Recurring Gauges Failure can be Expensive and Risky

Author: Instrument Guru
Posted: WIKA Blog Dec 19,2013

There are plenty of articles and sites about automobiles and their woes. In an era of sophisticated cars packed with a myriad of electronic gizmos and digital instrumentation, quality gauges are essential to an automobile’s longevity—and its owner’s long-term happiness.

The same principle holds true in a processing operation: just like the devoted car owner, you depend on quality gauges for guidance, and you’ve learned that recurring gauge failure can signify a problem that must be remedied before it snowballs.

Moreover, while personal safety is at the top of everyone’s list in automotive transportation, quality gauges are especially important to the safety in a processing environment. Gauge failure in an plant can have far-reaching ramifications: a true crisis might affect hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

Just as that erroneously blinking light on your dashboard might ultimately cause you to ignore your gauges altogether, a recurring gauge failure might have the same effect in your facility. That’s not a good thing. We’ve all seen the statistics on how big disasters can often be traced to small gauge failures. OSHA statistics on just how much even one workplace accident can cost—in time off, in remedying the situation, and, possibly, in paying government fines – is substantial.

Therefore, money spent on quality gauges is usually well spent, and that it doesn’t pay, in the long run, to skimp on quality or service. Not only will your operation have reliable gauges available, you’ll benefit from knowing your equipment is backed up by a quality supplier with attentive customer service. The cost to your plant may be larger at the outset, but avoiding frequent replacement and  risks will pay dividends over time.

Those costs don’t even take into account the intangible benefits of owning quality instrumentation. You can’t always assign a cost value to “peace of mind,” but in an industry characterized by often-unforeseen hazards, it is indeed priceless.

So, too, is the goodwill, in the workplace and the community that comes from creating a safe, quality-conscious environment. People appreciate working in settings where their safety is paramount and they tend to hold onto such jobs. In a time when technical talent is becoming scarce, spending less time and resources on recruiting and training workers is a valuable benefit.

If you are dealing with a recurring gauge failure, where can you turn for help? Your first resource should be WIKA’s Full Audit Service Team (FAST). FAST is a value-added service that WIKA provides to its customers at no additional cost.

WIKA’s instrumentation engineers can quickly diagnose the reason for a recurring gauge failure. It might be as simple as a misapplied gauge or it could be a sign of a more complex problem requiring attention. The FAST team will identify the root cause and provide you with valuable solutions.

The FAST team provides a wide range of instrumentation services such as safety training, instrument audits, supply-chain streamlining, and more. Download a copy of “Navigating a Mine Field & Staying Safe,” WIKA’s e-book for the downstream petroleum industry. This e-book details how the FAST team can help you solve the riddle of recurring gauge failures and keep your plant safe and productive.

WIKA eLearning Click Here

If you would like to receive more information about WIKA pressure gauges please contact Forberg Scientific, Inc. customer service.
Phone: 855-288-5330
Email: mechanicalsales@forberg.com

How do pressure gauges fit into my reliability initiatives?

Author: Instrument Guru
Published: WIKA Blog Knowledge

In my interactions with safety and compliance officers from large petroleum companies, these themes always seem to be a part of the conversation: I need to increase reliability…and by the way, I also want to lower costs—all without putting safety at risk.

From there, they jump to the next logical question for an Instrument Engineer: “How do pressure gauges fit into these needs?”

With so much automation and electronic measurement in plants, it’s easy to see how mechanical instruments have been marginalized.  This also explains why we’re finding that 25% of gauges in a typical plant aren’t working—and up to 60% or more are in danger of failing because the instruments no longer match the applications or processes.

Let’s start with how pressure gauges fit into reliability, safety and lowering costs. Pressure gauges are important to every day operations because they work like alarms. They help identify process issues before they lead to costly situations such as critical equipment failure or loss of containment. If they aren’t working properly, you won’t have a complete picture of what is going on in the pipes, pumps and other equipment in the plant.

