SOLUTIONS for FLUID MOVEMENT,

MEASUREMENT & CONTAINMENT

2017
FLOWMETER
Technology Report
Market conditions and innovation for a new year

Also Inside

NEC changes short-circuit ratings

Metering pumps fight corrosion
Rotary lobe pump design
offers advantages

DECEMBER 2016 • Vol. XXII, No. 12

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Table of Contents | December 2016 • Vol. XXII, No. 12

Cover Series
Flowmeter Technology Report
8 The lowmeter market in 2016:
In recovery mode
By Jesse Yoder, Ph.D., Flow Research Inc.
Exploring oil price volatility and other contributing factors

10 Improving pipeline performance

By Jack Roushey, Siemens Process Instrumentation
A gas distribution company increases operational eficiency with
transportable, ultrasonic clamp-on lowmeters.

12 HPLC pump system validation

curraheeshutter/iStock
By Bob Sandor, Ph.D, Tovatech LLC
Flowmeters help meet FDA pharmaceutical regulations.

14 Custody transfer measurement 8

By Izzy Rivera, FLEXIM, & Jack Sine
How a major fuel terminal satisies Coast Guard pipeline regulations

Features Special Section

Best Practices & Applications Motors & Drives
17 Comprehensive MCC
20 Rotary lobe pumps versus solutions
progressive cavity pumps By Ryne Montemurro, Rockwell Automation
By Russell J. Boring, Vogelsang Protect personnel with three important
How design variations create operational differences features.

18 The NEC’s short-circuit

22 Pharmaceutical piping challenges current rating changes
By Derek Bower, Viega LLC
By Charles Tahara, Eaton
Safely treating wastewater involved in radioisotope
Demystifying the 2017 code revisions with
health care applications
VFD panels

26 Combatting corrosion Departments

By Tom O’Donnell, Neptune Chemical Pump Co.
Large oil producer installs hydraulic diaphragm metering pumps 4 From the Editor
for inhibitor injection systems 6 News & Notes
28 Food-grade heat transfer luids 31 Advertiser Index
By Christopher Wright, Global Group of Companies 32 This month on
Independent sampling will uphold consumer safety and improve FlowControlNetwork.com
consumer conidence.

Flow Control (ISSN #1081-7107) is published 12 times a year

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2 | December 2016 Flow Control

Write in 208 or request info at fcm.hotims.com
From the Editor

THE

NETWORK

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
LORI DITORO | 205-408-3744
lditoro@grandviewmedia.com
EDITOR IN CHIEF
ROBYN TUCKER | 205-981-4698
rtucker@grandviewmedia.com
GROUP MANAGING EDITOR
AMY W. RICHARDSON | 205-408-5050
arichardson@grandviewmedia.com
GROUP ASSOCIATE EDITOR
AMANDA HOSEY | 205-408-3784
ahosey@grandviewmedia.com
GROUP SENIOR EDITOR,
CONTENT MARKETING
Editor in Chief Robyn Tucker met with EPLAN (left) and Festo (right) at the Rockwell MATT MIGLIORE | 484-255-9032
Automation Fair in Atlanta, Georgia. matt@grandviewmedia.com
COLUMNIST
DAVID W. SPITZER

W
ith 2016 nearly in the books, I’m excited about what next year will bring. Over ART DIRECTORS
MARTY HARRIS
the past few weeks I saw the fluid sealing industry hard at work during the Fluid TOD MOLINA
Sealing Association’s fall meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. I also learned how PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
JAIME DE ARMAN | jdearman@grandviewmedia.com
Rockwell Automation partners with other industry experts to advance automation solutions GROUP PUBLISHER
at the Rockwell Automation Fair in Atlanta, Georgia. MICHAEL C. CHRISTIAN | 908-507-5472
mikec@grandviewmedia.com
The people in the fluid handling industry work hard to evolve continually, which is why NATIONAL ACCOUNTS MANAGER
new technology makes its way into the field with every passing year. As our society, mar- JIM SEMPLE | 908-963-3008
jsemple@grandviewmedia.com
ket conditions and regulations continue to change, so will the technology that keeps the DISTRICT MANAGER
world moving. You can honor someone who has made substantial contributions to the flow JAY HAAS | 205-572-1058
jay@grandviewmedia.com
measurement field at legendsofflow.com as part of the Legends of Flow awards program S.E. ACCOUNT MANAGER
sponsored by Flow Research Inc. LISA WILLIMAN | 205-332-5915
lwilliman@grandviewmedia.com
In this issue, we present an overview of where the flowmeter market has been this year ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
and where trends show it is likely going by Flow Research founder and president Jesse ADDISON PERKINS | 205-861-5303
aperkins@grandviewmedia.com
Yoder, Ph.D. We also look at a few technologies that represent the role flowmeters play MARKETING DIRECTOR
in our industry. Siemens Process Instrumentation writes on page 10 about how ultrasonic ANNEE COOK
MARKETING MANAGER
clamp-on flowmeters can help with corrosion problems. Tovatech continues the series on NICK PHILLIPS
page 12 with a discussion about flowmeters’ part in meeting pharmaceutical regulations, DIGITAL BUSINESS DIRECTOR
STUART ANDERSON
and FLEXIM rounds out our cover series on page 14 with a case study of how pipeline DIGITAL OPERATIONS MANAGER
regulations were satisfied with a flowmeter solution. MARY BETH ROMANO
AUDIENCE MARKETING MANAGER
Motors and drives contribute to the flow system as well. Rockwell Automation begins ANNA HICKS
our special section on this topic by offering three ways to protect workers involved with DIGITAL AUDIENCE MARKETING ANALYST
STACY JESS
motor control centers on page 17. Eaton continues the topic with a discussion about the
SUBSCRIPTION & REPRINT REQUEST
recent revisions to the National Electrical Code short-circuit protection requirements. lowcontrol@omeda.com
Here’s to ringing in another year with you! Have a wonderful holiday season. CORPORATE TEAM
PRESIDENT
VICKI DENMARK
Cheers, CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER
CHRIS DOLAN
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
MARY BETH SHADDIX
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
& ANALYTICS DIRECTOR
HEATHER THOMPSON
Robyn Tucker AUDIENCE MARKETING DIRECTOR
rtucker@grandviewmedia.com DELICIA POOLE
FINANCIAL DIRECTOR
@FlowControl_Mag RANDY LYLE
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR
ANDY ESTILL
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Jeff Jennings:
Jeff Jennings: Equilibar
Equilibar LLC
LLC Tom O’Banion:
Tom O’Banion: Emerson
Emerson Process
Process Management,
Management, Micro
Micro Motion
Motion
Mitch Johnson:
Mitch Johnson: JMS
JMS Southeast
Southeast David W.
David W. Spitzer,
Spitzer, PE:
PE: Spitzer
Spitzer and
and Boyes
Boyes LLC
LLC
Gobind Khiani:
Gobind Khiani: Fluor
Fluor Canada,
Canada, Ltd.
Ltd. George Weihrauch:
George Weihrauch: Baldor
Baldor Electric
Electric Company
Company
Jim Lauria:
Jim Lauria: Mazzei
Mazzei Injector
Injector Company
Company Andrew Yeghnazar:
Andrew Yeghnazar: Blacoh
Blacoh Fluid
Fluid Control
Control WINNER WINNER WINNER
John Merrill,
John Merrill, PE:
PE: EagleBurgmann
EagleBurgmann Industries
Industries Jesse Yoder,
Jesse Yoder: Ph.D.:
Flow Research
Flow Research
Steve Milford:
Steve Milford: Endress+Hauser
Endress+Hauser U.S.U.S.

4 | December 2016 Flow Control

Write in 206 or request info at fcm.hotims.com
News & Notes
Industry updates
Pump market to represent
incremental opportunity
through 2024
The global pump market is projected to
register a CAGR of 4.6 percent in terms
of revenue and 4.2 percent in terms of
sales volume between 2016 and 2024,
according to a new report titled “Pumps
Market: Global Industry Analysis and Fore-
cast, 2016–2024,” by Persistence Market
Research. The report analyzes the perfor-
mance of the global pumps market over
an eight-year period and provides insights
on the key factors and trends likely to inlu-
ence the market during the forecast period.
Key drivers of the growth include
government regulations, pharmaceuti-
cal demand, a growing need for water
treatment and wastewater manage-
ment, and oil and gas expansion. The
Asia-Paciic region is estimated to domi-
nate the global pumps market in terms
of revenue with 38.5 percent share by
the end of 2016. Sales of pumps in the
North America and Europe regions is es-
timated to collectively account for 48.8
percent share by the end of 2016.
Slump in oil & gas
industry to negatively
impact valve market
A new report released by Transparency
Market Research projects that the global
valve market will exhibit a compound
annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.6 per-
cent from 2016 to 2020 in terms of rev-
enue. If the number holds true, the mar-
ket, valued at $71.21 billion in 2015,
is expected to rise to $92.65 billion by
2020. In terms of volume, the market
is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.6
percent during the forecast period. The
recent downturn witnessed by the global
oil and gas industry owing to oversupply
and reduced demand has had a huge
impact on the growth of the valves mar-
ket as well. Because of the crash, oil and
gas companies have been cutting costs,
wrapping up many ongoing projects, and
investing in very few new projects. This is
leading to a huge decline in the demand
for a variety of valves.
6 | December 2016
R&D efforts grow
portable gas detector
markets
Research and development aimed at
expanding the types of gases that can
be detected by portable gas detectors is
growing market demand. R&D and rising
demand from Asia-Paciic, North Amer-
ica, and Europe should drive growth in
the global market, BCC Research re-
veals in its new report, “Portable Gas
Detection Systems: Global Markets.”
The global market for portable gas
detectors should total $1.1 billion and
$1.4 billion in 2016 and 2021, respec-
tively, growing at a ive-year CAGR of 4.2
percent. Oil and gas, the largest end user
segment, should reach $320.2 million in
2021 at a ive-year CAGR of 2 percent.
Company news
NI partnership to advance
the Industrial Internet of
Things
National Instruments (NI) is partnering
with SparkCognition and IBM on the
Condition Monitoring and Predictive
Maintenance Testbed. As part of NI’s on-
going efforts with the Industrial Internet
Consortium to advance the Industrial In-
ternet of Things (IIoT), this update to the
testbed will allow an unprecedented lev-
el of interoperability among operational
technology and informational technology
as organizations search for better meth-
ods to manage and extend the life of
aging assets in heavy machinery, power
generation, process manufacturing and
many other industrial sectors.
Schneider Electric acquires
Applied Instrument
Technologies & MaxEAM
Schneider Electric acquired Applied In-
strument Technologies Inc. (AIT), a pro-
vider of online process analyzers for the
hydrocarbon, petrochemical, chemical,
pharmaceutical and steel-making indus-
tries. The acquisition adds to Schneider
Electric’s process automation portfolio.
Schneider Electric also acquired MaxFAM,
a software company with complementary
applications that extend Avantis PRO En-
terprise Asset Management.
Fluid Components
International opens Saudi
Arabia joint venture
Fluid Components International (FCI) es-
tablished Fluid Components Saudi Arabia
Ltd., a joint venture with GAS Arabian
Services Co., Ltd. FCI’s new joint venture
in Saudi Arabia offers high-quality service
and support for local and regional users
of FCI instrumentation. The facility pro-
vides immediate access to FCI engineer-
ing and technical support, local spare
parts inventory and supply, repair and re-
calibration services, factory-certiied ield
service personnel, client product and ser-
vice training, site dispatching and on-site
installation and start-up assistance.
ITT elects Nicholas C.
Fanandakis to board
ITT Inc. elected Nicholas C.
Fanandakis to its board of directors.
Fanandakis,59, is the executive vice
president and chief inancial oficer
of E.I. du Pont de Nemours and
Co. (DuPont). Fanandakis formerly
served as group vice president of
DuPont Applied BioSciences and vice
president of Corporate Plans.
Viega wins Plastic Pipe
Institute’s 2016 Project of
the Year Award
Viega received Plastic Pipe Institute’s
2016 “Project of the Year” award in
the building and construction division
for its Big Bear Area Regional Waste-
water Agency heating bed project us-
ing Viega’s Climate Mat. The winning
project used approximately 22,500
linear feet of 5/8-inch ViegaPEX Bar-
rier crosslinked polyethylene tubing at
9-inch centers to make up the Climate
Mats and cover the 16,000-square-
foot slab area.
SEAT & Aqualia create
first 100 percent Spanish
alternative fuel from
wastewater
SEAT and Aqualia joined forces to develop
Flow Control
the SMART Green Gas project, which aims
to obtain 100 percent Spanish origin, re-
newable biofuel from wastewater to be
used in compressed natural gas powered
vehicles. To kick off the collaboration, both
companies have begun performing pilot
tests in the wastewater treatment plant
located in Jerez. As part of their collabora-
tion, SEAT has provided Aqualia with two
SEAT Leon TGI vehicles to conduct the
necessary testing with the biomethane
obtained from the wastewater to confirm
and verify the entire production chain until
the fuel is obtained and used.
recognized the Rockwell Automation
Insider Risk Team with the Global Team
Leadership award for its impact on the so-
ciety and the engineering community. The
Global Team Leadership award gives recog-
nition for a geographically diverse team that
makes outstanding technical contributions
in the field of engineering and technical
management, demonstrating innovative
thinking to overcome global challenges. It is
presented annually to a team with women
in technical leadership roles that meets or
exceeds project objectives. FC
Send news and events for consider-
ation in this section to Group Associ-
ate Editor Amanda Hosey at ahosey@
grandviewmedia.com.

