ADDITIONAL TECH SUPPORT
FLOW PRODUCTS
Signal conditioners and converters are ancillary devices intended to amplify, filter, condition, scale, and convert the low level “raw” signals produced by many transducers and convert it into the desired, industry standard high level signal before transmitting it across a potentially noisy environment. In some cases, a secondary function is providing signal isolation.
This is a general purpose instrument that is intended to condition the electrical signal generated by a process sensor and scale the resulting information into a display in the units of measure desired by the end user. Additional, functionality such as alarms, analog output, and serial communications may also be provided.
Field indicators are signal conditioner/converter devices with a display. Field Indicators are intended for mounting on or near the flow sensor. They perform many of the same roles of signal conditioner/converters plus that of providing a convenient local display. Many “smart” Field Indicators provide additional, advanced functionality such as sensor linearization.
This is a general purpose instrument which conditions the electrical signal generated by the flowmeter and scales the resulting flow information into a flow rate and flow total display in the units of measure desired by the end user. Additional functionality such as alarms, analog output, pulse output, and serial communications may also be provided. Also see the section on flow computers.
A special purpose instrument which is intended to be used in conjunction with a flow sensor and a control valve to dispense a desired amount of a fluid into a container, tank, or vehicle. In some cases the temperature may also be used to estimate the fluid density from stored fluid properties.
What is a flow computer? A special purpose device which computes a corrected flow based on information derived from raw input signals and stored sensor and fluid properties information.
What are the typical applications requiring a flow computer? Computation of Heat Flow, Mass Flow, Corrected Volume Flow typically require a flow computer. In addition, many flow sensors require linearization to improve accuracy. The flow computer is also used for data logging, communication, remote metering, alarming and control functions. In many cases a flow computer may replace some of the functionality of a small PLC in your application.
In recent years there has been a virtual explosion of new technologies and methods which greatly simplify the exchange of information between systems. This virtual explosion in new technologies complement many of the traditional direct wiring approaches of interconnecting instruments around a plant, complex, city, or region.
KEP seeks to assist our customers in “getting connected” by using the serial communication ports provided on many of our models such that they may be used for communications with computers, for modems, for printing, for datalogging, and in wire-line and wireless communications.
KEP offers a variety of compatible hardware and software system building blocks which many users find helpful in interconnecting their instruments to their computer over their preferred communication channel.
The selection of factory automation hardware and software is a topic still quite new to many users of conventional flow instrumentation. They are presented with a increased range of possible solutions to their plant wide automation needs.
Broadly speaking there are three basic approaches to solve instrumentation and control needs. These are networks of instrumentation, or PLC based designs, or PC based designs. Each has its own merits based on the size of the plant and the need for local control. Industrial PC’s are finding their way into more and more monitoring and control applications each year. In most cases the PC is used as an operator station or data gathering station which collects information from a number of instruments or PLC’s. Many users are trying to grow their own system by looking at their need for information and tackling small portions of their plant one step at a time and slowly adding these to their existing PC network within their plant.
ES and MS Products are standard units that have been modified to meet special needs or for targeted applications. We offer a variety of special products for the following:
- Flow Computer for Liquid & Gas Applications (ES747)
- Flow Totalizer, Ratemeter & Batch for Vehicle & Skid Mount (MS716)
- Flow Computer for use with Thermal Mass Flowmeters (MS720)
- Rugged, Field Mount Multi-Function Flow Computer (MS748)
- Dual Ratemeter/Totalizer (DRT and RTP)
- Replacement Batchers (FLOWtrol, MASSbatch)
- Net Flow Monotor of Boiler Fuel (KEPtrol F/C)
