New monitors measure fluid cleanliness

Two new portable devices give plant operators the ability to measure cleanliness of even the most troublesome fluids reliably, simply, and quickly.

The PCM400 portable cleanliness monitor and the PFC400W portable particle counter help ensure accurate results.

The new monitor can confirm cleanliness of almost every kind of hydraulic, lube, or process fluid used, even under adverse fluid conditions. Its multiple mesh blockage technology addresses the common problem of inaccurate or unreliable results when monitoring fluids that are dark, cloudy, or contaminated by water or air.

The new particle counter, a portable diagnostic device to measure the size and quantity of particulate in fluid systems, combines a laser blockage technology with a water sensor.

The integral water sensor measures the amount of dissolved moisture in oil, which can help prevent erroneous counts and false positives, due to the presence of emulsified or free water droplets, enabling operators to take preventive action when needed.

The PCM400 uses a novel design to measure the rate of pressure drop increase across two mesh disks (5 microns and 15 microns) either on line or off line. Its combination of multiple meshes and bidirectional flow differs from other monitors that extrapolate data from a single mesh.

Automatic reversing of the flow path through the meshes provides a self-cleaning mechanism that flushes contaminants from the meshes and acts to stave off mesh plugging and blockage. The PCM400 also measures fluid temperature and viscosity and has a hand-held, removable display-programmer with a touch screen interface. An optional water sensor can be incorporated for use with mineral-based fluids.