Society of Women
Engineers recognizes
Rockwell Automation
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE)

Upcoming events
The International Air-Conditioning,
Heating, Refrigerating Exposition
(AHR Expo)
Jan. 30–Feb. 1, 2017
Las Vegas, Nevada
ahrexpo.com

21st ARC Industry Forum

Feb. 6–9, 2017
Orlando, Florida
arcweb.com/events/arc-industry-
forum-orlando

2017 Horizontal Directional

Drilling Academy
Feb. 13–14, 2017
Tempe, Arizona
hddacademy.com

INTERPHEX
March 21–23, 2017
New York, New York
interphex.com

2017 MCAA Industry Forum

April 23-25, 2017
Atlanta, Georga
measure.org

Offshore Technology
Conference 2017
May 1–4, 2017
Houston, Texas
otcnet.org
Write in 213 or request info at fcm.hotims.com

www.flowcontrolnetwork.com December 2016 | 7

Cover Series: Flowmeter Technology Report
The flowmeter market in 2016:
In recovery mode
Exploring oil price volatility and other contributing factors
M
ost people remember the recession of 2008, a world-
wide economic downturn marked by negative economic
growth and financial hardship for many companies and
individuals. Because this was the worst economic downturn since
the Great Depression, it has come to be known as the Great
Recession. Today, some economic analysts put the beginning
of the Great Recession at December 2007 and its end at June
2009. Even though it may have officially ended in mid-2009, its
effects lingered through 2010 and into 2011.
The worst quarter during the Great Recession in terms of
gross domestic product (GDP) was Q4 2008, when U.S. GDP
contracted by 8.2 percent. GDP levels continued to decline in
the first two quarters of 2009. In Q3 2009, GDP grew by 1.3
percent, marking the official end of the Great Recession. Home
prices fell about 30 percent during this period.
Other important indicators include a rise in the unemploy-
ment rate from 5 percent in December 2007 to a high of
10 percent in October 2009. The Dow Jones Industrial Aver-
age reached what was then an all-time high of 14,164.53 on
Oct. 9, 2007. As the Great Recession developed, a number of
All images courtesy of Flow Research Inc.
A pumping jack in an oil field near Houston, Texas.
8 | December 2016
By Jesse Yoder, Ph.D, Flow Research Inc.
major companies in the banking sector reported massive losses.
These included Countrywide, American International Group Inc.
and Bear Stearns. General Motors Co. and Chrysler required and
received government bailouts. By March 9, 2009, the Dow bot-
tomed out at 6,457.05.
Effect on flowmeter markets
The worldwide flowmeter markets do not necessarily rise and fall
with the state of U.S., European and Asian economies. How-
ever, since flowmeter companies sell into the process industries,
including oil and gas, chemical, food and beverage, and oth-
ers, they can be affected by broad-based economic events. The
Great Recession had a systemic effect on many large and small
companies, including flowmeter suppliers and the process in-
dustry companies that purchase flowmeters for their manufac-
turing and industrial operations.
The oil and gas industry, including upstream, midstream,
downstream and refining, accounts for between 20 and 30
percent of flowmeter revenues for many types of flowmeters.
As a result, the strength of the oil and gas industry has a
major impact on the business of many flowmeter and instru-
mentation companies. This impact is more direct than the
broader impact of a downturn in the economy as a whole.
And the strength of the oil and gas industry is in many ways
tied to oil prices.
The price of oil especially has an effect on the upstream and
midstream oil markets. When oil prices are high, e.g., above
$70 per barrel, many oil and gas exploration projects are profit-
able that are not profitable at lower prices such as at $40 per
barrel. Oil prices fluctuate depending on many factors, including
environmental, political, currency and speculative factors. Unfor-
tunately for many instrumentation companies, the Great Reces-
sion of 2008 was accompanied by a dramatic drop in the price
of oil. In July 2008, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil sold
for more than $145 per barrel. By December 2008, the price of
WTI had dropped to a range near $31 per barrel.
The combined effect of the Great Recession and the drop in
oil prices had a significant impact on new-technology flowmeter
markets in 2009. It affected the Coriolis, magnetic and thermal
flowmeter markets most severely, all of which declined in 2009.
However, in 2010, all the new-technology flowmeter markets re-
bounded from 2009 levels. This rebound continued in 2011. In
Flow Control

Oil storage tanks in a Houston, Texas oil field. Oil storage has
become an increasingly important issue because the supply of
available oil has increased.
2012, all these flowmeter markets showed an increase, but not
as strong as the increase in 2011. The 2012 increases looked
a lot like those in 2008, and were more in line with expected
annual averages.
Oil prices in 2015
In 2015, flowmeter markets experienced a downturn similar to
the one in 2009, although it was not as pronounced. This was
not caused by a global recession, since the U.S. and many world
economies experienced growth in 2015. Instead, it was mainly
because of a drop in oil prices that began in August 2014.
Why did prices begin to decline in August 2014? One major
reason is an increase in U.S. oil production. Most analysts at-
tribute the increase in U.S. oil production to shale plays and the
new use of technology in them. Through the process of hydraulic
fracturing, or “fracking,” it is possible to obtain oil from wells that
were once thought to be dry, or nonproductive. This process has
significantly increased the total crude oil production in the U.S.
and other countries. Fracking has become somewhat controver-
sial because of its environmental effects, which are still being
studied. Even so, the increased use of fracking technology is one
of the major reasons for the increase in oil supply and for the
resulting imbalance of supply and demand.
The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
often responds to declines in oil prices by cutting production
to maintain higher prices. However, in November 2014, OPEC
decided not to cut production despite a significant decline in oil
prices. Many analysts believe this was an attempt to undercut
the U.S. shale industry. OPEC’s decision not to cut production in
November 2014 meant that OPEC countries continued to pro-
duce as much oil as before.
While oil was trading in the $70 per barrel range at the time
of the November 2014 OPEC meeting, it traded lower after the
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
meeting. Oil prices continued to decline in 2015, dropping be-
low $40 per barrel in August 2015. Finally, oil prices reached a
low of just above $26 per barrel on Feb. 11, 2016.
The impact of lower oil prices
The new-technology flowmeter markets experienced a down-
turn in 2015. This includes Coriolis, ultrasonic, vortex and
thermal flowmeters. The exception to this was the magnetic
flowmeter market, which experienced a modest increase. Of
course, magnetic flowmeters are not widely used in the oil and
gas industry since they cannot be used to measure the flow of
hydrocarbon liquids.
The extent to which individual companies were affected by
the economic downturn varies with their focus on the oil and gas
industry as opposed to chemical, power, water and wastewa-
ter, or the other process industries. Some companies dealt with
the downturn by emphasizing instrumentation products sold into
nonhydrocarbon industries. Other companies with substantial fo-
cuses on the oil and gas industry suffered sales declines in their
instrumentation businesses in 2015.
Brighter days ahead
OPEC had another meeting on June 2, 2016. At that time, the
organization discussed a production freeze but could not agree
on it. The main sticking point was a disagreement between Sau-
di Arabia and Iran. Iran declined to participate in an oil produc-
tion freeze until its production, measured in barrels per day, had
reached presanction levels. Saudi Arabia would not agree to the
freeze without Iran’s participation.
Despite their lack of agreement, oil prices by then had al-
most doubled from the February low, and they closed at more
than $51 on June 8, 2016. The reason for the increase was a
combination of decreased supply and increased demand along
with supply disruptions. Nigeria, Libya and Venezuela experi-
enced disruptions in supply during this time.
On Sept. 28, 2016, OPEC met in Algiers, Algeria, and agreed
on the framework of a production freeze. While oil had declined
since June 2016, it closed once again above $51 per barrel on
Oct. 10, 2016. Even though the future remains uncertain, higher
oil prices appear to be in the offing. This is good news for flowme-
ter and other instrumentation suppliers, especially those with a
focus on the oil and gas industry. FC
Jesse Yoder, Ph.D., is president of
Flow Research Inc. in Wakefield,
Massachusetts, a company he founded in
1998. He has 28 years of experience as
an analyst and writer in instrumentation.
He holds a U.S. patent on a dual-tube
meter design and is the author of The Tao
of Measurement, published by ISA. Yoder
also founded the Flowmeter Recalibration Working Group,
addressing the topic of recalibration frequency. He may be
reached at jesse@flowresearch.com.
December 2016 | 9
Cover Series: Flowmeter Technology Report

Improving pipeline performance

A gas distribution company increases operational efficiency with
transportable, ultrasonic clamp-on flowmeters.
By Jack Roushey, Siemens Process Instrumentation

along the line. In this case, a mix of permanently installed and

transportable clamp-on flowmeters is used: Clamp-on nonin-
trusive ultrasonic flowmeters provide the main control systems
with flow rate data, while the transportable version is frequently
relocated from site to site, fulfilling the need to verify and check

Image courtesy of Siemens Process Instrumentation via Shutterstock

the performance of the permanently installed instruments.
The flowmeters play a crucial role in what is considered one
of the most sophisticated computer networks in the natural
gas transportation industry. From the fully automated, real-time
pipeline gas control center, operators can see exactly what is
flowing through the pipeline at the exact time it is flowing.

