Keyence FD-Q Clamp-On Flow Meter ???

Has anyone used this device? Thoughts, concerns? I'm looking at an application for volumetric filling using this instead of an oval gear sensor.

It's a transit time ultrasonic flow meter. Entrained air (bubbles) or suspended solids are the enemy of transit time, scattering the energy in the ultrasonic 'beam'. An alternative like a PD meter means the medium is not likely dirty with suspended solids, but might well carry air bubbles. Caveat Emptor. Transmit time likes pure liquid.

Other brands of Ultrasonics require about 10 diameters upstream for flow conditioning. I suspect EFM does too, whereas PD meters need no upstream conditioning.

Transit time accuracy depends on the meter knowing the sonic velocity of the medium at the medium's temperature (sonic velocity is very temperature dependent). Knowing sonic velocity when the medium is water is easy (lots of published data on water), but it is much more of an unknown when the medium is vegetable oil or isobutylpentylhexgonal additive (that's a made-up name). Can the user provide a sonic velocity for the material? No, sonic velocity is not published on the MSD sheet.

JRoss said:

Has anyone used this device? Thoughts, concerns? I'm looking at an application for volumetric filling using this instead of an oval gear sensor.

Click to expand...

Not for process control. Yes we use hundreds of the Keyence clamp-on flow meters to measure water flow validation to the cooling water circuit loops to the heated process.

We have done numerous tests, we believe that the sensors, although are awesome and simple, will net flow actuals around +/- 5%.

Being that we use them for gross pass/fail, and trend deviation from benchmarked, day-one normal, they are perfect.

They are very repeatable and robust, zero failures in hundreds deployed.

We only use them on water media. We did try an test on a "slurry", Not successful.

If your process can function with the +/-5%, then yes, but they will never match positive gear displacement flow meter.

Thank you! I really appreciate the feedback. I think I'll stick with the PD flow meter.

FDQ new products releasing NOW

My colleagues just got back from IMTS in Chicago.

Keyence is launching larger and much smaller Ultrasonic flow sensors, AND boasting accuracy.

Contact your Keyence representative, and do a in-line flow comparison with your gear unit.

Perhaps the timing is right for your application.


Best regards


Plastic

Does Beta tester ring a bell?