LEV Fume Flow

Overview

A process manufacturing site required flow measurement directly at an LEV extraction point handling a non-clean fume stream.

The challenge

The extracted media could contain vapour, aerosol, particulate and material that changed phase as it cooled, creating a significant fouling risk.

• Assess whether material could solidify at the sensor location.
• Consider fibrous or deposit-forming contaminants.
• Review operation at approximately 750 mbar absolute.
• Account for hazardous-area and maintenance requirements.

Our solution

Quality Lab Solutions treated the duty as a process measurement application rather than a standard clean-air ventilation measurement.

• Reviewed media composition and expected phase behaviour.
• Compared differential-pressure and thermal measurement approaches.
• Considered access for inspection and cleaning.
• Recommended a measurement approach suitable for the actual extraction conditions.

Results

The assessment defined a viable measurement strategy at the extraction point while identifying fouling, reduced-pressure operation and media phase change as the controlling design factors.

Customer benefits

The customer received a technically grounded recommendation before committing to instrumentation for a difficult, non-clean duty.

• Reduced risk of selecting a sensor intended only for clean air.
• Better allowance for fouling and maintenance.
• Clearer comparison of available flow technologies.
• Improved confidence in long-term measurement reliability.