what you do not measure.

8
Basic Flow Theory

• Volumetric Flow
• Mass Flow
• Density - Liquid
• Density - Steam
• Actual vs. Standard Flow - Gas
• Energy Flow - Water
• Flow Profiles Reynolds Number
• Viscosity
• Accuracy
• Repeatability
• Straight Run Requirements
• Meter Installation

9
Volumetric Flow (all fluids)
10
Mass Flow
11
Density - Liquids
12
Density - Gases
13
Density - Steam
Superheated steam
Saturated steam
14
Actual vs. Standard Flow - Gas
15
Energy Flow
16
Flow Profiles Reynolds Number
17
Viscosity
18
Viscosity
19
Accuracy
20
Repeatability
21
Installation Straight Run

• Straight run requirements
• Minimum 10 pipe diameters upstream and 5 pipe
  diameters downstream required to get proper flow
  profile
• Less straight run affects meter accuracy

22
Installation Meter Location
Install before valve to avoid air
Vertical orientation insure full pipe
Top View
Liquid horizontal orientation insure full pipe
Top View
Gas steam horizontal orientation insure no
condensate
23
Technologies
Technology Operating Principle Advantages Disadvantages Fluids Measured
DP (Differential Pressure) Orifice plate Pitot tube Variable area Venturi V-Cone Accelabar An obstruction in the flow, measure pressure differential before and after the obstruction Low initial cost No moving parts Handle dirty media Easy to use Well understood technology Supported by AGA and API Not highly accurate, particularly in gas flow Orifice plate and pitot tube can become clogged High maintenance to maintain accuracy Typically low turndown Pressure drop Liquids Gases Steam
Vortex Inline Insertion Bluff body creates alternating vortices, vortex shedding frequency equal to fluid velocity High accuracy No moving parts No maintenance Measures dirty fluids Can be affected by pipe vibration Cannot measure low flows Liquids Gases Steam
Turbine Inline Insertion Dual turbine Turbine rotates as fluid passes by, fluid velocity equal to blade rotational frequency High accuracy Low flow rates Good for steam Wide turndown Moving parts require higher maintenance Clean fluids only Liquids Gases Steam
Magnetic Mag Electromagnetic Measures voltage generated by electrically conductive liquid as it moves through a magnetic field, induced voltage is equal to fluid velocity High Accuracy Wide turndown Bi-directional No moving parts No pressure loss to system Conductive fluids only Expensive to use on large pipes Conductive liquids (condensate)
24
Technologies Contd
Technology Operating Principle Advantages Disadvantages Fluids Measured
Transit-time Ultrasonic Fluid velocity measured by time arrival difference of sound waves from upstream and downstream transducers Low cost clamp-on installation Non-intrusive No maintenance Bi-directional Best for larger pipes Typically not used on pipes lt 2 Less accurate than inline or insertion meters Used primarily for liquids Susceptible to changes in fluid sonic properties Most liquids (condensate) Gas (when spool-piece)
Doppler Ultrasonic Fluid velocity measured by sensing signals from reflective materials within the liquid and measuring the frequency shift due to the motion of these reflective materials Low-cost, clamp-on installation Non-intrusive Measures liquids containing particulates or bubbles Low maintenance Best for larger pipes Cant be used in clean liquids Less accurate than in-line or transit-time ultrasonic Most liquids containing reflective materials
Thermal Mass Measure heat loss of heated wire thermistor in fluid flow Measure flow at low pressure Relative low cost Measure fluids not dense enough for mechanical technologies Easier to maintain than DP meter Susceptible to sensor wear and failure Not very accurate Limited to fluids with known heat capacities Gases
25
(No Transcript)
26
(No Transcript)
27
Orifice Plate Flowmeter
The orifice plate is a differential pressure flow
meter (Primary element). Based on the work of
Daniel Bernoulli the relationship between the
velocity of fluid passing through the orifice is
proportional to the square root of the pressure
loss across it. To measure the differential
pressure when the fluid is flowing, connections
are made from the upstream and downstream
pressure tappings to a secondary device known as
a DP (Differential Pressure) cell.
Fig. 4.3.1 Orifice plate
28
Orifice Plate Flowmeter
29
Orifice Plates

• Advantages
• Low cost, especially on large sizes
• No need for recalibration
• Widely accepted
• Disadvantages
• Poor turndown (41 typical)
• Long installations (20D to 30D)
• Accuracy dependant on geometry.

