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Overview

Methanol flow meters from FLEXIM are built to withstand tough conditions and provide accurate measurements in industrial applications. As demonstrated by our work for a major customer in Germany, these clamp-on ultrasonic flow meters deliver dependable flow measurement and help keep workers safe.

Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is produced from vinyl acetate (VAc) via hydrolysis with sodium hydroxide. Within this process, methanol is used as a solvent and is continuously reprocessed by means of distillation. As part of a capacity expansion of a polyvinyl alcohol plant in Germany, the process engineers were looking for ways to increase the energy efficiency of the process.
The main problem is: One cannot see what is actually happening inside the columns and piping. All process information is based on the data retrieved from the measuring instruments installed in the system.

In order to gain a better understanding of the processes taking place inside the methanol distillation column, the plant engineers commissioned FLEXIM with a measuring service which involved the recording of the flow rates on various measuring points. The findings gained with the portable FLUXUS clamp-on ultrasonic flow meter proved so useful, that the plant operator decided to continuously monitor two measuring points at the bottom of the column with a permanently installed FLUXUS meter.

Of course, the measuring points were set up during ongoing operation without any impact on production. Based on the measurements, the heat transition coefficient (K-value) of the natural circulation evaporator could be improved by making an operational adjustment to the column. Thus, the investment costs for the measuring technology could be amortised in a very short period of time.

The innovation and convenience our products bring to our clients can be seen across our lineup of methanol flow meters. These include the FLUXUS F608, FLUXUS F721 and FLUXUS F831. All provide the same ease of use and noninvasive measurement capabilities to streamline processes. To learn more about everything our equipment can do for your operations, reach out and speak with one of our representatives today.

Advantages

  • Accurate and reliable flow measurement from the pipe wall outside
  • No risk of toxic and highly flammable medium leaking
  • No wear and tear - virtually maintenance free
  • Easy to retrofit during ongoing operation - complete plant availability
  • No pressure loss
  • Rapid amortisation through effective optimisation of the process