High Performance Industrial Thermal Mass Flow Meter

Why Thermal?

Sierra's thermal technology delivers direct measurement of gas mass flow. Unlike differential pressure (dP) meters that measure volumetric flow, it’s simpler to make and maintain, and no temperature or pressure corrections are required. dP requires additional calculations to convert volumetric flow to mass flow, the measurement that most often needs to be reported. That reduces accuracy. Thermal has negligible pressure drop or flow restrictions, significantly reducing expense when the full ownership cost is considered.

DigiSense is the state-of-the-art sensor technology used in the TM500. Unlike other thermal flow sensors, it interfaces directly with its microprocessor for greater control, precision, and programmability. DigiSense accurately responds to changes in process variables (gas flow rate, pressure, and temperature) to determine mass flow rate, totalized flow, and temperature.

DigiSense’s correlation algorithms allow the meter to be calibrated on a single gas in the factory while enabling the user to select other gases in the Gas-Mix menu.

Gas-Mix allows users rapid gas selection or mixing in the field from a pre-calibrated list of gases. With an onboard 2-line x 16-character backlit display, operators can view flow rate, total, elapsed time, process gas temperature, and alarms. The display is also used with the configuration panel to access flow meter settings, such as 4-20mA and pulse output scaling, pipe diameter, low flow cutoff, flow filtering (damping), display options, and high or low alarm limits.

Sierra's TM500-View advanced software is a free PC-compatible application available for download from Sierra's website. Connect your Windows-based laptop or PC to the meter using the USB port interface to access meter data and configure the meter’s settings.

• Get quick access to all configuration parameters with pop-up windows and pull-down menus
• View raw data to diagnose or troubleshoot your meter
• Select measurement units, flow and temperature ranges, alarm settings, and more
• Print or save a TM-Cal Calibration Validation Certificate
• Set alarms and display alarm codes
• Use simulation mode to align 4-20mA output with the input to the user’s PLC/DCS

The PowerMass TM500 includes on-board calibration verification through the TM-Cal feature. This diagnostic is automated and does not require any additional equipment or removal of the TM500 from process. TM-Cal takes five minutes to complete and can be initiated via the meter’s display, Modbus RTU, or TM500-View software. When the test is complete, a pass/fail response indicates if the meter requires troubleshooting or recalibration.

Using TM500-View to run TM-Cal results in a calibration validation certificate, it can be printed or saved for compliance with the user’s local regulations and metrology requirements. The certificate includes all relevant information from the test: time and date, meter identification, and pass/fail results.
 

Data Logger with Date/Time Stamp
The PowerMass TM500 comes standard with an integrated data logger. It supports long-term record-keeping, data retention, and diagnostics. These features are critical in emissions reporting, gas studies, gas flow research, and fiscal measurements.
 
The data logs include daily flow totals, alarms, and events.  Rolling daily (24-hour) totals are maintained over a 40-day history, and a configurable contract time and day define the reporting periods. The time- and date–stamped alarm and event history includes entries for power on/off, meter configuration changes,  and calibration verification diagnostics. These features aid troubleshooting and document compliance over a 7-year history.
 
The datalogger is configured via the front panel keypad or supported PC software. Logged data can be accessed via digital communication options or exported through View™ software for further analysis and reporting.
 

Our primary goal at Sierra is to help make your operation smarter and more productive with the precision flow measurement tools we design and build to meet your application, budget, and delivery needs. And with 50 years of expertise, we're always here for you.