Applying impact flowmeters

Applying impact flowmeters

Sheldon Sheppard, Industry Marketing Manager

Mining, Aggregate and Cement, Siemens Industry
Richard Calciano, Product Consultant, Siemens Industry

Dry solids flowmeters enhance process control, contributing to improved

product quality and a positive bottom line. Flowmeters provide continuous

in-line weighing of dry bulk solids with accurate, repeatable results. Conve-

nient, accurate, and dust-tight, flowmeters offer field proven technology for

consistent performance.

Dry solids flowmeters monitor the prefeed device is critical in con-

rate of bulk material flow in a pro-
cess. These devices constantly mea-
sure the impact force of the material
under gravity feed conditions and
convert this signal into a flow rate.
In process plants, dry solids flow-
meters can work in many locations
to provide rate and totals for many
types of bulk solids such as cereals,
seeds, grains, and minerals. Informa-
tion from the flowmeter feeds back
to control the rate into a process or
blending operation.
A careful evaluation of the applica-
tion, proper installation and calibra-
tion, and regular maintenance are
essential if operators hope to enjoy
continuous and reliable service. The
choice and setup of an appropriate
ditioning the material for reliable
measurement.
Solids flowmeters can function in
stand-alone measuring operations or
they can interface to a facility's pro-
cess control system using industry
standard protocols. They may also
connect to and operate in conjunc-
tion with other equipment such as
weigh feeders, belt scales, liquid
additive pumps, and other process
sensors.
Reducing material costs and improv-
ing product quality are of growing
concern in today's global market-
place. Using solids flowmeters to ac-
curately monitor the rate of material
during processing can help compa-
nies assure their long-term survival

Weighing Technology
Answers for industry.

1
Trends in Weighing
by improving quality and lowering costs.
Solids flowmeters have proven to be a
convenient, accurate, and dust-tight
Material flow alternative for continuous in-line weigh-
ing. By measuring the impact of material
flow, these alternatives to conventional
weighing devices provide accurate, con-
tinuous measurement of free-flowing
solids. To accomplish this it is important
Flowguide to understand how to properly select,
Sensing plate
install, calibrate, and interface a solids
flowmeter for a particular application.
Horizontal force dependent
Horizontal
force
Solids flowmeters are impact-weighing
devices that measure the mass flow rate
of a free-flowing, continuous stream of
dry solids material. The principle of op-
eration is simple: The material produces
a mechanical deflection as it strikes the
flowmeter's sensing plate. The flowmeter
Diagram 1: Solids flowmeters monitor dry bulk converts the deflection into an electrical
materials in sizes from powders to granulates up to signal that feeds into an accompanying
25 mm (1") in diameter, measurement is only made integrator, which instantaneously displays
in the horizontal plane
the flow rate and integrated total weight.
The flowmeter measures only the hori-
zontal component of the force of the ma-
Silica terial flow striking the plate. It is critical
sand these following factors remain constant
PID for reliable and repeatable measure-
ment. The horizontal force is dependent
Rotary feeder
on particle mass, velocity of the particle,
angle of impact of the particle against
the plate, and the energy absorbing char-
acteristics of the particle.
Flowmeter
Thus, with these factors held constant,
Integrator the flowmeter responds to the mass or
weight of the material striking the plate.
Because the flowmeter measures only
Pebble mill
the horizontal force, it is unaffected by
vertical force changes caused by material
buildup on the non-sensing area of the
sensing plate. Consequently, there is no
zero drift, which in turn eliminates the
need for frequent recalibration.
Diagram 2: To control feed for the grinding process
in a silica sand application, the flowmeter and The current generation of solids flow-
integrator control a rotary airlock feed to maintain meters available on the market provides
a set rate of material flow. several advantages over earlier models,
including lower cost and improved mate-
rial flow for more accurate measurement.
As weighing devices, solids flowmeters
offer several advantages over other sys-
tems. They can work in situations where
other weighing devices are inappropri-
ate. Their compact size allows you to
install them without major modification.
They easily and accurately calibrate by
comparing the weight of a measured
material sample to the weight totalized
by the flowmeter and then correcting the
2
span of the integrator. They generally do
not require maintenance or recalibration
after the initial installation and material
tests. Finally, most solids flowmeters
have dust-tight construction, making
them suitable for use in hazardous areas
or in applications that require minimal
cleanup and reduced housekeeping, such
as milling and food processing.
Solids flowmeters continuously weigh
a variety of materials, from powders to
granules larger than one inch in diam-
eter. Suitable material densities range
from puffed wheat to iron ore. Flowabil-
ity suitable for solids flowmeters covers
the spectrum from fluidized powder,
such as fly ash, to lathe turnings. Suc-
cessful applications include grain tailings
and screenings, cement, soybean and
rice hulls, gravel, unshelled peanuts,
wood chips, starch, coke, sugar, potato
flakes, coal, and plastic pellets.
Models are available in flow rate ranges
from 500 pounds per hour to 900 tons
per hour. By using material samples,
solids flowmeters calibrate to ±1% of full
scale and provide ±0.2% repeatability.
Many applications have accuracies of
±0.5% or better. Users can commonly
expect a 3 to 1 flow rate turn-down ratio
from most suppliers.
Types of flowmeters
There are two basic types of impact flow-
meters: the linear variable differential
transformer (LVDT) and the strain gauge
load cell. Each type uses a different
sensor to convert the horizontal force
applied to the sensing plate. In general,
selecting the appropriate flowmeter de-
pends upon both the flow rate and the
temperature of the weighed material.
LVDT models use a range spring, which
offers an opposing force to the material
flow, and a viscous fluid damper, which
eliminates pulses in the movement of the
sensing plate. The weighing mechanics
are externally located, so they are unaf-
fected by the material being processed.
A mechanical stop serves for overload
protection. These flowmeters measure
materials with temperatures up to 450°F
when silicon gaskets are used. Capacities
range from 40 tons per hour to 300 tons
per hour, depending on the model.
Inherent opposing force
Strain gauge load cell models support,
or assist in supporting, the sensing plate
 Applying impact flowmeters

and have an inherent opposing force and

mechanical damping. A mechanical stop
protects the load cell during overload Screw conveyor
conditions. These flowmeters have either
Extruder/
single-point or four-point suspensions. Ca-
cutter
pacities range from 1 ton per hour to 900
To storage
tons per hour, depending on the model. Flowmeter

