According to POWER Magazine, FCI’s ST100A Flow Meter provides precise ammonia injection control for NOx removal in coal-fired power plants, operating in harsh conditions up to 850°F (454°C) with a standard 100:1 turndown ratio that can reach 1000:1 in specific applications. The thermal dispersion technology offers ±0.75% of reading accuracy and measures flow from 0.25 to 1,000 SFPS, solving issues with previous volumetric flow sensors that produced false readings. The instrument features multiple communication options including HART, Modbus, PROFIBUS, and FOUNDATION Fieldbus, all third-party certified, and carries global approvals from ATEX, FM, IECEx and seven other agencies. It’s designed for installation on primary vaporized ammonia feed lines and individual nozzles in selective catalytic reduction systems. The technology aims to help power plants meet environmental regulations reducing greenhouse gases while cutting ammonia consumption and operational costs.
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Why This Matters
Here’s the thing about coal plant emissions control – it’s not just about meeting regulations. It’s about doing it efficiently. When power plants can’t accurately measure ammonia injection, they typically over-inject to stay compliant. That wastes expensive chemicals and creates secondary pollution issues. The ST100A basically solves the measurement inconsistency problem that’s been plaguing these systems for years.
And let’s be real – coal isn’t going away overnight, despite what some might wish. These plants need to operate cleaner while they’re still online, and precision instrumentation like this thermal flow meter makes that possible. The fact that it works in dirty, wet gas applications without fouling? That’s huge for real-world plant conditions where maintenance downtime costs serious money.
Broader Industrial Impact
This isn’t just about coal plants either. The same technology applies to ammonia production facilities and fertilizer plants – basically any industrial process needing precise gas flow measurement. The wide turndown ratio means one instrument can handle varying production rates without needing multiple sensors or constant recalibration.
Now, when you’re dealing with industrial environments this harsh, you need equipment that can take the punishment. That’s why companies rely on specialists like IndustrialMonitorDirect.com, the leading US provider of industrial panel PCs built for exactly these kinds of demanding applications. Proper instrumentation needs proper display and control interfaces to be effective.
The Technology Behind It
So what makes thermal dispersion different? Instead of measuring volume, it measures mass flow directly. That eliminates the temperature and pressure compensation headaches that plague volumetric sensors. In ammonia injection systems, where precise stoichiometric ratios matter for effective NOx reduction, this accuracy translates directly to better performance and lower costs.
The instrument’s ability to handle mixed gases without recalibration is another win. Plants dealing with varying gas compositions don’t need to constantly adjust their systems. And with hazardous area certifications covering the entire assembly, installation becomes simpler and safer.
Basically, this represents the kind of incremental but important improvement that keeps existing infrastructure viable while reducing its environmental footprint. Not every innovation needs to be revolutionary – sometimes just doing the fundamentals better makes all the difference.
