Flowmeter: New electronics, improved display make vortex flowmeter user-friendly

A new on-board display allows field reading of the flow rate data.

Racine Federated Inc . has updated its line of insertion-style vortex flowmeters with new electronics and onboard display. The RNL series is designed for low viscosity liquid measurements in pipe sizes from 4 in. to 20 in., with the sensor inserted into the main pipe perpendicular to the flow.

Vortex flowmeters operate by inserting a small obstruction or “bluff bar” in the path of the liquid, and calculate the liquid velocity by measuring the vortex pattern downstream. The transmitter converts this value into a flow rate based on the pipe size. The result is reportedly an output variable with accuracy of

Racine says the improved electronics have been well received in the field. At a municipal water treatment facility in Ohio, the user replaced older generation instrumentation in an established application. “In the end, we provided a meter with programmable software, 10-point linearization, and diagnostic tools, all easily accessible through an external keypad,” says John Erskine III, Racine vice president and product manager. The series is dc-powered with 4-20 mA output.

The RNL series is suitable for municipal water treatment, boiler feedwater, condensate, cooling towers, chemical processing, ground water monitoring, and irrigation systems.

Control Engineering Daily News Desk Peter Welander , process industries editor

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