An informative and educational resource specializing in process control instrumentation, analytical instruments, and related industrial equipment. Content includes technology basics, how-to's, new product developments, and application notes. Blog is courtesy of Alliance Technical Sales, a leading Manufacturers' Rep headquartered in Clarendon Hills, IL and serving customers in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan and Wisconsin.
Magnetic Level Gauges in Process Control
Process Analytics: Measuring pH, Dissolved Oxygen, and Conductivity
pH, dissolved oxygen, and conductivity are important parameters to measure in industrial processes because they can provide valuable information about the products' quality and safety. By measuring these parameters, industrial processes can ensure that they are operating within safe and optimal ranges, which can improve the quality and efficiency of the products.
pH
pH is a measure of the acidity or basicity of a solution, and it can significantly impact the behavior of chemicals in a process.
There are several ways to measure pH in industrial processes, including using a pH meter, pH test strips, and indicator solutions. A pH meter is a commonly used instrument that measures the pH of a solution by using a probe to measure the electrical potential difference between the solution and a reference electrode. pH test strips are also commonly used in industrial processes, as they are quick and easy to use and provide a general indication of the pH of a solution.
Dissolved Oxygen
Dissolved oxygen is vital because many industrial processes involve biological organisms that require oxygen to survive and function properly.
There are several ways to measure dissolved oxygen in industrial processes, but some of the most common methods include the following:
- Electrochemical sensors: These sensors use an electrode to measure dissolved oxygen concentration in a solution.
- Optical sensors: These sensors use light to measure the amount of dissolved oxygen in a solution.
- Membrane-based sensors: These sensors use a thin membrane to separate the sample being measured from the oxygen-sensitive material, allowing for accurate dissolved oxygen levels.
Conductivity
Conductivity is a measure of the ability of a solution to conduct electricity. It can provide information about the concentration of ions in the solution, which can be helpful in various applications.
Conductivity in industrial processes is typically measured using a conductivity meter. This device uses electrodes to pass an electrical current through a substance sample and measures the substance's resistance to the flow of electricity. The resistance converts into a conductivity reading, typically reported in units of siemens per meter (S/m).
It's worth noting that the most appropriate method for measuring dissolved oxygen, conductivity and pH in industrial processes will depend on the application's specific requirements. It's always a good idea to consult with an expert in the field to determine the best method for your particular needs.
METTLER TOLEDO provides analytical transmitters for a wide range of analytics, including pH/ORP, oxygen, dissolved carbon dioxide and conductivity or resistivity. These analytical transmitters are the component within a measurement system that communicates displayed measurements to a user or higher level control system. METTLER TOLEDO high-performance analytical transmitters offer compatibility with traditional analog sensors and digital sensors with METTLER TOLEDO's Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM).
Discuss your process analytics requirements with professional, skilled expert engineers. Alliance Technical Sales is available to assist in the application and specification of sensors, transmitters, and controllers for any industrial process. Call them at 630-321-9646 or visit their website at https://alliancets.com.
Winterization Tips for Your Building, Facility, or Industrial Plant
- Roof and Gutter: Inspect, remove debris, and patch/repair (if needed): roof drains, scuppers, canals, gutters, down spouts before first frost. Inspect and functionally test installed roof and gutter heat trace system. Apply heat in susceptible areas.
- Identify and test main water supply cutoffs for each facility. Ensure these areas are readily available to emergency personnel responding to a freeze/thaw incident. Apply heat in susceptible areas.
- Inspect wet‐pipe sprinkler systems for areas prone to freezing. Apply heat in susceptible areas.
- Identify materials that are subject to freeze damage in outside storage pads and unheated storage areas. Develop plan to ensure these materials can be easily heated and thawed to maintain production.
- Check and place antifreeze used in cooling systems as necessary.
- Protect heating system power and temperature controls against inadvertent deactivation.
- Inspect insulation on piping and vessels. Look for damage and vulnerable areas that might be exposed to freezing conditions. Add or replace insulation as needed.
- Drain and remove water from all seasonal cooling systems (unless protected by heating tapes or antifreeze).
- Inspect, test, and stage portable auxiliary heaters.
- Inspect conditions of all surface heaters such as heating tapes, heating cable, drum heaters, IBC heaters, tank heaters, and pipe heaters. Verify operation and temperature settings and test ground‐fault equipment protection. Replace as needed.
- Inspect, test, and repair heat trace heating cable located on cooling tower supply and return lines. Apply heat in susceptible areas.
- Inspect and identify remaining water and air lines subject to freezing. Install appropriate heat and insulation. Apply heat in susceptible areas.
