Abstract: A thermal mass flowmeter with a metal-encapsulated sensor system is provided. The sensor system included at least one heating resistor having a platelet geometry, and a sensor cap surrounding the at least one heating resistor. At least one distal end area of the sensor cap is formed with a flat rectangular cross section corresponding to the platelet geometry of the heating resistor, such that the distal end area of the sensor cap surrounds the heating resistor closely with an accurate fit (e.g., with a predetermined gap therebetween).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for diagnosis of a flowmeter are disclosed. The method includes thermally coupling a first sensor unit of the flowmeter to a fluid and thermally coupling a second sensor unit of the flowmeter to the fluid. The method also includes actively heating or cooling the first sensor unit by applying power to the first sensor unit such that its temperature is different from the temperature of the fluid, and simultaneously actively heating or cooling the second sensor unit by applying power to the second sensor unit such that its temperature is different from the temperature of the fluid, and typically from the temperature of the first sensor.

Abstract: A method and valve arrangement are provided for controlling the flow of a process medium through a pipeline. A pneumatic actuator moves a valve element, which is accommodated in a valve housing, and switches the flow of the process medium, in accordance with a positioning control system by means of a control piston, to at least one side of which control pressure is applied in a drive chamber. An electronic evaluation unit connected to the positioning control system monitors the operating state. A pressure sensor measures the pressure in the drive chamber, and the evaluation unit analyzes the measured pressure value with respect to a pressure p and the pressure change dp(t) over time to determine the flow into/from the drive chamber and/or the ratio (V/A) of the drive chamber volume to the effective opening cross section of the valve arrangement as a measure of the operating state of the valve arrangement.

Abstract: A method and a valve arrangement are provided for electronic wear state determination of the valve arrangement for controlling a process medium flow. A valve element, which is arranged so as to move axially within a valve housing, is moved via electrically drivable linear drive means on the basis of positioning regulation. The valve element has an essentially constant drive force applied to it, and a position speed profile over the switching travel of the valve element is determined by detecting the speed as a function of the current position of the valve element. A change profile is created by comparing the determined speed profile with previous position speed profiles, as a measure of the position-dependent wear state of the valve mechanism.

Abstract: A method for sensor operating-state determination of a valve arrangement to control a process medium flow through a pipeline having a valve element, arranged such that it can move axially within a valve housing via a pneumatic actuating drive by application of control pressure, with the control pressure being measured and evaluated in order to determine the sliding friction during the movement. The valve element can be moved at a constant speed over at least a subarea of the travel movement, the value of which speed is measured via a position sensor system for signal processing, with the currently applied control pressure being measured at approximately the same time for signal processing via a pressure sensor system. The current sliding friction of the valve element can be determined as a measure of wear state from both measured values, by an electronic evaluation unit, based on a proportional drive force expressed by the control pressure which occurs when the valve element is traveling at a constant speed.

Abstract: A temperature sensor is disclosed as having a resistance thermocouple, accommodated in a sensor housing, for detecting a process temperature. The thermocouple can be connected via a multipole electric line to an electronic temperature transmitter for measured-value conditioning, the resistance thermocouple being equipped for in-situ calibration with a Johnson noise thermometer for determination of a reference temperature.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for detecting the drive type of an actuator, e.g., a pneumatic actuator, having a positioner for operating a final control element in a process engineering plant. The actuator is connected to the positioner by a mounting set, the positioner comprising an electronic control unit, which uses a microcontroller to receive one or more input signals, and to output actuating signals to control the flow of gas to or from the chambers of a single-acting or double-acting pneumatic drive. The position feedback sensors are equipped with a rotational measuring system. During commissioning of the actuator, the relationship between the drive volumes and the position signal is found and compared with transfer characteristics of known drive types. Where there is a match between the transfer characteristic defined by the value pairs of the given actuator and one of the transfer characteristics of the known drive types, the identified drive type is assigned to the given actuator.

Abstract: A measurement device and method for diagnosing noise in fluidic systems. A microphone, which is arranged at least partially in the area of the flow medium, compensates for pressure surges in the flow medium. The microphone receives the noise via a membrane and converts it to an electrical signal for evaluation of the noise source by an electronic diagnosis unit. To compensate for pressure surges in the flow medium, the membrane of the microphone is arranged in a housing, which is open on both sides of the membrane and whose two openings have pressure applied to them by the flow medium as a sound source, with at least one of the two openings being provided, in order to detect noise, with filter means for attenuation and/or time delay of frequencies which are in an expected noise spectrum, while the filter means allows lower frequencies produced by the pressure fluctuations in the flow medium to pass through.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method and an arrangement for diagnosis of a final control element, which is actuated by a pneumatically operated actuating mechanism under the control of a control device, and which emits acoustic signals during conventional use. It is proposed to detect acoustic signals fed back into the pneumatic system of the actuating mechanism, and to derive from them the status data of the final control element. For this purpose, an acoustic sensor is arranged in the pneumatic-fluid supply line of the actuating mechanism, with the acoustic sensor being electrically connected to an analysis device. A pressure sensor is used as the acoustic sensor.

