Temperature is the most widely measured variable in industries ranging from oil & gas to chemical and food and beverage to pharma. Accurate measurements are vital to product quality as well as an operation’s safety and efficiency. But ensuring that critical measurements are delivered in a timely, reliable and trustworthy fashion can present operators with a range of challenges. For more than 60 years, Emerson’s Rosemount™ Temperature Measurement solutions have led the industry in combating such challenges through new and innovative technologies. Control recently caught up with Michael Olivier, Vice President of Temperature Measurement Instrumentation at Emerson, to learn more about how Emerson’s innovative solutions continue to help processors tackle their biggest temperature measurement challenges.
Q: Why are temperature measurement solutions vital to the success of process industries?
A: Accurate temperature measurements help ensure product and process safety, quality, and efficiency in a variety of process industries. Temperature measurement serves as a key indicator of many processes such as complete reactions for chemical producers, distillates of desired purity for oil refiners, and thorough clean-in-place cycles for the food & beverage industry, just to name a few examples. In addition, the global push for increased sustainability means inaccurate temperature measurement can lead to not only inefficient processes, but also the discharge of unnecessary greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Q: What distinguishes Emerson as a leader in temperature instrumentation?
A: Emerson focuses on creating innovative and sustainable solutions, producing the highest quality outcomes, and ensuring our customers’ needs are exceeded with our unmatched support and expertise. Our Rosemount Temperature Measurement solutions are no different. From transmitters to thermowells to sensors and more, we offer a complete breadth of temperature products and solutions available in fully integrated assemblies ready for out of the box installation. Our reliability, quality, expertise, and innovation set us apart from our competitors.
Q: What are the primary challenges associated with temperature measurement?
A: There are four phases in the lifecycle of temperature solutions: design, installation, operation, and maintenance. Challenges can occur in each phase. Most design challenges are associated with thermowell calculations to ensure they are designed appropriately for their application.
Temperature installations often need to be done when the process is not running and can require piping modifications to facilitate the installation of the thermowell. Unexpected shutdowns can occur when the device is operational due to failing or degrading sensors or environmental factors. Failing, degrading, or malfunctioning sensors can also cause inaccurate measurements when maintaining the device throughout its lifecycle.
It is important to consider all phases and their potential challenges when specifying the temperature solution that best fits your application. Emerson considers these potential challenges in all phases when engineering our products and tools.
Q: What solutions does Emerson offer to help combat these challenges?
A: Emerson offers free thermowell design software that significantly decreases design time and eliminates manual trial-and-error calculations. We created a more robust thermowell with a unique design that can withstand harsh process conditions that are unsuitable for traditional thermowells. In addition, we were the first to design a technology to accurately measure process temperature without a thermowell.
Emerson also offers a full portfolio of temperature transmitters that have been recognized by our customers as the number one brand of transmitters for over 20 years in Control’s Readers’ Choice Awards. These transmitters have a full suite of advanced diagnostic capabilities to help customers do more with less by optimizing operations and simplifying maintenance.
Q: Finally, what future temperature measurement innovations can readers expect from Emerson?
A: Emerson continues to be at the forefront of temperature measurement innovation. With the next generation of temperature instrumentation, we aim to provide our customers with even higher quality devices with superior performance and usability to match. This includes improved user interfaces, advanced diagnostics, industry-leading accuracy specs and other features to make operation more intuitive for decades to come.
