September 2007

In 2007, EESIFLO International involved itself in the testing and installation of online water in heptane monitors for a well known pharmaceutical company. The process heptane liquids under test had a dielectric constant of well below 2.0 which meant that any increase in water content (with a dielectric constant of about 80) could be picked up very easily and mapped to a water increase vs heptane curve. Using the EASZ-1 loop powered ATEX approved intrinsic safe monitor, it is possible to safely install the monitor into existing process lines using the highest form of protection available.

Intrinsic safe devices have become ever more popular in recent years.
The main reasons for the growing popularity of intrinsic safety are:

1. Semiconductor advances allow you to carry out increasingly complex electrical operations in hazardous areas at permitted power levels—typically in the order of 1 watt.
2. You can calibrate simple, light, and inexpensive hazardous-area equipment and service it live.
3. You can use ordinary instrument wiring in hazardous areas instead of armoured cable.
4. It provides inherent safety for personnel, because it employs low voltages.
5. Progressively harmonizing standards governing the design of IS equipment allows the sale and use of the same product in many countries without any variation.
6. Advances in certification standards allow a modular approach to IS systems. With a certified IS interface, safe-area equipment needs no certification, and the end user can choose or change the hazardous-area equipment within wide limits. Simple, non-energy-storing sensors require no certification.

The intrinsic safe certified ATEX version EASZ-1 can be applied to applications where water measurement is required in liquids which have low dielectric constants. This includes many types of oils, fuel and complex hydrocarbons which exhibit a low dielectric constant.

• Response time 1 second
• Measurement of total water in fuel or hydrocarbons
• Loop powered 2 wire
• Temperature compensation
• Monitors Fluid condition in flowing pipe systems
• Flexible ranges

Most of the current applications for the EASZ-1 have been in the area of water in oil measurements but these are now being extended to other liquids where applicable. These are normally liquids which exhibit a low dielectric constant just below or above 2.0 .

For more information on application suitability, contact your nearest EESIFLO representative office.