Flow sensors provide clarity

Flow sensors provide clarity

Bad Dürrheimer Mineral Spring controls compressed air with flow sensors from SCHMIDT Technology

With the decision to fill about one-third of its beverage production in PET bottles and to produce these bottles themselves, the compressed air demand of Bad Dürrheimer Mineralbrunnen GmbH & Co. KG increased significantly. To monitor the consumption of this medium, which is among the most expensive energy carriers, the compressed air flows are measured with flow sensors from SCHMIDT Technology and evaluated in the energy management system. The transparent distribution of energy costs across the entire operation offers the beverage manufacturer several potential savings. Like many other beverage producers, Bad Dürrheimer Mineralbrunnen fills part of its production into polyethylene bottles. Unlike glass bottles, the company produces the plastic bottles itself. For this, purchased blanks are blown into the desired shape with sterile compressed air before filling. To initially produce test-tube-sized blanks that later hold 1.5 liters of thirst-quenching liquid, a large amount of energy is required. However, these costs make up the majority of the product costs, which is why Bad Dürrheimer equipped its production facilities with an energy management system. This allows the electricity consumption not only for a single bottle to be calculated but also to be controlled selectively.

Identify and reduce peak loads

Energy costs are based on the highest average power consumption over a quarter-hour period per billing cycle. An energy management system can assign the power demand to the respective equipment, thereby reducing peak loads through planned and staggered switching on of devices. In addition to electrical energy consumption, the use of compressed air can also be visualized. For measuring volume flows, flow sensors from SCHMIDT Technology are installed on the main lines of the compressed air supply at the Bad Dürrheimer plant. Equipped with a microcontroller-controlled measuring transducer, the sensors are designed to measure air velocities as well as to determine flow rate and flow volume.

Flow sensors easy to integrate

The flow sensor SS 20.60 used at Mineralbrunnen Bad Dürrheimer measures flow velocities from 0.2 m/s for leak detection, has a measurement range dynamic of 1:1000, is pressure-resistant up to 16 bar, and features an analog and a digital output. The latter is used to connect to consumption meters or energy management systems. Thanks to their design as immersion probes, the flow sensors can also be retrofitted into existing pipelines and replaced under pressure.

The compact design and low flow resistance of the sensors make it possible to integrate multiple flow sensors into a compressed air line. This arrangement provides clarity about the compressed air demand of the connected consumers. Measuring at different points in the compressed air network makes individual consumption transparent. Another advantage of using flow sensors is the quick identification of leaks in the compressed air network, which cause unnecessary consumption and thus excess costs.

For over 20 years, SCHMIDT Technology GmbH has been developing and manufacturing stationary flow sensors for measuring flow and volume flow in air and various gases or gas mixtures in the field of sensor technology. All SCHMIDT^® flow sensors operate on the thermal principle. Designed as rod head, thermopile, chamber head, or inline sensors, SCHMIDT^® sensors are suitable for use in various environmental and process conditions. They are used in ventilation and air conditioning, compressed air technology, cleanroom and pharmaceutical applications, as well as in industrial processes across a wide range of industries.