ST80 Thermal flow meter puts air/gas flow measurement on the Bus

Process measurement and control engineers using Profibus digital bus communications in their operations can now solve air and gas flow applications with the ST Series Thermal Flow Meter from Fluid Components International (FCI). The ST80 flow meter has been expanded to also provide a new, Profibus-DP solution along with its existing Profibus-PA capability.

            This added Profibus-DP protocol expands communications options between a plant-wide Profibus communications system for air and gas flow metering measurement and control. The ST80 thermal mass flow meter can now be configured as either a field instrument PA device or a system RS-485-based DP device. The ST80 flow meter provides air/gas flow rate, totalised flow, temperature and instrument health diagnostics over the Profibus digital bus.   Furthermore, system engineers and integrators can be confident in selecting the ST80 as it has been thoroughly evaluated and certified by the Profibus organisation to ensure its seamless and trouble-free integration with Profibus control systems.

 In addition to Profibus I/O, the ST80 flow meter also includes standard output options of dual 4-20 mA analogue outputs (NAMUR NE 43 compliant), HART (Version 7) I/O, and Modbus RTU.  Simply, an ST80 flow meter is adaptive to any current or future control strategy. The ST80 Series combines ultra-reliable, feature-rich electronics with the industry's most extensive selection of application-matched flow sensors and best-in-class calibration for use in a wide range of demanding gas flow meter applications.  With its no-moving parts thermal dispersion flow sensor, robust transmitter enclosure and the industry’s broadest selection of process connections, the ST80 provides application compatibility with ease of installation, along with virtually no routine maintenance and exceptionally long service life.

Designed with an optional best-in-class, backlighted information LCD, the ST80 Flow Meter provides digital and bar graph readouts of process flow rate and temperature, totalised flow, alarm conditions, diagnostics feedback and a user defined label field is also available.  This easy-to-read display allows plant engineers and technicians to see and access flow data and instrument health information in the field with confidence and to quickly make decisions on the spot.