Even casual fans of old-school superheroes know that Superman’s X-ray vision gives him the ability to see through solid walls (although maybe not lead), leaving criminals unable to hide from him. No doubt many process engineers and technicians wish they had such a power when trying to troubleshoot a problem or determine the true condition of critical equipment.
Though it may not be quite the same as X-ray vision, Emerson does offer a wide and growing range of instruments that are capable of measuring process and equipment condition variables without the need to break into a process. How these work is the topic of my article now posted at automation.com, Capturing Process Data Without Process Penetrations: Non-Intrusive Instrumentation Delivers Flexibility.
New technologies make reading some process variables and equipment conditions through metal or plastic pipe surfaces or tank walls possible, all without a process penetration. This provides flexibility to add a new measurement point without the need for a shutdown, pipe draining or decontamination—and potentially additional work permits for cutting, drilling, welding or other process intrusion—to solve a problem.
- Flow: Flexim™ Clamp-On Ultrasonic Flow Meters
- Temperature: Rosemount™ X-well™ Technology
- Condition monitoring: Rosemount 708 Wireless Acoustic Transmitter
- Corrosion and erosion: Rosemount Wireless Corrosion and Erosion Transmitters and Rosemount SAM42 Acoustic Particle Monitor
You may wonder, “How about some practical examples of how these instruments work, and what can they do?” Here are specific examples of how these products can be used to improve operations.
During upgrades and turnarounds, non-intrusive instruments like Rosemount X-well Technology, Rosemount Wireless Corrosion and Erosion Transmitters, and Flexim Clamp-On Ultrasonic Flow Meters can meet the needs of many different measurement applications—saving time and installation effort as compared to traditional solutions. This is especially beneficial when temporary points of measurement are required.
Many routine manual rounds can be automated, freeing up operators to do higher-value tasks. For example, a Rosemount 708 Wireless Acoustic Monitor mounted on a steam trap or pressure relief valve can alert maintenance personnel to issues with either item of equipment.
Replacing most instruments or sensors often requires a process shutdown, creating the potential for safety and environmental incidents. Non-intrusive instruments address this issue, for example Rosemount 708 Wireless Acoustic Monitors only require hose clamps for mounting, so there is no need for a shutdown. Other non-intrusive instruments provide similar benefits.
Troubleshooting a process upset or other lapse of product quality often calls for additional measurements to evaluate possible solutions. Non-intrusive instruments make this much easier. For example, if product or intermediate flow is in question, adding a Flexim Clamp-On Ultrasonic Flow Meter can verify the value.
Measurements must often be made in challenging conditions. In these situations, non-intrusive options are more desirable, as with Rosemount X-well Technology used instead of conventional installations, either permanently or temporarily, to provide a temperature reading without concern for vortex-induced vibration and other issues related to process media.
Operators may realize that some instrument locations are not best suited to provide critical variables. Fortunately, it is highly practical to relocate non-intrusive instruments, particularly those that use WirelessHART® connectivity. For those that don’t support this protocol, an Emerson Wireless 775 THUM Adapter can be added to provide WirelessHART connectivity.
There are many other use cases for non-intrusive instruments.
It is evident how non-intrusive measurement instruments provide ease of use, safety, flexibility, and reliability benefits in a wide range of common use cases. With the widest range of non-intrusive measurement technologies, Emerson provides these solutions to optimize processes and maintenance efforts, while reducing costs.
For more information, visit Emerson’s Non-Intrusive Measurement Instrumentation page on Emerson.com. You can also connect and interact with other engineers at the Emerson Exchange 365 community.