The challenge
Prior to installing the meters, the gas company struggled with pipe-
line performance. Discrepancies between the receipt and delivery
metering stations were found and since the company did not have
portable meters at hand for verification purposes, they were not
able to determine exactly what caused these apparent misreadings.
Rather than spending money and time on troubleshooting the
entire system, it was decided to future-proof it instead with clamp-
Gas pipelines can benefit from clamp-on flowmeters.
on ultrasonic flowmeters. The main reason for this decision was

G
as transmission companies today offer a balanced
approach to meeting the growing demands in the U.S. Benefits of ultrasonic clamp-on
for clean-burning natural gas while supporting, develop- gas flowmeters
ing and utilizing various programs that enhance environmental Ultrasonic clamp-on flowmeters offer many advantages
compliance and minimize waste. Part of this strategy is to in capabilities and application versatility from high-perfor-
make sure that little, and preferably no, gas is lost in the mance to ease-of-installation and from availability of sin-
thousands of miles of pipelines that run across the American gle-, dual- and four-beam configurations to a selection of
continent. And by making sure that the pipeline surveillance IP65 (NEMA 4X), IP65 (NEMA 7) compact and IP65 (NEMA
equipment is running properly and at the highest possible per- 7) wall-mount enclosures as well as transportable and
formance, thousands of dollars can be saved daily. dedicated versions.

Background Ultrasonic gas flowmeters are well-suited for applications

One company that has optimized its operation through the that require:
use of gas flowmeters is located in the Western U.S. The ser- High precision
vice provider delivers gas to more than nine million customers Tolerance of wet gas
through a pipeline with a total capacity of more than 1.7 billion High reliability combined with low maintenance
cubic feet per day. The line, which is more than 1,000 miles High turndown ratio
long, encompasses several compressor stations, receipt meter Low cost of installation and ownership
stations where the gas volumes entering the pipeline are mea- Application diagnostics
sured, and more than 50 delivery meter stations measuring the No pressure drop
gas volumes delivered from the pipeline. To efficiently run a gas Insensitivity to pressure control valve noise
line like this requires several flowmeters strategically located

10 | December 2016 Flow Control

that the sensors can be clamped on to the outside of the pipes
to eliminate the need to stop the flow and to cut the pipe, which
results in lost revenue and additional installation costs.
The solution
After discussing the options with a flowmeter supplier represen-
tative, the gas company executives and operation managers
decided to go with a mix of clamp-on ultrasonic dedicated and
portable flowmeters.
The dedicated meters were strategically located at the inlet,
compressor, delivery and outlet stations to feed the control center
with constantly updated and accurate flow data. By comparing
this day-to-day, real-time data, the operators get an exact picture
of the pipeline performance, making discrepancy and measure-
ment issue detection quicker and more effortless. This solution
offered a tremendous improvement compared to the company’s
previous system and more commonly used applications featur-
ing orifice plates and displacement transmitters coupled with a
flow computer.
To supplement the dedicated meters, a number of trans-
portable clamp-on ultrasonic meters were included as an in-
tegral part of the installation. Transportable flowmeters eas-
ily accommodate the growing need for check metering and
validation tests required in the industry to maintain proper
Write in 210 or request info at fcm.hotims.com
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
performance documentation for various management and
regulatory bodies.
By including transportable meters in the complete package,
the gas company now has a system that not only ensures easy
and cost-efficient installation, accurate operation and optimized
performance, but it also enables fast detection and trouble-
shooting of system inconsistencies. This makes the system valu-
able in terms of minimizing product and revenue losses as well
as lowering the probabilities of encountering environmentally
hazardous issues. FC
Jack Roushey is the product mar-
keting manager in Siemens Process
Instrumentation for magnetic flow and
clamp-on ultrasonic flow. With 40 years
of experience in the process measurement
and instrumentation industry, he has held
roles in product marketing, sales manage-
ment, sales support and sales support
operation management. Within Roushey’s current role, he is
responsible for all strategic development, product marketing and
product management issues associated with the magnetic and
clamp-on flow products. He brings with him a wealth of instru-
mentation business development and extensive flow experience.
December 2016 | 11
Cover Series: Flowmeter Technology Report

HPLC pump system validation

Flowmeters help meet FDA pharmaceutical regulations.
By Bob Sandor, Ph.D, Tovatech LLC

C
onsistent and accurate performance is an absolute
necessity to meet U.S. Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) and other regulations regarding installation quali-
fication (IQ), operational qualification (OQ) and performance
qualification (PQ) of equipment used in the pharmaceutical
and biopharmaceutical industries. An example is high-perfor-
mance liquid chromatography (HPLC) pump systems used to
identify analytes. The process demands accurate, reproducible
column retention time as an analyte is pumped through the
HPLC system.

Image courtesy of Tovatech LLC

An HPLC pump system is a complex device with multiple
moving parts subject to leaks and wear. This impacts accuracy
in terms of flow rates such as 0.05 to 25 milliliters (mL) per
minute. Operators of these systems must exercise care to avoid
or at least minimize wear on parts that can occur if particulates
settle in valves and other moving components. An inventory of
parts subject to wear should include valves, pistons and piston
seal components. From a maintenance standpoint, wear can be
minimized by flushing HPLC pump systems with rinse solvents
on a regular basis.
Preventive maintenance is certainly important. In addition,
regularly checking and confirming pump flow rate accuracy
must be undertaken by periodic performance verification of the
HPLC system.
This is accomplished by accurately measuring the time it
takes a specified amount of a solvent to pass through the sys-
tem. Here is where digital liquid flowmeters come into play.

Digital flowmeters for HPLC systems

While digital liquid flowmeters greatly simplify checking HPLC
pump system accuracy, it is useful to understand manual al-
ternatives that are still applied. They are broadly defined as
gravimetric (requiring a precision analytical scale) or volumetric
(requiring a finely graduated cylinder). They also require a stop-
watch, excellent eyesight and a high degree of patience from
the technician.
For volumetric measurement, technicians begin to col-
lect HPLC eluent in the graduated cylinder and simultane-
ously start the watch. When sufficient volume is collected,
the technician simultaneously stops the flow into the cylinder,
stops the watch, then calculates and records the flow rate in
milliliters per minute. This tedious but critical process repeats
over and over until a standard deviation can be calculated.
Moreover, solvent evaporation collected in a graduated cylin-
der can throw off readings.
A digital liquid lowmeter in its travel case
Contrast this laborious and error-prone approach with digital
liquid flowmeters now on the market. Compact, portable and
lightweight, these operate on the volumetric method and func-
tion by taking repeated and accurate measurements of the time
it takes a solvent to pass through a tube with a capacity, for
example, of 140 microliters.
Simple & accurate
Digital liquid flowmeters are placed at the end of HPLC pump
systems being tested. This enables solvent to be collected in a
bottle for later disposal. The procedure is simple when compared
to manual methods.

