Non-Invasive Liquid Flow Measurements at Tank Farms

Installing mostly proven invasive flow measurement technology requires cutting openings in the pipes and results in temporary process interruptions. In isolated cases, leaks and other difficulties may occur when resuming raw material transport after the installation of in-line measuring devices. Due to the low electrical conductivity of the raw materials handled at tank farms, electromagnetic induction measurement methods are not suitable.
Non-invasive clamp-on flow measurement based on ultrasound offers an optimal solution for tank farms, providing reliable and repeatable contactless measurement through pipe walls without having to shut down pipeline sections or entire plant areas.

All flow meters in the KATflow series feature several built-in tools that simplify device setup and the installation of the transducers. The quick installation wizard guides the user step-by-step through each application and provides dynamic feedback on signal strength—and thus measurement reliability—during device setup. A second “Acoustic Sensor Positioning Assistant” uses acoustic signals to quickly and reliably enable the operator to precisely position the sensor on pipelines.

Katronic’s partner in the Benelux countries, U-F-M B.V. | Ultrasonic Flow Management uses 13 Katronic KATflow 170 ATEX flow meters to ensure that a wide variety of petrochemicals are unloaded into a so-called “hydrocarbon storage facility” as quickly, efficiently, and, above all, as safely as possible. It is crucial that a tanker be unloaded as quickly as possible, but this must be done within the permissible limits of safe operation. As the unloading speed increases, so does the static electrical charge in the pipeline, which raises the risk of sparking. The task was to ensure a flow velocity of just under 3.5 m/s to maintain flow without sparking. The KATflow 170 uses compact, explosion-proof clamp-on sensors to measure flow rates. Via the ATEX-certified base unit, the flow velocity is transmitted to the on-site control system, which ultimately modulates the pumped volume. Non-invasive flow measurements are the key to success in tank farms. The measurements are straightforward and reliable at all times, while maintaining all occupational safety criteria.