Magnetics Business & Technology - July/August 2022 - 7

FEATURE ARTICLE
Magmeters can bear an 'Achilles' heel' in their design, however,
known as a liner. Liners, frequently featured in the full-bore style
of mag meter, protect the meter body from the flow media. In
municipal applications, liners may also contribute to a meter's
compliance with drinking water regulations. Liners can be prone
to problems such as tearing, delamination or separation from the
meter body, and perforation from flow debris such as rocks or
even harsh chemicals causing corrosion.
McCrometer's solution to this common flow problem? A proprietary
fusion-bonded epoxy to make its UltraLiner. The coating
is comprised of materials engineered by 3M and applied in a
meticulous process to many of the magmeters produced by the
company. The lining carries a lifetime guarantee against delamination
and tearing.
The protective layer between the metallic body and the conductive
liquid flowing through it is designed to insulate a magmeter
against short-circuiting. Where separately installed liner inserts
are used to provide that protection, deterioration of those liners
can be one of the biggest complaints about full-bore mag
meter performance. According to McCrometer, the most durable
magmeter coating is one that is not simply layered on the inside
of the tube, but completely envelopes the entire assembly with
thermoset powder coating epoxy. This bonding process provides
complete, continuous coverage, enveloping the entire interior
and exterior surface of the mag meter housing with uninterrupted
protection. It provides excellent adhesion to resist corrosive soils,
hydrocarbons, harsh chemicals, even sea water.
This type of coating has demonstrated its durability in the field by
standing up to flows that include sand, rust, or harsh chemicals
in the water without cracking, peeling, or falling off. If those problems
occur, particles of the liner can get into the process flow
and the mag meters can produce grossly inaccurate readings.
The company's magmeters with the UltraLiner have been
installed in a variety of flow applications where performance is
crucial. In agriculture, the Dura Mag and the Mc Mag models
measure harsh flow media for applications such as chemigation
and fertigation, as well as dairy effluent, all of which require resistance
to corrosion. In the municipal industry, customers use the
company's FPI Mag and Ultra Mag meters as retrofits after experiencing
liners delaminating and damaging a nearby pump or
causing a blockage. Both issues can be costly to remedy, especially
if the metering location is buried in a vault or the blockage
isn't easily accessible. The signal that mag meters produce can
go haywire and users will receive inaccurate readings, interfering
with decision-making and daily operations.
In industrial applications, shutting down an operation produces
massive inefficiencies and expenses, and possibly regulatory issues
if a liner tears in a food and beverage factory. For segments
such as pulp and paper or automotive, harsh chemicals can corrode
flow meters if the liner cannot maintain its integrity.
McCrometer's factory process for manufacturing the UltraLiner is
a critical contributor to its performance. To coat the flow meters
with the epoxy, critical areas are masked, and the meter is
blasted to remove any foreign particulates. Then, the meter is
hoisted down into a fluidized bed dip tank where powdered coating
is applied, bonding the epoxy onto the meter body or sensor.
Post-dip, the meter is visually inspected for quality assurance,
sanded down for an even coating, and then baked in an oven to
www.MagneticsMag.com
July/August 2022 * Magnetics Business & Technology 7
Inside a Dura Mag flow meter, showing the UltraLiner and electrodes.
finish.
The result is a more durable alternative to rubber or plastic
liners, says the company. The process can also be applied to
insertion and propeller mag meters.
Based in Hemet in southern California, McCrometer is a global
flow instrument specialist. Now a subsidiary of Danaher Corporation,
it has been supplying flow measurement products for more
than 60 years.
http://www.itg.electronics.com http://www.MagneticsMag.com
Magnetics Business & Technology - July/August 2022

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