The ES-FLOW Series of ultrasonic flow meters are volumetric liquid flow meters for very low flow ranges. These instruments operate on an innovative measuring principle using ultrasound in a very small, straight tube. A wide range of liquids can be measured independent of fluid density, temperature, and viscosity.
Liquid Independent Measurement of Low Volume Flow Rates
The innovative ES-FLOW Ultrasonic Flow Meter and Controller for liquids is designed for measuring volume flow ranges between 4 and 2-1500 ml/min with high precision, high linearity and low pressure drop using Ultrasonic Wave Technology in a small bore tube.
Liquids can be measured independent of fluid density, temperature and viscosity. Therefore, recalibration per fluid is unnecessary as the instrument is able to detect the actual speed of sound of the measured liquid. With these features the ES-FLOW has many similarities with our Coriolis technology based instruments, which are very beneficial compared to Magnetic flow meters or other types of flow meters. With the ES-FLOW non-conductive liquids like hydrocarbons, demineralized water, and oil-based additives can be measured.
One of the advantages of the ES-FLOW is that the instrument is equipped with an integrated counter, totalizer, and batch dosing functionality. This dosing technology allows batch dosing of small amounts of liquid additives with only a minimum of tolerance. The firmware is equipped with a “learning function” to correct even the smallest tolerances automatically (e.g. during start-up of the instrument or change of supply batches). The setup is customized to fulfill all requirements of the production. So, it can easily be integrated in already existing processes and production lines. Moreover, with this batch dosing functionality the instrument can control shut-off valves, proportional valves, and pumps.
The ES-FLOW Series of ultrasonic flow instrumentation from Bronkhorst is equipped with a digital pc-board, offering high accuracy, excellent temperature stability, and fast response. The main digital pc-board contains all of the general functions needed for measurement and control. In addition to the standard RS232 output the instruments also offer analog I/O. As an option, an on-board interface can be mounted to provide CANopen, DeviceNet, EtherCAT, PROFIBUS DP, PROFINET, Modbus RTU, ASCII, or TCP/IP, EtherNet/IP, POWERLINK, or FLOW-BUS protocols.
The ES-FLOW can be used for a wide variety of applications. Typical applications can be found in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical for measurement and control of: natural additives, solvents, carbonated liquids, H2O2 sterilization, demineralized water, and liquids with suspended particles.
Every transducer can send and receive, therefore all up- and down-stream combinations are recorded and processed. By accurately measuring the time difference between the recordings (nanosecond range) the flow velocity and speed of sound is calculated. Knowing these parameters and the exact tube cross-section, the ES-FLOW is able to measure liquid volume flows in the range of 4 up to 2-1500 ml/min.
The distinctive character of this flow meter is that it’s capable of measuring the actual speed of sound, meaning that the technology is liquid independent and calibration per fluid is not necessary.
The integrated PID controller can be used to drive a control valve or pump, enabling users to establish a complete and compact control loop. In this application example, the ES-FLOW is controlling a hygienic and 3-A authorized GEMÜ pneumatically operated diaphragm valve at a flow rate of 900 ml/min. This combination makes an excellent hygienic flow controller for a wide range of applications within the food and beverage industry. This design is also very interesting for the process industry with challenging liquids (e.g. particles) as the risk of clogging is limited due to the hygienic design.
During the manufacturing of candy, additives such as colourings, flavourings and acids have to be added to a main stream. The latter is a hot, viscous mass that usually consists of water, sugar and glucose syrup. By using our ultrasonic volume flow meters, the dosing accuracy will be improved, and so is the quality control of the manufacturing process.
The below solution consists of 4 ES-FLOW ultrasonic flow meters. One is used to measure the main flow rate as the other instruments measure/ control the flow of coloring, flavoring and acid. As these fluids are highly concentrated, only small amounts have to be added. These small amounts can be measured with the ultrasonic flow meter, as the measurement range is within 4 to 2-1,500 ml/min with a precision of ±0.8% Rd. The overall performance and user friendly operation of the ES-FLOW instrument are the main reasons for choosing this device.
Moreover, manufacturers of confectionery products using ES-FLOW devices, earned back their investments in flow meters by saving costly natural coloring and flavoring agents and large quantities of raw material. Before, when relying on volumetric dosing without flow measurement, errors in the production were detected at a rather late stage, resulting in entire batches of candy that had to be defined as ‘second choice’. Using flow meters, poor quality – if any – will be detected in a much earlier stage.
Pumps are core components in a liquid system. Dosing or metering pumps are able to “measure” the flow of a liquid by positive displacement or rotations. Process conditions, such as temperature, air containment, back pressure and wear and tear, influence the “measured value”, and therefore the pump needs an additional device to make the required correction. The ES-FLOW offers the opportunity for direct pump steering. Based on the desired flow rate the ES-FLOW controls the speed of the pump to minimize the influence of process conditions and therefore ensures high accuracy and repeatability.
Due to the combination of a straight sensor tube with zero dead volume, self-drainability, orbital TIG-welding and hygienic connections, this flow meter can be used for hygienic applications. Wetted parts are made of stainless steel, except for the rubber gaskets at the Triclamp or flange connections. The exterior design is according to IP66 as well as IP67. For non-hygienic applications, the instruments can also be equipped with compression type fittings.
The user interface is a capacitive touchscreen with a TFT display to operate and readout the instrument.
The liquid flow meter can be connected to a dosing pump or a control valve to form a closed control loop. The electronic control function forms part of the normal circuitry in the meter.
Full Scale capacities versus pressure rating
| PN 10 bar | PN 100 bar |
|---|---|
| ES-103I MkI: 200-1,500 ml/min MkII: 100-1,500 ml/min |
ES-113I MkI: 200-1,500 ml/min MkII: 100-1,500 ml/min |
| ES-113C 100-1,500 ml/min |
ES-FLOW model ES-113I Liquid Flow Meters (LFMs) are suited for precise measurement of volume ow ranges between 2 and 1,500 ml/min. The LFM consists of a innovative ultrasonic flow sensor and an IP66/IP67 protected measuring head with bright LCD display and capacitive touchscreen for adjustment of the settings e.g. for flow indication, alarm, totalization, and control (if applicable). The electronics include a PID controller for optional flow control by means of a separately mounted control valve or pump. ES-FLOW model ES-113I has orbitally welded compression type connections, making this instrument suitable for operating pressures up to 100 bar.
The ES-103I MkII with Tri-Clamp anges is authorized by 3-A, meeting the highest hygienic standards. Combining the ES-FLOW flow meter with a GEMÜ 650 pneumatic diaphragm valve makes an excellent hygienic flow controller for a wide range of applications within the food and beverage industry. The GEMÜ valve is also 3-A authorized.
The innovative ES-FLOW Ultrasonic Liquid Flow Meter and Controller is designed for measuring low volume flow ranges up to 1,500 ml/min (90 l/h).
The image to the right shows the screen display, immediately after powering up. The following screen areas can be distinguished:
The navigational buttons have the following functionality (from left to right):
The communication status of the instrument can be monitored with the three LEDs to the left of the screen.
A multifunctional switch (fn) to the right of the screen can be used to start several functions without having to enter the menu. Some special instrument functions can be started manually using the multifunctional switch near the indication LEDs. These functions are available in analog as well as in digital operation mode.
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