• Local readings – Workers in the plant rely on gauges to let them know that the systems surrounding them are functioning properly and safely.
• Dual readings – Comparing pressure readings helps evaluate the efficiency and safety of operations. If you need to confirm what is going on in your process, you don’t want failed gauges.
• Back-up readings – If the power goes out, pressure gauges supply the readings you need to continue monitoring your process.

If you would like to learn more about WIKA's FAST Full Audit Service Team please click the below links

 

 

To receive pricing and availability on WIKA pressure gauges, WIKA thermometers and WIKA pressure transmitters please contact Forberg Scientific, Inc. customer service.

 

Email: mechanicalsales@forberg.com

Toll Free: 1-855-288-5330

Website: www.forberg.com & www.autoctrls.com

Don't Neglect Pressure Gauges

Inadequate attention can make plants vulnerable to mishaps

From: WIKA Jason Deane

The simple pressure gauge is an often-overlooked defense mechanism for preventing accidents. However, in auditing more than 250 plants, WIKA Instrument discovered that up to 25% of all pressure gauges were broken, damaged or misapplied — this represents an average of eight deficient gauges located within 20 feet of each employee.

A failed gauge compromises a plant's ability to detect a problem before a safety incident occurs. Malfunctioning gauges also can lead to media leaks, fugitive emissions and a fire or explosion, taking a toll on safety and reliability.

Even minor accidents can cause employee injury and lead to downtime. Any accident or leakage also puts staff sent to fix the problem into harm's way, which, of course, can lead to further employee injury and lost hours.

Many causes contribute to this dangerous situation with gauges. Fortunately, they can be prevented.

CAUSES OF GAUGE FAILURE

Through its evaluation of more than 150,000 gauge installations, WIKA has identified eight common causes of failure. So, let's look at each, along with the solution.

1. Vibration. Many pieces of equipment vibrate. However, excessive vibration can lead to gauge failure and may indicate a problem with a component. Solution: install a gauge that will resist vibration better — i.e., a liquid-filled or direct-drive gauge with only a single moving part.

2. Pulsation. A rapidly cycling medium within a pressure system can make a gauge pointer move erratically and eventually can lead to breakdown of internal parts. Solution: install a restrictor and liquid-filled case to dampen pulses on a standard gauge or replace with a direct-drive gauge that lacks gears and linkages.

3. Temperature. Extreme temperatures cause sweating and loosening in metal joints and eventually can cause them to crack. Solution: install a gauge with a fully welded diaphragm seal and consider adding an on-board cooling element to combat the highest temperatures.

4. Overpressure and pressure spikes. Frequent pegging against the stop pin can bend the gauge pointer and compromise the integrity of the Bourdon tube or sensing element and, ultimately, lead to rupture. Solution: install an overpressure protector to inhibit readings that exceed gauge capacity.

5. Corrosion. The highly corrosive media often found in process plants can damage the sensing material in gauges. Solution: install a diaphragm seal that's constructed from material that will withstand the corrosive.

6. Clogging. A medium that contains suspended particles or is viscous or can crystallize can clog the pressure system and make gauge readings unreliable. Solution: install a diaphragm seal with a clog-preventing barrier.

7. Steam. Some media produce steam or other vapors that can damage the internal parts of gauges. Solution: install either a mini-siphon with an internal chamber to reduce surges or a full siphon, making sure to include a coil for horizontal applications and a pigtail for vertical ones.

8. Mishandling and abuse. Even properly installed gauges will start to malfunction if mistreated over time. Solution: conduct regular safety and maintenance training for all employees who come into contact with or proximity to gauges.

Unfortunately, many plant personnel aren't properly equipped or experienced enough to recognize and address all these problems. That, however, doesn't reduce the importance of doing so.

TACKLING THE PROBLEMS

When beginning to address instrument shortcomings, keep in mind that studies show that fewer than 0.25% of piping components account for greater than 80% of controllable fugitive emissions. Installing gauges with welded diaphragm seals on these components creates a dual containment device, which is required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This means plants can correct a major source of violations and fines by addressing a very small percentage of connection points. For many facilities, this is an excellent place to start to get meaningful results quickly.

