Water control and monitoring system uses plug-in 'Sensor Cubes'

The Type 8905 uses novel Sensor Cubes specific to the parameter being measured. These are plugged directly into the main unit without the need for further wiring, I/O or programming integration. They are plugged directly into the controller’s backplane, which connects the sensors to the power supply, internal serial bus and fluidic connections.

Each cube, irrespective of its capabilities, has the same dimensions and connections and can be plugged in, or removed, from the unit while it is operational, thus providing a hot-swap facility.

Currently there are five sensor cubes available which can measure pH, oxidation reduction potential (ORP), conductivity, free chlorine and turbidity. The design of this system allows the customer to start with an initial set of parameters under analysis that can be added to at any point without affecting the existing system. When a new sensor cube is plugged into a free slot, it registers with the system and makes its features available to all of the other modules present in the system.

Each sensor cube contains all the required data for operating the menus, configurations and its specific functions, all of which has been made possible through the use of Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems or MEMS that has allowed the necessary sensing systems to be miniaturised.

Settings and status can be accessed via a 7in touch screen display, while USB, Ethernet and fieldbus connectivity offer easy integration and flexible communications options.

For applications where multiple water flows need to be analysed, it is possible to link up to 30 analysis Sensor Cubes and combine their operational controls to a single touch-screen display.

multiCELL Type 8619
Also new from Burkert is a modular, multi-channel local controller that is capable of operating with a wide range of sensors and process I/O. The multiCELL Type 8619 includes both the original panel mount version and the latest external version that offers ingress protection up to IP67 as well as accepting ac power supplies.

Bürkert's multiCELL transmitter/controller is designed to cut process automation costs in a variety of applications; providing one device for the direct connection of a wide range of sensors to measure and process data such as flow rate, pH, ORP, chlorine, temperature and conductivity simultaneously. In addition, the versatile multiCELL can also be configured as a multipoint data logger with data storage on SD cards.