Blog posts of '2020' 'May'

In certain applications, it is often unavoidable to experience pressure spikes.  

These spikes can often occur when a pump is being turned on or maybe when a valve opens up.  They tend to be very quick (mostly around 1 second or less), but these short pulsations can be detrimental to any pressure instrument you’re using in the line.
Whether the pressure instrument’s range falls within the spike’s pressure or the spike goes over the range of the instrument, damage can be done and can be done quickly.  To help protect the pressure gauge, transmitter, or pressure switch, there are a few, often inexpensive, options to use.  Please note that the below options only work for pulsations or very short spikes (1 second or less).

Pressure Snubber:
 
A pressure snubber looks similar to a fitting and is installed just like one.  Its mounted in between the instrument and the process connection.  There are mainly two type of pressure snubbers: sintered or piston.  Both essentially accomplish the same thing by slowing down the media before entering the instrument during a pressure spike or pulsation.  For more information on snubbers, please contact us.

Throttle Screw, Restrictor Screw or Throttle Plug:

Throttle screws (often called restrictor screws or throttle plugs) are very small screws or plugs that fit inside the orifice of the pressure instrument, and the throttle screw itself has a tiny orifice.  The idea behind the throttle screw is to substantially decrease the orifice size going into the pressure instrument.  Decreasing the orifice size slows down the media entering the instrument during a pulsation; almost creating a bottle neck effect.  Throttle screws are very inexpensive to add and often come standard by some companies.  The downside however is because the orifice is so small, the instrument is more prone to clogging if there are solids in the line.  Virtually every pressure gauge Kodiak provides can come with a throttle screw if needed.

Pressure Relief Valve:

Pressure relief valves are small diversion valves mounted in between the instrument and the process gauge.  The relief valve has an adjustable pressure setting on it.  Once the pressure in the line reaches the pressure setpoint on the valve, the valve closes and diverts the pressure through its other orifice or into the atmosphere.  For more information on pressure relief valves, please Contact Us

The use of manifolds on any application is a great way to consolidate instrumentation and valves into one location.  This not only saves space but also help eliminate potential leak points on the application.  Below is a picture of a perfect example of an application using multiple valves and tubing,which not only is cluster of tubing and connections, but also a potential problem of leakage.

To solve this, a manifold was designed which not only consolidated the valves into one area but also saved the customer in cost and labor.  An example of a manifold valve is below:

You can also design manifolds to not only hold valves but also other types of measuring instruments such as pressure transducer, switches, meters etc:

For more information on manifold valve designs and customization for your application please contact us by clicking HERE.
 

Measuring level for liquids, especially for corrosive and acidic applications, is not always cut and dry.  Due to the caustic tendencies of the fluids, certain materials such as PTFE, CPVC, PVDF, etc. need to be used.
Going the traditional route of using a float level transmitter or a capacitive level transmitter coated in PTFE or another chemical resistant material is certainly a good option.  However, these tend to be very expensive and often don’t come with local indication if that’s desired by the end user.
Another good option is to use a non-contact type level transmitter that uses ultrasonic technology.  These instruments can be very accurate, have no moving parts, and can give the desired level readings.  However, if the media gives off vapor or fumes, which acids can often do, the ultrasonic sound waves won’t reflect back to the transmitter properly causing a false reading.
As a lesser expensive option, pictured in this blog is a level gauge Kodiak recently custom designed for a customer of ours who was trying to measure level of hydrochloric acid (HCL) in a 12 foot tank.  Due to the height of the tank, we could utilize the atmospheric pressure by measuring the level using a 0-5 psi pressure gauge.  However, because of the corrosive properties of HCL, we used a CPVC/PTFE diaphragm seal to isolate it from the gauge.  Then per the customer’s specifications we assembled the gauge to a 2″ CPVC isolation ball valve with a 90° elbow.  Then on the other end of the valve, assembled a 2″ socket by 2″ NPT connection to be screwed into the bottom the tank.
By using this custom level gauge, the customer can now accurately measure the level of the tank locally and relatively inexpensively compared to the other options.  If a 4/20mA output is needed, a low pressure transducer can be used instead of the pressure gauge for future applications.

Standard specifications of pressure instruments, whether its a pressure gauge, pressure transducer, or pressure switch, are typically limited to the high temperatures they can see without experiencing faults in accuracy or potential failures.  For example on a pressure gauge, the more common high temperature ratings are between 160F to 200F.  And on pressure transducers, the ratings can be much lower due to the electronics.
However, pressure still needs to be read on higher temperature applications.  So, what can you do as an easy solution and is relatively inexpensive?
There a various types of solutions out there, but one that is economical in price, simple to install, and can be mounted in any direction is the use of a cooling tower.  The advantages of a cooling tower are:

• Shorter in length than using straight pipe as an extension.  Due to the Cooling Tower’s design, it allows for the heat to dissipate over a shorter length than a straight pipe would.  This is great for space saving as well as stability of the instrument.
• No pre-filling of water like you would have to do with a siphon.  The cooling tower is just plug and play.  Screw it into the process, put the instrument on the other end, and you’re good to go.
• It can be mounted to a diaphragm seal for added protection. For applications using thicker medias that solidify at cooler temperatures or for high temperature corrosive applications, the use of a diaphragm seal is necessary.  A cooling tower can act as a temperature barrier between the seal and the instrument allowing for accurate readings and eliminating clogs or corrosion of the instrument.
• Economical in price.  With the features, durability, and accuracy a cooling tower can provide, it is certainly a great price conscious option.

