A Little Shameless Self-Promotion

Comments from Alliance Technical Sales customers and principals.

Established in 2000, Alliance Technical Sales, Inc. is a manufacturers’ representative agency providing numerous process control instrumentation solutions to customers across a wide range of industries.

https://alliancets.com
630-321-9646

Electric Heaters Designed for Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs)

Wrap-Around IBC Tote Tank Heaters
(Briskheat)

Intermediate Bulk Containers (IBCs), also known as IBC totes, or pallet tanks, are reusable industrial containers designed for the transport and storage of bulk liquid or granulated chemicals, food ingredients, solvents,  pharmaceuticals, or other material.

Often, to maintain optimum viscosity, there is need to apply heat to the contents of a tote to raise and maintain it's temperature.  This ensures the material remains ready for production and is easy to dispense. Without external heat, increased production cost or damage to equipment can occur. Heaters are also used to protect temperature sensitive material inside the IBC tote from cold or freezing, thus reducing the possibility of loss due to ruined materials.

The most effective way to heat IBCs are with specialized electric heaters referred to as "wrap-around IBC tote tank heaters". These heaters are adjustable to fit many size totes, provide the required wattage to maintain a temperature between 50 deg. F and 160 deg. F. and also include built-in 1/4” fiberglass insulation for thermal efficiency. They can be used with caged, plastic, or metal IBC tote tanks. Installation and secure fit are accommodated with adjustable nylon straps and buckles.

As the contents of the tote empties, there is no reason to continue to heat it's upper zone, so IBC heaters include independent, dual zone temperature control that separately controls the upper and lower zones of the bottle.  A built-in high limit thermostat and a grounded heating element prevents overheating and worry-free operation. A standard 120 volt, grounded 3-prong plug is provided for easy power connection (240V models have bare wires).

Silicone Rubber IBC Tote Tank Heaters
(Briskheat)

An alternative design are silicone rubber IBC tote tank heaters, for use on totes with removable bottles. Placed inside the IBC cage, directly under, and in direct contact with the bottle, they provide very fast and efficient heat-up. Made from fiberglass reinforced silicone rubber and 1/2” thick foam padding, these heaters provide outstanding durability. This design comes complete with a grounded heating element, thermocouple temperature sensor, and digital temperature controller, and is approved for use indoors and outdoors.

Common Uses for IBC Totes:

• Lubricants/Oils
• Solvents
• Detergents
• Adhesives
• Liquid/Granulated/Powdered Food Ingredients 
• Honey/Syrup/Molasses
• Chemicals

For information on any IBC, tote, or tank heating application, contact Alliance Technical Sales by visiting https://alliancets.com or calling 630-321-9646

Features of Magnetic Level Gauges (Magnetic Level Indicators)

Magnetic Level Gauge
(Jogler)

Magnetic level gauges, also known as magnetic level indicators, are routinely used to provide a display of liquid level in tanks and other vessels. Their popularity stems from their high visibility from distances and non-invasive design which reduces the possibility of leak points and the risks of fugitive emissions.



"Mag Gauge" construction is fairly simple. A magnetic float, designed for the specific gravity of the material being measured, rides inside a vertical pipe on top of the process media. A gauge with magnetically coupled visual indicator is fastened to the pipe. As the media inside the pipe rises and falls, the visual indicator moves in the same fashion.



Magnetic level gauges are often employed in tandem with magnetostrictive, guided wave radar, or other measurement means to provide a reliable local display of liquid level, as well as an electrical signal that can be transmitted to recording instrumentation or controllers.


The features of magnetic level gauges include:

• Low maintenance. 
• Wide operating temperature and pressure range.
• Visual tank level indication. 
• Continuous level measurement.
• Easier to read from greater distance than glass sight gauges. 
• Can be applied to wide fluid level ranges with a single instrument. 
• Break resistant, sturdy.
• Wide range of construction materials available.
• External mounting of ancillary indicators, switches, and transmitters with isolation from process media. 
• No electric power required for operation.

There are a number of options available so you can customize the level indicator for each specific application.  The best way to proceed is to combine your process knowledge with that of a product specialist.  Collectively, you'll be able to achieve an effective solution to your application challenge.

Industrial Corrosion Protection Through Chemical Treatment

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", particularly when dealing with corrosion and it's effects on process equipment. Production downtime, safety concerns, environmental damage and personnel health all outweigh the obvious repair and replacement cost of the damaged equipment. All taken, the annual costs due to corrosion are estimated in the process and power industries are estimated to be around $750 billion globally.

Exterior treatments, such as painting and specialized coatings provide satisfactory results to maintain structural integrity. However, internal protection of process equipment requires a different approach. Building equipment from exotic materials which are immune from corrosion exceed any practical concept of reasonable cost. Another, much more reasonable approach is corrosion protection based on chemical treatment.

