New gas flow meters certified, efficiency increase

1st February 2013 By: Sashnee Moodley - Senior Deputy Editor Polity and Multimedia

Flow metering solutions provider Flexim’s new Fluxus G608 portable gas flow meters are now ATEX certified for use in hazardous areas.

The gas flow meter measures the flow of almost any gas using Flexim’s clamp-on transit-time correlation technique.

Ultrasonic lamb- and shear-wave transducers are clamped onto the outside of the pipe, eliminating any cutting of the pipe or process interruptions during installation.

This method also eliminates wear and tear, clogging and gas leaks.
The Fluxus G608 design is based on the Fluxus G601, but has been specifically engineered for use in hazardous areas, eliminating the need for users to acquire a hot-work permit.

The German-developed product is fully imported, operates at low voltages and can be used in extreme temperatures ranging from –40 ºC up to 200 ºC.

When applying Flexim’s WaveInjector mounting fixture for extreme pipe temperatures, even cryogenic liquefied natural gas temperatures or extremely hot molten salts can be measured.

Flexim’s sub-Saharan African product supplier Peter Jones Electronic Equipment director Kevin Klaff says the Fluxus G608 is a suitable tool for servicing and maintenance activities, the control and auditing of measurement points not covered by permanent meters, or even the temporary replacement of permanently installed gas flow meters.

“Its application range is unrivalled, from pipes as small as 7 mm in inner diameter up to 1 600 mm in inner diameter, measuring flow velocities from as low as 0.01 m/s to beyond 35 m/s.

It is equipped with two flow channels and multiple in- and outputs. The flow meter is designed for direct use in demanding environments, such as in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry and in its upstream sector, where it can be carried as personal luggage to platform visits,” he says.

The product is designed with resistant carbon-fibre housing and ensures high-impact protection, as well as resistance to oil, water and other liquids.

The Fluxus G608 has the same battery management as the Fluxus G601 and a lithium-ion battery that allows for over 14 hours of autonomous measurement.

Klaff believes that the Fluxus G608 will change standard gas measurement methods.