Industrial Thermowell Process Connection Types


This video covers the common types of thermowell process connections. The styles are referred to by what their process connection is.

The types are threaded thermowell, a flanged thermowell, a welded or weld-in thermowell, and a sanitary thermowell.

Threaded thermowells are commonly used when thermowell removal occurs infrequently. These wells are typically threaded into a welded fitting widely referred to as a weldolet on the pipe or vessel. Typical installations include smaller pipes or vessels where corrosion is not an issue.

Flanged thermowells are the preferred well for applications that require frequent removal or replacement due to corrosion or other hazards. Flanged wells will bolt to a mating flange installed on the process piping. Typical installations include large pipes with high pressure and high corrosion.

Weld-in thermowells are welded directly to the pipe or tank and provide a high-quality connection. Because being welded in, their removal is not easy, and they should only be installed when quick access is not required, and corrosion is not an issue. Typical installations include very high temperature and high-pressure applications, for example, a steam line or other non-corrosive applications.

Sanitary thermowells are generally fitted with a Tri-clamp or other clean-in-place connection. These thermowells also have a smooth surface which allows for easy cleaning and prevents contamination of the process: typical installations include dairy, food processing, and pharmaceutical industries.

Piping Specialties / PSI Controls
800-223-1468

Water Cut Meters from Drexelbrook

Water (BS&W) Cut Meters

The water cut is the proportion of water collected in a well to the total liquids produced. As crude oil and hydrocarbons travel through a pipeline, a water cut meter monitors the amount of water (cut). BS&W is the amount of non-hydrocarbon contaminants, dirt (sediment), and water included in a crude oil shipment. The lower the BS&W, the better.  Water content determination and BSW have been a persistent and long-standing issue for the oil and gas industry.

Water cut meters measure the water cut (or BS&W) of oil flowing from a well,  a separator, crude oil transfer in pipelines, and tanker loading. 


Drexelbrook has been the global leader in capacitive-based water cut measuring. Drexelbrook has the industry's highest pressure and temperature ratings, and their capacitive probes can withstand pressures of up to 1500 psi and temperatures of up to 450°F. 

The Universal IV CM Series from Drexelbrook is a high-quality water cut meter with a range of 0-50 percent in light oil and 0-80 percent in heavy oil. 

The Universal IV CM Series builds upon Drexelbrook's expertise in RF Admittance, which enables the electronics to disregard paraffin and other coatings that accumulate on the probe. 

The Universal IV CM has a one-of-a-kind Cote Shield built into the Universal IV CM series and allows the instrument to disregard a pre-determined length of the sensing element. It contains a Perm-A-Seal sensing device that eliminates the need for epoxy coatings, which wear out and need costly maintenance. 

Field setup is available anywhere along the two-wire loop when using this water cut meter with Drexelbrook's HRTWin or the STExplorer PC program. 

Choose the Universal IV CM sensing element depending on pipe size, wetted portions, NACE requirements, and pressure/temperature requirements. Drexelbrook has a broad assortment of probes to suit almost any purpose. 

All water cut meters have a built-in LCD and keypad, are pre-calibrated at the manufacturer, and need just one point confirmation. 

The Universal IV CM water cut meter is intrinsically safe and approved for Class I, Division 1, and Zone 0 hazardous areas.

For more infomration in New England, contact Piping Specialties / PSI Controls. Call 800-223-1468 or visit https://psi-team.com.

Piping Specialties is Your Preferred Ball Valve Automation Specialist in New England

Ball Valve Automation

Piping Specialties / PSI Controls offer automated ball valve assemblies ranging from 1/2" to 48" that provide first-class quality, outstanding performance, and durability. The Piping Specialties valve automation shop inspects and tests every valve assembly before shipping from our facility. 

The valve automation department at Piping Specialties builds ball valve assemblies that save you substantial time on the job site. Automation specialists are highly trained, and all valve assemblies (both pneumatic and electric) receive functional testing before being shipped out to customers. Valve assembly inspection and validation occur before shipment using serialized and labeled quality assurance documentation. Assembly drawings, actuator sizing verification, and datasheets are available on request. 

Contact Piping Specialties / PSI Controls with your next automated ball valve requirement.


Piping Specialties / PSI Controls
https://psi-team.com
800-223-1468

Extremely Durable 4.5 Inch Process Gauges

REOTEMP’s Series PT45P

The Series PT45P process gauge from REOTEMP endures corrosive atmospheres and media and pulsation and vibration; it is an extremely tough gauge designed for use in the process industries. The solid front and blowout back provide an extremely high level of user safety. Note: Install a diaphragm seal for applications that are highly corrosive, high-temperature, or subjected to rigorous usage.

