In Situ Oxygen Analyzer



Watch this video from Rosemount Analytical. A product manager outlines the operation and application of the model 6888 in situ oxygen analyzer. Share your process analytical challenges with the process measurement and control specialists at Hile Controls of Alabama for practical and effective solutions. The combination of your process knowledge and experience with the input of a product application specialist will yield effective solutions.

Controlling Steam Heat Trace Lines

steam tracing temperature regulator valve
Specialty control valve regulates temperature
in steam heat tracing lines.
Image courtesy Jordan Valve
Steam is a commonly employed heat source for freeze protection or other heat tracing of process lines. Other than being an efficient heat transfer medium, steam provides the advantage of not being a possible source of ignition, extremely useful in areas where the presence of flammable vapors is a possibility.

Regardless of the method used to deliver heat, all heat trace operations consume energy. Control of the heat trace operation not only saves cost through energy conservation, but prevents potential deterioration, through overheating, of materials that may be in proximity to the heated line.

When steam is used, a well designed temperature regulator can provide control of steam flow through the heating system. Specially adapted for heat tracing operations, the Jordan Valve Mark 86 senses ambient temperature and adjusts steam flow as the ambient temperature changes. The completely self-contained unit includes temperature sensing element, diaphragm, and a sliding gate valve to regulate steam flow.

More detail is provided in the document included below. Share all your fluid flow control challenges and requirements with a flow control specialist, combining your own knowledge and experience with their product application expertise to develop an effective solution.


Industrial Wireless is a Mainstream Connection Method For Process Measurement

industrial wireless transmitter or receiver
Industrial wireless transmitters and receivers are
compact and easy to apply
Image courtesy of IOSelect
Wireless connections to process instrumentation have evolved to a point where they are uncomplicated and inexpensive to implement. Many facilities rely on wireless connections, either via a network (wifi) or point to point communications. The benefits of wireless are well known to those already among users of the technology.
  • Safety: Wireless connections can reduce personnel exposure to hazardous environments or situations that previously required human intervention or a manual gauge or instrument reading.
  • Easy Scale-up: Adding points on a network is generally a simple incremental process.
  • Operational Advantage: When deployed to replace manual instrument or gauge readings, real time data for diagnostics and efficiency measurements are now available. Information that is more accurate, timely, and consistent will produce better results.
  • Installation Savings: Installation of wireless connected assets has been reported to be up to 10 times less expensive than wired installation. The reduced space and planning for cables and conduit can make what were once complex and time consuming operations much quicker and easier.
  • Mobility: Wireless technology allows for real time connections to mobile platforms. Whether within a plant, on the road, or on the high seas, there are wireless products that can make the connection.
  • Distance: Don't just think WiFi, think radio, think satellite, think cellular. Connections can be established across very long distances using standard products from the industry.
  • Conversion of Legacy Devices: Many existing in-place devices can have their wired connections replaced with a wireless version. This accommodates a staged transition from wired to wireless in facility.
The transmission is accomplished in either the 900 MHz or 2.4 GHz band, delivering adequate range and power for most facility-wide applications. Obstructions can be overcome with the use of a strategically located repeater. Properly planned and configured, there are few limits to the distance a wireless connection can span.
Point to point wireless connections between, for example, a temperature transmitter and a recorder are easy to create. Most process sensors have very small power requirements, as do the wireless transmission and reception units. Power, if line voltage is not available at the location, can be provided by batteries, or combination of battery and photovoltaic. The 4-20 mA signal from the temperature transmitter serves as the input signal to the wireless transmitter. The analog signal is converted to a digital value and encrypted prior to transmission. A receiver at the recorder decrypts the digital signal and converts it back to a 4-20 mA analog output that serves as the input signal to the recorder. Wireless transmitter and receiver must be set to the same channel, but otherwise, the equipment handles all the work. If you can find your way around a smart phone, you can make a wireless point to point process connection.

There are likely many applications going unfulfilled because the cost or feasibility of making a wired connection is holding the project back. Reconsider the project using industrial wireless technology and you may find that the project becomes an attractive prospect.

Share your connectivity challenges with the experts at Hile Controls of Alabama, combining your own process knowledge and experience with their wireless communications expertise to develop an effective solution.