Brine, as used in industrial production, refers to aqueous solutions containing high concentrations of inorganic salts (not just sodium chloride), such as calcium chloride and sodium bromide.
Brine has a wide range of industrial applications, primarily leveraging its physical and chemical properties. These include a low freezing point, high boiling point, excellent electrical conductivity, and corrosive properties.
Whether feeding electrolyzers, measuring chemical plant processes, or monitoring cooling systems, effectively monitoring brine flow is crucial!
Characteristics of Brine and Measurement Challenges
The properties of industrial brine are both a direct basis for its application and a source of challenges.
Preferred Brine Flow Meter: Electromagnetic Flow Meter
Any experienced flow meter supplier will tell you that it is best to choose an electromagnetic flow meter to measure brine flow. Furthermore, Sino-Inst will recommend the use of HC or tantalum electrodes with F46 linings based on your actual measurement parameters. Mainly because electromagnetic flowmeter has the following advantages:
- Electromagnetic flowmeters are based on Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, inferring flow rate by measuring the induced electromotive force generated by brine cutting through magnetic lines of force. Effective measurement is possible as long as the brine conductivity is greater than 5mS/cm.
- Electromagnetic flowmeters have no moving parts. Even crystallized brine will not affect measurement.
- Electromagnetic flowmeters can be configured with corrosion-resistant electrodes and an F46 lining, allowing for long-term exposure to high-concentration brine.
- Electromagnetic flowmeters offer high measurement accuracy, reaching 0.5%.
- Electromagnetic flowmeters require minimal straight pipe runs. A straight run of five pipe diameters upstream and three pipe diameters downstream is required (e.g., a DN50 pipe requires 25 cm upstream and 15 cm downstream without valves or elbows).
- We support custom electromagnetic flowmeters in sizes from DN2 ~ DN2000.
- A variety of signal output options are available, including 4-20mA, pulse, frequency, and RS485.
Anti-Corrosion Metal Tube Rotor Flowmeter
In addition to electromagnetic flowmeters, corrosion-resistant metal rotor flowmeters can sometimes be selected to measure brine flow.
- Advantages in installation location, not limited by electromagnetic field restrictions.
- Can be a purely mechanical configuration. No power supply required.
- No requirements for the conductivity of the medium.
Featured Application: Electrolyzer Brine Flow Monitoring
After primary and secondary refining, refined brine enters the electrolytic cell. The flow rate must meet the process specifications for each cell. Unstable flow rate fluctuations will affect the membrane and pose significant risks to the electrolytic cell. Reliable and accurate flow meter measurements help ensure stable and efficient production.
For four electrolytic cells with a total current of 60kA, the brine flow rate for each cell ranges from 0 to 30m³/h. The operating pressure is 100kPa, the operating temperature is 60±5°C, and the brine medium is corrosive. This flow rate serves as the interlocking stop condition for each electrolytic cell, shutting down the cell when a low flow alarm occurs. Common operating conditions affecting brine flow measurement in electrolytic cells include:
- Electromagnetic interference from the electrolytic cell;
- Unstable pump current leading to unstable brine pump flow;
- Uncompletely treated brine containing impurities, affecting flow rate;
- Brine crystallization is prone to occur at low temperatures and high concentrations, affecting flow rate.
Depending on the site conditions, either a remote electromagnetic flowmeter or a close-mounted metal rotor flowmeter can be installed.
More Flow Measurement Solutions
Sino-Inst offers a variety of corrosion-resistant electromagnetic flowmeters to meet the specialized needs of brine flow measurement. Whether measuring brine in electrolyzers or cooling brine in refrigeration systems, we can select the appropriate flowmeter.
If you require brine flow measurement or have any technical questions, please feel free to contact us.
Wu Peng, born in 1980, is a highly respected and accomplished male engineer with extensive experience in the field of automation. With over 20 years of industry experience, Wu has made significant contributions to both academia and engineering projects.
Throughout his career, Wu Peng has participated in numerous national and international engineering projects. Some of his most notable projects include the development of an intelligent control system for oil refineries, the design of a cutting-edge distributed control system for petrochemical plants, and the optimization of control algorithms for natural gas pipelines.