The following problems arose at a well-known manufacturer of systems for the production of copper wire: lack of accuracy of the measurement technology used, an associated non-optimal production process and a rapidly ageing fireclay brick lining. We were therefore commissioned to supply the combustion air and gas volume measurements required for the combustion control system.
A decisive factor for the customer was the binding compliance with the error limit of 0.4 % of the measured value required in the control range, which is necessary for an optimum production process.
In order to meet this requirement, the measurements are carried out as measuring sections using our SDF probes as flow sensors. Each measuring section is calibrated on our test bench to prove compliance with the error limit. A special feature here is that the influence of the installation conditions in the system is taken into account by the fact that not only the test specimen but also the components in the inlet and outlet that can have an influence on the measurement result are part of the measurement setup.
Since, depending on the installation location, measurement errors can occur during air volume measurements due to condensate inclusion, this was prevented by special design measures.
Conclusion: In all of the approximately 40 measurements required for a system, the error limits were not only adhered to, but in many cases significantly undercut. The result of our efforts was confirmed to us by the customer's project engineer:
"The problems with gas and air volume measurements are now fortunately a thing of the past. After several months of operation we were able to convince ourselves that the measurements supplied by S.K.I. ensure a clean combustion and thus not only the optimisation of the production process but also the service life of the refractory lining could be significantly increased".