Oftentimes, Kodiak comes across a customer caught in a sticky situation – literally – where wastewater, sludge, or other solids can clog up the orifice of their pressure gauge.  To prevent this issue from happening, our technical specialists suggest the gauge to be mounted to a diaphragm seal.   A diaphragm seal will not only help keep sticky situations away, it will preserve the accuracy and operating life of the pressure gauge itself. Pretty neato.
Kodiak was recently challenged with a customer needing a little more than a pressure gauge mounted to a diaphragm seal. They were looking for a gauge that could handle hazardous media associated with a sewer station (not-so-clean water). The gauge they were requesting needed to be protected from harsh media, limited in pressure spikes, equipped with the ability for a flush out, and armed with a shut off valve (in the instance where they need to replace the gauge). Whew – did we lose you yet?
Our team of experts worked diligently with our customer to engineer the most efficient assembly for their application. Please allow us to introduce our newest custom engineered product containing a pressure gauge, snubber, diaphragm seal, gauge cock, and ball valve:

Interested in more? Here’s a detailed explanation for each product’s function in the assembly:

• Kodiak KC Series Pressure Gauge: Kodiak's KC Series liquid filled pressure gauge was chosen to help combat the vibration of our customer's pump system.
• Brass Snubber: A brass snubber was added in between the pressure gauge and the diaphragm seal in order to try and limit the amount of pressure spikes (which can decrease the life span of the pressure gauge).
• Kodiak DSM Series Diaphragm Seal: Kodiak's DSM Series diaphragm seal was mounted to the pressure gauge to prevent clogs in the tiny orifice of the pressure gauge (which in turn would cause the pressure gauge to become inaccurate or even damaged).
• Brass Gauge Cock: A brass gauge cock was added in the middle of the assembly to allow for the end user to flush water into the assembly and clean the bottom of the diaphragm seal (in case any solids clog or harden on the inside), without having to disassemble the entire assembly.
• Ball Valve: The ball valve on the bottom of the assembly was added for the shutoff function. If there is ever a situation where the diaphragm seal or pressure gauge is to stop working and would need a replacement, our customer can turn the valve to the off position. This function prevents the water from gushing out of the pipes while they repair the gauge-on-seal assembly – think of it like the handle on a sink – they can close the valve and keep the media in the pipe from leaking everywhere.

Have questions, comments or want to request your very own custom engineered product from Kodiak? Contact us. We’d love to hear from you.

Let’s say you need to measure differential pressure for a high temperature gas but the gas is way too hot for a differential pressure gauge to handle on it’s own. What can you do? A customer of ours asked us that very question and our technical support team was able to come up with a unique and cost effective solution. Allow us to introduce our most recent innovation – a differential pressure gauge assembled to two cooling towers:

We know what you’re thinking. Why did we use cooling towers instead of a diaphragm seal on each side? Isn’t that usually how you get the high temperature process away from the gauge to safely read the pressure? Yes, it sure is. However, when going the diaphragm seal route, you would actually have to take the differential pressure gauge and mount a diaphragm seal with capillary to each connection. So in the case of our assembly above, you would need two diaphragm seals and capillary assemblies filled with high temperature silicone on each side of the gauge – which can become quite costly.
In a more moderate and cost effective way, Kodiak’s technical support team suggested cooling the process before it got to the gauge. With this cooling tower approach, you can install the two towers in between the gauge and the process. The way these cooling towers are designed is to dissipate the heat allowing for media to cool at an acceptable level for the gauge to handle. This installation takes 10 minutes top – and a whole heck of a lot less expensive. No fillings needed, no strings attached.
If you’re in a similar situation with a unique application and/or looking for some technical support, give Kodiak a call. We promise to provide our expertise with cost efficient solutions.

To streamline your company’s manufacturing processes, efficient industrial control solutions are an essential component regardless of the industry. Whether your company specializes in water treatment and ground remediation, environmental applications, printing and packaging, petro-chemical, food and beverage, or machine tool, die casting, and extrusion, efficient industrial controls can increase safety, save time, and improve performance.
When selecting products that will take your manufacturing processes to the next level, we recommend looking for these key features:
 
Safety for Your Employees—and Your Company
Regulating the temperature of manufacturing process is essential for the safety of employees, equipment, and materials—and the overall success of your company. Since even the smallest temperature fluctuations can cause differences in the end results, temperature and process controllers such as Kodiak's resistance temperature detectors, reduce the need for operator involvement while handling applications of any size with ease.
 
Time-Saving Tools
To ensure large systems and complex processes operate seamlessly, a centralized measurement and control system is a vital tool for manufacturers. However, assembling data into a single location can be time-consuming and logistically challenging. For efficient I/O distribution, our modules are multi-functional to save time and space while increasing productivity.
 
High-Performing Interactive Displays
Interactive displays for industrial controls and instrumentation are the ideal interface for improving efficiency in manufacturing processes. From mounted displays to rugged, durable hand-held process controllers for tasks in the field, interactive displays ensure the best possible performance.
 
To learn more about the efficient industrial control solutions Kodiak offers, contact us today. We'd love to hear from you.