Another fairly straightforward step that's simple to implement but can yield powerful results is standardization of gauges. This reduces the number of replacement parts that must be kept in inventory — and confusion by technicians. In other words, when replacing an old or faulty gauge, employees more likely will select the correct gauge rather than resorting to like and kind replacement. This also helps ensure the storeroom maintains proper inventory, helping cut costs.

Plants that don't have the resources to identify and correct faulty and misapplied pressure measurement instruments can get outside help, such as from WIKA's FAST Team. Any audit team should:

• Visually evaluate the plant's gauge population and look for issues that need to be addressed.
• Diagnose gauges that pose threats and uncover the causes.
• Formulate a strategic plan to address all the discovered issues.
• Audit the storeroom and streamline inventory, reducing redundant part numbers and guesswork.
• Provide dependable processes to prevent misapplying instruments in the future, and coordinate employee-training programs.

Given the complexity of managing the operations of a process plant, it's easy to understand how smaller components such as mechanical pressure instruments can be overlooked. However, using gauges as early warning devices can improve uptime, safety and profits. Money spent on the humble gauge very well could be the best investment a processing plant can make.

If you would like more information, pricing and availability on WIKA Pressure Gauges or other WIKA Instrument products please contact Forberg Scientific Customer Service.
Tool Free: 855-288-5330Email: mechanicalsales@forberg.com

Why a Pressure Gauge is Important to Everyday Operations?

A pressure gauge is a common component in operations from various industries across the world. But not every gauge is created equally or made for every situation. WIKA Instrument Corporation has been on the forefront of innovation and quality for pressure gauges and pressure instruments for over 60 years, making us the pressure gauge expert for diverse industries and applications.

Gauges with bourdon tubes are the most common pressure measuring devices used today. They combine a high grade of measuring technology, simple operation, ruggedness and flexibility with the advantages of industrial and cost-effective production. Needing no external power supply, bourdon tube gauges are the best choice for most applications.

Pressure gauges are crucial components of most processing systems. In these environments, a pressure gauge needs to be reliable, accurate and easy to read to help prevent failure in everyday operations. Therefore, how a gauge is constructed and tested is extremely important for reliability, safety and peace-of-mind. After all, failures can cost time, money and productivity loss.

Applications for gauges with a bourdon tube range from highly automated chemical processes, such as, refineries and petrochemical processing, to hydraulic and pneumatic installations. These types of gauges can also be found at all critical process monitoring and safety points in today’s energy industries, from exploration wells and petrochemical plants, to power stations and wastewater operations.

If you would like to receive pricing and availability on Wika Pressure Gauges or other Wika Products please visit our website www.forberg.com or contact Forberg Scientific customer service.
Toll Free: 855-288-5330
Email: mechanicalsales@forberg.com

Advantages of Wika Liquid-filled Gauges

Liquid-filled gauges
Liquid-filled pressure gauges provide a number of advantages:

• The liquid absorbs vibration and pressure spikes
• The dampening action of the liquid enables the operator to
  take readings during conditions of rapid dynamic loading and
  vibration
• The liquid lubricates all moving elements, dramatically
  reducing wear in the movement
• Because most liquid-filled gauges are filled with non-aqueous
  liquid and hermetically sealed, they perform in corrosive environments
  and are immune to moisture penetration and icing
  and shock effects are lessened

Liquid-filled gauges enhance the reliability and integrity of the measuring system for long periods under extreme operating conditions.

Liquid-fill fluidAmbient Temperature Ratings (Table A)

Allowable operating range

Temperature range in which the operation of the gauge is not adversely affected by the filling liquid. At temperatures above the maximum rating, the fluid may break down. At temperatures below the minimum rating, the fluid may solidify (freeze).

