Memosens And Liquiline Improve pH Data Reliability
An agrochemical producer has improved pH data reliability, decreased downtime and boosted production by migrating its existing pH analysers to Endress and Hauser's Memosens and Liquiline platforms. Maintenance labour was reduced by 50 per cent and consumable usage was cut by 60 per cent, resulting in savings of more than USD450,000 (GBP295,000) per year. The agricultural chemical manufacturer produces and supplies agrochemicals for worldwide markets. The manufacturing plant uses pH measurements to monitor and control reactions at more than 30 locations in utilities, incinerators, scrubber effluents, pH quench tanks and wastewater final effluents.
Additional pH measurement and control locations are used in chemical synthesis reactors on recirculation lines to confirm and/or control pH for chemical synthesis. Depending on the criticality of processes, some pH measurements required closer attention and more maintenance than others. For example, the 80 units installed in the phosphatisation and sulfonation processes required calibrations twice a week. Typically, these calibrations took about 45 minutes to perform, resulting in approximately 120 hours per week or 6,240 hours each year to maintain calibration.
The agrochemical producer made immediate improvements by replacing existing pH electrodes with Endress and Hauser Memosens pH electrodes with Teflon reference junctions. Included with the new electrode was a new electrode holder and cabling technologies that eliminated previous reliability problems, such as poor connections and resulting electrical faults. The Liquiline platform that supports electrode laboratory calibration away from the field was also installed.
With this platform, the customer was able to rotate electrodes every two weeks with pre-calibrated electrodes. These electrodes also lasted longer - several months as opposed to a few weeks. The Liquiline platform extends to the laboratory, so calibration no longer needs to be performed in the field. Electrodes can be continually cleaned, calibrated and even regenerated under controlled conditions in the laboratory. As a result, technicians can replace installed electrodes with calibrated ones in a fraction of the time. Endress and Hauser's Memosens technology increased the plant's average usage per electrode from 748 hours to more than 2,500 hours.
With these changes in place, yearly maintenance hours decreased from 6,240 to 3,200 for a net saving of 3,040 hours. Through proper electrode, holder and cabling selection and the use of Memosens and Liquiline technologies, the customer saved more than USD450,000 per year in labour and materials to maintain its pH systems. Various opportunities for saving time, cost and materials in other processes were identified throughout the plant and were implemented by replacing outdated analogue pH loops with Endress and Hauser's inductively coupled Memosens and Liquiline technology platforms.
Additional pH measurement and control locations are used in chemical synthesis reactors on recirculation lines to confirm and/or control pH for chemical synthesis. Depending on the criticality of processes, some pH measurements required closer attention and more maintenance than others. For example, the 80 units installed in the phosphatisation and sulfonation processes required calibrations twice a week. Typically, these calibrations took about 45 minutes to perform, resulting in approximately 120 hours per week or 6,240 hours each year to maintain calibration.
The agrochemical producer made immediate improvements by replacing existing pH electrodes with Endress and Hauser Memosens pH electrodes with Teflon reference junctions. Included with the new electrode was a new electrode holder and cabling technologies that eliminated previous reliability problems, such as poor connections and resulting electrical faults. The Liquiline platform that supports electrode laboratory calibration away from the field was also installed.
With this platform, the customer was able to rotate electrodes every two weeks with pre-calibrated electrodes. These electrodes also lasted longer - several months as opposed to a few weeks. The Liquiline platform extends to the laboratory, so calibration no longer needs to be performed in the field. Electrodes can be continually cleaned, calibrated and even regenerated under controlled conditions in the laboratory. As a result, technicians can replace installed electrodes with calibrated ones in a fraction of the time. Endress and Hauser's Memosens technology increased the plant's average usage per electrode from 748 hours to more than 2,500 hours.
With these changes in place, yearly maintenance hours decreased from 6,240 to 3,200 for a net saving of 3,040 hours. Through proper electrode, holder and cabling selection and the use of Memosens and Liquiline technologies, the customer saved more than USD450,000 per year in labour and materials to maintain its pH systems. Various opportunities for saving time, cost and materials in other processes were identified throughout the plant and were implemented by replacing outdated analogue pH loops with Endress and Hauser's inductively coupled Memosens and Liquiline technology platforms.
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