Complete Customer Data Sheet Customer
details Fluid Operating pressure Operating
temperature Estimate flow rate Line size, Pipe
Schedule, Material Flange Specification Required
package option
30
Gilflo ILVA

• Line sizes 2-8
• Temp up to 842F (450C)
• Accuracy 1.0 of rate
• Gas and Steam applications
• Compact installation - 6 up and 3 down
• Up to 1001 turndown

31
DIVA

• Line sizes 2-4
• Saturated Steam ONLY
• 347F (175C)
• Accuracy 2.0 of flow
• Internal RTD for Integrated mass flow measurement
• Compact installation - 6 up and 3 down
• Up to 501 turndown

32
Vortex PhD Flowmeter

• Liquid, Gas, and Steam
• 1-12 (25 to 300mm)
• Temperature up to 750F(400C)
• EZ-Logic menu-driven user interface
• In-process removable sensor (below 750psig)
• Fully welded design with no leak path
• Optional remote mount electronic
• Accuracy
• Liquid 0.7 of rate
• Gas and Steam 1.0 of rate
• Turndown up to 201

Vortex
33
V-Bar Insertion Vortex Meter

• Liquid, Gas, and Steam
• Model 60/60S Hot Tap, retractable
• Model 700 Insertion low temp, low pressure
• Model 910/960 Hot tap, retractable
• 960-high temp up to 500F (260C), high pressure
• Optional Temperature and/or Pressure Transmitter
• Line sizes 3-80 (76 to 2032mm)
• No moving parts
• EZ-Logic menu driven user interface
• Accuracy
• Liquid 1.0 of rate
• Gas and Steam 1.5 of flow rate test conditions
• Turndown up to 201

VBar
34
Turbo-Bar Insertion Turbine Flow Meter

• Liquid, Gas, and Steam
• Liquid flow velocity down to 1 ft/sec
• Model 60/60S Hot Tap, retractable
• Model 700 Insertion low temp, low pressure
• Model 910/960 Hot tap, retractable
• 960-high temp up to 750F (400C), high pressure
• Optional Pressure and/or Temperature Transmitter
• Line sizes 3-80 (76 to 2032mm)
• EZ-Logic menu driven user interface
• Nominal Accuracy
• Liquids 1.0 of rate
• Gas and Steam 1.5 of rate
• Turndown up to 251

TMP
35
Hydro-Flow Water Vortex Meter

• No Moving Parts
• Flow Range 1 to 15 ft/s (0.3 to 4.5 m/sec)
• Accuracy 1.0 of Full Scale
• 1/2 to 20 Line Size
• Microprocessor-based electronics with optional
  local display
• Maximum Fluid temperature 160F (70C)
• Model 2300 for acids, solvents, De-ionized, and
  ultra pure water (1/2 to 8)
• Model 2200 Fixed Insertion for (2 to 20)
• Model 1200 for water, water/glycol (1-3)
• Model 3100 retractable insertion (3-20)
• Models 1200 and 2200 have Aluminum Enclosure
  option for wet environments or heavy industrial
  installations

36
Sono-Trak Transit Time Ultrasonic Flowmeter

• Liquid applications-Clean
• 2-100 (50 to 2540mm)
• Accuracy typically 2.0 of rate
• Non-Intrusive
• No wetted parts
• Multiple outputs available
• EZ-Logic menu driven user interface
• Bi-Directional
• Transducer cable length up to 300

Sono-Trak
37
UniMag Electromagnetic Flowmeter

• Field Serviceable Design
• Field replaceable sensors and coils
• No Liner Required
• No liner failure
• Solid State Sensor Design
• Encapsulated coil and electrode assembly
  insensitive to shock and Vibration
• Plurality of Sensors
• Uniquely powerful magnetic field
• Non-standard Flow Tube Lengths
• Easy replacement of existing meters
• Measures Low Conductivity Media
• Conductivity down to 0.8 µS/cm

38
SAGE METERING, INC.THERMAL MASS FLOW METERS

• FOR MEASURING GAS FLOW

39
WHAT IS A THERMAL MASS FLOW METER?

• It is a Meter that directly measures the Gas Mass
  Flow based on the principle of conductive and
  convective heat transfer more detail later

40
MEASURE MASS FLOW RATE OR TOTALIZE COMMON GASES

• Air (Compressed Air, Blower Air, Blast Furnace
  Air, Combustion Air, Plant Air, Make-Up Air)
• Natural Gas Industrial (Plant Usage,
  Sub-Metering, Boiler Efficiency, Combustion
  Control)
• Natural Gas Commercial Governmental (Building
  Automation Reduce Energy Costs, LEED Credits,
  Meet Regulations)
• Digester Gas, Bio Gas, Landfill Gas (especially
  for EPA regulations and Carbon Credits)
• Flare Gas (Vent Gas and Upset Dual Range)
• Other Propane, Nitrogen, Argon, CO2

41
WHAT DO THE SENSORS CONSIST OF?

• The Sensors are RTDs, which are resistance
  temperature detectors
• They consist of highly stable reference-grade
  platinum windings
• In fact, we use the same material that is used as
  Platinum Resistance Standards at the National
  Institute of Standards (NIST)

42
THE BASIC PRINCIPLE

• The RTDs are clad in a protective 316 SS sheath
  for Industrial Environments
• One of the RTDs is self-heated by the circuitry
  and serves as the Flow Sensor
• The other RTD acts as a Reference Sensor.
  Essentially it is used for Temperature
  Compensation