Series PT45P Features

  • Safety Pattern Design
  • Solid Front/Blowout Back Safety Case
  • All Stainless Steel Internal Parts
  • Internal Overload and Underload Stops
  • Field Fillable Case
  • Micro-Adjustable Pointer with Floating Zero
  • ASME B40.100 Design
  • NACE MR-0175 and MR-0103 Compliant
Piping Specialties / PSI Controls
https://psi-team.com
800-223-1468

HABONIM 50 Series Top Entry Cryogenic Ball Valves

Due to its unique one-piece body structure, the HABONIM Series 50 Top Entry Valve is the ultimate answer for pipeline integrity on the one hand and inline serviceability on the other. 

The 50 Series of HABONIM bidirectional top entry cryogenic ball valves are a modern adaption of a trunnion ball valve with top entry construction and patent-pending new design elements. 

The main challenge for an assembly or maintenance team with a standard top entry valve is usually the complexity of assembly and disassembly of the valve inner parts, the time-consuming operation, and the requirement for special equipment and jigs. 

All of these problems are addressed and solved by HABONIM's Series 50 top entry valve design. 

Upon removing the valve bonnet screws, the crew has immediate access to the valve's interior parts, allowing for thorough maintenance and replacement of all inner components and sealing. This one-of-a-kind design provides for complete valve renovation inline without the need to remove any insulation pieces.

One Double Piston Effect (DPE) dynamic seat is used in the patent-pending design, allowing bidirectional sealing under the full differential and a relatively simple design with few parts and no closed cavities. These qualities provide all of the advantages of a ball valve's high flow (Cv) with no restriction on flow direction or sealing, as well as a safer cryogenic construction. 

When installed, a patent-pending supplementary optional body extender raises the valve's bonnet above piping insulation, allowing the valve to be maintained without removing the insulation or without special valve insulation boxes. 

The valve's revolutionary design allows for quick inline serviceability with minimal effort and inexpensive equipment for valve dismantling, replacement, and reassembly. 

For more information in New England, contact Piping Specialties. Call 800-223-1468 or visit https://psi-team.com.

Food Industry Batch Level Control

Food Industry Batch Level Control

Many food processing facilities employ batch processes in their production facilities where the operator starts with an empty vessel and create the final product by adding multiple ingredients.

The batch process requires the operator to know the amount of each ingredient added to the blending vessel. Point-level controls speed the process by establishing setpoints at each ingredient fill point,  often accomplished with several level sensors, each detecting one ingredient.

Batch food processing applications are challenging. The sensor must include sanitary fittings and CIP (Cleaned In Place) design. In many cases, the ingredients and final products are dense and sticky, wreaking havoc on some technologies such as mechanical switches and tuning forks. Products in the blending vessel may be thick and could cause damage to fragile sensors. Finally, many batch processes are agitated, causing false tripping due to splashing material. 

As you can tell, proper level sensing technology is critical. Choosing the wrong technology will cause ruined batches, costly downtime, and the possibility of overfilling.

The Drexelbrook Multipoint II offers the best solution for batch process control applications in the food industry.

Drexelbrook, a leading manufacturer of level controls, recommends its RF Admittance Multipoint II. It provides a total solution for the batch processing of food. The RF Admittance Multipoint II is a single sensing element and a single mounting point from the top of the vessel using a sanitary Tri-Clamp fitting and has no moving parts to wear out or get hung up. The Multipoint II sensor is a 3A sanitary designed steel rod with Kynar or TFE insulation developed for CIP procedures. RF Admittance Cote-Shield driven shield circuitry ignores heavy coatings on the sensing element, preventing false alarms. The Multipoint II consists of three independent DPDT relays, and control points are set anywhere along the vertical sensing element.

  • 3A designed sanitary sensing elements
  • No moving parts
  • 3 control points on one vertical sensing element
  • Cote-Shield circuitry eliminates false alarms due to coatings
  • Designed to endure Clean In Place (CIP) demands
For more infomration in New England, contact Piping Specialties / PSI Controls. Call 800-223-1468 or visit https://psi-team.com.

All Stainless Steel Ball Valve and Actuator Systems

All Stainless Steel Ball Valve and Actuator

Ball valves control flow by rotating a spherical ball within the valve, which contains an opening or port, through which liquid can flow when turned to align with the flow direction. When the ball rotates 90 degrees, the port becomes perpendicular to the flow direction, preventing fluid from passing through the valve. Stainless steel construction is advantageous in a flow control ball valve because it is highly corrosion and contaminant resistant, requiring less cleaning and maintenance and often providing a longer service life. 


Stainless steel pneumatic actuators are available in spring return, double acting, fail open, and fail close configurations. A corrosion resistance surface - resistance to most corrosive materials - is one of the advantages of using a stainless steel actuator. The stainless steel pneumatic actuator is excellent for heavy-duty automation, especially in corrosive environments. Stainless steel actuators with a durable stainless steel body manufactured to NAMUR standards continue to perform in the harshest environments. 


Piping Specialties' stainless steel actuated ball valves provide exceptional accuracy and dependability in flow control and open/close operations, critical in manufacturing, chemical, oil & gas, wastewater, processing, and other applications. 


Piping Specialties is committed to providing the most suitable valve for your application. For more information about stainless steel valves, call 800-223-1468 or visit https://psi-team.com.