- For steam systems: Blow down drip legs, clean strainers, test temperature sensing devices for actuation of control valves and dampers, check steam traps, control actuators/valves, face and bypass dampers, linkages, and temperature controllers. Ensure that a vacuum breaker is installed and in working order on all preheat and heating coils which may be exposed to freezing conditions.
- For ventilation systems: Test and calibrate all temperature sensing devices, and check operation of valves, dampers, linkages, control actuators, and temperature controllers.
- Identify areas where personal safety is at risk due to icy conditions. Develop a slip prevention maintenance plan. Apply heat in susceptible areas.
- Identify control panels and electronic devices susceptible to condensation. Install enclosure heaters to prevent short outs and corrosion.
- Institute a facility wide awareness plan to identify and report any suspected problems with heating or other cold weather protection equipment during the cold season.
- Special Consideration: Hazardous Materials
- Ensure that all containers used for hazardous or toxic materials are properly stored, and inspect them for deterioration prior to handling. If containers become brittle (due to the combination of chemical attack, freezing temperatures, and ultraviolet light) they may break when moved.
- Liquids should not be permitted to remain in unheated process lines during periods when production has been stopped. All lines should be drained and purged to prevent future line breakage due to freezing temperatures.
- Ensure that piping, tanks, and valves in systems that carry hazardous or toxic substances are properly insulated and/or heated. Install heaters such as heating blankets, insulators, heating tapes, heating jackets, and heating cable as appropriate.
ACURAGE™ Single Chamber Sight Glass with GWR from Hawk Measurement and Bliss Americas
Hawk Measurement and Bliss Americas Collaborate to Release the Industry's First Single Chamber Sight Glass with Guided Wave Radar.
The BriskHeat 15th Edition Full Electric Heating, Control and Insulating Product Catalog
For more information, contact Alliance Technical Sales.
Alliance Technical Sales
630-321-9646
https://alliancets.com
HF scientific Instrumentation, Test Kits and Chemical Reagents Used for Municipal Water Monitoring
Download the 2022-23 Mettler Toledo Process Analytics Catalog
Presenting the Hawk Measurement OptioLaser L100 and L200 Distance and Level Transmitter
For more information about Hawk Measurement products in Illinois and Indiana, contact Alliance Technical Sales. Call 630-321-9646 or visit https://alliancets.com.
BriskHeat Industrial Heating Products from Alliance Technical Sales
- Removable insulators and heating cable installed at compressor station
- Hazardous-area rated gas cylinder warmer
- Monitor light, heat trace, and removable insulators on pipe system
- Cloth heating jacket installed on valve for freeze protection
- Silicone rubber heating blankets installed on a vessel
- Heating mantle and flexible heating tape installed in a laboratory
- Immersion heater installed on IBC/Tote Tank
- Hazardous-area rated heaters providing heat to a 55-gallon (208 litre) barrel and IBC/Tote Tank
- Self-regulating heating cable and connection kits suitable for up to Class I, Division 1 environments
For more information, contact Alliance Technical Sales.
Alliance Technical Sales
630-321-9646
https://alliancets.com
Winter is Hard On Process Piping, Tanks, and Valves. Protect Them with BriskHeat.
We don't want to say we told you so, but .... we told you so. Winter weather is here, and the need to freeze protect vital process control equipment is evident. Frozen pipes, valves, and vessels caused by sub-zero temperatures and harsh winds cause spills, downtime, and unexpected costs. Additionally, frozen equipment presents the danger of shutting down factory production. It's not too late. You still have time to heat trace and freeze protect your critical equipment for the rest of this winter season.
Traditional heat tracing design schemes combine with innovative products, installation, control, and monitoring technologies in BriskHeat industrial heating products. BriskHeat industrial heating products are ideal for maintaining the proper temperature of valves, pumps, joints, crosses, elbows, flanges, pipes, and tees. Heat tracing cable (constant wattage and self-regulating), tote heaters, insulated heating blankets, immersion heaters, and thermostats are all available from BriskHeat. BriskHeat industrial heating products are long-lasting, reliable, and effective.
With unpredictable weather conditions ahead, you must protect your piping, tanks, and valves. BriskHeat has a solution for every situation. To learn more, contact Alliance Technical Sales at 630-321-9646 or visit the Alliance website at https://alliancets.com.
On-line, Continuous TOC Measurement For Pure Water Systems - Real-time Measurement For Full Visibility of TOC Excursions
The AccUView LED Online UV Analyzer for Drinking Water Disinfection Monitoring
With over 30 years of optical design expertise HF scientific has developed an AccUView LED Online UV Analyzer specifically for drinking water disinfection monitoring. Engineered using leading edge microprocessor technology, the AccUView LED is the most reliable and cost efficient instrument for monitoring the % Transmission and Absorbance of a UV Disinfection System for drinking water. Standard features include simple calibration procedures, a bubble rejection system, an Ultrasonic Autoclean System designed to reduce operator maintenance time, and selectable scaling of % Transmission or Absorbance.
