Multipoint Temperature
Multipoint Temperature
measurement
Multipoint
temperature measurements
Temperature Specialists
About us
Alexander Wiegand,
Chairman and CEO WIKA
As a family-run business acting globally, with over 7,900 With manufacturing locations around the globe, WIKA
highly qualified employees, the WIKA group of companies ensures flexibility and the highest delivery performance.
is a worldwide leader in pressure and temperature Every year, over 50 million quality products, both standard
measurement. The company also sets the standard in the and customer-specific solutions, are delivered in batches
measurement of level and flow, and in calibration technology. of 1 to over 10,000 units. With numerous wholly-owned
Founded in 1946, WIKA is today a strong and reliable subsidiaries and partners, WIKA competently and reliably
partner for all the requirements of industrial measurement supports its customers worldwide. Our experienced
technology, thanks to a broad portfolio of high-precision engineers and sales experts are your competent and
instruments and comprehensive services. dependable contacts locally.
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Contents
Introduction 4
Applications 5
Installation services 13
3
Introduction
In the petrochemical industry, there is an increasing need There is a high relevance that the temperature measurement
to determine temperature profiles accurately in demanding with multipoints is professionally designed and implemented.
applications. This sector of industry is more and more Careful selection and design of multipoints, satisfying the
confronted with higher legal regulations, increased specific requirements, enables an
competition and the need to operate older plants more
efficiently. A profitable operation often needs to maximise Optimisation of the productivity
production and extend the time between planned Extension of the catalyst´s service life
maintenance activities. An increasing flexibility with respect Enhancement of operational safety
to new process methods and catalysts is becoming more and Decrease in maintenance costs
more important, as this often gives significant differences in: Increase in production
Improvement of product quality
Operating conditions
Reactor designs
Process parameters
Mechanical loading
Reactivity of the catalyst
Diesel
Multipoints for/with pipewell hydrotreater
purging Hydrocracker
4
Applications
5
Radial multipoints
Flex-R®
By measuring the temperature profiles, the plant operator Safety features: Secondary containment, safety
receives valuable data that will give him a better idea transitions and repairability to ensure that, when a
of exactly what processes are occurring in the reactor. thermometer is damaged, no significant downtime or
With these profiles, hotspots, channeling and distribution process loss occurs.
problems can be better recognised. Minimising the installation costs by matching to the
Short response times (4 ... 8 seconds) deliver fast existing nozzles during retrofitting.
information about changes in the process.
The solutions specifically developed by experienced
engineers, installation technicians and industry experts
ensure that the installation and routing of the radial
elements has the lowest possible influence on the
function of the catalyst.
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Radial TapTM
Thermometers of the Radial TapTM range consist of
Flex-R® thermocouples, which can be fixed to reactors
without flange connections through specially developed
couplings.
WIKA/Gayesco offers both the conventional Radial
TapTM and also the Radial TapTM Nex Gen designs.
Radial TapTM Nex Gen allows for less installation welding
in the field.
Design considerations
In the event that a thermocouple is damaged during All of our installation supervisors have an average of
corrective maintenance of the plant, WIKA/Gayesco 10 years of professional experience and have at least
is in a position to offer a quick and cost-effective 2,500 hours served in the installation of temperature
solution so that stocking of complete systems is measuring instruments.
avoided. While some suppliers employ duplex thermocouples
Calibration of the thermocouples within the process to ensure redundancy - however, without specifying
corresponds to common engineering practice. these in greater detail - WIKA/Gayesco offer around
WIKA/Gayesco offers you on-site calibration 50 % higher redundancy. We ensure this for you
of the actual measuring points of the installed through design optimised for your application and
thermocouples, and not just a sample. installation of the thermocouples in the reactor in
As standard, we perform hydrostatic pressure tests accordance with best engineering practice.
on the wetted and pressurised components. In WIKA/Gayesco work closely with all major licensors
addition to these standard pressure tests, we also and can help you to meet the requirements directly in
offer a pneumatic pressure test of the secondary the most cost-effective way possible, while ensuring
containment as a safety test. the longest possible service life for your production
The WIKA/Gayesco service can include turnkey units.
installation by our own service team, or one of our
installation supervisors can actively support you with
your own installation every step of the way.