12 | December 2016 Flow Control

 Here is a sequence of operation that typically takes less than
a minute for each reading:
1 When solvent enters the tube, the meniscus passes an
optical sensor that activates a timer.
2 When the meniscus reaches a second sensor, the timer
stops, a valve opens and the tube drains.
3 Readings are displayed on the meter’s four-digit LCD panel
and recorded to a six-digit printer or computer.
4 The process repeats itself.
Measurement accuracy is ±1 percent of the reading over
flow rates of 0.05 to 25 mL/minute. Consistent readings mean
the HPLC pump system is operating correctly. Otherwise the sys-
tem requires attention.
Because these flowmeters do not require constant supervi-
sion, using them frees up technicians to perform other tasks.
Moreover, a portable flowmeter can be transported throughout
the lab to conduct tests elsewhere. In one instance, a single
flowmeter is being used to service 100 HPLC systems. In an-
other case, a pharmaceutical industry service provider transports
the unit between different client locations. The spokesperson
noted that a flow analysis can be completed in less than five
minutes, including the all-important data output for record keep-
ing. This works out to a 15- to 20-minute savings in time over
the gravimetric method.
Suggested digital liquid flowmeter specs
If a digital liquid flowmeter is chosen to check on the performance
of an HPLC system, some suggested specifications include:
A traceable calibration certificate at standard or user-
selected flow rates
Linear range of the flowmeter includes the flow rates
matching those used in the HPLC pump(s)
Accuracy of ±1 percent of the reading over the linear
range
Reproducibility of ±0.5 percent of the reading over the
linear range
Compatibility with any model HPLC system
Usability with all standard HPLC solvents
A carrying case and cleaning kit
A flexible mounting system is a useful feature because it
allows the flowmeter to be located in various sections of the
plant. Several mounting options may be available but all re-
quire that the meter be mounted within ~10 degrees of verti-
cal. Mounting should also allow a suitable collection vessel to
be placed below the flowmeter. Options include wall-mounting;
freestanding; stack system-mounting to position the flowmeter
on the front, left or right side of almost any stacked pump/
detector system; and a bottle top adapter kit that allows the
flowmeter to be mounted directly onto standard wide-necked
reagent bottles.
The calibration certificate mentioned above deserves expan-
sion because, as with HPLC pump systems, digital liquid flow-
meters should be recalibrated at least annually or according
to government or industry regulations. The flowmeter supplier
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
should be able to offer recalibration services, typically at 1 mL/
minute and at other specified flow rates. Users can specify
the reports to indicate “as found” data — that is how the unit
performed on receipt.
After determining the “before” data, the flowmeter tube
is cleaned, the sensors are checked, and repairs and ad-
justments are made to bring the equipment up to specifica-
tion. The flowmeter is then calibrated to all the customer’s
required flow rates. “After” data are recorded on the calibra-
tion certificate to confirm the returned flowmeter performs
according to specification.
Maintaining a digital liquid flowmeter
Good laboratory practices call for annual flowmeter recalibra-
tion as noted above. But improper use of these precision instru-
ments can soon render them inaccurate, thereby compromising
fast, accurate calibration of HPLC pumping system flow rates.
Maintenance instructions are usually included in user manuals
shipped with the flowmeters. Here are some tips:
Clean meters in constant use every two weeks in a pro-
cess that should take about 15 minutes.
Do not introduce two immiscible liquids into the flow-
meter without either allowing the first to fully evaporate
or by introducing a third solvent in which the others are
miscible.
A dirty sensing tube may trap bubbles and create false-
ly high readings. If bubbles are observed, a quick fix is
to turn the unit off, wait approximately two seconds to
allow it to drain, then switch it on. Avoid this problem
with regular use of the cleaning kit. Do not disassem-
ble the unit.
Flush the flowmeter with ethanol if it will not be used for
a week or more. This prevents algae growth in the tube.
These digital liquid flowmeters have been performance-prov-
en in the field as a way to save time and improve accuracy when
checking HPLC system pump rates. FC
Tovatech Director Dr. Bob Sandor has
more than 15 years of experience man-
aging high-tech businesses. He led the
startup and growth of five technology
companies and has authored more than
40 patents and technical publications.
Sandor holds a Bachelor of Science in
chemistry from the University of Rochester
and a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Brandeis University.
Contact him at 973-821-4400 or rsandor@tovatech.com.
Based in Maplewood, New Jersey, Tovatech LLC specializes
in digital scales, pharmaceutical laboratory equipment, digital
liquid flowmeters and ultrasonic cleaners. The company is
staffed by chemists and engineers dedicated to providing the
right equipment for the food, drug, chemical, health care and
equipment manufacturing and maintenance sectors.
December 2016 | 13
Cover Series: Flowmeter Technology Report
Custody transfer measurement
How a major fuel terminal satisfies Coast Guard pipeline regulations
T
he operators at Buckeye petroleum terminal in Tampa,
Florida, faced a challenge. As one of the largest
independent petroleum pipeline systems in the U.S.,
Buckeye was experienced in solving complex problems involving
petroleum product transportation, but this one was unusual.
Buckeye was installing a new connection from the Port of
Tampa Bay Central Manifold to its Tampa Bay South storage and
distribution system. The problem was that three 16-inch pipes
would need to be installed in a combination of underground and
aboveground areas that were not accessible at all times. The
new lines would be subject to operational regulations estab-
lished under the authority of the U.S. Coast Guard.
“Thirty-five percent of the lines run aboveground through
a neighboring terminal where we do not have 24-hour access,”
said David Martin, senior project manager for Buckeye who was in
charge of finding a solution that would meet the Coast Guard’s re-
quirements. “The remaining 65 percent is underground through the
Port of Tampa Industrial Park. The Coast Guard regulation for ship
discharge is that the lines need to be visually inspected for integrity
on an hourly basis during off-load operations. The combination of
buried lines and limited access created a compliance issue for us.”
Paul Hutz, Buckeye’s terminal operator at Tampa Bay said,
“The Coast Guard rules gave us some difficult choices to make.
One obvious solution was to put a double wall around each
pipe with interstitial monitoring to assess hourly line integrity,
which would eliminate room for one of our three 16-inch pipes.
Since we handle regular gas, premium gas and diesel fuel at
this terminal, operating on two lines was not an option. On top
of that, it would have been a very expensive solution. The other
choice was to come up with a system that would accurately
monitor the petroleum products as they left the ship and as
they arrived at the terminal to assure there were no losses.”
With roots dating back to 1886, Buckeye has developed and
refined methods and processes to manage its 6,000-mile pipe-
line system in an ever-changing regulatory climate.
Martin’s first job was to find a monitoring technology that
could validate that the same amount of petroleum product dis-
charged from a ship arrived at the terminal.
“After doing the needed research, we identified mass bal-
ance flow monitoring as the most economical technique to
quickly and accurately provide the constant oversight of the line
integrity during product movements,” he said.
Mass balance flow monitoring
In essence, mass balance uses flowmeters that have the
14 | December 2016
By Izzy Rivera, FLEXIM, & Jack Sine
Image courtesy of FLEXIM Americas
Diesel at the terminal
hardware and software to compensate for flow variables such as
pressure and temperature changes that might erroneously signal
a nonexistent line integrity issue. They would need flowmeters
that could be configured to remotely report via satellite commu-
nications directly to Buckeye’s 24-hour SCADA Center.
Identifying the right flowmeter
“I knew I wanted a flowmeter that was nonintrusive and highly
accurate with a solid operational history to communicate to our
control system,” said Martin.
Those requirements instantly eliminated almost all typical
metering and leak detecting systems, including turbine, vortex
and magnetic flowmeters.
Martin discovered an application being used at a Buckeye
facility in West Chicago that used ultrasonic flow measurement.
Although the application was totally different than his, he could
see that it might provide a monitoring solution for his needs.
How ultrasonic flowmetering works
“One of the major benefits of ultrasonic flowmeters is that,
unlike traditional meters, they contain no moving parts and do
not need frequent calibration and maintenance,” said Joe Tier-
ney, FLEXIM America’s Gulf regional manager. “Measurements
are made using the transit-time difference method. It exploits
the fact that the transmission speed of an ultrasonic signal is
affected by the flow velocity of the fluid. An ultrasonic signal
moves slower against the flow direction of the medium and
faster with the flow direction.
“The meter sends ultrasonic pulses through the medium,
one with the flow direction and the second against it. The me-
ter’s transducers work alternately as transmitter and receiver.
Flow Control
The transit time of the signal sent in the flow direction is shorter
than that of the signal sent against the flow. The meter mea-
sures the transit time difference and calculates the average
flow velocity. Since the ultrasound signals propagate in solids,
the meter can be mounted directly onto the exterior of the pipe
noninvasively.”
Ultrasonic metering background
Ultrasonic metering technology has significantly improved since
it was introduced in the 1970s. Today ultrasonic spool meters
are a popular choice for natural gas custody transfer measure-
ment. The accuracy achieved by these meters is 0.05 to 0.2
percent. Clamp-on meters are not as accurate because they
are not calibrated with a spool section. Therefore, they contain
an uncertainty of about 1 percent after installation. When tak-
en to a calibration laboratory, some clamp-on meters can show
accuracy and repeatability similar to ultrasonic spool meters in
the 0.1 to 0.25 percent range. This makes the clamp-on meter
a good selection for leak detection because the meters can be
calibrated on the pipeline to one another, which then allows for
low leak detection thresholds.
The amount of straight run usually required to obtain the
best accuracy is 10 to 5 upstream/downstream diameters,”
said Tierney. “So a 10-inch pipe needs 150 inches or 12.5 feet
of straight pipe. We find that we can squeeze this down to 5
diameters upstream and still maintain the meter accuracy with
multibeam meters.”
Martin chose an ultrasonic meter that was a clamp-on,
nonintrusive meter with the ability to monitor and compensate
for changes in temperature and pressure.
“While we have been supplying ultrasonic meters to several
Buckeye locations over the years, this was a new application
for us,” said Jim Pletcher, president of one of FLEXIM’s major
suppliers of monitoring systems, Technical Devices Inc. “It was
similar to custody transfer, which is a familiar internal appli-
cation for ultrasonic meters within Buckeye’s facilities, but its
main goal was leak identification.”
Tierney said, “Typically, we would have recommended a two-
channel meter, which would meet all of Buckeye’s operational
criteria — nonintrusive, heat and pressure compensation, mini-
mal maintenance. But line integrity identification created more
demands for accuracy because higher accuracy meant earlier
detection of line balance issues.”
A four-channel solution
“Fortunately, [we found a] recently introduced four-channel sys-
tem. While the two-channel meters offered accuracy of one-half
of 1 percent, the new four-channel improved that to a range
from a tenth to a quarter of 1 percent,” Tierney said.
With more restrictions in ecologically sensitive areas, the in-
troduction of the system was timely. It offered greater accuracy
because it doubles the number of ultrasonic paths. A two-chan-
nel generates four reflective paths, while a four-channel gener-
ates eight reflective paths. The eight beams illuminate more fluid,
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
producing readings that are immune to turbulence-induced varia-
tions in the flow rate that are not reflective of real flow rate changes.
The meters use algorithms based on standards TP-25,
ASTM1250 and D4311, which convert actual volumetric flow
to standard volume flow. Standard volume is temperature- and
pressure-compensated flow, equivalent to the mass flow need-
ed for mass balance leak detection. Imagine this scenario: If
the liquid going into the pipe is hotter than when it exits the
pipe, the volume of liquid entering at the source site would not
be the same as that arriving at the destination site because
volume expands with temperature. That is why standard vol-
ume or mass balance is necessary. The supplied meters can
provide mass and standard volume outputs, relieving the cus-
tomer’s SCADA unit of this task.
The Buckeye mass balance leak detection algorithms take
care of desensitizing the system during line start and stops
where the pipeline packs and unpacks, which might lead to
a false leak alarm. Additionally, several analytical integration
intervals are maintained by the system with evermore-sensitive
leak detection thresholds to ensure high performance from the
metering gear by smoothing out short-term flow noise.
Martin and Pletcher created a proposal for the Coast Guard
based on the accuracy and repeatability of the four-channel ul-
trasonic meters, the minimum maintenance and calibration, and
Buckeye’s proprietary rapid leak repair protocols.
“The Coast Guard reviewed our proposal and accepted it as
presented,” said Martin. “Once two meters were installed on
each end of the three discharge lines, we were able to verify that
the barrel of product that was being discharged from the ship
was the same barrel received and stored at the terminal.
“The accuracy has met Buckeye’s needs and satisfied the
Coast Guard’s oversight requirement during marine discharge
activities. We have been up and operating for more than a year
and there have been no issues. One nice thing about the ul-
trasonics is that if there is an issue, they are easy to access to
make any changes. But, since there are no moving parts, I don’t
see any issues in the future.”
At other locations, including its operation at Corpus Christi,
Texas, Buckeye uses ultrasonic meters for internal custody trans-
fer between operating entities at the same location. As far as the
new four-channel meters are concerned, Buckeye engineers are
working with a major oil producer on an application similar to that
at Tampa Bay. They expect the four-channel meter to gain accep-
tance in the oil and gas industry as a more economical solution.
With the advantage of not having to shut down operations
and undergo costly pipe works for installation, clamp-on meters
capable of high accuracy and repeatability will be used more and
more for these high-end applications. FC
Izzy Rivera is service manager for FLEXIM Americas. He can be
reached at irivera@flexim.com or 631-492-2300.
Jack Sine is a freelance writer specializing in the flow measure-
ment, power, chemical and HVACR industries. He can be reached
at jack.sine@verizon.net or 845-831-6578.
December 2016 | 15
 Special Advertising Section: Flowmeter Showcase
TRICOR’s New High-Pres-
sure Coriolis Flow Meter
Announcing TRICOR’s new TCMH-0450
high-pressure Coriolis lowmeter! De-
signed with either 316SS tubes for
chemical injection at 15,200 psi or with
Sandvik® Alloy HP160 to eliminate hy-
drogen embrittlement, such as those
found in hydrogen fueling stations. Fea-
turing: three pressure ratings — 6,000
psi, 10,000 psi, 15,200 psi — and high
low accuracy: 0.2 percent — liquid, 1
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FREE INFO: WRITE IN 300
Mass Flow Meters
from MKS Instruments
The MKS I-Series Mass Flow Controllers
are designed speciically for mass low
controller applications in harsh environ-
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The IP66-rated enclosure for I-Series
Mass Flow Controllers protect it from di-
rect water spray (for example, hose-down
in bioreactor applications) as well as dust.
MKS Instruments Inc.
978-645-5500
mks@mksinst.com
mksinst.com
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 303
16 | December 2016
Coriolis flowmeter
delivers full functionality
in a compact package
Promass F has a long-standing reputation
as a highly accurate device under varying
process conditions. It is suited for a broad
range of applications. Combined with the
smallest transmitter housing available to-
day, it delivers full performance with the
smallest footprint. Promass F 100 is an
ideal choice for system integrators, skid
builders and equipment manufacturers.
Endress+Hauser
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info@us.endress.com
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formance and coniguration and create
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866-677-7243
sagemetering.com
FREE INFO: WRITE IN 304
Model FT1 Thermal Mass
Flow Meter & Temperature
Transmitter
The DDC-Sensor™ on the Fox Model FT1
thermal mass low meter is unlike other
thermal low sensors available on the
market as it is interfaced directly to the
FT1 microprocessor for more speed and
programmability. It also provides the plat-
form for use of the state-of-the-art Gas-
SelectX® feature.
Fox Thermal Instruments
Inc.
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sales@foxthermalinstruments.com
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Sierra Instruments’ QuadraTherm thermal
low meter with on board qMix™ gas mix-
ing software allows you to create custom
gas mixtures in the ield to compensate
for gas compositional changes — no
costly recalibration needed. Ideal for
managing gas composition changes in oil
and gas, lare and combustor gas, VRU,
and reineries. Accuracy +/-0.75 percent
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800-866-0200
sierrainstruments.com/quadratherm-qmix
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Flow Control
 Special Section: Motors & Drives

