AMS Instrumentation and Calibration presents the latest range of flow
meters from Fluid Components International (FCI) featuring Profibus
compatibility for use in wastewater applications.
Wastewater treatment plant engineers seeking a Profibus-compatible solution
for flow measurement in aeration basins will find FCI’s precision ST100 thermal
mass flow meters providing superior accuracy combined with digital bus
communication flexibility to reduce air flow energy costs.
The activated sludge treatment method in municipal wastewater plants requires
compressed air to be pumped into aeration basins where a diffuser system
ensures even distribution of air for optimum treatment. Flow meters are
typically installed in the system piping to help monitor the air released into
the basins. The airflow needs to be precisely controlled to promote the growth
of micro-organisms treating the wastewater as well as to reduce compressed air
energy costs.
Designed for rugged industrial processes and plants, FCI’s ST100 is
ideal for this task because of the flow meter’s accurate performance over a
wide flow range, ease of installation, low maintenance requirements and digital
bus communications versatility, including Profibus PA compatibility.
Digital bus communications such as Profibus PA bus ensure flow meters
and other process automation field devices are interoperable and compatible
through an industry standard bus. The current version of Profibus PA includes
many functions that simplify the handling of field devices, including the
exchange of one field device for another device from a different manufacturer
during routine plant upgrades.
Key benefits of ST100 flow meters with Profibus PA include excellent
device flexibility; superior accuracy and reliability in harsh environments; Profibus
PA communication facilitating plant system retrofits through a seamless
integration process for new field devices including flow meters, saving time
and money; insertion style configuration allowing simple drop-in replacement for
older technology meters; and enabling engineers and technicians to easily
manage multiple fluid flow process variables and configure the meter remotely
from the safety of the control room.
ST100 flow meters offer a versatile communication solution to support Profibus,
Fieldbus, HART, or Modbus, 4-20 mA analogue, frequency/pulse, or alarm relays. Should
the plant’s communication needs change, the ST100 meter adapts with a plug-in
card replacement that can be changed out in the field.
Key features of FCI’s ST100 flow meters include unique graphical,
multivariable, backlit LCD display/readout providing continuous display of all
process measurements and alarm status, and the ability to interrogate for
service diagnostics; up to five unique calibration groups stored to accommodate
broad flow ranges, differing mixtures of the same gas and multiple gases, and
obtaining up to 1000:1 turndown; on-board data logger with an easily
accessible, removable 2GB micro SD memory card capable of storing 21 million
readings; ability to be calibrated to measure virtually any process gas,
including wet gas, mixed gases and dirty gases; thermal flow sensing element to
measure flow from 0.07 NMPS to 305 NMPS with accuracy of ±0.75 percent of
reading, ±0.5 percent of full scale; service up to 454°C; available with both
integral and remote up to 300m electronics versions.
The ST100 flow meter, including the entire instrument, the transmitter
and the rugged, NEMA 4X/IP67 rated enclosure, is approved for hazardous
environments with approvals including SIL 1, ATEX, IECEx, FM, FMc, CPA,
Inmetro, GOST-R and more.