Five Key Reasons You Should Consider Oval Gear Flow Meters

Oval gear flow meters are simple and robust. They operate by interlocking two oval gears, offset by 90 degrees, inside the meter housing which are then rotated by the flowing media. They are very rugged and designed to operate in very harsh environments. Accuracy is maintained irrespective of temperature, viscosity change, or flow pulsation. It's not unusual to see these meters perform in the field for 30 to 40 years.
Internal view of oval gear flow meter
Internal view of oval gear flow meter (Macnaught)
Five Reason You Should Consider Oval Gear Flow Meters
  1. No flow conditioning - put the meter where you want it. Locate off pumps, valves, U bends with no loss in accuracy or repeatability.
  2. Compact meter footprint allows for excellent OEM or MRO install challenge solutions
  3. Accuracy is unaffected by viscosity changes.
  4. Heavy Duty - meter construction is designed for vibration, dust, piping hammer, low & high ambient temperature conditions -40F to 302F.
  5. Outstanding flow turndown gives best cost of ownership meter sizing potential.
For more information on oval gear flow meters, contact Ives Equipment by visiting https://ivesequipment.com or calling (877) 768-1600.

Valves and Automation for Hygienic, High Purity, or Sanitary Use

Unique mixproof CP-3 The following document presents Alfa Laval's Hygienic (sanitary, high purity) valve offering, including:  Unique Mixproof valves; Unique Mixproof tank valves; PMO (Pasteurized Milk Ordinance) Mixproof series; Tri-Clover Unique 7000 single seat valves; LKB butterfly valves; UltraPure valves; Aseptic diaphragm valves; Ball valves; Control valves; and Regulating valves.

You can review the embedded document below, or download your own PDF version of Alfa Laval Valves and Automation for Hygienic here.


Basics of Thermocouple Junction Design

Industrial thermocouples
Industrial thermocouples (AST)
Thermocouples are simple devices made up of several key components: thermocouple wire, electrical insulation, and the sensing junction. Many thermocouple designs also include a stainless steel sheath that protects the thermocouple from vibration, shock, and corrosion.

A thermocouple has three variations of sensing tip (or junction):
  • Exposed junction, where the exposed wire tips and welded bead have no covering or protection.
  • Grounded junction, where the welded bead is in physical contact with the thermocouple's sheath.
  • Ungrounded junction, where the tip is inside the thermocouple sheath, but is electrical (and somewhat thermally) insulated from the sheath (no sheath contact).
Exposed junction thermocouples respond to temperature change quickly and are less costly, but their signals are susceptible erratic reading caused by induced or conducted electrical noise. Because there is no sheath, they are also prone to mechanical damage and ambient contamination.

Grounded junction thermocouples provide fast response and are mechanically more robust, with a metallic sheath that protects the thermocouple both mechanically and from contaminants. But because their sensing tip is in contact with the external sheath, their signal still can be affected by externally induced or conducted electrical noise.

Ungrounded thermocouples, like grounded, are protected mechanically and from ambient contaminants by their sheath. However, their sensing junctions are kept separate from their metallic sheath, isolating the junction from external electrical  interference. This separation does come at a small cost in temperature sensing responsiveness though.

For safety, precision, and optimum performance, always talk to an applications specialist when applying temperature sensors. A short phone call can prevent major headaches and lost time in  troubleshooting a misapplied thermocouple.