Highly Intelligent Mass Flow Meter Meets Profibus DP/PA Standards and Includes DTM

With its precision thermal dispersion mass flow sensor and its highly intelligent digital electronics, the FlexMasster® ST98 Flow Meter Series from Fluid Components International (USA) now meets the Profibus-
DP/-PA standards and includes its own Device Type Manager (DTM) software for use in large scale process and plant automation systems.

Process and plant engineers looking for a flexible, accurate air/gas flow meter will find FCI’s ST98 with Profibus-DP/-PA and DTM gives them reliable measurement, fast data transmission and interoperability.
Fully compatible with Profile 3, the ST98 is now a drop-in network replacement instrument for any other Profibus-DP/-PA flow meter, providing process flow and totalised flow data in a matter of minutes.

In addition, the ST98 now features its own DTM software that makes the set up and commissioning process of the ST98 easy by providing instant access to built-in field-adjustable parameters, diagnostic
information and maintenance functions. FCI offers both single instrument and enterprise level DTM software packages to facilitate integration with Profibus. As a member of the Profibus International Organisation (PNO), FCI’s ST98 Flow Meter is fully approved with Certification Number Z01212.

The ST98’s advanced thermal mass sensing element delivers precision flow and temperature measurement over a wide flow range. It features high accuracy to ±1% of reading, plus ±0.5% of full scale. Exceptionally consistent, the ST98 offers repeatability to ±0.5% of reading. The inline style ST98 features an exceptionally wide flow range from 0.00062 to 1850 SCFM [0.01 to 3140 Nm3/h] in air at standard conditions for 70°F [21.2°C] and 14.7 psia [0°C and 1013,25 bar (a)], typical for most gases. The ST98 offers low-flow sensitivity yet is able to operate from 10:1 to 100:1 turndown ratio and is field adjustable within the calibrated range.

The ST98 is an exceptionally versatile and reliable flow meter. It is suitable for service in numerous process gases, hydrocarbon mixed or dirty gases, biogases including methane, and plant compressed air and HVAC systems. The ST98 has been installed in plants worldwide, including a wide range of industries such as oil/gas production and refining, chemical processing, electric power, food/beverage, pharmaceutical, pulp/paper, steel, wastewater treatment and more.

The ST98’s thermal mass sensing element is comprised of two all-welded 316L stainless steel thermowells that protect two matched platinum precision resistance temperature detectors (RTDs). With a highly reliable no-moving parts design, one RTD is heated relative to the reference RTD, and the temperature difference between the two is related to the process gas mass flow rate.

The ST98’s transmitter converts the differential temperature to a standard 4-20 mA output signal that has been linearised during the FCI factory NIST traceable calibration of the flow element. The ST98’s transmitter with its RS232C communications port is housed in either a NEMA Type 4, Type 4X (IP66) enclosure or an explosion-proof enclosure and can be integrally mounted to the flow element or remotely mounted up to 500 feet away. In addition, an LCD display screen indicating flow rate, temperature and totalised flow is available as an option.