STANDARD FEATURES
- UVC LED light source - Longer life and mercury free
- Two measurement scales - % Transmission and Absorbance
- Standard communications include 4-20 mA with isolator or RS-485 with Modbus protocol.
- Modular microprocessor based technology ensures high quality at an affordable price.
- HF scientific certified 100%T Calibration Standard.
- Simple Modular Design.
- Ultrasonic autoclean system reduces time consuming maintenance
For more information, contact:
Alliance Technical Sales
630-321-9646
Preserve CO₂ When Purging Beer Tanks With the Mettler Toledo InTap Portable Dissolved Oxygen Analyzer
A craft brewer uses CO₂ to purge oxygen from the headspace in bright beer tanks to reduce dissolved oxygen levels in final products. They used a time-based method to determine when to determine purge completion, but this is an imprecise method that can overuse expensive CO₂. METTLER TOLEDO provided the InTap portable oxygen analyzer to the craft brewer. InTap measures dissolved oxygen levels down to 2 ppb using a highly precise optical sensor, making it suitable for a wide range of brewery applications ranging from purging to monitoring filling lines.
This video discusses how a craft brewer reduced CO2 use with a convenient, portable oxygen meter.
It addresses critical issues concerning beer production, such as:
- Complete tank purge determination.
- Why use a portable meter to measure dissolved oxygen?
- How to Increase Your Product Quality Confidence
For more information about METTLER TOLEDO Process Analytics products in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Wisconsin call Alliance Technical Sales at 630-321-9646 or visit their website at https://alliancets.com.
Freeze Protection Season is Around the Corner. Get Ready Now.
Winter is quickly approaching. It's time to assess your plant's heat tracing system and ensure it's working correctly. Alliance Technical Sales can assist you with heat tracing, control, and monitoring equipment. Along with industrial pipe heat tracing, Alliance can help you with commercial pipe tracing and surface snow melting.
Anticipating freezing temperatures and protecting buildings, equipment, and grounds from freeze damage are critical components of a Facility Maintenance Program. Pipe tracing, drum heating, roof and gutter de-icing, IBC heating, valve de-icing, vessel heating, and enclosure heating are just a few of the freeze protection applications to consider.
Most common objects to consider for seasonal freeze protection:
- Pipe heat tracing
- Drum heaters
- Tote heaters
- Gas cylinder heaters
- External tank heaters
- Roof & gutter de-icing
- Snow melting mats
Plant operators and maintenance personnel must be vigilant to keep their equipment from freezing. Cold temperatures frequently cause objects and their contents to be damaged or destroyed. Pipes, valves, tanks, vessels, conveyors, and housings are just a few examples of everyday things that can be damaged by cold temperatures, resulting in disastrous consequences, costly downtime, and unplanned outages.
BriskHeat provides an excellent Freeze Protection Planning Guide and Checklist. Download it here.
Make sure that any freeze protection requirements you have are ready. Failure to ensure adequate protection in these systems against freezing can have disastrous consequences. Act now to stay ahead of your freeze protection requirements before it's too late.
Alliance Technical Sales
https://alliancets.com
630-321-9646
What Is Mettler Toledo Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM)?
Mettler Toledo Process Analytics Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM) is an innovative digital technology for analytical process parameters that combines many features into a unique solution. The foundation of the technology is built from a microprocessor embedded in all ISM sensors. This allows a wealth of valuable features that analog sensors cannot compete with, including a robust digital signal fast error-free measurement, point startup, and advanced diagnostics that clearly inform operators when calibration maintenance or replacement will be required.
The critical diagnostics tool in ISM is the dynamic lifetime indicator (DLI). The DLI provides technicians with a clear indication of how much the exposure to a process has altered a sensor's condition. In the case of ph sensors by continuously analyzing the process conditions and other factors. The DLI constantly calculates how many days are remaining in the reliable lifetime of the sensor. There is no estimating based on a percentage of remaining life. You receive a precise number of days of life remaining, making it easy to plan maintenance and replacement. If process conditions become more or less harsh, the DLI rapidly responds appropriately. In addition the DLI actually adapts to process conditions to ensure diagnostics are always reliable.
Another important feature of ISM technology is "plug and measure" when connected to an ISM transmitter. The pre-calibrated sensor is instantly recognized and the transmitter configures itself appropriately without any operator intervention. When an exchange of sensor is needed this plug and measure functionality means a pre-calibrated sensor can be installed and be ready to measure in under a minute. This substantially reduces the amount of time that maintenance staff need to spend at measurement points. With its highly informative diagnostics that adapt rapidly to process conditions and its robust digital signal, ISM offers efficiencies in maintenance planning, plant safety and productivity while also reducing production costs.