In addition to the sensing element and

mechanical installation, it is important to Rotary
select an appropriate integrator. Typical airlock
integrator functions include flow rate, to-
taling, and analog output as well as pulsed
Pneumatic conveyor
output for remote totaling. Additional
integrator features, including functions Diagram 3: To control inventory of plastic pellets the flowmeter replaces high cost in-transit
for process control, ratio control, batching weighing and high maintenance static dump scales.
control, and flow rate alarms, are available
as options from most manufacturers.

Although analog control systems have Conveyor belts

been used extensively in the past, digital
communication networks are replacing
them at a fast pace. Many users are now
requiring solids flowmeter integrator/con- Material discharge baffle
trollers that are compatible with industry
standard communication protocols such
as Allen-Bradley Remote I/O, DeviceNet,
Profibus, or Modbus Plus. These protocols
offer a wide range of options for transmit-
ting and receiving data between the solids
flowmeter and the plant's control system.
Typical integrator/controller interfaces:
• 4–20 mA outputs programmable for Baffle
flow rate plate
• One or more 4–20 mA proportional, in-
tegral, derivative (PID) control outputs
• One or more 4–20 mA set-point inputs
• At least one pulsed output for a remote
totalizer
• Discreet inputs to initiate auxiliary
functions such as batch control, rou- Feeder/flowguide
tine calibration, PID modes, or external
alarms transition
• Several alarm relay outputs program-
mable for rate, load, PID deviation, and
batch control
• Industry standard communication pro- Short fall
Dead box Dogleg
tocols chute

Air flow past sensing plate

The manufacturer will typically request

a completed application data sheet from
the customer to determine the suitability Max
of the application and select the most ap- 1000 mm
propriate flowmeter. It is important that (39")
this information be accurate and reliable
so that the performance of the unit may
be likewise. Be sure to directly contact
one of the factory application engineers
if there are any concerns or questions.
Many potential problems may be resolved Diagram 4: To control inventory of plastic pellets the flowmeter replaces high cost in-transit
weighing and high maintenance static dump scales.
at this stage.

3
Trends in Weighing

Siemens flowmeters are heavy-duty and require little maintenance. They have a totally
enclosed design to eliminate product waste or contamination and reduce plant maintenance.
Since the units are dust-tight, they create a healthier work environment, especially when
hazardous substances are monitored.

Information considered by the factory in
applying the most appropriate solids flow-
meter includes:
• Material
• Flow rate
• Type of preferred device
• Bulk density
• Temperature
• Particle size
• Abrasiveness, particularly if it is a spe-
cialty material
• Accuracy required
• Possibility for a material test
• Airflow
• Material aeration
• Corrosiveness
• Moisture content
• Hazardous area classification
Application and installation are critical to
reliable and accurate solids flowmeter op-
eration. It is certain that the performance
of a solids flowmeter is only as good as the
application and installation of the device.
Factors affecting accuracy include mate-
rial consistency, air flow past the sensing
plate, vibration, and installation. The ma-
terial consistency must remain constant,
particularly the velocity of the material,
impact angle on the sensing plate, energy
absorbing characteristics, and coefficient
of friction. Solids flowmeters are rela-
tively immune to vibration. The rules for
application when vibration exists are as
follows: If you can only feel the vibration,
don't be concerned; if you can see the
vibration, take measures to reduce it. The
same guideline may apply to air flow past
the sensing plate. If the air flow is great
enough to feel directly on the skin then it
will likely affect accuracy.
You should install a solids flowmeter on
the level and securely. Wiring should be in
accordance with local laws as well as gen-
erally accepted principles for instrumenta-
tion and continuous weighing equipment.
The wiring should have protection from
damage and electrical noise.
One of the most critical aspects of solids
flowmeter performance is the use of an
appropriate prefeed device. A prefeed
device conditions the material prior to
weighing. A user may also control the
flow rate by controlling the speed of the
prefeed device.
You should calibrate the solids flowmeter
in accordance with the manufacturer's
guidelines and timetable. Like any type of
continuous weighing device, it is impor-
tant that consistency is of primary impor-
tance and then accuracy. Generally cali-
bration procedures include the following:
• Ensure the integrity of flowmeter in-
stallation
• Determine calibration weight value in
accordance with factory specifications
• Perform zero calibration
• Perform test weight span calibration
• Recheck to verify the zero calibration
• Perform material tests if possible
• Perform at least three tests before the
final adjustment happens
If the device is repeatable, perform a
manual span adjustment and factor the
test weight to the material test.
Dry solids flowmeters help to enhance
process control, improving
product quality and saving on operational
costs. Flowmeters provide continuous
in-line weighing of dry bulk solids with
repeatablity and accuracy.

The information provided in this brochure con-

tains merely general descriptions or characteris-
Siemens AG Subject to change without notice tics of performance which in case of actual use
Industry Sector Available as pdf only do not always apply as described or which may
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