Comprehensive MCC solutions

Protect personnel with three important features.
By Ryne Montemurro, Rockwell Automation

W
ith the networked security systems of smart, con-
nected homes, homeowners can remotely control
the system, see when their garage doors open and
close and adjust any cameras they have set up. Key features of
these systems are ease of installation, configuration and use.
For industrial automation applications, users can look for simi-
lar features in a motor control center (MCC). With MCCs, plant
managers can centralize their controls for easier management
and access, while operators and maintenance staff can indi-
vidually maintain each connected motor. However, MCCs are
used in voltage applications that are typically much higher than
those in a home (200 to 600 volts of alternating current), and
that voltage can pose risks to operator safety and lead to more
“inconvenient” use.
When selecting an MCC, plant managers should look for com-
plete MCC solutions that offer three technologies that greatly im-

AzmanJaka/iStock
prove ease of use and operator safety: remote monitoring, arc
flash-resistant design and withdraw with door-closed capability.

Remote monitoring & access

The safest way to interact with an MCC is remotely away from
voltage and power. With remote monitoring and access, opera-
tors can interact with the MCC while removing all physical risk.
The MCC should be fully networked with the network informa-
tion configured out of the box. This visibility into the MCC allows
operators to monitor the MCC for energy usage or operating con-
ditions, receive notifications and diagnose an issue or fault, and
make programming changes from the safety of the control room.
Arc-resistant design
Remote monitoring is the ideal situation. However, on a given
workday, an operator will likely need to be on the plant floor in
relatively close proximity to the MCC. If an arc flash event occurs,
being close to an MCC can pose the risk of serious injury.
With an arc-resistant design, the MCC is more likely to limit
the duration of the current during an arc; contain and redirect
the heat, gases and debris created from an arc flash event; and
reduce risk to personnel. This helps improve operator safety and
could reduce the need for extra protective personnel equipment,
which can be difficult to maneuver and work in.
With MCCs, plant operators and maintenance staff can individually
maintain each connected motor.
is still present. Alternatively, staff can go through a lengthy lock-
out, tag-out procedure and shut down the entire MCC.
An MCC designed with the ability to withdraw with the door
closed helps protect from electrical hazards and provides a safer
interaction with the MCC. When operators work with a unit, they
can disconnect the voltage before opening the door, which re-
moves all voltage within the unit and helps remove the risk of
live voltage contact.
Users should still verify that all voltage is absent from the unit
before removing any protective gear and opening the unit door,
but the capability to withdraw with the door closed allows opera-
tors to work on the unit more safely.
Each of these three technologies on its own helps improve
ease of use and operator safety. Selecting a complete MCC so-
lution that offers all three allows plant managers to have more
insights into plant production and provide a safer work environ-
ment for employees. FC

Ryne Montemurro is product marketing manager for Rockwell

Withdraw with door closed
Automation and is responsible for managing the CENTERLINE
Occasionally, an operator will need to perform maintenance in-
2100, NEMA Motor Control Center products and the marketing
side the MCC and open a unit door. Standard MCC design allows
team. He can be reached at rjmontemurro@ra.rockwell.com.
staff to reduce the voltage in the specific unit, but the voltage

www.flowcontrolnetwork.com December 2016 | 17

Special Section: Motors & Drives
The NEC’s short-circuit
current rating changes
Demystifying the 2017 code revisions with VFD panels
W
ith changes to the National Electrical Code (NEC)
coming in 2017, equipment manufacturers and
system owners will be required to provide additional
short-circuit current rating (SCCR) labeling on new and existing
control panels. Variable frequency drives (VFDs) and other pump/
motor control components will need to be reviewed to determine
if the panels are in conformance. This article explores some of the
nuances of the changes and how to be ready.
First defined by the NEC in 2008, SCCR is the maximum
short-circuit current a component or assembly can safely with-
stand when protected by overcurrent protective devices. Also
known as “withstand ratings,” they define the current levels at
which the system can mitigate fire and shock hazards from the
short-circuit event.
SCCR is not the same as “interrupting rating” and the two
must not be confused. For example, a circuit breaker might have
an interrupting rating of 100 amperes (A) and a short-circuit
rating of 65,000 A. The interrupting rating is the load current at
which a device trips or opens. The short-circuit rating is for a more
severe failure during which the available energy from the feeding
transformer surges through a load because of sustained short in
the circuit. These component SCCRs are established and certified
through actual short-circuit testing to validate the SCCR and the
conditions by which the rating is achieved.
The ability of these devices to handle short-circuit current
levels depends greatly on the overcurrent protective device attri-
butes and sometimes external factors (wire size, length, enclo-
sure volume, etc.). Requirements are specified in the component
SCCR and must be applied properly to obtain the proper level as
part of SCCR protection.
When analyzing assemblies for SCCR, the interrupting rating
of overcurrent protective devices and the SCCR of all other com-
ponents affect the overall equipment SCCR. In some cases, the
use of flexible circuit protection options can be helpful in achiev-
ing higher ratings or balancing SCCR in drives and motor control
applications.
SCCR — Assessing risk & assuring safety
In essence, SCCR is still all about protection. Without an ade-
quate assembly SCCR, it is likely that the devices inside the panel
will sustain, and even create, damage within the panel. Damage
may extend outside the control panel. Additionally, panels with an
18 | December 2016
By Charles Tahara, Eaton
All images courtesy of Eaton
Fault currents resulting from inadequate SCCRs can cause danger-
ous arc lashes and ires that put personnel at signiicant risk.
insufficient assembly SCCR may result in commissioning delays
or shut down until the nonconformance is resolved.
An insufficient assembly SCCR poses the following hazards:
Electric shock and burns; burns related to arc flash and contact
with heated surfaces; injury associated with flying debris; damage
to equipment or the facility; arc blast (shock waves, shrapnel,
etc.); and vaporized metal.
In the worst-cast scenario, fault currents resulting from inad-
equate SCCRs can cause dangerous arc flashes and fires that put
personnel at significant risk of injury or even death.
SCCR rating as governed by UL testing
SCCRs apply to almost all industrial control panels used for oper-
ating machinery and equipment. But while protection from fault
current events is often properly specified and applied in electrical
switchgear and distribution equipment (such as panel boards and
switchboards), it is often misunderstood or misapplied when it
comes to machinery and industrial control panels.
Recent survey data indicates that it is not uncommon for
equipment to be installed with insufficient assembly SCCR. This
may be because of several factors:
• Unknown available fault current at each circuit location
where equipment is located
• Lack of assembly SCCR requirements on new equipment
specifications
• Difficulty locating SCCRs of components used in industrial
control panels
• Misinterpretation/misapplication of the Underwriters
Laboratories (UL) 508A standard for control panels
Flow Control
 • Changes in the electrical system that can raise available
fault current, thus potentially affecting the adequacy of the exist-
ing equipment’s assembly SCCR
Without the available fault current and SCCR, it is impossible
to determine if components or equipment can be safely installed.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration and NEC
require sufficient short-circuit current protection of industrial con-
trol panels to protect equipment and personnel from certain risks
in the event of a short-circuit (fault) event. In some cases, SCCR
may also facilitate lower insurance rates through compliance with
codes such as the National Fire Protection Association’s NFPA
70E code and the UL 508A Supplement SB.
The 2017 NEC SCCR code changes
The 2017 NEC includes several sections with new short-circuit
protection requirements. The most significant changes require
that the available short-circuit current at the location where the
equipment is installed is marked/documented and dated. These
changes allow installers, inspectors and approvers to verify that
the installed equipment SCCR is equal to or greater than the
available short-circuit current, and that it is compliant with the
other code sections dealing with equipment installations.
Generally the 2017 NEC will make it easier for system own-
ers, maintenance teams and inspectors to verify proper equip-
ment SCCR protection. Of special note are two revised sections
of the code pertinent to the marking of SCCR. A brief summary of
these critical changes includes:
Labeling requirements for panels
The NEC requires certain components and equipment (including
motor control panels) to be labeled with the available fault current
and the panel SCCR.
430.130(A) — Circuits Containing Power Conversion
Equipment and VFDs
These standards pertain to open or enclosed power electronic
conversion equipment that supply power to control a motor(s),
operating at a frequency or voltage different than that of the
input supply.
• Most adjustable speed drives are listed with specific over-
current protective devices (OCPD) types. For safety and compli-
ance to 110.3(B), the adjustable speed drive manufacturer’s
markings and instructions concerning the specific OCPDs and
corresponding SCCRs must be followed.
• Where the manufacturer’s instructions for their listed power
electronic conversion equipment permits semiconductor fuses
(high-speed fuses) or instantaneous trip circuit breakers (motor
circuit protectors or MCPs) for use as the branch circuit short-
circuit and ground fault protective device, they must be integrated
in the same assembly.
• In addition, when semiconductor fuses or MCPs are used,
UL 508C and UL 61800-5-1 require the drives to be marked
with the specific fuse manufacturer and fuse model number or
MCP manufacturer and MCP model number. The marking must
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
state these protective devices should be integrated in the same
assembly with the adjustable speed drive controller.
• These precautions are necessary since MCPs and most
semiconductor fuses are not branch circuit overcurrent protective
devices as defined in Article 100, but application-limited devices.
Revisions to 440.4(B) — Multimotor and Combination
-Load Equipment
This code change concerns multimotor and combination-load
hermetic refrigeration equipment rated 60 A or less.
• Previous NEC editions exempted this equipment’s name-
plates from being marked with their SCCRs. This exception has
been removed. Now this type of equipment must have its short-cir-
cuit current rating marked on its nameplate, the same as all other
heating, ventilation and air conditioning equipment in 440.4(B).
A specific VFD model number may have multiple SCCRs con-
ditional on the OCPD type and corresponding SCCR level achieved
in the product standard testing evaluation, e.g., a drive may have
two SCCRs: 5 kiloAmperes (kA) with MCPs, and 100 kA when
protected by a Class J or T fuse. This information will be marked
on the drive and/or noted in the installation instructions.
To easily update systems and have the maximum flexibility,
components with the highest SCCR ratings and most options are
best. Look for manufacturers that provide VFDs with SCCRs for
fuses, molded case circuit breakers, miniature circuit breakers,
MCPs and/or manual motor protectors to have the most flexibility.
Determining the SCCR of the circuit
While the new code requirements will make it easier for system
owners, maintenance teams and inspectors to verify proper
equipment SCCR protection, the chance increases that many
equipment installations will not be code-compliant or approved.
Because of the complexity involved in achieving higher SCCR
levels for control panels, manufacturers often provide standard
designs with the minimum default rating of 5 kA. Research indi-
cates more than half of original equipment manufacturers design
to this standard. But 5 kA SCCR is not always sufficient. The avail-
able short-circuit current must be determined prior to installation,
and the equipment SCCR must not be less than the available
short-circuit current. Without clear guidance, equipment SCCR
may be misapplied during design and installation. Once installed,
it is often difficult and costly to raise the equipment’s SCCR.
Conclusion
Developing an equipment SCCR plan or implementing an SCCR
solution can be easier with fault current calculation tools and
support of a qualified third party. Consult qualified resources and
adhere to prevailing agency, code and regulatory requirements
when evaluating and executing an SCCR plan. FC
Charles Tahara is the global product manager for indus-
trial drives at Eaton. For more information and resources on
SCCR, including Eaton’s free Fault Current Calculator (FC2),
visit eaton.com/sccr.
December 2016 | 19
Best Practices & Applications