This guide, courtesy of Mettler-Toledo Process Analytics shows you the role in-line analytics play in keeping corrosion under control and avoiding unnecessary chemicals consumption in chemical plants, refineries, power and Cogen facilities.

Your local Process Analytics specialist can help you select the best equipment and strategy. Their experience and knowledge will save you time, money, and ensure quality. 

Process Refractometers for Food and Pharmaceutical Use

Process refractometer with sanitary adapter
for food and pharmaceutical. (Electron Machine)

There are many industrial applications for process refractometers; particularly useful in the food and pharmaceutical industries, where there is a need for solids content measurement. Process refractometers are used to optimize production processes, ensure consistency and purity, and in managing quality control. Process refractometers and inline process refractometers, are types of refractometers designed for the continuous measurement of a fluid flowing through a pipe or inside a tank. They provide analysis to quickly, dependably, and to accurately identify a sample to determine its concentration and purity levels. By measuring the refractive index and temperature of flowing liquids, refractometers can then apply a mathematical function to determine the precise concentration of dissolved solids.

In commercial food applications such as jam or jelly production or the processing of soft drinks or wine, refractometers are used to measure degrees Brix. Bix is a graduated scale, used on a hydrometer, that indicates the weight of sugar per volume of solution at a given temperature. The Brix scale relates refractive index to sugar concentration, and is a method of maintaining consistency. For example, process refractometers are used for the concentration process of fruit juices. The concentration process is normally achieved by removing water through evaporation, and by measuring Brix, the evaporation process can be controlled and related to the desired juice concentration.

Process refractometers are also used in pharmaceutical processing where there is the need to monitor and control concentration levels during supersaturation, a critical process in crystallization. Crystallization is a critical element in the purification of solids in pharmaceutical production. The process refractometer guarantees precise monitoring and a high degree of measurement accuracy and reliability, towards the production of a pure product.

For more information on the application of process refractometers, contact Alliance Technical Sales by visiting https://alliancets.com or by calling 630-321-9646

Learn How a pH Sensor Works

pH Sensor (Mettler)

The video below will provide you with a basic visual understanding of the design of pH sensors and the principles behind pH probe operation. Before viewing the video, here are some pH basics:

What is pH measurement?

pH (potential of hydrogen) is a figure used to express the acidity or alkalinity of a solution on a logarithmic scale. On this scale 7 is neutral; lower values are more acidic and higher values are more alkaline, with a maximum measurement of 14. In process applications, pH is generally measured with an inline pH probe, the most common being the glass combination electrode. Additionally, an inline pH probe generally requires a process adaption, cable and transmitter.

How does a pH probe work?

A typical combination pH probe is made up of two separate electrodes built into one, a pH sensing electrode, and a reference electrode. In the simplest terms, a pH sensing electrode uses a special pH sensing glass membrane. H+ ions permeate the membrane creating a charge. The potential between the two electrodes is the measurement of hydrogen ions in the solution, giving the measure of pH. For more details, download the free pH Theory Guide.

What is the difference between a pH probe, a pH sensor and a pH electrode?

Absolutely nothing! The three terms are used interchangeably in the industry. They can be used for probes that are used in-process or in laboratory measurement. You may also hear the term "pH meter". This can be used for a piece of laboratory equipment, or the term pH meter can also be used to mean the combination of an inline pH probe, cable and transmitter.

https://alliancets.com
630-321-9646

Magnetostrictive Level Transmitter

Magnetostrictive level transmitter
Image courtesy Jogler, LLC

Physical properties of certain materials can be applied using ingenuity and creativity to create useful appliances. Magnetostriction, a physical property of ferromagnetic materials, produces a change in shape or dimension in the subject material when it is magnetized. This basic principle is integrated into a liquid level transmitter by extending a sensing wire along the interior length of a tube immersed in a process tank or other vessel containing the liquid to be measured. The transmitter pulses the sensing wire with an electrical current, creating an electromagnetic field. A magnetic float, travelling along the outside of the sensing tube, rises and falls as the liquid level in the tank changes. As the float moves along the length of the sensing tube, it creates a torsional stress in the sensing wire, starting at the position of the float, which matches the level of liquid in the tank. A sensing element converts the torsional stress in the wire to an electrical pulse. The transmitter measures the time differential between the initial pulse it sent down the sensor wire and the pulse resulting from the torsional stress and then calculates the position of the float and the liquid level.

These devices are very accurate and operate on a standard 2-wire loop. There are numerous options and variants that allow configuration for each application.

More information is included in the data sheet below. Your best source for current product and application information is a product specialist. Combining your process knowledge with their application expertise will produce the best outcomes.

Magnetostrictive Liquid Level Transmitter for Process Measurement and Control from Alliance Technical Sales, Inc.