Reliable ultrasonic flow measurement on cooling water pipes in chemical processes

Synthetic resins play an important role in a wide range of industries. DIC Performance Resins GmbH in Vienna is one of the leading manufacturers of synthetic resins. The company is involved in the development and production of environmentally friendly high-performance resin systems and specialises in the study of surface technologies. Complex chemical reactions are used to create the desired polymer structure, which is crucial for the resin’s various properties and ultimately determines its suitability for different applications in sectors such as paints, printing inks, industrial coatings, automotive components and more. To ensure consistent product quality, continuous and precise process control of parameters such as temperature and pressure is essential.

Over the course of its operational life, the cooling system responsible for maintaining the process temperature has experienced a gradual decline in performance, necessitating modernisation. To restore the cooling system’s efficiency, it was necessary to carry out measurements on individual sections of the system in order to calculate the utilisation of the entire network. This makes it possible to rebalance the installed units within the existing pipework infrastructure. 

The challenge lay in finding a suitable non-invasive flow meter that offered a high level of safety. Safety was a top priority for the process managers at DIC Performance Resins, as the production process for synthetic resins involves the use of highly flammable solvents, amongst other things. The formation of sparks, for example due to inadequately protected equipment, must be avoided at all costs.

Furthermore, only temporary measurements were required, which favoured the choice of a non-intrusive flow meter. In the worst-case scenario, opening up pipework – and thus interfering with sensitive processes in chemical production plants – is either impossible or entails costly and time-consuming approval procedures.

In the search for a suitable device, the process engineer in charge opted for the explosion-proof KATflow 170 clamp-on flow meter from Katronic. The stationary flow measurement system is used for temporary measurements on a DN 50 steel pipeline with a flow rate of approx. 2.0 m³/s, in a medium temperature range of -20 to +35 °C.

With the help of the integrated acoustic sensor positioning assistant and thanks to the clamp-on technology, the user positions the stainless steel sensors at the correct spacing on the pipeline using metal straps. 

Once an employee at DIC Performance Resins GmbH had gained some initial experience with the ATEX-certified device, the user reported that, after just a few trials, the desired information on flow rates in the pipework could be gathered ‘quickly and easily’ and the corresponding calculations carried out. Initial reference measurements gave the user confidence in the reliability of the KATflow 170’s measurement results.