Specific Gravity Analyzer for Fluid Process Applications

Speicifc Gravity Analyzer
Jogler 

Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density of a reference substance; equivalently, it is the ratio of the mass of a substance to the mass of a reference substance for the same given volume (Thank you, Wikipedia).  Often the reference substance for liquids is pure water at a temperature of +4°C, which is assigned a value of 1.0. The specific gravity measurement is used throughout many industries as a measure of concentration in a solution. An example would be the concentration of sugar in a solution of water and sugar. 

For purposes of process analysis, an instrument providing continuous measurement is generally advantageous since its operation accommodates the changing nature of the process. One device employs two tubes and a calibrated float to provide a continuous display of a liquid's specific gravity. Liquid from the process fluid sample line enters the bottom of the inner tube containing the float. A very small sample flow rate is needed. The float is calibrated for the subject process liquid and has a reference scale from which the specific gravity is manually read. The sample fluid overflows the inner tube, collecting in the outer tube where it is drained away. The continuous, though small, flow of sample liquid enables each reading to reflect the current process condition.

This simple and effective instrument provides accurate measurement and requires little maintenance. Share all your process fluid analysis challenges with application specialists. Combine your process knowledge with their product application expertise to develop the most effective solutions.

Specific Gravity Analyzer for Continuous Process Monitoring from Alliance Technical Sales, Inc.

Temperature and Humidity Transmitters for Industrial Applications

Vaisala enjoys global recognition as a premiere provider of best-in-class humidity and temperature transmitters for industrial process measurement. The video provided here gives an excellent overview of the company's HMT 330 Series with all of its variants for special applications.

Share your temperature and humidity measurement challenges with product specialists, combining your process knowledge with their product application expertise to develop effective solutions.

Innovative Tunable Diode Laser TDL Gas Analyzer

Mettler Toledo has developed the first compact TDL with an insertion probe form factor. The instrument requires only a single flange or insertion point in process piping. Several versions are available that accommodate a range of pipeline and media conditions. The video below tells the whole story. Detailed application information is available from product specialists.

Deliver Incremental Productivity Boost With Intelligent Sensor Management

pH/ORP Probes
Mettler Toledo Ingold

It is almost a universal goal that we all must strive to increase productivity and efficiency. Whether factory floor, front office, warehouse, or any other facet of a business, saving time and delivering more output per unit of input is top of mind for business process operators.

Analytical measurement systems for chemical processing are included in the "business processes" mentioned above. Everything done for profit is a business process. Managing analytical instruments and systems for a fluid based process can be time consuming, as well as a significant cost center. There are modern instruments and components that can improve the effectiveness of analytical processes, reducing the recurring financial and manpower expense while improving the reliability and performance of the process.

Mettler Toledo, under their Ingold brand of analytical instruments, has developed their Intelligent Sensor Management (ISM) system to boost product quality and yield, while simultaneously reducing operating costs. The system makes optimum use of digital technology to bring some real user benefits.

• More precise measurement signal
• Advanced sensor diagnostics
• Predictive maintenance functions
• Rapid sensor change out

The white paper included below provides a clear overview of all that the ISM delivers and how it will save time and expense. Share your analytical challenges with a product specialist and combine your process expertise with their product application knowledge to produce effective solutions.

Intelligent Sensor Management From Ingold from Alliance Technical Sales, Inc.

Software Boosts Productivity for Batch and Lab Operations

Batch operations can benefit from SCADA

In the biotechnology sphere, repetitive batch operations are good candidates for the use of software to create a SCADA system providing not only control and data acquisition, but to serving as a database of recipes and production data from previous batches that can be compared and analyzed. Productivity can be enhanced by centralizing many functions, making them available to all connected operations.

ILS Automation has developed a software package, Batch Expert+, tailored for use with bioreactors. It also has capability to interface simultaneously with other lab instruments and equipment, providing a single location for all related data. The system is intended to boost productivity by centralizing the data acquisition and control operations, providing tools for trend analysis and other analytical functions.

The company lists some of the main features.