Rotary lobe pumps versus

progressive cavity pumps
How design variations create operational differences
By Russell J. Boring, Vogelsang

R
otary lobe pumps and progressive cavity pumps are types
of positive displacement pumps used to move fixed
amounts of fluids. It is critical to understand the design
differences between the two types when specifying which pump
style is right for an application. Rotary lobe pumps are quickly
becoming the preferred option for certain applications because of
easier maintenance, consistent operation and flexibility.
Rotary lobe pump operation
A rotary lobe pump is designed with rounded and convoluted
lobes. During operation, the two lobes fit (or mesh) together
while rotating in opposite directions. This rotation forms cavities
between the rotors and the casing, which are used to pump fluid
from the input side to the output side. A tight cavity seal is cre-
ated in one of two ways:
1 The lobes are covered in an elastomeric material, which
allows for slight compression against, and minimal clear-
ance between, the pumping elements and the contoured
casing.
However, rotary lobe pumps have become the preferred option for
many fluid control applications given their rugged performance,
small footprint and reduced maintenance.
Smaller size
Compared to a progressive cavity pump with a capacity of 200
gallons per minute (gpm) or greater, a rotary lobe pump typically
requires approximately half the amount of space and half the
working room for maintenance. Some pump manufacturers can
configure rotary lobe pumps to be even smaller without sacrific-
ing performance. This is a significant benefit for many industries
that require the functionality of a positive displacement pump, but
have tight spatial requirements.

All graphics courtesy of Vogelsang

2 Running clearances are tightly restricted. This reduces the
slip (leakage) between the metal-to-metal circumferential
piston designs.

Progressive cavity pump operation

A progressive cavity pump displaces a fixed volume of liquid
with each revolution. The rotor (a single helix design) rolls “ec-
centrically” within the stator (a double helix design). This design
combination creates cavities, or voids, which move toward the
pump’s discharge end as the rotor turns. Each cavity within the
pump has a complete seal line, which reduces the amount of slip
in each pump revolution and are critical to performance. A pro-
gressive cavity pump requires a moving linkage that will allow the
drive to work with the eccentrically turning stator — typically pin
joints, flexible shafts and gear joints. The pump’s capacity is de-
termined by the size of the cavity formed when the rotor is placed
inside the stator.
Rotary lobe pump advantages
When determining which style of pump to use, the engineer must
evaluate the application, including installation considerations, the
type of material being pumped, the level of flow and the pressures
involved. In many applications, a rotary lobe pump and a progres-
sive cavity pump can accomplish the same goal: moving fluid.
Figure 1. Pump length: rotary lobe versus progressive cavity
Easier service
Rotary lobe pumps are smaller and require less room for main-
tenance than progressive cavity pumps. They are maintained in
place, meaning wear plates, seals and lobes can be replaced with-
out removing any connected piping, and can often be accessed
by simply removing a section of the pump’s housing. Rotary lobe
pumps can usually be serviced by one worker and do not require
any lifting equipment.
Progressive cavity pumps are generally larger than rotary lobe
pumps and they require connected piping to be removed and the
pump to be disassembled to maintain components in the wet end.
Larger progressive cavity pumps may also require multiple service
staff members or heavy lifting equipment to handle parts when
performing maintenance.

20 | December 2016 Flow Control

Wear situation operation
Rotary lobe pumps are able to run effec-
tively even with a significant amount of lobe
wear. Additionally, abrasion becomes less
the longer the pump operates because
wear is caused by back-flow velocity and
not by contact abrasion (see Figure 2, top
curve). Because of the high-speed limits of
rotary lobe pumps, internal leakage caused
by wear can always be compensated for by
increasing the pump’s speed.
While a progressive cavity pump’s speed
can also be increased to compensate for in-
ternal leakage, limitations exist. If the stator
wears to the point where tight contact no
longer exists between the rotor and stator,
the pump would need immediate mainte-
nance to avoid a rapid acceleration in abra-
sive wear (See Figure 2, lower curve).
Figure 2. Flow rate over time: rotary lobe
pumps versus progressive cavity pumps
Pin joints & gear joints
A progressive cavity pump must transfer the
rotor’s eccentric motion to the radial move-
ment of the drive shaft, as well as transfer
the torque and thrust loads. This is accom-
plished through the use of pin joints and
gear joints. These joints are metal-to-metal
contacts, which have limited life spans.
Pin joints and gear joints typically sit
immersed in the fluid being pumped,
which makes them prone to excessive
wear. Gear-jointed pumps have an addi-
tional set of problems. Gear joints require
lubrication, which increases maintenance
requirements and can be problematic
since the lubricant can be eroded by the
pumped fluid. Regular inspection of the
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
Figure 3. Pin joints and gear joints have
different maintenance needs.
gear is critical, yet difficult, because an
operator must remove the pump from
service and disassemble the unit — No
other way exists to visibly inspect the gear.
Repairs are typically not cost-effective
since the cost of gear joint replacement
exceeds that of a rotor and stator replace-
ment on some pump models.
Rotary lobe pumps do not require
gear joints or pin joints. The motion en-
ergy of the motor is transferred directly to
the rotary lobes through the drive shaft,
which is meant to eliminate the potential
for problems.
Rotary lobe pump efficiencies
When determining efficiency, one must
evaluate volumetric efficiency and over-
all efficiency separately. Volumetric ef-
ficiency characterizes the pump’s tight-
ness. Small progressive cavity pumps
(with small displacement volumes)
normally have higher volumetric effi-
ciencies than small rotary lobe pumps.
Comparatively, larger rotary lobe pumps
(with high displacement volumes), have
better volumetric and better overall
efficiencies.
Overall efficiency accounts for internal
leakage and the torque created from in-
ternal friction. Figure 4 illustrates that the
tight seal in a progressive cavity pump is
achieved only with high torque. Addition-
ally, the running torque of progressive cav-
ity pumps increases as fluid temperatures
rise because of rubber expansion.
Dry run capability
Positive displacement pumps are often
forced to run dry because of system
requirements or accidental operation.
When a progressive cavity pump runs
dry, the tight contact between the rotor
and stator increases friction. This friction
causes the temperature to quickly rise
and consequently destroys the stator.
Rotary lobe pumps are designed so
the rotor does not touch any part of the
housing. This allows the pump to run dry
with only a small increase in temperature
and without the risk of damage to any
part of the unit.
Figure 4. Efficiencies: Rotary lobe pumps
versus progressive cavity pumps (based
on values measured while pumping water
at 70°F with 58 psi differential pressure)
A growing preference for
rotary lobe pumps
While rotary lobe pumps and progres-
sive cavity pumps are types of positive
displacement pumps, the design of each
unit results in several operational differ-
ences. A rotary lobe pump is typically able
to move material more consistently — ef-
ficiently handling viscous liquids, pastes
and abrasives. These units are able to
effectively pump solids (abrasive matter),
which reduces unscheduled maintenance
and provides longer periods of time online.
In most installations, rotary lobe pumps
are easier and faster to service when
maintenance is needed. These factors,
combined with a smaller footprint, make
rotary lobe pumps the preferred choice for
a variety of applications. FC
For almost 20 years, Russell Boring
has been the president of Vogelsang,
one of the world’s leading pump,
grinder and process equipment man-
ufacturers. Boring may be contact-
ed at 330-296-3820, ext. 222, or
russb@vogelsangusa.com.
December 2016 | 21
Best Practices & Applications

