Siemens Process Instrumentation Tech Note
How do you install and break a Coriolis flow meter?

April 2019, MARIETTA, GA ~
Usually, when working with a new customer, they typically ask for help on their most challenging applications. The SITRANS FC430, Coriolis flow meter, was delivered to a vaccination manufacturing facility where Siemens experienced just that scenario and were able to say to the customer, “Go ahead, and try to break it!”

This facility has a reputation for crippling products with the application requirements. The products, once delivered and set up, never seem to work as advertised. It is a particularly tough application because the needs are extremely exact, due to the nature of the medium (biologics).

Siemens was there to install the FC430 in a test bed system, within a semi-clean room, onto a rolling stainless steel medical table to showcase its capabilities. Once the installation was complete, it was set to their specifications, powered it on and the new sensor worked perfectly.

They first wanted to flow water through it to see how it would perform. After the success with water, the customer was pleased but also skeptical that it could perform as promised with their process fluid flowing through the Coriolis meter. The meter continued to work exactly as intended with the added solution and performed as promised. The customer then wanted to try yet another solution of theirs, while manipulating the environment of the FC430; yet again, the FC430 worked perfectly. The meter never once showed any reading that was less than expected and performed under varying conditions of flow and vibration better than promised.

The testing process began with the maintenance engineer, who brought in a lab tech. Others were invited to give it their best, until the room contained six people, including all relevant management. Management was overheard saying, “Usually people show up, spend a lot of time configuring a meter, and the application proves to be too much. But, apparently, we can’t break this one.”

After running the FC430 through the ringer, with the Coriolis meter coming out unfazed, the customers were extremely pleased. The ease of use and stability of the measurement were factors that they could not ignore.

Do you have a challenging environment that requires flow meter accuracy?

For more information on the Siemens SITRANS FC430, please click here.