• One application manages multiple brands/models of fermentors/bioreactors
• Integrates multiple on-line and off-line field and lab instruments (mass-spec, cell density, external pumps, scales, gas flow controllers, etc.)
• Common recipes
• Recipe management
• Remote monitoring and control
• Intelligent alarming and alarm management
• Data historian for process and assay data
• Reporting and scheduling
• Open SQL database is easily integrated with other business systems and applications, making Batch Expert+ architecture extensible and customizable
• Freedom to experiment with new logic
• Batch trend charting of live, historical, and assay data
• Time or event-based control
• 21 CFR Part 11 compliant

There is much more to be learned about how Batch Expert+ can improve performance. Share your batch operation challenges with a product specialist. Combining your process experience and knowledge with their product application expertise will produce the best solutions.

ILS Automation Batch Expert+ Software from Alliance Technical Sales, Inc.

PID Controller Action Simply Explained

PID Process Controller
Courtesy Precision Digital

In the industrial control sphere, PID stands for "proportional plus integral and derivative control", three actions used together in managing a control loop. Process loop controllers use one, two or all three of these to regulate a process by responding in a prescribed fashion to disturbances in the process variable. PID control is used in a wide variety of applications in industrial control and process system management.

Many types of PID controllers exist on the market and are used for controlling temperature, pressure, flow, and just about every other process variable. Here is a brief explanation of the three actions that make up the PID algorithm, without the math.

PID Control Loop Diagram

Proportional Control Action (P): The controller output responds in proportion to an error signal. Think of error as simply the distance between where you are and where you want to be. A larger error value will generate a larger output response from the controller. When the process value (the measured value of what is being controlled) is close to the setpoint, output response is reduced.

Integral Control Action (I): The control system will increase the output if the error is present over a period of time. This is called integral control action. The integral portion of the algorithm helps drive the process value to the setpoint if the process reaches some equilibrium point that is not the setpoint. The purpose of integral action is to provide adequate control response to varying demands of the process. Integral action does not function independently, requiring the inclusion of proportional action too.

Derivative Control Action (D): To achieve a stable process, wide proportional band and low integral action are often needed. Due to these settings, the control system can exhibit too slow a response pattern. If large system disturbances occur over a wide range, additional elements are needed in the control algorithm to provide suitable response. Derivative control action, added to the effect of proportional and integral, provides response to not only the magnitude of deviation, but also the rate of change of the error.

Modern PID loop controllers are often provided with a function that will automatically select the proper constants for the PID parameters. What used to be a very time consuming and tedious job can now be done with the push of a button and allowing the controller to "learn" the process dynamics. PID controllers minimize error and optimize the accuracy of any process.

Share your control challenges and requirements with product specialists and combine your process knowledge with their product expertise to produce the most effective results.

PID Controllers from Precision Digital from Alliance Technical Sales, Inc.

Real Time Direct Process Monitoring With Optical Spectroscopy

Optical spectroscopy unit for real time process measurement
Courtesy Prozess Technologie

Measurement and monitoring of process conditions is an essential part of producing the desired output. Some operations require, or can benefit from, faster or more accurate measurement of process variables. This can be especially true for chemical processes that rely on accurate mixing of components.

Process analyzers are available in a wide variety of technologies, configurations, performance ranges, and price points. Selecting the best analyzer for a particular process, take into consideration these points.

• Technology - Assess whether the technology is cabable of producing the results needed
• Accuracy - Measurement at levels appropriate for the process and operating goals
• Specificity - Ability to reliably measure the subject components
• First cost
• Continuing costs of maintenance, expendables, calibration
• Ease of use and integration into overall process measurement and control scheme
• Reliability

One manufacturer, Prozess Technologie, approaches process analysis with their Reveal optical spectroscopy analyzer. It is capable of operating continuously without ongoing operator interaction. Internal calibration software provides stability and reliability. The software suite for the instrument is compliant with numerous standards and a host of communication standards are supported to allow for easy integration into a process measurement and control system.

Pick up more detail about the Reveal unit below. Share your analytical process challenges with a product application specialist. Combining your process knowledge with their product expertise will produce effective solutions.

Optical Spectroscopy for Real Time Process Measurement from Alliance Technical Sales, Inc.