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Overview

In a Dutch refinery, a special heat transfer oil is used to supply process heat for the distillation columns. The oil is heated up to 300°C and conveyed through a system of thermally insulated pipes to the columns.

Effective operation of this installation requires reliable flow measurement of the oil. Before FLEXIM's non-intrusive ultrasonic flow measurement technology was introduced, the flow was determined by means of a differential pressure measurement.

Operations had to be stopped once a year in order to carry out the inspection and maintenance of the system. The medium is a carcinogenic substance. Therefore all maintenance work required special preparation and precautions. Moreover, the measuring site is located in a hazardous area.

Non-intrusive flow measurement with clamp-on transducers and FLEXIM's WaveInjector is a convenient and elegant solution to this measuring challenge. Since the transducers do not come in contact with the medium, there is no mechanical stress or chemical wear and tear. The meter can also be installed without opening the pipe, thus avoiding all risk of potentially dangerous leaks. Ultrasonic flow measurement with FLEXIM also offers the extra advantage that it is environmentally safe and improves plant safety and efficiency.

Advantages

  • Accurate and reliable process control
  • Easy retrofitting without opening the pipe and without process interruption
  • No risk of toxic leak - Protection of health and environment
  • No wear and tear - no process interruption for inspection and maintenance