DENSITY METERS

Is calibration required and is it done on site?

Yes, on site calibration is required.  There are two ways of calibrating the Ultimo Density Meter. 1) Onsite sample-free calibration and 2) Onsite Two point Calibration. For details, please refer to our Calibration Options section in the Installation & Operator’s Manual.

Is the Ultimo Density Meter sensitive to solids distribution in a pipe?

No.  The Ultimo Density Meter measures the bulk density of the pipe content in the pipe.  The measurement is made on the material flowing through the section of pipe between the supports.  

Is the Ultimo Density Meter suitable for both liquids and loose solid materials?

Yes, the Ultimo Density Meter was designed to work primarily on slurries but works equally well on liquids and loose solids.     

What effect will coating on the inside wall of the pipe (scaling) have on the accuracy of the Ultimo Density Meter?

It depends on the size of the pipe. It is inversely proportional to the size of the pipe.  The larger the pipe the less effect it will have.  This effect is analogous to 3 inch sch. 40 steel pipe with 0.5 inch rubber liner.  That pipe would have a 5% of the density measurement error if the material buildup is equal to the thickness of the liner. However a 24 inch pipe size with a 0.5 inch liner will produce only 0.17% measurement error. The Ultimo Density Meter is equipped with user friendly calibration curve correction utilities that allow easy scaling correction without the re-calibration.   

What kind of density does the Ultimo Density Meter measure?

The Ultimo Density Meter measures the bulk density of the material inside the pipe 

Can it be used on jacketed pipes?

Yes it can be used on most jacketed pipes as long as the Ultimo Density Meter can have direct contact to the pipe’s exterior wall.

What are the temperature ranges? Is it good for 250°C?

The Ultimo Density Meter works on pipes with process temperature from -40° C (-40° F) to 250° C (482° F)

Is it affected by ambient temperature variations?

No. The Ultimo Density Meter measurement method is not affected by ambient temperature variations.

What are output protocols are available?

4-20 mA with internal or external power supply, RS 485, Modbus on RS 485

What happens if there’s a power failure? Will I have to reset or recalibrate the Ultimo Density Meter after power comes back on?

The Ultimo Density Meter design has Fail Safe functionality, which makes it safe to use in the ON/OFF control mode.  The Ultimo Density Meter does not lose its settings due to power failure. Once power is restored it will continue to work normally. 

Can the Ultimo Density Meter be used for measurement in a multiphase flow?

Yes, it can

Does one Ultimo Density Meter fit all pipe diameters and density ranges or must it be selected based on application?

Unlike Coriolis meters the Ultimo Density Meter is a one size, fits all instrument.  The smallest pipe OD is 3 inches. Our highest tested pipe OD is 36 inches. Typical measurement ranges are: [0 – 60] % solids or [1.0 – 2000.0] g/L, [1000.0 – 2000] g/L.

We are interested in measuring the specific gravity of slurry in the 1.2-1.5 s. g. range. Will the Ultimo Density Meter be able to measure in this range?

Yes, this range or even higher is fine. The widest measurement range we have experienced in the field has been from 0.001 to 2.0 units of s. g. 

Would a partially filled pipe effect the measurement?

The Ultimo Density Meter measures the bulk density. A partially-filled pipe will have a lower bulk density than it would if it were completely filled.  The calibration curve built for the filled pipe may not reflect the partially-filled pipe accurately. However, the trend will be reported.  

What is the measurement accuracy?

It depends on the measurement application. In actual field installations we routinely demonstrate accuracy of less than 1 % solids.

What is the response time of the unit and how often are measurements taken?

Response time is 5 seconds.

Are there any assumptions required on key parameters in order to output the % solids by density measurement? You are assuming a constant value for density of solids and liquids in order to get the % solids? Given that our ore will have some variability in density; will this assumption significantly affect the accuracy of the unit? I suspect this is a limitation inherent in all devices?

Whether or not the ore density affects the accuracy of the % Solids measurement will depend on the standard deviation of the ore density and desired accuracy of the % Solids measurement.

Knowing these two values will allow an easy estimation of possible inaccuracy of the measurement due to the ore density variations. Yes, this is the limitation that any measuring device will have for the conversion of the bulk density into the % Solids.

We suggest that in the case of a significant discrepancy between the ore density value at the time of the last setup activity and the present ore density, the updated value of the ore density should be inputted into the measuring instrument. The Ultimo Density Meter is equipped with both an easy to use interactive wizard and an advanced setup GUI that allows for direct inputting of any setup parameter including the ore density. 

Do we need to train (calibrate) sensor over known density (% of solid) fluid? Can we calibrate at zero fluid velocity on the same range as operational?

The Ultimo density meter allows two onsite calibration procedures: a). Standard 2-pt calibration; b). Sample-free calibration.

It is desirable to perform calibration during normal operation. The fluid velocity per se is not critical for calibration. 

How do ambient vibrations affect the measurement? Does the sensor need to be tuned to a specific background noise? What happens if the background noise changes during the measurement?

By attaching the pipe to its supports in accordance with the Ultimo Application Guide, interference between the ambient and sensor-induced vibrations will be effectively eliminated. The rest will be done by the instrument‘s sophisticated data processing algorithm resulting in accurate and stable density measurement.

Can the pipe layout affect the performance of the Ultimo Density Meter?

No, it cannot if the pipe is attached to the supports in accordance with the recommendations of the Ultimo Application Guide. 

How tolerant is the calibration to small errors in pipe dimensions (e.g. manufacturing tolerances)?

Our meter is not affected at all by small errors in pipe dimensions because the setup algorithm provides for a calibration curve adjustment based on post calibration comparison of the density values produced by our meter with values obtained by physical samples or another meter such as a nuclear meter.  

Can more than two calibration points be used (e.g. a calibration curve from more extensive data)?

This feature is not available on our standard configuration since it is impractical to use this multi-point technique in industrial measurement applications. Instead, our meter is equipped with the post calibration tuning based on a known intermediate point on the calibration curve

Is a one-time connection from a laptop for configuration sufficient, or is an ongoing connection between the device and a PC required? What is the minimum version of Windows required?

A laptop is only used during the initial setup, calibration and tuning phases of the installation process.  The minimum requirement is 4GB of RAM and any version of Windows from XP and higher will work.

What are the power requirements?

The Ultimo Density Meter requires standard 120/240 V AC.

Is the Ultimo Density Meter rated for operating in hazardous locations (i.e. Class I, Div. I or Div. II)?

Not yet. Future versions will meet this need.

Is this technology patented?

Our core technology is patented in several countries and additional method and device patents are pending.

What is the price?

Pricing is established by your local reseller and will vary depending on the level of technical service requested.  However, regardless of the price you pay the Ultimo Density Meter will cost less overall than any other technology since it does not require maintenance, work stoppages or annual licensing fees and government approvals to use.    

How do I get an Ultimo Density Meter for evaluation?

Please check with the Reseller in your area or region.  If there isn’t one yet in your area please contact us to get more information.    

How long will the Ultimo Density Meter last in continuous use before it needs repair or servicing?

The short answer is at least 16 years under 24/7 continuous use.  Here’s why:

We use only one moving part – a pair of 24V solenoids that have a manufacturer’s rated life of  100 million cycles on a short stroke of one-half inch (send and return combined) every 5 seconds. There is virtually no friction and the mass it must push is scant, less than 200 grams.   Based on these factors its expected life span would be 15.8 years running continuously.    

How do I get trained to install setup and use the Ultimo density meter?

There are 2 ways to get trained; by your Reseller or by our remote, hands-on one hour program.  Ask us or your Reseller for details on these training methods.