GF Piping's Signet Insertion Magmeter Provides Accurate And Economical Seawater Measurement For Steel Manufacturer

GF Piping Systems has announced success of the company's Signet Insertion Magmeter in an installation that accurately measures seawater to cool steel for a manufacturing plant in Holland. The project entailed assistance from Van Heck BV, an international market leader in the field of water management and movement based in the Netherlands.

Van Heck BV is constantly looking for innovative technologies to improve the efficency and economy of their projects. Van Heck is often called in when temporary diversions or emergency solutions are needed or when disasters threaten. One of Van Heck's specialties is the temporary and/or emergency diversions of massive amounts of water by dredging, using their advanced pumping systems to move huge quantities of water through temporary large piping systems. Accurately measuring the massive flow through these large piping systems is critical to their success.

A large steel manufacturer in Holland contracted with Van Heck to install a temporary piping system that could pump vast quantities of seawater to their mill to cool steel after it had been cast. Key to the successful accomplishment of this project was the accurate and reliable measurement of the amount of seawater used. The project required measurement capability for a maximum flow rate of 6000 m³/h (211,888 ft³/h). The previous method of measuring flow in temporary installations had been hand calculations, but Van Heck was looking for a more efficient, accurate, and continuous way to measure flow.

The sensor requirements included flexible installation in pipe sizes ranging up to DN 1000 (40 inch) carbon steel pipes, an IP68 rating, working temperatures of 10 to 40°C (50 to 104°F), and the flexibility of temporary installation and easy removal. After careful research and evaluation of various sensors and sensing methods, Van Heck opted for the GF Piping Systems' Signet 2552 Metal Magmeter. This insertion magmeter proved easy to install and remove and fulfilled the flow solution requirements for maximum accuracy and minimum cost. It also eliminated the use of inconsistent and repetitive hand calculations

Van Heck installed four Signet 2552 Electromagnetic Flow Sensors in various locations. The magmeters were connected to GF Piping Systems' Signet Model 8550 flow instruments to monitor flow rate and total volume. Having first considered the excessive expense of using full bore magmeters, the customer was very pleased with the low price of the insertion style. Using the the 2552 insertion magmeter provided approximately 75 to 80% savings when considering both sensor price and installation costs compared to a full bore magmeter.

"A member of Van Heck's crew mentioned that ‘the accuracy seems to be perfect, because the indicated flow is almost the same as the calculated flow,'" states Felix van Grootheest, Account Manager, GF Piping Systems, Georg Fischer N.V. The accuracy of the Signet magmeters proved to be far better that the initial specifications required by the customer.

Van Heck's customer was thoroughly satisfied with the overall sensor installation experience. Capital and installation costs were much lower than traditional full bore magmeters and accuracy and reliability exceeded expectations. After completion of the project, the 2552's were easy to remove and are currently being reused on a sea vessel that is dredging the bottom of a European sea port. The 2552 sensors are monitoring the amount of sand and sludge being removed from the bottom of the port.

About GF Piping Systems
GF Piping Systems supplies a full range of plastic pipe, fittings, tubing, valves, actuators, rotameters, fusion machines, secondary containment, tank linings, heat exchangers, custom products, and sensors and instrumentation for industrial process control.

SOURCE: GF Piping Systems