Tough slurry processes require quality flow measurements

Many industries use slurry during the industrial process. The minerals which have been mined are mixed with water and later pumped through the pipes. Other solvents and chemicals will be now added to this mixture in the next process. Therefore, at any given time and the operator should be able to deter the amount of flow in the pipes as well as the types of additives which has been used. There is a need to take accurate measurements to avoid incurring extra expenses, wastage of products and additives and any other complication that might occur due to inaccuracy. Flow meter for slurry application is urgently needed.

The biggest challenge is how to obtain correct measurements right? Well, if you want to obtain correct data you will require specialized equipment because slurry contains large debris that can skew data. That is why most experts recommend that the appropriate device to help you take the right measurements is a slurry magnetic Flowmeter. It has no moving parts and it can’t be clogged by particles hence it can take measurements despite the large chunks of debris present in the slurry. This device uses Faraday’s law of magnetism which works on a principle that the conductivity of flow materials is directly proportional to the amount of pure water that it contains.

Some industries have greatly benefited from the slurry magnetic flow meter. It has greatly made its process to run smoothly because of the accuracy that it has. Let us have a look at the following industries.

Metals and Mining

Generally, the normal processing of metals and minerals involves extracting them from the ground then you crush them and mix with water before it is channeled to the pipes. This is a safer way to transport than using conveyor belts. Additionally, the industry is also in a good position to measure the amount of these materials which will undergo various processes.

Raw ore is first crushed and mixed with water which will be transported for processing. It will then undergo flocculation where it is concentrated so that it can be further leached and dewatered.

Pulp and paper

Similarly, water is the main component of transporting pulp which will be used to make wood fiber and paper products like tissue papers. Just like the other industries which I had mentioned earlier, the first process involves the mechanical processing of lumber. It is crushed into smaller chips which are then taken to chemical digestor using conveyor belt. After the addition of chemicals and exposure of high chemicals, water is then added and the mixture is channeled into the pipes. This is to ensure the safety of the operators.

The slurry mag meters will be used to measure pulp slurry before it is no to the pulping operation where it will be ultimately fed to the paper machine. There is a need for accurate measurements to ensure there is a correct addition of chemicals, bleaching and to obtain the desired paperweight.

Additionally, this flowmeter is also ideal during liquor recovery whereby it ensures the correct amount of chemical mixture is used during the pulping process. It also facilitates the optimization of recovery boiler performance by taking precise measurements of the black liquor. This ensures the paper mill operates effectively as per the desired performance.

Oil and gas

Slurry mag meters play a crucial role in the oil and gas industries by ensuring hydraulic fracturing is achieved effectively. Chemicals, sand, and water are added at high pressures which in return it allows gas and oil to flow. These devices are installed along with the blender trucks to take measurements to help in process optimization and environmental compliance. Magnetic Flowmeters which are fitted on the dirty blended side will require period repairs because of wearing out.

Slurry Problems

Slurry affects the electrodes which make the flow transmitter to be noisy thus Leading to the destabilization of flow measurements. This makes it difficult to effectively control the process which leads to inaccuracies which can in return affect the final product. When electrodes are compromised by the debris, chances are that the magnetic field in which the fluid flows will be interrupted. This changes the signal amplitude which is being sent to the transmitter. Therefore, since the magnetic meters use induced voltage in calculating the flow rate of the liquid the variability in signal voltage will affect the flow output. That is why when this happens chances are that it will lead to noise and inaccurate reading. Hence, there will be control optimization failures during the process.