Yokogawa Releases Enhanced Version of ADMAG AXR Series Two-wire Magnetic Flowmeters Aiming for the top share of the global magnetic flowmeter market

11/28/2012

Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that it will release an enhanced version of the ADMAG AXR two-wire magnetic flowmeter on August 17. This enhanced flowmeter has been certified for use in safety integrity level (SIL2) applications, as stipulated by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and it supports the latest HART 7 protocol.

The enhanced ADMAG AXR two-wire magnetic flowmeter exhibits a level of performance comparable to that of the ADMAG AXF four-wire magnetic flowmeter. With these two flowmeters, Yokogawa aims to take the top position in the global magnetic flowmeter market.

Development Background

Magnetic flowmeters are used to measure the flow rates of water, chemicals, and other conductive fluids. Two kinds of magnetic flowmeters are in general use today, the four-wire and the two-wire type. The former has two pairs of cables, one for power supply and the other for signal output, and achieves high accuracy and performance; the latter has a single pair of cables for both signal output and power supply, and achieves excellent cost performance. First introduced to the market in 2009 and installed in large numbers worldwide, our ADMAG AXR two-wire magnetic flowmeters compare favorably to 4-wire devices in terms of measurement accuracy and low noise characteristics.

To meet our customers’ needs for safer plant operations, Yokogawa has enhanced the ADMAG AXR magnetic flowmeters by providing the following features.

Product Features

1. SIL2 certification

The enhanced ADMAG AXR has been certified for use in SIL2 applications typically encountered in the oil, petrochemicals, chemical, and other industries, and can be installed in areas that require functional safety. By pairing two ADMAG AXR flowmeters, SIL3 applications can be supported.

2. HART 7 support

In addition to HART 5, the new ADMAG AXR supports HART 7, the latest HART protocol, eliminating the need for convertors to connect with HART-compliant control systems. HART 7 also supports and enables the automatic issuance of alarms when the device’s settings are modified or a problem is detected by self-diagnostics.

About the ADMAG AXR

The ADMAG AXR was the first flowmeter to use the dual frequency excitation method, with low-frequency excitation that ensures stable measurement of flow rates and high-frequency excitation that delivers high noise resistance, thus realizing stable measurement in a wide range of fluid conditions. This high-performance two-wire flowmeter can be used in both monitoring and control applications. Its installation and maintenance costs are significantly lower because two-wire magnetic flowmeters do not require a dedicated power supply unit and use only a single pair of cables. Their low power consumption also reduces running costs. In addition, explosion-proof types suitable for installation in hazardous areas are now available for the entire product lineup, covering bore diameters from 25 mm to 200 mm.

Takashi Nishijima, a Director and Senior Vice President, and Head of the Industrial Automation Platform Business Headquarters, comments, "With field digital technologies that make it easier to use field devices, Yokogawa is helping its customers realize the VigilantPlant concept. We believe that this enhanced magnetic flowmeter gives customers a wider range of choices in digital communications and allows for greater safety in their utilization."

Major Target Markets

A wide range of industries including chemicals, iron & steel, water supply, and food & beverages

Applications

Measuring the flow rates of water, chemicals, and other conductive fluids

• Safety Integrity Level (SIL). SILs are defined by the IEC based on the IEC61508 standard for safety systems that incorporate electrical and electronic devices. There are four levels (SIL1 to 4) and SIL4 is the strictest. At SIL2, the risk factor for a plant is reduced to a range of 1/1,000 to 1/10,000.
• The latest version of the HART communication standard for control field networks, from the HART Communication Foundation. HART technology enables both analog and digital signals to be transmitted over 4-20mA lines.
• The dual frequency excitation method is a Yokogawa innovation. With this method, a magnetic field is generated (excitation) by supplying a current with two high- and low-frequency components through a flowmeter coil. With the advantages of low-frequency excitation (stability) and high-frequency excitation (noise resistance), this method offers greater accuracy and stability than the single frequency excitation method.

Yokogawa, www.yokogawa.com