For more information, contact:
Alliance Technical Sales
630-321-9646
https://alliancets.com
Continuous, Inline Process Refractometers Can Help You Improve Your Food Production Process
Adherence to dissolved substance concentrations in food processing is critical for consistent product quality. A refractometer, which measures refractive index, is an excellent tool for monitoring these concentrations.
When immersed in a fluid, refractometers measure the magnitude of redirecting light, referred to as the angle of refraction. The refractometer links these measurements to the refractive index (nD), a long-established computation of known values. These values determine the concentrations of the solutions.
Measuring dissolved solids in food production has enormous promise for better efficiency and quality. Many applications use a manual method in which measurements are taken repeatedly and at short intervals, which is inefficient and slows down the operation. Taking process measurements with a pipe-mounted (inline) continuous refractometer, such as the Electron Machine MPR E-Scan, is a considerably more efficient and time-saving method.
The MPR E-Scan continually checks the concentration utilizing an inline sensor, allowing for accurate measurement of the devolved solids and repeatable process control. Typical applications cover all elements of the food business. Controlling the sugar content in juices, soft drinks, jams, and jellies; measuring the milk-fat solids in dairy products; and measuring mash measurements, wort concentration, and alcohol level are examples in food production. Continuous and real-time measurement reduces production run time and increases efficiency considerably.
For more information about Electron Machine products in Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio contact Alliance Technical Sales. Call 630-321-9646 or visit https://alliancets.com.
Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Your Water Testing Instrumentation
Frustrated with Water Quality Instrumentation "Sunsetting"?
HF scientific is committed to supporting rural and suburban water markets. Other water quality instrument suppliers abandon these markets and favor large urban water systems. They then push lucrative service contracts to support their product's complex operating scheme. That's not the HF way. HF scientific will gladly provide in-depth product training, both remotely or in person, and their products are cost-effective and easy to use. That's particularly important for water systems that don't have dedicated instrument personnel or where one operator wears many hats.
HF scientific's value proposition embraces all customers who want to maintain their equipment simply, affordably and for the long term.
Sunsets are beautiful, except when its the sunsetting of your valuable water testing equipment.
Alliance Technical Sales
630-321-9646
3 Reasons to Switch to ISM pH Sensors For Bioprocessing
Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM) is a digital technology that directly incorporates a microprocessor into sensors, enabling analog to digital signal conversion for greater accuracy and interference-free measurements, plus onboard storing of calibration data predictive diagnostics.
There are three proven reasons to switch to Mettler Toledo ISM pH sensors from the competition. See the proof here.
Alliance Technical Sales
630-321-9646
HF scientific Products for Municipal and Local Drinking Water Facilities
HF scientific produces instrumentation, test kits, and chemical reagents used to monitor water quality in various applications. Their primary market is industrial and municipal water treatment.
HF scientific products for municipal water treatment include:
AccUView LED Online UV Analyzer- Monitors % Transmission and Absorbance of a water sample in real time
- The most cost-efficient option on the market
- EPA approved DPD method for chlorine measurement
- Low-maintenance and low cost of operation
- EPA 180.1 approved
- Built-in ultrasonic auto-cleaning and data logging
- One-piece mounted design for simple mounting and minimal use of space
- Cuvette system with single-day reusable standards allows for 3 minute calibrations on multiple analyzers
- Laboratory accuracy in the field
- Includes portable, pre-measured DPD Powder Pop® Dispensers
- Provides accurate EPA 180.1 approved measurements
- Calibration cuvettes are also compatible with online version
- Reagents are shipped dry for lower shipping costs and extended shelf life
- Also compatible with the Hach® CL17 Chlorine Analyzer
- Made in many different turbidity values
- 20% less expensive than other pre-determined turbidity standards*
- 2 year shelf life of stability
The Mettler Toledo M800 Multi-Channel, Multi-Parameter Transmitter
The Mettler Toledo M800 multi-parameter transmitter provides simultaneous monitoring of one, two, or four in-line sensors. It offers measurement of:
- pH/ORP
- optical DO
- amperometric oxygen (DO as well as O2 gas)
- conductivity
- resistivity
- TOC
- dissolved ozone
- flow and turbidity
This multi-parameter transmitter works with Mettler Toledo ISM® sensors. The M800 displays predictive sensor diagnostic information such as Time To Maintenance and offers a Dynamic Lifetime Indicator and an Adaptive Calibration Timer. The color touchscreen of the M800 multi-parameter transmitter provides simple, convenient operation. The intuitive user interface guides you through a quick setup sequence and allows the creation of shortcuts so you can get to any menu instantly.
For more information, contact:
Alliance Technical Sales
630-321-9646