In large treatment facilities, water flow isn’t the only flow that requires measurement. Often steam and natural gas need to be measured. Facilities that produce biogas also require precise measurement. Fortunately Sierra Instruments has launched a flow energy solution for managing and optimizing flow measurement for industrial facilities of all sizes.

The solution includes Sierra Instruments’ QuadraTherm 640i/780i thermal flowmeters, InnovaMass 240i/241i vortex flowmeters, and InnovaSonic 207i ultrasonic flowmeters. When combined, the Big-3 share the same Raptor firmware and many of the same software apps.

“In larger facilities, there are a wide variety of flow energy applications that require measurement,” says Matthew Olin, president of Sierra Instruments. “Engineers often must contend with an assortment of companies to obtain the right instrumentation. With the Big-3, we’ve eliminated many of the overwhelming challenges they face.”

The Big-3 share common firmware and software for easy integration, setup, and serviceability. All sensors provide accuracy, extensive flow knowledge through multivariable functionality and benefit from the Raptor operating system to manage sensor inputs.

QuadraTherm iSeries thermal sensors offer a no-drift sensor with a lifetime warranty and accuracy of plus or minus 0.5 percent of reading. Its four-sensor technology provides the critical inputs for Raptor’s living, learning algorithm set and gas database to accurately manage changes in gas and pipe selection, gas temperature, gas pressure, and outside temperature. InnovaMass vortex sensors combined with the Raptor OS offer a Mass Balance sensor, improved DSP, and achieve flows below 1 foot per second. It measures up to five process variables with one process connection, including volumetric flow rate, mass flow, density, pressure, and temperature, which is ideal for highly accurate steam flow measurement. The InnovaSonic 207i ultrasonic flowmeter ensures accuracy of plus or minus 0.5 percent of reading from 0.16 to 40 feet per second. This is maintained even if liquid density changes as the temperature of a flowing liquid moves up and down over time. In addition, the Big-3 has shared software apps with common home screens, which means there is no learning curve on three different software platforms. Big-3 software apps give operators the ability to mine and analyze data quickly to make effective productivity decisions.

“This means operators now have the option of acquiring all necessary flowmeters from one company, saving time and money on installation and maintenance,” Olin says. “One contact point links them to Sierra’s global network of flow energy experts for all support.” 800-866-0200; www.sierrainstruments.com