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Your Flow, Pressure, and Temperature Industry Monitor

Flow Research, 27 Water Street, Wakefield, Massachusetts 01880

www.flowresearch.com ISSN: 1530-7204

Volume 2, Number 3 November-December 2001

All Six New Technology Flowmeter Studies Now Complete

Since May 2001, Flow Research has released the following six worldwide flowmeter studies:

Volume I: The Market for Coriolis Flowmeters Worldwide (400 plus pages)

Volume II: The Market for Magnetic Flowmeters Worldwide (500 plus pages)

Volume III: The Market for Ultrasonic Flowmeters Worldwide (500 plus pages)

Volume IV: The Market for Vortex Flowmeters Worldwide (400 plus pages)

Volume V: The Market for New Technology Flowmeters Worldwide (600 plus pages)

Volume VI: Worldwide Survey of Flowmeter Users (500 plus pages)

The studies divide the market into five geographic regions: North America, Europe, Japan, Asia without Japan, and Rest of World. They are structured as follows:

Chapter One: Executive Summary

Chapter Two: Introduction

Chapter Three: Product and Technology Analysis (includes photos and technical specs)

Chapter Four: Market Size and Forecast

Chapter Five: Market Shares

Chapter Six: Strategies for Success

Chapter Seven: Company Profiles

Appendices

Here are some of the findings from the last three worldwide studies to be released:

Worldwide Vortex Flowmeter Study

1. Vortex flowmeters provide accurate and reliable measurement at reasonable cost.

2. Multivariable vortex flowmeters are growing faster than single-variable vortex meters.

3. Vortex flowmeters are the lowest cost New Technology meter.

4. Vortex meters are the most versatile meter, and can easily handle liquid, gas, and steam.

Here is some of the segmentation in the study:

· Multivariable/Smart/Conventional

· Wafer/Flanged/Other

· Liquid/Steam/Gas

· HART/Found. Fieldbus/Profibus/Serial/Other

· By Industry

Worldwide New Technology Flowmeter Study

1. The value of the worldwide New Technology Flowmeter market is $1.5 billion in 2001

2. Multivariable differential pressure (DP) transmitters prevent the worldwide DP transmitter market from being flat.

3. Multivariable flowmeters are a growing trend that cuts across all New Tech. meters.

The New Technology study includes the high-level data from Volumes I – IV, including Coriolis, magnetic, ultrasonic, and vortex flowmeters. Here is some of the segmentation:

· Coriolis/Magnetic/Ultrasonic/Vortex/DP

· Multivariable/Smart/Conventional

· Liquid/Gas/Steam

· HART/Found. Fieldbus/Profibus/Serial/Other

· By Industry

Chapter Four of this study is devoted to DP and multivariable DP transmitters.

Worldwide Survey of Flowmeter Users

1. In Europe, 36% of flowmeters measure water; in North America, only 19% of flowmeters measure water; in Asia, 31% of flowmeters are used to measure water.

2. Only 2% of flowmeter users in Europe say they intend to buy Foundation Fieldbus flowmeters in the future.

3. Accuracy is the leading reason given why Coriolis, magnetic, turbine, and ultrasonic flowmeter users selected those meters.

For the Worldwide Survey of Flowmeter Users, we translated our 14-page questionnaire into French, German, Chinese, and Japanese. We then interviewed 100 flow users by phone in each of the following regions: North America, Europe, and Asia, for a total of 300 interviews. This comprehensive survey gives an overall worldwide tabulation and analysis of the interviews. It then provides an analysis by geographic region, allowing you to compare differences among the three different regions. Some country-specific and industry-specific data is also available.

All studies are available to participants for an investment of $3900 each. If you order more than one study, the second and third studies are substantially reduced. All studies are published by Ducker Worldwide (www.ducker.com). There is a great deal of information on these studies at www.flowresearch.com, including Introduction, TOC, List of Figures, Letter and Description, and Order Form. To order the studies, or for more details, visit either www.flowresearch.com or www.ducker.com.

Despite Confusion, ISA 2001 Features Important New Developments

Anyone who attended ISA 2001 probably has a unique story to tell. The show was scheduled from Sept. 10 – 13 in Houston, Texas. The first day, everything was fine. Then on the morning of the second day, Sept. 11, the tragedy occurred at the World Trade Center. Airplanes nationwide were grounded, making it difficult or impossible for attendees to arrive or leave. On Wednesday, the show went on, but many attendees spent their time crowded around any available television sets. As a result of all these events, the show was canceled for Thursday. Many attendees rented cars and drove home, while others elected to take one of the limited number of flights back home.

Despite the confusion surrounding ISA 2001, there were some important product announcements at this show. Here are several of them:

Rosemount (Chanhassen, MN) displayed their new 3051S pressure transmitter, the new “Scaleable” version of the 3051 pressure transmitter. The 3051S is available in two models: Ultra and Classic. The Ultra is the higher performing model, featuring 0.04% of span reference accuracy. The following table compares the models in several categories.