Pharmaceutical piping challenges

Safely treating wastewater involved in radioisotope
health care applications
By Derek Bower, Viega LLC

W
hen scans or X-rays are need-
ed to diagnose ailments,
patients do not often spend
much time thinking about how medical
equipment works. They simply trust that
it does and that it provides doctors the
information needed to treat them. But
manufacturing medical scanning equip-
ment is complex, and producing the
medical isotopes used in scanning can
be even more so.
For cardiac positron emission to-
mography (PET) scans, doctors inject an
imaging agent (tracer) into the blood-
stream. During the PET scan, the tracer
is used to evaluate heart health by mea-
suring the blood low transported through
the coronary arteries to the heart muscle.
Doctors use PET scans to safely and ac-
curately identify the presence or absence
of coronary artery disease.
The scanning machine is a compli-
cated piece of technology, but it cannot
function as designed without the tracer.
Rubidium 82 is the active pharmaceutical
ingredient in one of the imaging agents
used for PET scans. This isotope, which
is essential to the functionality of a PET
scan, is costly and dificult to produce.
One production process for manu-
facturing tracers is through the use of a
cyclotron, a particle accelerator that pro-
duces a beam intended to irradiate differ-
ent targets, in this case Rubidium metal.
This process converts it into Strontium
82, a radioactive isotope. Strontium 82,
All images courtesy of Viega

which decays into Rubidium 82, has no

commercial supplier and has only been
produced at U.S. government and foreign-
based national laboratories until now.
Zevacor Molecular, a health care irm
that manufactures PET and single-photon
Zevacor Molecular used a copper pipe joining solution for water and compressed air on the emission computed tomography radio-
irst commercial, 70-million-electron-volt cyclotron dedicated to producing medical isotopes.
pharmaceutical products, installed the

22 | December 2016 Flow Control

first and largest commercial, 70-million- special semitractor trailers. Because of project. On one Saturday, more than 300
electron-volt (MeV) cyclotron dedicated to the weight of the components, only spe- trucks created the foundation with one
producing medical isotopes for the global cific roads could be used for the delivery. continuous pour since this “raft” cannot
market. Based in Noblesville, Indiana, shift and have a deflection of more than 1
Zevacor’s primary focus is to manufac- The cyclotron mm without degrading the energy beam.
ture Strontium 82 and Germanium 68, The cyclotron is housed in an 11,000-cu- “Our aim is two-fold,” said John
although it is capable of producing many bic-yard concrete vault with 300 tons of Zehner, executive vice president and chief
other radioisotopes (atoms with excess en- reinforcing steel rod. It required more than operating officer for Zevacor. “First, we are
ergy) for research and clinical applications. 1,300 trucks of concrete to complete the working to stabilize the domestic supply of
“Each of these drug products [has]
a certain affinity within the body and will
preferentially go to the targeted disease,”
said Todd Hockemeyer, vice president of
quality and regulatory affairs at Zevacor.
“It’s kind of like a car and driver. The driv-
er is the radioactive isotope connected
to a chemical, the car, which will go to
a certain place in the body. Often a PET
scan is combined with a [computerized
tomography (CT)] scan to match it up
with your anatomical body to see which
organs the radioactivity, and therefore
the disease, might be located in.”
The 70, 140-ton cyclotron was manu-
factured by Ion Beam Applications in Bel-
gium. The magnets and the other com-
ponents of the cyclotron were delivered
in separate shipping containers from Bel-
gium to Indiana by sea transport and then

Copper piping was used on the HVAC

lines as well.
Write in 211 or request info at fcm.hotims.com

www.flowcontrolnetwork.com December 2016 | 23

Best Practices & Applications

medical isotopes, including Strontium 82,

needed to diagnose and treat critical ill-
nesses. Second, we are taking the lead in
securing the future of nuclear medicine and
molecular imaging through the growth and
development of new diagnostics and ther-
apeutics. Our goal is to improve the diag-
nosis and treatment of cancer, cardiovas-
cular disease and other critical illnesses.”
Manufacturing Strontium 82 requires
a lot of energy. Most of the equipment
involved in the process is powered pneu-
matically with compressed air, but Zeva-
cor estimates its annual power bill at $1
million, with three-fourths of that energy
spent cooling water to keep the cyclotron
and targets from overheating.
A view inside the vault where chilled water cools the target
“The heat from highly purified water
used to cool the targets and critical cyclo-
tron components is transferred to another The cyclotron is housed with six oth- Because purified water is extremely
isolated chill system filled with purified er vaulted areas, each supplied with two corrosive to copper, the copper pipe
water,” Hockemeyer said, “which is then separate sets of copper pipes — one for does not come in contact with that
cooled by a chill water system using water feed water to make the purified water water. It only goes to the filtration sys-
from the local utility.” supply and the other to extract the heat. tem that purifies the water after which

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24 | December 2016 Flow Control


The target
is housed in this
piece, nicknamed
“the rabbit.”
it is transferred to the target through a
PVC line.
“The integrity of that chilled water
system is critical,” Hockemeyer said.
“If the cooling system shuts down, so
does our cyclotron.”
That’s why Zevacor chose a copper
press joining solution over soldering.
“We understood how important it
was to have highly purified water and a
water containment system that’s reliable
and doesn’t leak and doesn’t fail,” Hock-
emeyer said. “The cost of a failure is far
in excess of any money we might shave
off the installation process because we
used welded fittings.”
Zevacor also chose copper to reduce
the danger of contamination and par-
ticles in the piping, which can become
radioactive and create different problems
with hazardous wastewater.
“These particles can also cause the
systems to degrade and break down,”
Hockemeyer said. “Given the invest-
ment we have in all the targets and
especially the cyclotron, we don’t want
that to happen.”
Andrew Smith, project manager at
Leach and Russell Mechanical, took
the lead on the installation of the cop-
per press joining system. It was utilized
for the compressed air lines that ran the
pneumatic equipment connected to the
cyclotron as well as the water lines that
went to the purified water source used
to cool the targets.
According to Smith, the installation
went well. The sensitivity of the project and
the time required for all the pieces to come
together made it difficult for him to outline
an installation plan in advance.
“The installation overall was smooth,”
Smith said. “It was the timing of getting
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
the information and trying to orches-
trate that with construction going on that
wasn’t typical. Trying to integrate our pro-
cesses together was a lot different than
the normal job. It’s difficult to anticipate
piping going through concrete and sleev-
ing if you don’t know what the systems
are going to be.”
Smith knew they needed a solution
that could be installed quickly. He said
the compressed air lines inside the vault
were installed incredibly fast.
“The speed at which that went in was
pretty impressive,” Smith said. “We cut that
in half, time-wise. And that was a perfect
scenario for it, because we’re up on lifts,
and we’re dodging a lot of other people.”
Operational certainty
When time and money are on the line, it
is important for owners and customers to
know they have worry-free piping systems.
Copper piping was also used on the
HVAC lines, but because they couldn’t
put them in all at once, it was more dif-
ficult to estimate the time savings. But
Smith maintains that it is not always
about the time savings, but also about
the quality of the product.
“The guys that we have doing the work,
they take pride in it,” Smith said. “We had
at least 3,000 feet of pipe between hy-
dronic and water side with no leaks.” FC
Derek Bower is the director of prod-
uct management, metals, at Viega LLC.
In this position he is responsible for
Viega’s metals product lines includ-
ing the Viega ProPress and ProPressG
systems for copper and Viega ProPress
system for stainless steel as well as
the Viega MegaPress and MegaPressG
systems. Bower has nearly 20 years of
industry experience. He joined Viega
in 2010 as a senior product engineer,
and was promoted to product man-
ager, then associate director of product
management, metals, before accepting
his current role in 2014. Prior to join-
ing Viega, Bower held the positions of
project manager and sales engineer
at Atomatic Mechanical Services, a
design-build commercial mechanical
contractor.
Write in 207 or request info at fcm.hotims.com
December 2016 | 25
Best Practices & Applications

Combatting corrosion
Large oil producer installs hydraulic diaphragm metering pumps
for inhibitor injection systems

By Tom O’Donnell, Neptune Chemical Pump Co.

for reliable injection rates, while possessing the capability to

be operated remotely in harsh weather conditions.”
Ruiz turned to his network of contacts in the process setting
All images courtesy of Neptune
off a nearly two-year chain reaction that would eventually result
in one of the most significant pump orders in the history of the
chosen pump company.
Ruiz’s first call, in early 2012, was to his friend Jim Janes,

A major Latin American oil company has a pipeline network that

covers more than 8,000 square miles of Mexican countryside. To
help keep the pipeline operating effectively, the company uses
hydraulic diaphragm metering pumps to inject corrosion inhibitors.

A
s it reached 75 years of operation, a Latin American oil
company grew to become the world’s fifth-largest oil
producer and the region’s second-largest enterprise
by annual revenue, behind only the Brazilian national oil
company, Petrobas.
Though the oil company’s rate of daily production has been
declining steadily over the past decade, from an all-time high of
3.48 million barrels per day (b/d) in 2004 to 2.52 million b/d in
2013, that rate of production still equates to nearly 920 million
barrels per year of oil production, which is still a lot of product
that needs to be moved to various end points, including refiner-
ies, storage terminals and retail sites. To facilitate this crude oil
transport and transfer, this Latin American oil company operates
a network of pipelines that covers nearly 8,000 miles.