43
SAGE PROPRIETARY SENSOR DRIVE CIRCUITRY

• Circuitry maintains a constant overheat between
  the Flow Sensor and Reference Sensor
• As Gas Flows by the Heated Sensor (Flow Sensor),
  the molecules of flowing gas carry heat away from
  this sensor, and the Sensor cools down as it
  loses energy
• Circuit equilibrium is disturbed, and momentarily
  the delta T between the Heated Sensor and the
  Reference Sensor has changed
• The circuit will automatically (within 1 second),
  replace this lost energy, by heating up the Flow
  Sensor so the overheat temperature is restored

44
HOW DO THE RTDs MEASURE MASS FLOW

• The current required to maintain this overheat
  represents the Mass Flow signal
• There is no need for external Temperature or
  Pressure devices

45
INSERTION STYLE

• ½ Probes up to 24 long
• Typically for pipes from 1 up to 30
• ¾ Probes up to 60 Long
• Typically for very large pipes and ducts
• Or use multiple probes, one in each quadrant and
  average in large ducts
• Isolation Valve Assemblies available
• Flanged Mounting available (High P or T)
• Captive Flow Conditioners (2 24 Dia.)

46
INSERTIONS NEED STRAIGHT RUN (Min 10 up, 5 down)
EEEE

• If insufficient straight run, consider Sage
  inexpensive Captive Flow Conditioners

47
CAPTIVE FLOW CONDITIONERS OPTIONALLY INSTALLED BY
USERS UPSTREAM OF INSERTION METERSIF
INSUFFICIENT STRAIGHT RUN
48
IN-LINE METERS

• ¼ Flow Bodies up to 4 NPT or Flanged

• Built-in Flow Conditioning (gt1/2)

49
SAGE INTEGRAL MASS FLOW METERS

50
SAGE REMOTE MASS FLOW METERS

51
SAGE PRIMETM

• Powerful State-of-The-Art Microprocessor
  Technology
• High Performance Mass Flow Measurement at Low
  Cost-of-Ownership
• Proprietary Digital Sensor Drive Circuit Provides
  Enhanced Signal Stability
• Low Power Dissipation, under 2.5 Watts (lt100 ma
  at 24 VDC)

52
SAGE PRIMETM(Continued)

• High Contrast Photo-Emissive Organic LEDs
  (OLEDs)
• Displays Calibration Milliwatts (mw) for Ongoing
  Diagnostics (Zero Calibration Check)
• Modbus Compliant RS485 RTU Communications (IEEE
  32 Bit Floating Point)
• Remote Style has Lead-Length Compensation Up to
  1000 Feet
• 24 VDC or 115/230 VAC Power
• 12 VDC Option (for Solar Energy)

53
SAGE PRIME ORGANIC LED (OLED) DISPLAY
54
SAGE PRIME DISPLAY (CONTINUED)

• High Contrast OLEDs Visible even in Sunlight
• Graphical Display Displays Pctg of FS Rate
• Flow Rate in any Units (per Sec, Min or Hour)
• Totalizes up to 9 digits, then rolls over
• Displays Temperature in ºF or ºC
• Continuously Displays raw milliwatts (mw) for
  ongoing Diagnostics (zero mw on Certificate)
• Diagnostic LEDs for Power and Modbus

55
SAGE PRIME INPUT/ OUTPUTS

• 24 VDC Power (draws less than 100 ma)
• 115 VAC/ 230VAC or 12 VDC Optional
• Outputs 4 20 ma of Flow Rate
• Outputs 12 VDC Pulses of Totalized Flow (Solid
  State, sourcing, transistor drive 500ms Pulse)
• Modbus compliant RS485 Communications

56
SAGE PRIME REMOTE BRACKET1,2
57
SAGE PRIME RECONFIGURABILITY

• Basis Sage ADDRESSER Software and Ulinx
• Advanced ADDRESSER PLUS
• Sage DONGLE shown below (no computer needed)

58
THERMAL MFM ADVANTAGES (OVER OTHER TYPES OF
TECHNOLOGIES)

• Direct Mass Flow No need for separate
  temperature or pressure transmitters
• High Accuracy and Repeatability
• Turndown of 100 to 1 and resolution as much as
  1000 to 1
• Low-End Sensitivity Detects leaks, and measures
  as low as 5 SFPM!

59
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS(Pressure Independence)
15 Data Points at 110 psig (BP), than same
output, even at 0 psig (No Back Pressure)
60
ADDITIONAL BENEFITS(Separate Rear Enclosure)

• Sage Prime has a dual-compartment windowed
  enclosure featuring a very high contrast
  photo-emissive OLED display
• The rear compartment, which is separated from the
  electronics, has large, easy-to-access and well
  marked terminals, for ease of customer wiring

61
Building Automation Contractors

• Mandate to Reduce Energy Consumption
• Needs Assessments/Portable Testing
• Permanent Monitoring tied to Control Systems -
  -NG, Air, N2

62
Compressed Air

• Facilities Monitoring
• Sub-metering/Billing
• Leak Detection
• Energy Conservation
• Compressor Optimization
• Performance Testing

63
??????????????????????

• QUESTIONS AND
• ANSWERS

64
Complete solutions . . .

• . . . to all your instrumentation needs !!!