	Classic 3051S	Ultra 3051S
Accuracy	0.75% of span	0.04% of span
Turndown	100 to 1	200 to 1
Stability	5 years	10 years
Total Performance Accuracy	0.15% of span	0.125% of span

The 3051S features Saturn™ capacitance sensing technology, which enhances performance and enables diagnostic capabilities. The sensor and electronics are hermetically enclosed in a stainless steel housing for improved reliability in harsh environments. The 3051S will be available for delivery sometime this winter.

Honeywell’s Industrial Control business (Phoenix, AZ) announced that it has completed third-party Failure Modes, Effects and Diagnostic Analysis (FMEDA) on its STT250 Hart Temperature Transmitter and the ST 3000^® Pressure Transmitter. The FMEDA analysis assessed the viability of these products for Safety Instrumented System (SIS) usage and has verified that the transmitters can supply safety data needed by SIS designers to verify safety integrity of their designs.

An FMEDA is one of the steps taken to achieve functional safety certification of a device per IEC61508. This analysis shows that SIS designers can meet integrity requirements with the
ST 3000 and the STT250 up to SIL2. Architectural requirements can be met with a single transmitter to SIL1 or SIL2 depending on application conditions.

Panametrics (Waltham, MA) introduced the first clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter for gases: the GC868. Clamp-on flowmeters have been used for many years to measure liquid flow, but have not previously been used to measure gas flow. While ultrasonic flowmeters are used to measure gas flow, they typically use wetted sensors that have physical contact with the fluid.

J-Tec Associates (Cedar Rapids, IA) announced a new series of multivariable vortex flowmeters. The JI and JW Series of vortex meters are designed to measure the flow of gas, steam, and liquid in line sizes from ½ inch to 72 inches. The JI and JW Series meters measure volumetric flow by counting the frequency of vortices generated by the bluff body. They then use data from RTDs and pressure transducers to calculate the mass flowrate. Sierra Instruments (Monterey, CA) introduced the first multivariable vortex flowmeter in 1997.

Flowlab Research Achieves Flow!

by Timothy Whitman

On November 8, 2001, Flow Research took a giant step towards completion of the onsite flowlab. On that date, we flipped the switch and water began circulating through the newly installed flowstand. This initial installation will enable Jesse Yoder and his staff to begin comparison of the performance of selected flowmeters under various conditions, and evaluate new techniques and concepts for flow measurement. The configuration will provide flexibility for growth and facilitate new Lab configurations based on initial trial results.

The first flowstand circulates water at pressures below 100psi. A floor mounted pump moves water from a 100 gallon tank through a flow control valve, into the test section, then serially through a master meter section, and then returns it to the tank at atmospheric pressure. The test section of piping can be removed in minutes and replaced with interchangeable test sections to facilitate testing of different primary elements and flowmeters.

Test section piping is all 2” diameter to accommodate a wide range of meter types without requiring undue volumetric flow to reach common flow velocities. The piping is arranged to keep the test and master sections flooded by having them below the return line elevation.

A Krohne IFS 5000 Magnetic Flowmeter is installed as the master meter in a semi-permanent section of the piping. The Krohne Altometer SC100AS display receives data from the meter and displays results. Once calibrated, the system will remain in place through a series of tests in order to provide a consistent reference for the variable test components.

After master meter calibration with a straight walled pipe in the test section, primary elements will be mounted for test. A Rosemount 3095 pressure transmitter will receive and interpret the pressure differentials created by the primary elements in the flow.

The apparatus that holds the primary element can easily be adjusted to locate the pressure taps at various distances upstream and downstream of the plate. It can also easily accept restrictive elements of three-dimensional shapes and venturi inserts. Cross-flow pressure scanning can also be accommodated.

Initial tests will determine the reliability and accuracy of the observations made in the Flowlab, followed by characterization of various primary element designs in 2” pipe sizes. Sensitivity to thermal effects, sensor contamination, and cross channel flow profiles will be evaluated.

Mass flowrate and velocity will be varied by adjusting restrictor valves upstream of the test and master sections, and by using different pumps. Three pumps are currently on hand. Velocity and size effects can be evaluated by mounting the primary elements in interchangeable test sections of varying pipe diameters.

The resulting comparisons of performance of primary elements and flowmeters will be interesting and useful to flowmeter users. A room full of flowmeters awaits testing. With experience gained in operating the flowstands, Flow Research will be well placed to evaluate specific flow instruments in varying applications for suppliers and users alike.

Investigation into flowmeters for hydraulic fluids will follow with installation of a KRAL positive displacement flowmeter and pump in 2002.

Join Flowlist!

Flowlist is a free email bulletin board service to encourage discussion of temperature, flow, pressure, and related topics. To subscribe, go to our website at www.flowresearch.com and click on Flowlist. To join, fill out our Feedback Form. Flowlist contains both members of supplier and end-user firms. Once you join, feel free to submit any questions or issues you’d like to discuss to the Flowlist. Your email will automatically go to all members.

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Hot Topics is published by Flow Research, 27 Water Street, Wakefield, MA  01880.

(781) 245-3200 (phone) (781) 224-7552 (fax)            Copyright © 2001 by Flow Research

Editor: Jesse Yoder, PhD   Research Assistant: Jeff Soohoo 

Senior Editor: Michael Kirsch    

Email: info@flowresearch.com                      Website: www.flowresearch.com