Setting off a chain reaction

A pipeline system this vast and complex needs to be kept op-
erational at all costs since less downtime adversely affects the
company’s ability to meet production and delivery schedules. A
common reason for pipeline breakdowns and malfunctions is
corrosion that can be caused by the oil being transported or en-
vironmental factors. To combat these situations, corrosion inhibi-
tors are periodically injected into the pipeline to protect it from
corrosive elements.
“We had the opportunity to work with the people who were
working on the design of the injection of chemicals in the The pump company fabricated 43 complete corrosion-inhibitor
pipeline system for the company,” said Oscar Ruiz, a longtime injection systems for the oil company, which consist of a pair of
consultant in the Latin American oil and gas industry. “The diaphragm metering pumps and a stainless steel 250-gallon tank
in which the corrosion inhibitor is stored. All can operate remotely.
company was looking for pumps that could satisfy its needs
26 | December 2016 Flow Control

for whom he works as a consultant. Janes is the
president of Janes Industrial Products LLC in Scott,
Louisiana, a manufacturer and supplier of specialty
cleaning compounds for the industrial, aviation and
remediation industries.
“I’ve known Jim since 1995 and in 2005 he de-
veloped a solvent for this type of application,” said
Ruiz. “We have also worked together in the past sell-
ing chemicals to one of the water treatment plants in
Mexico. It makes it far better that we trust each
other.”
Once the chemical source
was identified, Ruiz needed to
find the right chemical injec-
tion pump for the application.
Working off Janes’ recommen-
dation, he contacted a sales rep-
resentative firm in Louisiana.
“Oscar contacted our office and
asked us to look at some injection sys-
tems for the oil company,” explained Ernie Spreen III, a former out-
side salesperson for FLIP Inc. “The company was looking to replace
the pneumatic pumps it was using because with the heat and how
they configured them, they weren’t lasting long at all. There was not
enough air available to use the pneumatic diaphragm pumps, it was
too dirty to mess with and they needed someone to make sure the
filters were clean. At first, they were looking for little solenoid pumps
with fiberglass backing with no storage tanks, then [they] started
looking at pump skids, but eventually realized they would need some-
thing that could stand up to the harsh climate where the equipment
would be located.”
The right pump for the process
That eventually led to the decision to use strictly stainless steel
equipment in the field. Spreen recommended a specific hydraulic
diaphragm metering pump with stainless steel components, elec-
tronic stroke control, explosion-proof operation and installation on
316SS skids. In all, the oil company would require 43 complete
skid systems and 86 pumps.
Highly repeatable and reliable, hydraulic diaphragm meter-
ing pumps can handle high pressures. Spreen said more than
half the oil company’s applications would be 1,000 psi, so the
systems could be configured identically so they could go any-
where in the country and function in any condition. “No pump
would really work in this application except for what we were
offering,” Spreen said.
Ruiz, who had experience with the pump manufacturer on
pump projects in injection systems and water treatment plants,
was quick to second the recommendation.
After receiving approval of the pumps from the engineering
firm that partnered with the oil company on the project, and with
all the other pieces in place, the next step was to get the pumps
on-site and operating. Each of the 43 pump locations would
be set up the same. The pump manufacturer also supplied a
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
The hydraulic diaphragm metering pump
model used in the case study application
250-gallon, stainless steel chemical storage
tank for each site, with the pumps and acces-
sories installed within a locked enclosure to
prevent damage or theft.
The pumps, which can be controlled re-
motely, can inject pipeline corrosion inhibitor
at a rate of 12 to 20 gallons per day with the
relief valves set for a high pressure of 1,300
psi, though the maximum operating pressure
will be closer to 1,180 psi. Once a week,
a technician will come out and refill the
storage tank and inspect the pump, with
an oil change required every three to six
months.
“It’s really a simple system,” said
Spreen. “You’ve got a stainless steel drip
pan underneath, a locking mechanism for
the covers to keep down shrinkage, and rain
shields to keep rain out of the vents and fill
ports. It’s set up so that the oil company can padlock
everything down so intruders can’t get into it, tamper with the lines
or steal chemicals, because they do have an issue with that.
“They also have extreme heat conditions for nine months out
of the year, along with storm conditions, so one of the design
features we added was to install the pump itself and the motor
under the storage tank to give them protection from the ele-
ments. The stroke control is also sealed and all of the pumps are
explosion-proof and NEMA 7-rated. The tank is all 316 stainless
steel — even the legs. There is nothing on that system that
should have any corrosiveness to it.”
Another major benefit of the pumps is their ability to be con-
trolled remotely, meaning the dosing levels — whether 0.5 or
5.5 gallons per hour — can be set off-site based on the readings
supplied by the pipeline.
“They have satellite control of the liquid levels, equipment
and probes that are placed within the pipeline and note how
much inhibitor needs to be used,” said Spreen. “It is a com-
pletely unmanned installation.”
In late December 2013 the first pump skid was installed
by the Latin American oil company, a moment that was the
culmination of two years of cooperation between a number of
entities, all of whom based their recommendations on the trust
and reputations that have been built over many decades of
reliable service. FC
Tom O’Donnell is director of business development with
Neptune and PSG. He may be reached at Tom.ODonnell@
psgdover.com or 215-699-8700. Neptune Chemical
Pump Co. manufactures chemical metering and peristaltic
(hose) pumps, chemical feed systems, chemical injec-
tion accessories, make-down systems and portable mixers.
Neptune is an operating company within PSG, a Dover
company. You can find more information on Neptune at
neptune1.com and PSG at psgdover.com.
December 2016 | 27
Best Practices & Applications
Food-grade heat transfer fluids
Independent sampling will uphold consumer safety
and improve consumer confidence.
A
thermal or “heat transfer fluid” is an agent, a gas or
liquid used to carry heat from one part of a processing
plant to another. Heat transfer fluids are commonly
used on an industrial scale in the processing of food. Such flu-
ids need to be certified by a body, such as NSF International,
for incidental contact with food. This is to safeguard consum-
ers purchasing processed foods. Indeed, consumer trust dic-
tates the highest standard, and failure to protect the product
from harm, resulting in customer harm, is something no food
and drink manufacturer can afford to do, either ethically or
financially. This article outlines the safeguards in Europe and
North America and presents a case calling for the independent
sampling of food-grade heat transfer fluids as a measure to
uphold consumer safety and improve consumer confidence.
The food and beverage industry is highly regulated and
as the globalization of the global food and beverage market
expands, worldwide producers are met with increasing re-
quirements to meet the demands. In European law, EC Food
28 | December 2016
By Christopher Wright, Global Group of Companies
Nordroden/iStock
Hygiene Regulation 852/2004 sets out the basic clauses re-
quiring food businesses to protect food and drink products from
anything that could be hazardous to human health. In principle,
these can be categorized as biological, physical, chemical and
allergenic agents. Within this regulation, the adoption of a
risk-based approach to controlling these hazards is stipulated,
that is to adopt a system of Hazard Analysis via Critical Control
(HACCP), according to Codex Alimentarius principles.
Beyond the requirement of regulation, many food and bev-
erage manufacturers will adopt private quality systems to en-
sure supply. The British Retail Consortium 3rd party certifica-
tion system is one such standard that many food and drink
manufacturers will adopt to supply most major U.K. multiple
retailers. The latest version 7 addition clause 4.7.6 states,
“Materials used for equipment and plant maintenance and that
pose a risk by direct or indirect contact with raw materials, in-
termediate and finished products, such as lubricating oil, shall
be food grade and of a known allergen status.”
Flow Control
 International organizations not engaged in the supply of
food and drink to the U.K./Europe may adopt other standards
such as ISO 22000, which again has HACCP as a key theme
for the control of food and drink safety. ISO 21469 certification
for lubricants in food and pharmaceutical applications can be
useful for key stakeholders to understand.
Other standards to ensure the use of
food-grade fluids
Food-grade HTFs are highly refined mineral fluid composed of sat-
urated hydrocarbons with carbons in the range C15 to C50 and
an example of a food-grade HTF that carries a HT-1 certificate. It
is recommended for incidental contact with food, is non-fouling, is
easy to handle, nontoxic, nonirritating and odorless.
A research paper1 recently published about the use of non-
fouling food-grade heat transfer fluids in food processing high-
lighted five key points:
1 Food-grade HTF is colorless, nontoxic and nonirritating.
2 This HTF is nonfouling and less carbon forms.
3 Such HTFs can be safely used in food processing if they
are HT-1 certified.
4 A number of food safety management systems (e.g.,
HACCP) are used to ensure such fluids are safe.
5 An additional check is to sample fluids to ensure food-
grade fluids are being used.
The most common approach for checking the HTF used is
to assess the material safety data sheet (MSDS) supplied with
the HTF and to check HTF maintenance reports. An HTF supplier
should provide an MSDS on delivery of an HTF or they can be
consulted to provide an updated MSDS. This will contain prod-
uct-related information on the chemical structure of the fluid,
how to handle the fluid, how to store the fluid and what pre-
cautions should be taken when handling and transporting the
fluid. An HTF approved for incidental contact with food should
be accompanied by a HT-1 certificate. If it does not, get the
appropriate paperwork and do not assume it is approved for
this use.
The service history of the HTF can also be checked and will
provide an overview of the fluid’s physical and chemical properties
at discrete points in time. However, the objective of this report is to
gain insight into the condition of the fluid more than to assess the
type of fluid used. Although, the text report will confirm the details
of the plant sampled, when it was sampled, what fluid is in the
HTF system and how parameters relating to condition (e.g., car-
bon residue, total acid number and accumulation of ‘light-ends’)
are changing against time and how they compare with the typical
values for that type of HTF. The objective of such reports, however,
is to evaluate the condition of the fluid and to assess and slow
the rate of thermal cracking and oxidation, which accelerate with
prolonged use at high temperature.
Another check that could potentially be performed is the on-
site live sampling of an HTF by an independent company, which
this could form part of a supplier or retail audit. This would en-
able the HTF’s chemistry to be analyzed and, in the case of a
www.flowcontrolnetwork.com
food-grade HTF, confirm it is a highly refined mineral fluid. This
is not currently part of an audit trail in Europe or North America,
but can easily be added as a further safeguard. Indeed, manu-
facturers are routinely audited by insurance companies to en-
sure there is no breach of the terms of the policy. This approach
could be of benefit to an auditor because it is an additional tool
to ensure companies comply with existing standards. It is also
different from the previously mentioned approaches since fluid
is physically taken and sent to a laboratory for chemical testing.
Do companies offer independent
sampling & testing of HTFs?
The answer is yes. Specialist companies such as Global Heat
Transfer in Europe can sample an HTF while in use — meaning
it is in operation and being taken at the operational tempera-
ture, typically up to 326°C for a food-grade HTF. These samples
are taken by engineers who have been trained to sample the
fluid into a specifically designed sampling container. Standard
operating procedures ensure a representative sample is taken
and then sent to the laboratory for chemical testing according
to international test standards and procedures.
Conclusions
The independent sampling of food-grade HTFs is not used in in-
dustry at the present time, but the technology is available to do
this and to confirm a food-grade fluid is being used. This test en-
ables companies to further safeguard consumers from any safe-
ty issues arising from incidental contact of a HTF with foods or
drinks. It also enables auditors to enforce companies to comply
with standards of supply and the terms and conditions of their
insurance. This can be done while the HTF is in operation and can
be done by specialist engineering companies that already conduct
similar assessments in Europe and North America. FC
Author’s note: The author would like to acknowledge the writ-
ing support provided by Red Pharm communications, which is
part of the Red Pharm company (see @RedPharmCo on Twit-
ter). Please contact the author for reference materials cited
in this article.
Reference
1. Wright, C.I., Bembridge, T., Picot, E., Premel, J. (2015).
“Food processing: the use of non-fouling food grade heat
transfer fluids.” Applied Thermal Engineering. 84; 94-103.
Accessed from http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/
S1359431115002562.
Christopher Wright is a research scientist with a Bachelor
of Science and doctorate from the University of Leeds in the
U.K. His research focuses on the use and maintenance of
heat transfer fluids in manufacturing and processing, which
includes food, pharmaceutical, specialist chemicals and
solar sectors.
December 2016 | 29
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