Flow measurement in ballast tank system on ships

Task

Large ships have a ballast tank system to compensate for different loads, so that the ship is as balanced as possible in water. Water sucked in for ship balancing in one ocean is prohibited to be mixed with other ocean water due to regulations. The IMO (International Marine Organization) states that such systems would kill microbes and small animals, which are sucked in with sea water.

For this purpose, the amount of water sucked in and recirculated must be reliably measured. A big problem is space limitations inside the ship - pipelines of up to 500 mm are typically installed at the vessel wall, making an in-line flowmeters installation impossible. Inlet and outlet straight runs are typically missing,

which makes the use of ultrasound devices very difficult in addition to the onboard sonar that may disturb an ultrasonic measured signal.

Solution

Electromagnetic Insertion Flowmeter PIT from Heinrichs Messtechnik

• The strongest magnetic field in the market, thereby accurate reliable measurements
• Optimised for small inlet and outlet runs
• Small installation length
• Functional at 30 m under water via IP 68 /69 Encapsulation
• The sensor head is sea water resistant - PFA coated with Hastelloy electrodes
• Installation and removal during operation possible
• Low maintenance because recalibration not required
• Ex-usage possible

The measuring system complies with the international marine guidelines and has the necessary approvals.