September 2009
Volume XV, No. 9
3 Key Advances in Primary Element Design

Not So Element-ary
New Primary Elements Expand Reach of DP Flowmetering
Differential-pressure (DP) flowmeters rely on what is commonly called a “primary element” to foster the conditions for flow measurement. Primary elements place a constriction in the flowstream that causes a drop in line pressure. A DP flowmeter uses the pressure differential created between the upstream and downstream pressure to compute the flowrate.

Q&A: A World Without Wires
Trends in Wireless Automation for Fluid Handlers
Steve Toteda is vice president of marketing for Dust Networks and president of the Wireless Industrial Networking Alliance (WINA). Mr. Toteda has more than 20 years of marketing and technical experience in the wireless and wireline communications equipment and semiconductor industries. This month, Mr. Toteda fields questions from Flow Control on trends in wireless fluid handling applications.

Top Technologies of 2009
Flow Control Innovation Awards Winners
The Flow Control Innovation Awards program is an annual competition designed to recognize the year’s most compelling advances in fluid handling technology. Finalists for the 2009 Flow Control Innovation Awards were announced in the June issue of Flow Control magazine, at which time this year’s nominees were offered up for open voting. All told, the 2009 Flow Control Innovation Awards program generated 1,300 votes, the most in the 12-year history of the Flow Control Innovation Awards program. The following technologies include the top 10 vote recipients in this year’s competition, as well as two technologies voted in by Flow Control staff. Here we provide a brief overview of each of the winning technologies, with select voter comments.

Calibration Variables
Positioning Diaphragm Seals on DP Level Transmitters
In my last two installments of “Applications Corner,” we determined that the capillary tubing for differential-pressure measurements should generally be the same length -- even though the added physical length may seem wasteful, expensive and cumbersome. In particular, we discussed a flow measurement system where the capillary tubes were designed and installed in such a way that their temperatures were often different. Level measurement using a transmitter with diaphragm seals and capillary tubing can exhibit other problematic conditions.

Mechanical Seal Failure
Why Is Reliable Technology So Hard to Come By?
Officially, I am retired, although I can’t totally give up working. So I dabble as a pump consultant and mentor in my waning years. I give a few pump lectures each year. As I begin each lecture, I poll the classroom. What do you want to learn in this lecture? What issue regarding pumps brings you to this class? Invariably, more than 10 percent of the responses deal with mechanical seals.

QUIZ CORNER:
The Weight of Water
What is the approximate weight of the water in a full vertical cylindrical tank that is approximately six feet (two meters) in diameter and 20 feet (six meters) high? Use π (pi) = three for estimating purposes.