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Multipoints for fitting in pipewells
8
Flex-O™ with bimetal spring loading, optional with purging
The flexible design enables much easier and cost- Installation in third-party pipewells is easily possible.
effective transport. Because of the design of the Flex-O™, special pipewells
Due to the flexible construction, for installation, there is no with internal guide tubes are not required.
need for cranes at double the reactor height and also the Special spacers reduce friction and thus make the
insertion into bent pipewells is simplified. insertion and removal of the multipoint easier.
Patented purge tube design can purge water and other
contamination from the pipewell.
The Flex-O™ design features special bimetal spring
loading that contacts the inside of the pipewell on heating,
ensuring the direct contact of the measuring point with the
pipewell. This contact and the lower mass of metal in this
design ensures a short response time.
The enhancement of the Flex-O™ multipoint has The purge can either be carried out once on start-up
been complemented by a purge tube to prevent or continuously, should there be a risk of hydrogen
failure of the thermocouple sheath through chloride- diffusion that could lead to a pressure build-up in the
induced stress corrosion cracking. pipewell.
The purge tube enables the flushing of
contaminants, such as chloride-laden vapour in
cooling towers, from the pipewell, thus preventing
problems such as chloride-induced stress corrosion
cracking and corrosion from deposits (contact
corrosion).
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Application-specific multipoints
T-beam
This is a traditional pipewell/multipoint assembly with a The enhanced WIKA/Gayesco design features a
T-beam which is additionally anchored to the opposing secondary containment and optimised thermocouples
wall of the reactor for support. and can be fitted with up to 11 measuring points.
The basic design is with three thermowells holding small-
diameter thermocouples. This construction enables their
replacement during plant operation.
The multipoint assemblies must be removed and then
reinstalled with each catalyst replacement.
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Miniature multipoints
In principle, miniature multipoints are made from individual measuring probes with low diameters, which measure the
temperature at different positions or heights. Each individual probe is protected with a sheath from either stainless steel or
a special alloy. The individual thermocouples can be combined within a single thermowell. This design is used where the
generation of a temperature profile is required, but the weight or size of the multipoint is limited. These designs are available in
a number of variants.
Point 1
Point 2
Point 3
Point 4
Point 5
Point 6
Point 7
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Multipoints for fitting in pipewells
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Installation services
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Non-destructive testing
requirements
Our multipoints can be tested in accordance with globally Pressure and stability tests
accepted standards and norms through a wide range of non- The hydrostatic pressure test is a pressure and stability test
destructive testing. The following tests are examples of this. of the components of, for example, a thermowell to ASME
Customised testing for compliance with specific regulatory Section XIII Division 1 Section UG-99 or AD 2000 code
requirements can be requested as part of an individualised of practice HP30. For the test, the product to be tested is
inspection and test plan. clamped into a testing device and subjected to a defined test
pressure at room temperature for a certain period of time
(e.g. 3 min.). In general, a distinction is made between the
outside and inside pressure test. A typical pressure is 1.5
NDE or NDT times the nominal pressure of the flange as outside pressure
NDE/NDT are abbreviations for “Non-Destructive or 500 bar as inside pressure.
Examination”/“Non-Destructive Testing”. The abbreviations
NDE or NDT stand for “Non-Destructive Examination” or Pressure tests for Gayesco Flex-R® multipoint assemblies
“Non-Destructive Testing”, respectively. This is generally include a hydrostatic pressure test of all wetted parts, which
used to refer to non-destructive inspections or tests on is carried out in compliance with the requirements of the
components. relevant standard. To carry out this test, the multipoint is
inserted into a test chamber and the entire length of the
thermocouples, including the primary seal, is tested. The
Liquid penetrant inspection secondary containment of the Gayesco Flex-R® multipoint
With the penetrant inspection in accordance with SNT-TC-1A assembly is subjected to an additional pneumatic test in
or DIN EN 571-1, fine surface cracks and porosities in weld order to ensure the functional safety.
