New flow sensors have the measure of gases

The new SD range of high-performance flow sensors from ifm electronic are stated to maintain high accuracy over their full measuring range. The company says they also function as an invaluable aid to leakage detection with typical applications including bottling and packaging machines in the food industry as well as welding, cutting or soldering processes in which protective gases are used.

ifm claims that an important benefit of the new monitors is that in addition to flow rate, they also measure flow quantity, pressure and temperature. In many applications, this means that they can eliminate the need for additional sensors thus saving money, minimising complexity and reducing the number of control system I/O channels needed. The new sensors feature an IO-Link interface which provides access to all measured values and which can also be used for parameterisation and for simulating the operation of the sensor before putting it into service. A colour display provides convenient local indication of the measured values, and the sensors also provide conventional analogue and switching outputs.

ifm electronic offers its SD flow sensors for gas consumption measurement in two configurations. The first is for use with argon, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and air. To ensure maximum accuracy, it is pre-programmed with the characteristics of each of these gases and it can be supplied in versions to measure flow rates from 0.05 to 225 Nm3/h. The second configuration is specially adapted for use with helium and available in versions to measure flow rates from 0.05 to 10 Nm3/h. All versions are stated to have excellent dynamic performance with a T09 response time of 0.5 s, and all can be used with media over the temperature range -10 to +60 ºC.