Problem solved by monitoring flow

The Eletta R Series flow monitor available from Solartron Mobrey, has solved a problem that had caused international steel mill company Avesta Palarit to shut down for two weeks.

The Eletta R Series flow monitor available from Solartron Mobrey, has solved a problem that had caused international steel mill company Avesta Palarit to shut down for two weeks.

New Eletta R Series flow monitors have been installed on the cooling systems there to provide continuous monitoring and totalisation of water flows.

Avesta Polarit, formerly Avesta Sheffield, produces 800kt of stainless steel per year.

The production process involves feeding furnaces with slabs of crude steel ingot, until the temperature of the slab has reached 1150C.

Because of the extreme temperatures in the furnace a powerful cooling system is required for the carriers when the slab leaves the furnace to be hot rolled in to sheet metal.

Previously Avesta had flow switches installed to indicate when the flow of cooling water dropped below the set point.

Several times the alarm was triggered and the plant was forced to shut down.

Eventually it was closed for two weeks to repair the damage.

To solve the problem Avesta identified a need to monitor early fluctuations in the flow.

They opted for 15 of Solartron Mobrey's Eletta R-Series flow monitors.

The key difference between a conventional flow switch and R-Series is a 4-20mA output, which can be used to monitor trending of the flow.

This enables Avesta to anticipate problems and make adjustments before the alarm is triggered.

Martin Johnson of Solartron Mobrey said: "The Eletta R-Series is not designed for high accuracy measurement, but is ideal for high reliability flow monitoring applications such as cooling at Avesta.

It has proved to be very reliable in the harsh environment and has provided Avesta with more information than previously available to control cooling waterflows".

The cost-effective Eletta range of sharp-edged orifice plate flow monitors come complete with an integral threaded or flanged pipe section, for direct installation into the process pipe, so there is no need for extra carriers or meter runs.

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