VA40 used for hydrogen flow measurement in tungsten production

A New York based tungsten producer uses KROHNE‘s VA40 variable area flowmeters for hydrogen flow measurement in tungsten powder production. In the last production step, hot tungsten oxid at a temperature of 800°C/ 1,472°F is reduced in a hydrogen atmosphere: tungsten oxide and hydrogen react to tungsten and water.

Here, the producer needed to measure the continuous hydrogen flow to the reactor furnaces at only 40 mbarg / 0.58 psig. Since a local flow indication by visual reading of float height was sufficient, they chose the variable area flowmeter VA40 with glass tube as a simple, reliable and cost effective measurement solution. Although available options for VA40 include limit switches or 4…20mA signal output, the 14 flowmeters hydrogen supply lines were installed as pure mechanical flowmeters without the need for auxiliary power.