Choose the right liquid

The type of liquid used to fill the gauge varies with the application. Although pure glycerine provides the best performance in most applications, each has its own requirements. Guidelines to help ensure that a fluid is properly matched to an application are:

• If icing is a problem, use gauges filled with silicone oil or other comparable liquids. They have low viscosities even at -60C
• If the system has electric accessories, such as contacts, use insulating oils
• If extreme temperature fluctuations are expected, use silicone oils

The higher the liquid viscosity, the greater its dampening capacity. The reason for this is that dampening changes in proportion to the temperature-dependent viscosity of the filling liquid. The suitable degree of dampening depends on the operating requirements the gauge must meet, such as pointer response time, pressure extremes, vibration and changes in pressure. WIKA can recommend specific liquids to suit problem applications.

Liquid-filled gauge case venting

For pressure gauges with full scale ranges of 300 psi and below (including vacuum and compound ranges of 30" Hg-0-200 psi and below), case venting (after the gauge is installed) is necessary to preserve the accuracy. Temperature fluctuations during shipment and in the process application cause the liquid filling to expand and contract which in turn increases or decreases case pressure. As a result, accuracy can be decreased and the pointer may not return to zero properly until the gauge is vented to the atmosphere.

To vent a WIKA gauge, move the valve to the open position which will release any pressure or vacuum built up in the case. If the gauge is installed in an upright position, the lever can be left in the open position. The lever allows the use of a gauge in a non-upright orientation.

If you would like to get more information about WIKA pressure gauges or other WIKA products please contace Forberg Scientific, Inc. customer service.
Toll Free: 1-855-288-5330
Email: mechanicalsales@forberg.com

Selecting a Pressure Gauge

When selecting a pressure gauge, it is important to consider the following factors to ensure safety and accuracy:

1. Pressure fluid composition
2. Pressure fluid temperature
3. Ambient conditions
4. Pressure range
5. Conditions affecting wear of the system
6. Method of mounting
7. Required accuracy

1. Pressure fluid composition
Since the sensing element of a pressure gauge may be exposed directly to the measured medium, consider the characteristics of this medium. It may be corrosive, it may solidify at various temperatures or it may contain solids that will leave deposits inside the sensing element. For pressure fluids that will not solidify under normal conditions or leave deposits, a Bourdon tube gauge is acceptable. Otherwise a Sealgauge or diaphragm seal should be used. A chemical compatibility chart follows this section to aid in the selection of the proper sensing element material.

2. Pressure fluid temperature
Steam and other hot media may raise the temperature of the gauge components above safe working limits of the sealed joints. In these cases it is recommended that a siphon, cooling tower or diaphragm seal be used in conjunction with the pressure gauge.

3. Ambient conditions
The normal ambient temperature range for WIKA pressure gauges is -40F to +140F (-4C to +60C) for dry or silicone-filled gauges and -4F to +140F (-20C to +60C) for glycerine-filled gauges. The error caused by temperature changes is +0.3% or -0.3% per 18F rise or fall, respectively. The reference temperature is 70F (20C). The correction is for the temperature of the gauge and not the temperature of the measured medium. Remote gauge mounting using a diaphragm seal and capillary line is one alternative for applications involving extreme ambient temperature. Moisture and weather effects must also be considered. Liquid-filled gauges prevent condensation build up. For outdoor use, stainless steel, brass or plastic cased gauges are recommended.

4. Pressure range
A gauge range of twice the working pressure is generally selected. The working pressure in all cases should be limited to 75% of the gauge range. Where alternating pressure and pulsation are encountered, working pressure should be limited to 2/3 of the gauge range.

5. Conditions affecting wear of the system
In applications involving severe pressure fluctuation or pulsation, the use of restrictors and/or snubbers is recommended. In addition, liquid-filled gauges increase the service life of gauges in these conditions. WIKA liquid filled gauges are generally filled with glycerine. Silicone for larger temperature extremes and Halocarbon® for use with oxidizing agents such as chlorine, oxygen and hydrogen peroxide are also available.

