Status Indicator
The UIM Series flowmeters provide extensive diagnostic information both on the graphic display screen and remotely TIMCare™ PC interface.
Data may be logged over time to show trending and enabling real time condition monitoring.
Meter Performance
The velocity profile is a function of the upstream pipework. By calculating velocity ratios between the ultrasonic paths, a good indication of the flow profile is realized.
The flowmeter calculates Profile and Symmetry Factors which can be used for condition monitoring of the measurement and the gas flow. In addition, the UIM Series flowmeter provides diagnostics for turbulence by means of the standard deviation of the instantaneous path velocity measurements.
The standard deviation provides an excellent diagnostic for turbulence, fluctuations and may serve as an indicator of upstream disturbances. Additional meter diagnostics such as velocity of sound, signal-to-noise ratio and signal strength are available to the user as well.
TIMCare™ Advanced Condition Monitoring
Using TIMCare™, the condition of the UIM Series flowmeter may be monitored over the long term.
TIMCare™ allows the user to compare the meter’s diagnostics against known conditions such as its initial calibration, first gas and re-calibration. TIMCare™ will automatically validate key diagnostics against reference cases. An intuitive on screen report is generated, allowing the user to observe changes in the meter’s condition over time. Changes that are usually not discernible when taking a diagnostic snapshot are easily detected. TIMCare™ greatly assists in reducing uncertainly caused by variables over time, such as dirt build up on the bottom of the piping and/or fouling of the transducers and pipe wall. When diagnostic readings remain consistent over time, it may be assumed the meter is performing within specifications and re-calibration intervals may be extended.
Meter Information
The Meter Information screen displays an overview of the meter’s programmed parameters, such as the units, pipe size and ultrasonic path configuration, as well as specific customer site information.
Important traceability information including firmware versions, checksums and serial numbers are also displayed. Reports may be generated and, depending on the user’s level of authority, certain programming functions may be implemented.
Data Logging and Trending
User selectable flow data or diagnostics may be logged and displayed graphically. Historical trending of data may provide an early indication of a potential problem or maintenance requirement.
For example, a gradual drop in gain (AGC) on an ultrasonic path may indicate fouling in a transducer port, or a large change in profile may indicate fouling of an upstream flow conditioner.
At the heart of the ultrasonic flowmeter are the measurements of the ultrasonic transit time and ancillary measurements from pressure and temperature sensors. The Diagnostics screen allows service personnel or experienced users to check the operation of these sensors and quickly anticipate or diagnose problems. The ultrasonic signals and detection points are displayed in oscilloscope mode” for rapid troubleshooting and may be saved for off-site analysis or as a baseline. In the event of an error or warning indication, or if the operator wishes to log a baseline, A service Package may be generated. The Service Package contains device configuration data, log files and signal data. The data will be zipped and can then be emailed to our experts for further analysis
Maintenance Report
TIM allows an easy way to create regular maintenance reports, providing the user a clear and easy way to take a snapshot of the condition of the meter.
The maintenance report is generated in Excel and can be formatted and additional site information can be added for future reference. From Excel a PDF report can easily be generated. Maintenance reports are a great way to monitor the condition of the UIM Series flowmeters over their lifetime in an application. This allows to user to easily spot irregularities or early signs of maintenance being required thus avoiding downtime and allowing to do condition based maintenance rather than responsive maintenance.