This new platform for the company’s surface sensing temperature measurement solution takes its place alongside the original WirelessHART X-well technology to make this nonintrusive temperature sensing technology available to users in conventional wired I/O environments. This expands potential application possibilities in plants and facilities where wired networks are already installed, or where WirelessHART has not yet been deployed. Other users have found it to be a useful replacement for difficult thermowell installations, which often have a wired connection already available and can be reused with the wired version of X-well. The technology works by measuring the pipe surface temperature and ambient temperature, and combining this information with an understanding of the thermal conductivity properties of the installation and process piping to produce an accurate process temperature measurement. A major advantage is accurate process temperature measurement without requiring any intrusions or penetrations into the process, allowing for quicker and easier installation along with simplified long-term maintenance. Users do not have to design, size or maintain thermowells. Wake frequency calculations are eliminated, as well as time spent determining material compatibility, the right insertion length and the necessary profile. Applications that can benefit include pipelines, small line sizes, high velocity flows, slurries, heavy particulate fluids, wellheads, clean-in-place processes, high viscosity fluids and harsh processes in the oil & gas, chemical, refining, food and beverage, metals and mining, pulp and paper, and other industries.
