Dirty Airflow Measurement in Refineries
Dirty airflow measurement in refineries presents challenges for many flow meter technologies. Airflow measurement systems from Air Monitor offer purge systems that eliminate clogging in dirty airflow. In addition, our flow measurement systems can help increase efficiencies, improve safety, and minimize emissions for refinery operations.
An accurate measurement of dirty airflow and fuel flow for the industrial boilers, fired heaters, regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs), and burners used in petroleum refinery operations can improve combustion control, minimize unburnt carbon, decrease excess air, and reduce harmful emissions.
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Air Monitor Solutions Can Help You...
Eliminate clogged airflow devices
Combustion air contaminated with particulates generated from oil and gas refinery boilers can plug the sensing ports on a differential pressure air flow measurement device or coat the RTDs on a thermal mass flow measurement system. Air Monitor’s high-pressure auto-purge technology is a proven method to keep the sensing ports clean and maintain the accuracy of the measurement system.Highly accurate dirty airflow measurement
Airflow measurement devices for refinery processes must be able to handle the velocity profile stratification common to short runs of duct when measured at the fan intake, inside a silencer, or immediately downstream of a fan or heater discharge. Air Monitor’s Combustion Air (CA) Station is extremely effective at accurately measuring airflow in limited straight duct runs.Measurement accuracy over wide turndown
The broad operational range of regenerative thermal oxidizers used in some refinery processes often results in very low velocities, particularly at minimum load. Equipment for combustion air flow measurement must be accurate throughout this range. Air Monitor’s VELTRON DPT-Plus, can maintain linear output signals over a velocity or pressure turndown of 5:1.Refinery Airflow Monitoring Products
CA Station - Combustion Airflow Measurement Station
Air Monitor’s ruggedly constructed Combustion Air (CA) Station, with integral airflow processing cell and Fechheimer-Pitot measurement technology, is engineered to meet the challenging operating conditions in oil refineries, such as limited straight runs, heavy particulate matter, high process temperatures, and wide variations in fuel composition.
VELTRON DPT-plus
This mass flow transmitter receives flow signals (total and static pressure) from a combustion air flow measurement station or probe array, internally performs density correction for the process temperature, and produces individual outputs for standard air volume or mass flow and temperature. All transmitter parameter settings, zero and span calibration, and display scaling are performed digitally in the onboard microprocessor.
AUTO-purge III
The AUTO-purge III is designed for hot, dirty airflow applications such as oil and gas refinery boilers where continuous exposure to airborne particulates might impair measurement accuracy of our Combustion Air Station (CA Station) or our VOLU-probe/SS array. A periodic purging with high-pressure high-volume air assists in clearing the sensing ports of the total and static pressure manifolds, allowing high measurement accuracy.
VOLU-probe SS – Stainless Steel Traverse Probe With Transmitter
The VOLU-probe/SS is ideal for harsh, particulate-laden applications, such as gasoline and diesel refining processes. It consists of multiple Pitot total and static pressure sensing ports positioned along the length of each probe to traverse the duct cross-section. They average the sensed pressures in the internal manifolds and provide velocity pressure measurement accurate to within 2-3%.
CAMS™ - Combustion Airflow Management System
The CAMS™ provides a reliable and accurate means of flow measurement in oil and gas refineries. Combined into a single engineered package are the CAMM™ – Combustion Airflow Management Module and the AUTO-purge III to protect against the presence of airborne particulate matter so prevalent in the regenerative thermal oxidizers used in refinery operations.
ACCU-flo High Accuracy Stainless Steel Station
This airflow measuring station with flow conditioner provides high accuracy (±0.5%) measurement for process monitoring and combustion control systems in oil and gas refinery boilers when combined with an ultra-high accuracy mass flow transmitter, such as Air Monitor’s VELTRON DPT-Plus. The combination of integral flow straightener cell with the nozzle means little or no upstream straight run is needed.
More About Dirty Airflow in Refinery Operations
Unlike clean airflow applications, dirty airflow has particulate matter that can interfere with sensing elements. Keeping sensing elements clean requires regular maintenance that can slow down or even shutdown processes. Keeping the process running is important to the bottom line, so reducing maintenance time and cost is essential. Air Monitor has developed AUTO-purge III, an automated purging system that can keep airflow sensing elements clear of debris so that your process can stay running.
Partnered with a CA Station and a VELTRON DPT-Plus transmitter that is approved for use in hazardous areas, the air flow measurement systems from Air Monitor help oil refineries maximize dirty airflow process efficiency with the highest accuracy – even at very low velocities.
Find out more about how Air Monitor can help refinery operations achieve efficiency, safety, and emissions goals.
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Product Brochures & Catalog Sheets
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AUTO-purge III
Automated Air Purge System
Electro-pneumatic system automates sensing port debris purging for low maintenance dirty airflow measurement.
Companion System
- Add to flow and transmitter pairings
- Automated pneumatic purging
- Field-selectable purging intervals
- Maintains flow system performance
- Trouble-free operation
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CA Station
Inline Airflow Measuring Station
Differential pressure Pitot airflow traverse array in rectangular & circular constructions for combustion airflow.
0 to 8,000 FPM
- Accuracy: 2-3% of Actual Flow
- Circular/Rectangular; fabricated to any size
- Temperature: ≤800°F
- Carbon steel, Stainless steel
- Built-in flow conditioning
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CAMS™
Combustion Airflow Management
System designed to monitor combustion airflow and purge debris from sensing ports.
Integrated System
- Accuracy: 0.1%
- Temperature and pressure compensated
- Automated pneumatic purging
- Add to flow measurement pairing
- Trouble-free operation
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VOLU-probe/SS
Insertion Airflow Measuring Probes
Stainless steel airflow traverse probe ideal for dirty applications with corrosive, abrasive, and extreme temperatures.
400 to 10,000 FPM
- Accuracy: 2% of Actual Flow
- Temperature: ≤900°F
- Stainless steel, Hastelloy, Inconel, Kynar
- External or Internal mounting
- Easy installation/removal for maintenance
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VELTRON DPT-Plus
Multivariable Transmitter
Measures differential pressure and process temperature providing output of calculated mass flow.
Flow, Temperature, or Differential Pressure
- Accuracy: 0.1%
- URL down to 0.05” w.c.
- NEMA 4X
- Class I Div 1, Class II Div 1
- 24VAC, 24VDC
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VELTRON II
Transmitter
Measures differential pressure providing output of differential pressure or volumetric flow.
Flow or Differential Pressure
- Accuracy: 0.1%
- URL down to 0.05” w.c.
- NEMA 1, optional NEMA 4 and 4X
- 24VAC, 24VDC
- Turndown: 100:1
