In order to supply the heat needed for a process, heat transfer oil is heated up to 300°C (572°F) and distributed over a system of thermally isolated pipes. The effective operation of the installation requires a reliable flow measurement of the oil. If the oil flow drops below a certain value, the boiler must be automatically shut off in order to avoid damage to the heating system.

If an intrusive flow meter is used, operations have to be stopped in order to carry out maintenance or the annual inspection of the system. Furthermore, since heat transfer oils often are carcinogenic substances, all maintenance work on the installation is

time-consuming and requires special preparation and precautions.

The non-invasive flow measurement with Flexim’s clamp-on ultrasonic transducers fixed on the high-temperature mounting fixture WaveInjector is a convenient and elegant solution to this measuring challenge. Since the transducers do not come in contact with the medium, the measurement process is wear-free and can be installed without pipe work, thus avoiding all risks of leaks involving the dangerous medium. The ultrasonic measurement thus improves plant safety and efficiency.

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Flexim (Flexible Industriemesstechnik GmbH) is based in Berlin, Germany. www.flexim.com