Instrumentation Monthly Test | Measurement | Control
A Complete Flow Energy Solution for Large Plants and Facilities
Sierra Instruments announces the launch of its new Big-3 Flow Energy Measurement Suite for managing and optimizing flow energy measurement. Made up of Sierra’s QuadraTherm 640i/780i thermal flow meters (T), InnovaMass 240i/241i vortex flow meters (V), and InnovaSonic 207i ultrasonic flow meter (U), the Big-3 (TVU) offers a complete flow energy measurement solution from one USA company. The Big-3 sets a new standard in flow meter technology ease-of-purchase, performance, accuracy, reliability, and ease of use. It is a complete flow energy solution for flows that cost money like compressed air, natural gas, steam and hot and chilled water.
In large facilities, there are various flow energy applications that require measurement, and engineers must work with many companies to purchase the needed instrumentation. With the Big-3, engineers now have the option of acquiring all the flow meters from one company saving time and money. In addition, the Big-3 (TVU) share common firmware and software for easy integration, set up, and serviceability enabling operators to leverage their knowledge between the different platforms. All Big-3 (thermal, vortex, and ultrasonic) sensors provide unparalleled accuracy, are multivariable for more flow knowledge and patented with 40+ years of know-how, and use Raptor OS to manage sensor inputs.
QuadraTherm iSeries thermal sensors offer no-drift sensor with lifetime warranty and unparalleled accuracy of +/-0.5% of reading. QuadraTherm’ s four sensor technology provides the critical inputs for Raptor’s living, learning algorithm set and gas database to accurately manage changes in gas and pipe selection, gas temperature, gas pressure and outside temperature.
InnovaMass vortex sensors combined with Raptor OS offer patented Mass Balance senor, improved DSP, and achieve flows below 1 fps. InnovaMass iSeries measures up to five process variables with one process connection: volumetric flow rate, mass flow, density, pressure, and temperature, which is ideal for highly accurate steam flow measurement.
The InnovaSonic 207i ultrasonic flow meter ensures accuracy of +/-0.5% of reading from 0.16 to 40 ft/s (0.05 to 12 m/s) even if liquid density changes as the temperature of a flowing liquid moves up and down over time. Sensor are designed for temperature compensation to ensure correct speed of sound for increased accuracy and ease of installation.
Raptor OS, the Big-3’s shared firmware system, is a fluid dynamic algorithm set that has hyper-fast microprocessors, delivers digital communication protocols, provides field flexibility in TVU and enables software apps (SIP). It also solves limitations normally found of each sensor type in the industry. In QuadraTherm (thermal) Raptor OS calculates out unwanted heat transfers to provide precise mass flow rate. QuadraTherm also comes with on board qMix gas mixing software which allows engineers to create custom gas mixtures in the field to compensate for gas compositional changes without recalibration costs and without losing accuracy. With InnovaMass (vortex) Raptor OS reduces external vibration with proprietary noise reduction algorithms to enhance the signal to noise ration. Raptor OS firmware also gives InnovMass iSeries the ability to measure down to much lower flow velocities (near 0.5 fps) than equivalent vortex meters in the industry. In the InnovaSonic (ultrasonic) flow meter, Raptor OS with a temperature input, adjusts fluid density calculation in real-time to maintain accuracy. Most ultrasonic metes assume a fixed temperature and thus lose accuracy.
In addition, the Big-3 has shared software apps with common home screens. With the Big-3 there is no learning curve on three different software platforms between these diverse flow instrumentation tools. Big-3 software apps gives Plant Engineers and Managers the ability to mine and analyze data quickly to make effective decisions about their plants. SIP brings the Big-3’s sensors, mathematical models, and robust firmware to deliver reliable flow data. Software apps include ValidCal Diagnostics for field calibration validation, Datalogging, MeterTuning to automatically cancel external noise to improve accuracy, Dial-A-Pipe to change pipe size in the field, Dial-A-Fluid to change fluid type in the field without loss of accuracy.
The accuracy of the Big-3 (TVU) is backed up with world class calibration. Flow meters are only as good as their calibrations, and Sierra has invested millions into its state-of-the-art, fully automated, gas and liquid calibration facilities to assure consistent accuracy and repeatability of its flow meters. Sierra is ISO certified and follows ISO17025 guidelines. All Big-3 flow meters come with a NIST traceable and fully ISO 17025 compliant Cal cert. Commissioning to set up the Big-3 is optional.
All three flow meters that make up the Big-3 are designed, built, and calibrated in the USA – A first for any USA company.
To learn more about the Big-3 visit http://www.sierrainstruments.com/promo/big-3.html
Download Big-3 information sheet.
About Sierra
A global leader in flow measurement and control for over 40 years, Sierra instruments designs and manufactures fluid flow measurement and control solutions for customers spanning across global industries as diverse as scientific research, oil & gas, energy management, semiconductor, clean energy, aerospace and biotech to name a few. In everything we do, we challenge the status quo and thrill in doing the “never before possible” to continually push our technologies and solutions to the next level. With over 150 locations in over 50 countries, Sierra is uniquely positioned to provide innovative products and lifetime support for the leading companies of today and the growth enterprises of tomorrow