October 2008Maintenance, Test & Measurement, Calibration
BASF, the world’s largest chemical company, uses several Krohne mass flowmeters in the Luran factory at its headquarters in Ludwigs-hafen. Plastic production has many complex requirements, which Krohne is best able to fulfil with its Optimass 7000 straight-tube meter.
The Optimass features problem-free commissioning and the ability to run idle even when installed horizontally. When BASF undertook the conversion of an old system in the Luran factory, Krohne Coriolis meters were the first choice. The Optimass 7000 flowmeters are used when conveying solvents and are the third generation of Krohne Coriolis meters to be installed by BASF in its systems.
Optimass at BASF
The OPTIMASS straight-tube design
Krohne has always relied on the straight-tube design in the Coriolis field, because the advantages over mass flowmeters with bent or twin-tubes are obvious. Curved or annular tubes and twin-tubes designs with flow dividers prove to be unreliable in many applications using Coriolis meters. Various media, such as viscous, non-Newtonian, fluids that are susceptible to shearing or which contain solids can cause high pressure loss for twin-tube devices. Abrasive media can attack flow dividers and the bends in pipes, while fibrous measured substances such as palm oil or cellulose can cling to flow dividers and cause blockages.
Among the most important advantages of straight-tube devices are low pressure loss, less abrasion, their suitability for large flow volumes, their greater measuring range and the prevention of blockage. Straight-tube devices are also easy to clean and are suitable for measuring highly viscous media, thanks to the favourable ratio of the short measuring tube and large inner diameter.
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