Solids Flow Meters and Why Every Process Should Have Them
A question that we get asked a lot is "why do I need a Solids Flow Meter?" or "how can a Solids Flow Meter help my plant or process?" To answer these questions, we first will look at what a Solids Flow Meter is and then where/how it can be implemented.
DEFINITION OF SOLIDS FLOW METER:
Solids Flow Meters can be called many things from Flow Meters, Flow Instrumentation, Process Measurement Devices, or even just Process Meters. A Solids Flow Meter can be considered an device or point measurement, that when placed in a process, provides a window into what is going on in the process. It is an instrument that provides vital process flow data like Flow Rate and Totalization/Totalized Weight. This can be on a continuous process or on a batch process. The Flow Rate would be in mass units like lb/hr, kg/hr, Ton/hr, MTon/hr, etc, and the Totalization/Totalized Weight would be in mass units like lb, kg, Ton, Mton, etc. Most Solids Flow Meters are used to measure the Flow Rate and Totalization/Totalized Weight of dry, flowable, solid materials. (For examples of products/materials that a Solids Flow Meter can be used with, see the following link: Visit our Website for Applications using our CentriFlow Solids Flow Meter
WHERE CAN SOLIDS FLOW METERS BE USED:
Instrumentation or Process Measurements can be used for optimization, making a process more efficient, can help to identify losses in a process, can provide tighter control on ratio and blending, and can provide Totalization or Totalized Weight information when filling, moving, storing, or transporting a product/material, just to name a few. Below are a few examples of implementation of a Solids Flow Meter:
Ratio Control of Additive
In this example, the customer is using the Solids Flow Meter to measure the flow of a powder coming from the screw conveyor so an additive can be applied in a mixing screw below. Measuring the flow rate of the main product allows for a more accurate ratio control of the additive. Without the Solids Flow Meter, the additive would be added to the flow, not knowing when the flow rate varied, wasting the valuable additive or having a blended product with an incorrect ratio. The Solids Flow Meter's flow rate output is sent to the customer's PLC or DCS system where the setpoint for the additive is then calculated based on the desired ratio. For even tighter control, the flow rate measurement can be used to control the speed of the screw conveyor to control the flow of the product through the Solids Flow Meter, thus providing even better ratio control.
Transport of Product to Storage Silo
In this example, the customer wanted to transport their product through a pneumatic conveying system and store it in different storage silos. The Solids Flow Meter is used to provide a Totalized Weight measurement of the product as it arrives from the pneumatic conveying system via the rotary airlock. The product is dynamically measured and the flow is totalized, having the information sent to the customer's PLC or DCS system. When the desired amount of total weight is measured to be stored in the first silo, the PLC switches the valve sending the product to the second silo. This same event is repeated until all of the silos are filled with the required total weight. The Solids Flow Meter assists the system in stopping the flow through the pneumatic conveying system when the total for all three silos is met, thus not having extra material in the transport system or under filling the third silo.
The CentriFlow Meter, a Solids Flow Meter from Eastern Instruments, can be used for these types of measurements and more! It can be configured for both Horizontal Feed devices like belt conveyors and vibratory conveyors (CentriFlow - Type I Meter), and for Vertical Feed devices like slides gates, screw conveyors, rotary valves or airlocks, bucket elevators or conveyors (CentriFlow - Type II Meter).
For more information or assistance with an application or project, please visit our website easterninstruments.com, or email us at sales@easterninstruments.com or call at 910-392-2490!
 |
| CentriFlow Solids Mass Flow Meter from Eastern Instruments |
Solids Flow Meters can be called many things from Flow Meters, Flow Instrumentation, Process Measurement Devices, or even just Process Meters. A Solids Flow Meter can be considered an device or point measurement, that when placed in a process, provides a window into what is going on in the process. It is an instrument that provides vital process flow data like Flow Rate and Totalization/Totalized Weight. This can be on a continuous process or on a batch process. The Flow Rate would be in mass units like lb/hr, kg/hr, Ton/hr, MTon/hr, etc, and the Totalization/Totalized Weight would be in mass units like lb, kg, Ton, Mton, etc. Most Solids Flow Meters are used to measure the Flow Rate and Totalization/Totalized Weight of dry, flowable, solid materials. (For examples of products/materials that a Solids Flow Meter can be used with, see the following link: Visit our Website for Applications using our CentriFlow Solids Flow Meter
WHERE CAN SOLIDS FLOW METERS BE USED:
Instrumentation or Process Measurements can be used for optimization, making a process more efficient, can help to identify losses in a process, can provide tighter control on ratio and blending, and can provide Totalization or Totalized Weight information when filling, moving, storing, or transporting a product/material, just to name a few. Below are a few examples of implementation of a Solids Flow Meter:
Ratio Control of Additive
In this example, the customer is using the Solids Flow Meter to measure the flow of a powder coming from the screw conveyor so an additive can be applied in a mixing screw below. Measuring the flow rate of the main product allows for a more accurate ratio control of the additive. Without the Solids Flow Meter, the additive would be added to the flow, not knowing when the flow rate varied, wasting the valuable additive or having a blended product with an incorrect ratio. The Solids Flow Meter's flow rate output is sent to the customer's PLC or DCS system where the setpoint for the additive is then calculated based on the desired ratio. For even tighter control, the flow rate measurement can be used to control the speed of the screw conveyor to control the flow of the product through the Solids Flow Meter, thus providing even better ratio control.
Transport of Product to Storage Silo
In this example, the customer wanted to transport their product through a pneumatic conveying system and store it in different storage silos. The Solids Flow Meter is used to provide a Totalized Weight measurement of the product as it arrives from the pneumatic conveying system via the rotary airlock. The product is dynamically measured and the flow is totalized, having the information sent to the customer's PLC or DCS system. When the desired amount of total weight is measured to be stored in the first silo, the PLC switches the valve sending the product to the second silo. This same event is repeated until all of the silos are filled with the required total weight. The Solids Flow Meter assists the system in stopping the flow through the pneumatic conveying system when the total for all three silos is met, thus not having extra material in the transport system or under filling the third silo.
The CentriFlow Meter, a Solids Flow Meter from Eastern Instruments, can be used for these types of measurements and more! It can be configured for both Horizontal Feed devices like belt conveyors and vibratory conveyors (CentriFlow - Type I Meter), and for Vertical Feed devices like slides gates, screw conveyors, rotary valves or airlocks, bucket elevators or conveyors (CentriFlow - Type II Meter).
For more information or assistance with an application or project, please visit our website easterninstruments.com, or email us at sales@easterninstruments.com or call at 910-392-2490!
