Fluid Monitoring Terminal
31.01.07
For almost ten years the Bühler fluid control terminal has been a popular product in the fluid power industries. The manufacturers of hydraulic and lubrication systems appreciate the highly integrated functions, such as, a combined level and temperature control, a filling port, a sample port and a qualified breather filter.
All these functions are designed into a compact unit with flange dimensions of just a standard breather/filler combination. Hence it reduces not only installation costs, but also mounting space and it allows also convenient access to major maintenance points.
The experiences gathered from this unit allow Bühler now to present an innovative product with more functions. The new Fluid Monitoring Terminal integrates not only the above mentioned functions, but also a tank top return line filter with an advanced monitor for the remaining element capacity, and also an automated filling port is available as an option. The basic design of the new terminal allows a flexible adoption to the individual applications.
The unit provides a cast aluminium base plate with an integrated filter head. Three different filter sizes are available: NG 40, 60 or 100 (unit: litres/ min at ß25 and oil with 46 cst). The filter elements are available with retention rates of ß = 6, 10, 16 or 25.
The filter head has three G 1” ports, locating at the 12, 3 and 6 o’clock position and has a G½” port on the top. The 12 o’clock position carries also a fully machined port for an optional cartridge solenoid valve which controls the filling process.
Two sample ports are available to extract oil samples out of the tank. One is equipped with a modified QC coupling and has a suction tube with a certain length. An additional sample port is located in the return line.
The base plate has an interface made according to DIN 24550/T2, which is suitable for standard breather filters. This interface can be mounted with Nivovent 75 variants providing breather filter and level/ temperature controls. A special Nivovent 75 model is to control the cartridge valve in the automated filling process, i.e. an integrated close loop control shuts off the filling port as soon as the level has been reached its maximum limit.
The dirt holding capacity of the filter element is controlled by a newly developed capacity sensor which can be coupled into the return chamber of the filter as an option. The sensor makes green LEDs flash after the power is turned on. The green LEDs stop flickering as soon as the temperature of the returning oil has reached to the operational condition. The sensor is then fully operational and yellow LEDs are lit up if the remaining capacity of the filter element has been reduced to approx. 25%. The red LEDs are turned on if the filter capacity has reached its limit.
During the time that the yellow and the red LED are turned on, the contacts are activated and signal the condition of the filter to a remote main system. These signals are stored until the power supply is shut down or the oil temperature drops below 30°C. The sensor has a self-checking function; deviations will be signalled by the flickering red LEDs plus activated output signal. A transparent cover provides the user with excellent visibility of the signals from any direction.
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