May 25, 2021 – Many process plants have difficulty finding ideal installation points for flow measurement devices due to requirements for long length of inlet run and undisturbed flows. The Prosonic Flow P 500 measuring system addresses these and other issues with its FlowDC function, which is unique in the market.
The device requires only minimal straight inlet runs and it can be installed directly onto the exterior of the pipe, so there is no need to interrupt operations. Planners and operators of process plants can stay flexible and install the Prosonic Flow P 500 in just about any location, independent of the pipeline design.
Ultrasonic flow measurement with clamp-on sensors has been used successfully in the process industries for decades. In contrast to mechanical meters with high maintenance requirements, ultrasonic flowmeters have no moving parts. This non-intrusive measuring method, with sensors mounted directly on the pipe exterior, enables safe measurement of corrosive, abrasive, and toxic fluids regardless of their properties, such as conductivity and pressure. This makes Prosonic Flow P 500 ideal for monitoring and controlling processes in the chemical, petrochemical, oil & gas, and other industries. Moreover, in the energy and power plant sector, clamp-on measuring technology provides a cost-effective solution with unbeatable advantages, for example when retrofitting ultrasonic sensors on very large pressure lines with diameters of up to 4 meters (13 feet).
Prosonic Flow P 500 provides measurement for a wide variety of fluids, such as chemicals, liquid hydrocarbons, solvents, acids, bases, water, and many others. Along with the extensive functionality of the Proline 500 transmitter, this opens up a wide range of applications, for example quantity and volume measurement, totalizing and balancing, process monitoring, verification of previously installed flowmeters, detection of leaks between two measuring points in a large pipeline, and more.
FlowDC function for maximum performance with disturbed flow
The compact pipeline systems found in many process plants usually have numerous fittings and pipe bends. Disturbed flow profiles occur downstream of such obstacles and can impair the accuracy of a flowmeter. Prosonic Flow P 500 is the world’s first ultrasonic flowmeter able to detect and automatically compensate for effects of flow disturbance on the measuring signal via calculation. This makes it possible, for example, to maintain a consistent (specified) accuracy, even with a significant reduction in inlet runs, for example from 15 pipe diameters (DN) all the way down to 2 pipe diameters (DN). This capability provides maximum flexibility for planners and operators, particularly in situations where they need to equip or retrofit a plant with clamp-on flowmeters.
Fits on any pipe
As a versatile flowmeter, the Prosonic Flow P 500 can be mounted on a wide variety of pipeline types and materials: on metal pipes made of steel or cast iron, plastic pipes, glass reinforced plastic pipes, and pipes made of composite materials—all with or without lining. A special, maintenance-free contact foil (coupling pad) provides optimum sound transmission between the sensor surface and the pipe. The resulting constantly high signal strength ensures stable measurements and high performance over many years. Depending on the line size, fluid, and pipe material, the sensors are delivered with different ultrasonic frequencies (0.3, 0.5, 1, 2, or 5 MHz) to provide maximum signal quality, and thus a high level of accuracy and repeatability.
Robust and reliable
The robust Prosonic Flow P sensors are made of stainless steel, and their IP68 (Type 6P) rating provides low-maintenance, long-term operation, making them suitable for the harsh ambient conditions in offshore and other demanding applications. They can be used at process temperatures between –40 to +170 °C (–40 to +338 °F). Due to the SIL-compliant device development (IEC 61508), Prosonic Flow P is also suited to be used in safety-related applications. Numerous approvals for hazardous areas (ATEX, IECEx, cCSAus, NEPSI, INMETRO, EAC, etc.) ensure safe operation in a broad range of applications.
Heartbeat Technology – for maximum operational safety
Heartbeat Technology is a testing function integrated into all Endress+Hauser Proline measuring devices, and it enables permanent self-diagnostics with the highest diagnostic coverage (>95%), as well as a traceable device verification, all without process interruption. Heartbeat Technology reduces risks and thus increases reliability and availability.
Web server – direct data access in the field
The Proline 500 transmitter includes a web server as standard. Using a standard Ethernet cable and a laptop, or wireless via WLAN, users have direct and easy access to all diagnostic, configuration, and device data from any device capable of hosting a web browser—such as a laptop, smartphone, or tablet—without the need to install additional software or procure hardware. This provides targeted parameterization of a measuring point, as well as time-saving commissioning, maintenance, and service.
HistoROM – secure memory
HistoROM data storage provides maximum data security before, during, and after service. All device parameters are stored securely on the HistoROM data storage module and are automatically reloaded after maintenance work, easing spare parts installation while increasing uptime.
Seamless system integration
The Proline 500 transmitter provides a high degree of performance and accuracy. Digital signal processing begins in the intelligent sensor and is the basis for multivariable measurement. This means that Prosonic Flow P 500 can simultaneously record multiple measured values for process control—such as volume flow, flow velocity, and sound velocity—and forward these variables to a process control system. For this and other purposes, Proline 500 has three inputs and outputs.
