Flowtherm Ex, a New Handheld Device to Monitor Explosive Atmospheres

Höntzsch’s latest development is flowtherm Ex, a multifunctional handheld unit with data logger for measuring flow rate, flow velocity, temperature, pressure, and other variables in hazardous areas. Designed with safety standards in mind, flowtherm Ex incorporates a number of connectable sensors, such as vane wheel, vortex, thermal, Pt100, and other physical sensor with analog output, thereby allowing a range of applications.

Measuring can be carried out and displayed with up to three sensors simultaneously. The data logger offers storage space for 40,000 values, including date and time, and up to 100 different user profiles or measuring points. Users can choose to have instantaneous value measurement or diverse long-term measuring modes. The unit can be configured easily using the USB interface and the stored data can be transmitted to a computer in the same way.

The flowtherm Ex has the following inputs: Höntzsch flow sensors (FA, TA, VA), Pt100 (2-, 3-, 4-wire technique), 4-20 mA and 0-10 V. A power supply for Pt100 sensors as well as for non-Höntzsch sensors with 4-20 mA or 0-10 V output is available. Power supply is through standard AA batteries in hazardous areas or via the integrated USB connection outside the hazardous area.

Measuring applications with the flowtherm Ex include: gas mass flow and flow rate in air, exhaust air, process gases, particle and condensate laden emissions, vehicle exhaust emissions, in aggressive gases with high working temperatures and, most importantly, in the hazardous area Zone 1. The unit has been ATEX-approved for potentially explosive atmospheres: II 2G Ex ib IIC T4.

Source: Höntzsch, Hall 11.1, Stand C76