CiDRA SONARtrac GVF-100 - Manual (Page 7)

Copyright © 2006 CiDRA Corporation Page 1-1
20675-01 Rev 02
1
INTRODUCTION
The CIDRA Corporation SONARtrac
TM
Model VF & GVF-100
(Volumetric Flow and Gas Volume Fraction) System is a clamp-on
process monitoring system used to measure the volumetric flow rate
and the amount of entrained air / gas (also referred to as gas volume
fraction or GVF) contained in a fluid within process pipes on a real-
time basis. The SONARtrac
TM
VF & GVF-100 utilizes patented array
processing techniques to listen to and interpret the flow turbulence
generated by fluid flow and the acoustic field generated by machinery,
piping and flow present in process flow. The clamp-on design
eliminates the need for cutting pipe or interrupting process flow during
installation.
The SONARtrac
TM
VF & GVF-100 consists of a common transmitter
and sensor heads sized for different pipe diameters.
SONARtrac
TM
flow and entrained gas meters certified for use in
hazardous areas are rated for use in Class I, Division 2, Groups A, B,
C, and D environments (per US and Canadian standards).
This manual covers the basic installation and setup of the
SONARtrac
TM
Model VF & GVF-100 Monitoring System. In all cases,
local safety and operating practices take precedence over the
information contained within this document.
For additional information, contact your local sales agent or CiDRA
Corporation Customer Support by telephone at 1-877-243-7277
(1-877-CIDRA77) or by E-Mail at [email protected]
1.1 Sensor Head Description and Function
The SONARtrac
TM
sensor head contains no moving parts. The sensor
head includes a sensor band and a fiberglass or stainless steel cover
assembly to protect the sensor band. The sensor band is wrapped
around and clamped onto the process pipe. A multi-conductor cable
electrically connects the sensors to an electronic module mounted in
the cover assembly. Signals from the electronic module exit through a
NEMA 4X rated connector mounted to the outer surface of the cover
assembly.
1.2 Transmitter Description and Function
The SONARtrac
TM
transmitter receives electrical signals from the
sensor head. The signals are processed using SONARtrac
TM
array
processing firmware that displays the calculated results on an integral
LCD screen. Results can also be transmitted using the 4–20mA
analog output, pulse output, alarm output or the RS-485/232 digital