seams can be made visible. After cleaning the surface to be
inspected, a contrast agent (red or fluorescent) is sprayed
on. Through the capillary effect, this agent penetrates any Helium leak test
surface defects there might be. After re-cleaning the surface, For leak testing in accordance with DIN EN 1779 (1999)/
a developer (white) is then sprayed on, which extracts the EN 13185, helium 4.6 is used as a test gas. The test is able
contrast agent (from any hairline cracks, etc.) and through to detect minimal leakage rates and is considered the most
colour contrast, enables an easy evaluation of the defects. sensitive test method for leak testing. In general, one should
distinguish between an integral and local test method. In
the integral test, leak rates (e.g. 1x10-7 mbar * l/s) can be
X-ray testing determined, while the local testing enables the location
Through an X-ray test to EN 1435 or ASME Section V, Article 2, of the leak to be determined using a spray probe. After
Edition 2004, for example, full penetration welds on thermo- passing a helium leak test, the thermowell is marked with a
wells can be investigated with respect to irregularities corresponding sticker.
(cracks, voids, insufficient bonding). Here, depending on the
dimensions of the thermowell, up to five X-ray images may
be necessary to determine irregularities with sizes < 0.5 mm
in the full-penetration weld. An X-ray examination can also
be used to record the bore centrality in solid body material
thermowells. For this purpose, two images of the thermowell
tip at 90° to each other are required. X-ray testing specific to
Gayesco Flex-R® multipoint assemblies will also include the
X-ray of each individual measuring point (hot junction). The
films generated are kept and can be requested as required.
On all pressure-loaded weld seams whose geometry enables
an X-ray test this will be carried out as standard testing.
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Ultrasonic test 3.1 material inspection certificate
Through an ultrasonic test in accordance with DIN EN Confirmation of the materials used for the manufacturing.
ISO 17640, for example, full penetration weld seams on The project documentation can have the 3.1 inspection
thermowells can be investigated with respect to irregularities certificates in accordance with DIN EN 10204 added,
(cracks, voids, insufficient bonding). For this, the reflections which declare the chemical composition and the status of
of a radiated ultrasound signal are measured at the interfaces the semifinished products which have been used in the
of irregularities. To determine the position of the irregularities, manufacture of the multipoint assemblies. These certificates
the ultrasonic device is adjusted beforehand by means of can be used in conjunction with the PMI test reports to verify
a reference body. The ultrasonic test can also be used to the use of the correct materials.
measure the wall thicknesses of a thermowell from solid body
material to determine the bore centrality.
Calibration
Confirmation of the compliance of the tolerance of the
Positive material identification test (PMI) thermocouples of each individual sensor by comparing
The PMI (positive material identification) test proves with a known temperature. The MI cable of the multipoint
which alloy constituents exist in the material. There are is calibrated by random-sample calibration in accordance
various common test procedures. With optical emission with the industry standards of the MI cable manufacturers.
spectroscopy (OES) in accordance with DIN 51008-1 and -2, The individual thermocouples of the WIKA/Gayesco Flex-R®
an arc is generated between the thermowell surface and multipoint assembly are calibrated after manufacturing at
the test equipment, and the spectrum of this arc enables an exactly known temperature and the values are specified
the alloy’s elements to be identified – both qualitatively and in the project documentation. Additionally, WIKA/Gayesco
quantitatively. This process does leave a characteristic burn customer services can provide an “in situ” verification
mark on the workpiece. A test procedure which doesn’t of Flex-R® thermocouples after installation or during
damage the surface is the X-ray analysis in accordance with subsequent maintenance outages when access to the
DIN 51001; during the X-ray the atoms of the thermowell thermocouples is available.
material are energised until they radiate themselves. The
wavelength and intensity of the emitted radiation is in turn
a measure of the alloy’s constituent elements and their Magnetic particle inspection (MPI)
concentration. After passing a positive material identification Confirmation that no surface defects are found in the weld
test (PMI), the thermowell is marked with “PMI”. seams for ferromagnetic materials (e.g. carbon steels such
as A105).
Bending stress
Vessel loading
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WIKA worldwide
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14096352 07/2014 GB