March 2009
Volume XV, Number 3
Thermal Flowmeters to Gain from Environmental Push

A Market Prime for Boom
Thermal Flowmeters to Gain from Environmental Push
Among the established flow measurement technologies, thermal flowmeters account for fewer units shipped than any other flow technology except for target meters. In perspective, thermal flowmeters, at a market size of under $100 million, represent less than 2 percent of a worldwide flowmeter market that is projected to approach $5 billion in 2009. Yet, despite a global economic slump, thermal flowmeters are suddenly emerging into the spotlight and are primed to show an upswing in demand. Why is this? The answer lies primarily in the trend toward increased environmental monitoring and the suitability thermal flowmeters have for such applications.

A Clear Look
Optimizing Results from Processing System Sightglasses
While sightglasses may seem rather simple in design, they are actually highly engineered products. If not properly specified, sightglasses can easily become the weakest link in a chemical or pharmaceutical processing system. And by neglecting the importance of this component, end-users may find themselves coping with less than optimal observation capabilities; frequent maintenance and replacement; difficult illumination capability; and, in the worst case, sightglass failure, thus endangering workers and causing extensive destruction and downtime. On the other hand, a proper understanding of sightglass design options, materials of construction and maintenance procedures will ensure that sightglasses serve and survive through the life of the system.

Q&A: Measuring Your Measurement’s Health
How Diagnostics Aid in Flow Quality Control
Matt Diese is the EFM/RTU product manager at Thermo Fisher Scientific. He has over 15 years of experience in flow measurement and software engineering and has been an integral member of several new product development teams. Mr. Diese’s key skills include large-scale interdisciplinary project management from concept to launch, and he often works closely with key staff at many of the industry’s largest oil and gas companies to plan large-scale, strategic field installations. He has also authored numerous articles and technical papers, is active in API COPM committees and is an annual instructor at ISHM. This month, Mr. Diese fields questions from Flow Control on trends in flow diagnostic technology.

Inspector Clou‘fleau’
An Application In Conflict Provokes an Investigation
Sometimes you have to do detective work in order to really know what you have — or you may suffer the consequences. Such was the case when I was asked to audit a steam flow measurement system where the flowmeter was used to measure the flow of steam from a cogeneration plant comprised of a gas turbine and heat-recovery steam generator.

mailbag: Calculating a Conversion Factor
Understanding Pump Efficiency from an Imperial Perspective
Looking at the formula you used in the January ‘09 Pump Guy Column in Flow Control, (“A Different Article”, page 42), could you give me some idea as to where the conversion factor (0.000189) is calculated from? I don’t need or expect chapter and verse, but I know I will be asked by my coworkers when discussing a difficult application issue we're dealing with. I want to be able to reply rather than have a vacant expression wander over my face.

QUIZ CORNER:
Effect of Bubble in Impulse Tubing
What is the approximate flow measurement error associated with a differential-pressure flowmeter for liquid service operating at a pressure of four bar where the differential-pressure transmitter is calibrated for 100 inches of water column, and the impulse tubing on the high side of the transmitter has a 10-inch vertical bubble of non-condensable gas?