Abstract: A thermal mass flowmeter with a metal-encapsulated sensor system is provided. The sensor system included at least one heating resistor having a platelet geometry, and a sensor cap surrounding the at least one heating resistor. At least one distal end area of the sensor cap is formed with a flat rectangular cross section corresponding to the platelet geometry of the heating resistor, such that the distal end area of the sensor cap surrounds the heating resistor closely with an accurate fit (e.g., with a predetermined gap therebetween).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for diagnosis of a flowmeter are disclosed. The method includes thermally coupling a first sensor unit of the flowmeter to a fluid and thermally coupling a second sensor unit of the flowmeter to the fluid. The method also includes actively heating or cooling the first sensor unit by applying power to the first sensor unit such that its temperature is different from the temperature of the fluid, and simultaneously actively heating or cooling the second sensor unit by applying power to the second sensor unit such that its temperature is different from the temperature of the fluid, and typically from the temperature of the first sensor.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a control device for a pneumatically operated actuator in the field of process automation, in particular for continuous control of material flows in the industrial environment. The control device has a communications interface for receiving an electrical setpoint value, and an output for the output of a pneumatic fluid, whose pressure is varied as a function of a control deviation. The received electrical setpoint value is suitable as a process parameter. The control device is connected via a communications channel to an actual-value encoder, which is designed to output an electrical signal corresponding to the actual value of the same process parameter.

Abstract: A method is provided for determining the electronic wear state of a valve arrangement for controlling a process medium flow. A valve element is arranged to move axially within a valve housing, is reset by a spring, and is moved by application of control pressure via an I/P converter. The I/P converter ensures a constant opening cross section at least over a portion of the switching stroke, in the case of which the time at which various positions of the valve element along the ventilating and/or venting distance are reached is determined by means of a position sensor system, and this time is used to mathematically derive the speeds of the valve element prevailing at these positions by means of an evaluation unit. The change profile of the speeds represents a measure of the wear state of the valve mechanism.

Abstract: A method and a valve arrangement are provided for electronic wear state determination of the valve arrangement for controlling a process medium flow. A valve element, which is arranged so as to move axially within a valve housing, is moved via electrically drivable linear drive means on the basis of positioning regulation. The valve element has an essentially constant drive force applied to it, and a position speed profile over the switching travel of the valve element is determined by detecting the speed as a function of the current position of the valve element. A change profile is created by comparing the determined speed profile with previous position speed profiles, as a measure of the position-dependent wear state of the valve mechanism.

Abstract: A measurement device and method for diagnosing noise in fluidic systems. A microphone, which is arranged at least partially in the area of the flow medium, compensates for pressure surges in the flow medium. The microphone receives the noise via a membrane and converts it to an electrical signal for evaluation of the noise source by an electronic diagnosis unit. To compensate for pressure surges in the flow medium, the membrane of the microphone is arranged in a housing, which is open on both sides of the membrane and whose two openings have pressure applied to them by the flow medium as a sound source, with at least one of the two openings being provided, in order to detect noise, with filter means for attenuation and/or time delay of frequencies which are in an expected noise spectrum, while the filter means allows lower frequencies produced by the pressure fluctuations in the flow medium to pass through.

Abstract: A method and a valve arrangement are disclosed for pressure-sensor diagnosis of an operating state of a valve arrangement for controlling a process medium flow, in which a valve element, which is arranged such that it can move axially within a valve housing, is moved by application of control pressure, with the control pressure being determined in the starting and/or stopped phase of the valve element in order to determine static friction. A pressure rise value of control pressure required to start movement of the valve element is measured repeatedly and successively after the movement of the valve element has been stopped. The measured pressure rise values are temporarily stored in a memory unit. A diagnosis unit accesses the pressure rise values in order to determine a probable influence of the static friction on the movement of the valve element, by statistical analysis.

Abstract: A method for sensor operating-state determination of a valve arrangement to control a process medium flow through a pipeline having a valve element, arranged such that it can move axially within a valve housing via a pneumatic actuating drive by application of control pressure, with the control pressure being measured and evaluated in order to determine the sliding friction during the movement. The valve element can be moved at a constant speed over at least a subarea of the travel movement, the value of which speed is measured via a position sensor system for signal processing, with the currently applied control pressure being measured at approximately the same time for signal processing via a pressure sensor system. The current sliding friction of the valve element can be determined as a measure of wear state from both measured values, by an electronic evaluation unit, based on a proportional drive force expressed by the control pressure which occurs when the valve element is traveling at a constant speed.

Abstract: A method and valve arrangement are provided for controlling the flow of a process medium through a pipeline. A pneumatic actuator moves a valve element, which is accommodated in a valve housing, and switches the flow of the process medium, in accordance with a positioning control system by means of a control piston, to at least one side of which control pressure is applied in a drive chamber. An electronic evaluation unit connected to the positioning control system monitors the operating state. A pressure sensor measures the pressure in the drive chamber, and the evaluation unit analyzes the measured pressure value with respect to a pressure p and the pressure change dp(t) over time to determine the flow into/from the drive chamber and/or the ratio (V/A) of the drive chamber volume to the effective opening cross section of the valve arrangement as a measure of the operating state of the valve arrangement.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a thermal mass flow meter for determining a material flow through a vessel. In this case, a heating element is mounted on a holder which is immersed into a vessel with a flowing medium. It is suggested that the holder is subdivided into two zones of differing thermal conductivity, the holder substantially having a high thermal conductivity adjoined by a short zone of low thermal conductivity in which the heating element is arranged.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a thermal mass flow meter for determining a material flow through a vessel. The mass flow meter has at least two measuring elements immersed into a vessel with a flowing medium, with one of the measuring elements being heated. It is proposed that the heated measuring element is arranged in front of the unheated measuring element in the flow direction of the medium for at least part of the time, and for part of the time the unheated measuring element is arranged in front of the heated measuring element.