6. Method of mounting
Radial (LM) and back (CBM or LBM) connections are available for most WIKA gauges. WIKA stocks gauges with standard NPT threaded connections. Other types such as metric threads, straight threads, hose barbs and special fittings are available as a special order. Pressure gauges should be mounted in the upright position. For applications where the gauge is mounted side ways, horizontally or upside down, contact WIKA or Forberg Scientific Inc. Customer Service for gauge type compatibility.

7. Required accuracyWIKA stocks gauges with accuracies from ± 3/2/3% to ±0.1% of span (ASME Grade B to Grade 4A).

To ensure safe and accurate gauge selection, you must take all of the above factors into consideration. When in doubt, please do not hesitate to contact Forberg Scientific Inc. Customer Service for assistance!
Toll Free: 855-288-5330
Email: mechanicalsales@forberg.com

Direct Drive Gauges Wika New Direct Drive Process Gauge & Direct Drive Test Gauge

Direct Drive Technology: “Battle Proven” Performance in a Process Gauge

The military has used direct drive gauges on aircrafts, tanks and submarines since the 1960s for one simple reason: they are extremely resistant to shock, vibration and pulsation. Direct drive gauges have been known to survive direct missile strikes when placed within the hulls of battleships during military testing. Over time, direct drive gauges have proven themselves in numerous mission critical applications like jet fighter struts, tank gun turrets and submarine ballast tanks. Imagine having this same “battle proven” performance in a process gauge for your mission critical applications!

At the technological heart of the WIKA Direct Drive process gauge is our exclusive Bourdon tube made of Inconel® X-750 alloy. Compatible with most media types, this super-alloy is highly resistant to temperature extremes and has excellent oxidation and corrosion properties. Every WIKA Bourdon tube is meticulously handmade and then stress relieved in our proprietary heat treatment chambers. To provide superior strength and performance in the most aggressive environments and temperature extremes, all wetted parts on the WIKA Direct Drive process gauge are nickel-brazed.

Features

• Medical-grade pointer shaft that rotates on a jeweled sapphire bearing that eliminates pointer friction
• External adjustment screw to re-zero the pointer n Porous filter to protect the pressure inlet from clogging
• Thermoplastic case for extreme temperatures
• Shatterproof polycarbonate window
• 150% overpressure protection without any loss of calibration
• Solid-front, blow out back safety case design to meet industry safety requirements

WIKA Direct Drive gauges are manufactured in the United States and come with a full 6-year warranty that beats the competitors’ warranties 6 to 1.

Technical Specifications Overview

Wika Direct Drive Process Gauge: Model 232.34DD
The WIKA Direct Drive process gauge comes with a process industry standard ASME B40.100 Grade 2A (+/-0.5% of span) accuracy; a silicone dampened Bourdon tube to eliminate pointer flutter in severe vibration and pulsation applications; an adjustable process gauge pointer for recalibration; and a yellow case to signify to workers that this gauge is used for the tough applications.

Wika Model 232.34DD Datasheet

Wika Direct Drive Test Gauge: Model 332.34DD
The WIKA Direct Drive test gauge has a calibration industry standard ASME B40.100 Grade 3A (+/-0.25% of span) accuracy; a knife-edge adjustable pointer for precise pressure readings; a mirror band dial to remove reading error; a calibration certificate traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); and standard black case.

Wika Model 332.34DD Datasheet

Advantages of the WIKA Direct Drive gauge over conventional gauges include:

• Very long service life n Excellent for problem applications that contain shock, vibration or pulsation
• Contains only one moving part

1. No gears, linkages or springs to wear or break
2. No loss of accuracy
3. No recalibration required

• Performance of a liquid-filled gauge in a dry case

WIKA Direct Drive gauges are great solutions for these problem applications:

• Environments that contain continual shock and vibration
• Processes that have problems with pressure surges and spikes
• Pressure systems that have high cyclic rates
• Installations with temperature extremes

If you would like additional information about WIKA Direct Drive Process Gauges, Wika Direct Drive Test Gauges or other WIKA Products please contact Forberg Scientific, Inc.
Toll Free: 855-288-5330Email: mechanicalsales@forberg.com