March 2008
Volume XIV, Number 3
Trends in Pressure Transmitter Technology

Future Looks Bright for Pressure Transmitters
Technology & Large Installed Base to Drive Uptake
Early methods of pressure measurement have been replaced in today’s environment with pressure transducers and transmitters. Pressure transducers are typically smaller and lower in cost than pressure transmitters. They are widely used in discrete industries, such as automotive and plastics. Pressure transducers often have loose wires at one end and do not perform at the same level as pressure transmitters.

A Primer on Flowmeter Calibration Techniques
Methods for Assessing the Performance of Your Measurement Process
In today’s industrial marketplace, where many companies must adhere to strict specifications to ensure quality standards are met, proper flowmeter calibration has never been more critical.

Q&A: Considering Sanitary Requirements
Best Practices, Standards, & Technology Trends
Lyle Hamilton is a project engineer for Richards Industries, where he is currently responsible for the design and support of the Steriflow line of sanitary products, including the company’s new Sanitary Control Valve. He is also responsible for product certification by the 3A Symbol Council and ASME BPE compliance, as well as ongoing monitoring of manufacturing processes, quality assurance, and assembly/testing procedures. This month, Mr. Hamilton talks with Flow Control about sanitary process requirements.

Cutting Corrosion Reduces Recurring ‘Foul Play’
Tube Coating Bolsters Integrity of Heat-Transfer Equipment
Heat-transfer equipment, such as steam condensers running in power plants or heat exchangers operating in chemical refineries, needs proper attention and maintenance. Through decades of trial and error, engineers around the world have worked to develop cutting-edge solutions that address common problems with equipment that uses water as a source to change the temperature of the surrounding machinery or atmosphere.

The Cost of Liquid Flow Errors
Is a $25 Million Measurement Worth an Extra $600 Investment?
Last month we considered the economic value of steam flow measurements. Liquid flows are typically more common, so let’s take a look at an example of their economic impact here.

Cheat Sheets: Unwritten Pump Rules
3 Key Instructions You Won’t Find In Your Owner’s Manual
At work, you might be responsible for the reliability of 50 or 300 centrifugal pumps. How can you stand next to one of these pumps, observe it, and perceive if the pump is sick or healthy? (No one teaches this at the university!) The following are a few generally accepted rules to keep in mind.

QUIZ CORNER:
Which Flowmeter Types are Volumetric?
The subject matter for flow measurement related to testing for a teaching position at a technical school was recently circulated. It included mass flowmeters (thermal and Coriolis) and volumetric flowmeters (Annubar, nozzle, positive displacement, magnetic, turbine, vortex shedding, ultrasonic, Pitot, orifice plate, rotameter, Venturi, and V-cone). Which of the following groupings are correct for volumetric flowmeters?

VIEWPOINT:
Questions for ExxonMobil
Through amazing feats of engineering prowess, ExxonMobil has driven itself to record profits. But what's next? Here we consider the future of one of the most technologically savvy companies in U.S. history, as it seaks to position itself for continued success in a changing energy market.

TECHNOLOGY OUTLOOK:
Key Trends in Temperature Measurement
While temperature measurement is, like many fluid handling segments, undergoing a period of technological change, the two primary solutions in this space, thermocouples and RTDs (resistance temperature detectors), maintain solid footing in specific application areas. RTDs, for instance, have emerged as a competitive solution for measurements in the -100 C to 600 C range, whereas thermocouples figure to hold on to measurements above 600 C for the foreseeable future.