Cerabar M put to the test

Endress+Hauser UK 22/05/2012

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When Endress+Hauser decided to introduce new hygienic Cerabar pressure sensors for the food & beverage and life science industries, the testing process was designed to ensure that these instruments offered the highest quality and safety standards – because that’s what customers expect from Endress+Hauser.

But bringing a new product to market is never a quick or easy process. It starts with defining what will be required of the instrument and includes validating the first prototypes. In short, every individual element of the project must fit together perfectly. After all, the quality of the final product can only be assured if the R&D process tests the new instrument to its limits.

The new ceramic and metallic Cerabar M instruments were developed specifically for hygienic applications in dairies, breweries and pharmaceutical companies. Through experience and listening to customer’s feedback the company knew that instrument users were facing challenges because process temperatures in the food & beverage and life science industries have increased and cleaning regimes are more intensive than ever. Endress+Hauser also realised that this was an opportunity to develop simpler interfaces and to ensure that all process connections complied with new international certification.

With these principles in mind, the first prototype instruments were constructed with the clear goal of producing perfect and repeatable application performance. Endress+Hauser has recently invested over €500,000 in a new test centre where many practical, real-life situations can be simulated to test new instruments and determine further optimisation potential. Here, our new Cerabar M instruments were put through their paces in a series of tests, including the following:

Test one: Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC)

In the EMC laboratory the performance of the sensors were tested under harsh electromagnetic interference, surges and bursts with voltage interruptions and variations.

RESULT: Cerabar M complies with all relevant requirements of EN61326 and NAMUR.

Test two: Ingress protection

The IP laboratory subjected the sensors to underwater immersion and high pressure and temperature water jets simulating the demanding environments and cleaning regimes employed in hygienic industries.

RESULT: Cerabar M has housing and mounting arrangements giving the ingress protection options ranging from IP64 through to IP68 and even IP69K.

Test three: Condensation chamber

The condensation chamber replicates conditions common in many hygienic applications with

process temperatures of 4°C combined with warm ambient conditions and very high humidity. This checks the instrument will not be vulnerable to condensation accumulating inside the housing that could cause the sensor or electronics to fail.

RESULT: Compliant to DIN EN 60721-3-4 (air temperature -20 to 55°C, relative humidity 4 to 100%).

Test four: Thermal shock

SIP (Steam in Place) cleaning is often employed in the hygienic industries. The thermal shock laboratory tested the Cerabar’s ability to provide accurate measurement whilst the process was cycled over 400 times between cold water and 150°C steam.

RESULT: Suitable for SIP cleaning at temperatures up to 150°C for one hour.

Test five: O-ring testing

In order to ensure that process fluid could not pass the o-ring seals used with the ceramic cell, each seal material option was tested for its sealing integrity over its full temperature and pressure range.

RESULT: Cerabar M can be supplied with Viton, HNBR, EPDM, Kalrez, Flouroprene and VMQ Silcone seals to handle whatever fats, oils or corrosive chemicals are present in the process over a wide temperature range.

Test six: Vibration

Vibration is inevitable in some part of the process on most sites. It’s therefore important to test every new instrument to ensure it can withstand the conditions it will need to function in. Cerabar M was tested in accordance with GL and IEC test standards.

RESULT: Performance is guaranteed in typical process environments.

Field trials

Having successfully completed these rigorous preliminary tests, the two new Cerabar instruments were subject to field trials. Applications were chosen to test them under extreme conditions, including wide temperature variations, condensing conditions and even vibrations.

Only when the field trials were concluded and the quality and reliability of the instruments in real-life applications established were the sensors launched on the open market. This gives customers around the world complete confidence in their Endress+Hauser Cerabar M capacitive pressure sensors.

http://www.uk.endress.com/PMP55
Tel: 0161 286 5000
Email: info@uk.endress.com

Contact Details

Endress+Hauser UK

About us

A strong partner worldwide

Endress+Hauser is a global leader in measurement instrumentation, services and solutions for industrial process engineering. We provide process solutions for flow, level, pressure, analytics, temperature, recording and digital communications, optimising processes in terms of economic efficiency, safety and environmental impact. Our customers come from various industries, including chemical, food & beverage, life sciences, power & energy, primaries & metal, oil & gas and water & wastewater.

Benefits

Net sales of 2.4 billion euros – a strong partner
More than 13,900 employees worldwide – a reliable employer
Equity ratio of 71% – solidly financed
Continuous annual investments of approximately 160 million euros – future-oriented
Nearly 7,800 patents and patent applications – innovative and creative

Where we supply to

UK Ireland, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, South America, North America

Industries we supply to

Automation, Chemicals, Consultants, Components Electronics, Energy and Power, Food and Beverage, Glass Ceramics Cement, Metals and Minerals, OEM, Paper and Pulp, Pharmaceutical Cosmetics Toiletries, Plastics and Rubber, Recycling, Textiles, Tobacco, Water and Wastewater