Repeat Success for FLOWave
Repeat success for FLOWave – Bürkert supports expansion of ultrapure water system for healthcare diagnostics:
The pharmaceutical industry is embracing new technology that can reduce costs and simplify installation. At the production site of a multinational healthcare diagnostic test manufacturer, Bürkert’s FLOWave has proven to offer the best solution for measuring the flow of ultrapure water. In fact, a recent expansion project has placed a repeat order for the versatile flowmeter, having provided four years of faultless service in the initial installation.
Pharmaceutical manufacturing requires many stringent specifications to be met by all the components used in a production facility. Not least among these are hygiene and accuracy, but when dealing with ultrapure water, the choices for a precision flowmeter can be limited. The main reason is that this liquid has very low conductivity, which rules out mag-flow meters, and until recently, there was only one viable option for a flowmeter.
Pharmaceutical Advantages:
Using Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW) technology, Bürkert has developed a flowmeter in which none of the components are in direct contact with the fluid and which causes no restriction to flow. Furthermore, the internal surface of the tube can be manufactured to the same surface finish as the rest of the pipeline, meaning that in terms of hygiene, cleaning and flow conditions, there is no difference to any other piece of straight pipe within the process.
The FLOWave also solves many of the issues associated with some high-end flowmeters, such as system vibration in the plant, magnetic and electrical effects as well as the conductivity of the liquid – none of these factors have any effect on the accuracy or reliability of the flow measurements.
One of the early adoptions of the FLOWave in a pharmaceutical setting was in the healthcare diagnostics manufacturing plant, where it was used to measure ultrapure water volumes being used by a set of laboratories. The project included the installation of two FLOWaves as part of a new process build, which benefited from the compact, precision-made and cost-effective solution.
FLOWave SAW Flowmeter:
Type 8098
– No obstacles inside the measuring tube, compact, lightweight and low energy consumption
– Conforms to hygienic requirements, CIP/SIP compatible
– Ideal for liquids with low or no conductivity
– Digital communication, parameterisation via Communicator, display
– Optional: ATEX/IECEx certification, II 3G/D