The CentriFlow Meter from Eastern Instruments is a Solid Particle Mass Flow Meter that is durable, accurate, maintenance-free, compact, and cost-effective. It is unique and positioned to replace weigh belts, impact meters, loss in weight meters, and static weigh scales, anywhere that accuracy, low maintenance, and zero drift are paramount.
Please see below for additional information regarding the various options that are offered for our CentriFlow family of meters. If you do not see an option that suits your particular application, don't worry. We have an engineering team that is ready to assist you with a custom solution for your application, so contact us and we will be happy to assist.
A customer needed to accurately measure the mass flow rate of a constant stream of shredded tobacco to control the feed through an optical sorter. The tobacco was to be moved by a belt conveyor, through a mass flow measurement system, and then proceed to the optical sorter. The average density of the tobacco was 4 lb/ft3 (64 kg/m3) with a maximum flow rate of 25,000 lb/hr (11,340 kg/hr) and a minimum flow rate of 10,000 lb/hr (4,500 kg/hr). While there could be no product plugging at any point in the process, the belt conveyor feeding the meter would occasionally create surges in the flow rate. The meter needed to be capable of handling and accurately measuring a volumetric capacity from 2500 to 6250 ft3/hr (71 to 177 m3/hr), while not restricting the flow of the product. The flow meter needed to provide output to a PLC to control the feed conveyor belt speed to a mass flow setpoint and to a local display indicating flow rate and total.
EASTERN INSTRUMENTS SOLUTION
The customer installed a CentriFlow Meter. The unit selected for installation between the belt conveyor and the optical sorter was a 48" Type I CentriFlow meter. The meter was installed in the In-Line Flow Configuration at a 10o installation angle, satisfying the customer's need to prevent product plugging. The meter's electronics, which included an integrated Ratemeter/Totalizer, could deliver a flow rate, using the meter's signal, that was accurate up to within +/-1.0% accuracy. The Ratemeter/Totalizer was used as a local display that showed both the flow rate of the product through the meter, as well as the totalized flow through the meter. The averaged analog 4-20 mA output (proportional to flow rate) from the Ratemeter/Totalizer was sent to a PLC that was able to use the signal to control the speed of the belt conveyor and thus the flow of the product.
CONCLUSIONS
Once the CentriFlow Meter was installed, the calibration was completed and the tobacco flow was controlled. The meter performed well within the desired accuracy of +/-1% to 2% of the calibrated flow rate. This allowed excellent control of the flow to the optical sorter and the customer was satisfied with its performance.
MATERIAL TEST REPORTS: Tobacco Products
Tobacco applications for the CentriFlow Meter can range in scope from whole leaf tobacco coming straight from the field to powdered tobacco used in manufacturing snuff. For each type of tobacco, there is a CentriFlow Meter that can measure it accurately.
