KROHNE wins prestigious Queen's Award for Innovation

Flow and level measurement specialist KROHNE Ltd has been awarded the coveted Queen?s Award for Enterprise: Innovation 2005, an honour which recognises the company?s achievements in developing its technically advanced OPTIMASS Coriolis mass flowmeter.

KROHNE developed the world?s first Coriolis mass flowmeter with a single, straight-tube design.  The OPTIMASS was launched in 2002 incorporating this innovative development.  The instrument overcomes many of the constraints traditionally associated with Coriolis flowmeters and has proved highly successful across a broad range of industries.

Production at KROHNE?s Wellingborough-based state-of-the-art manufacturing and test facility has more than doubled to cope with increased global demand for the product and a number of new jobs have been created.  The company now exports nearly 90 per cent of the OPTIMASS instruments it manufactures to industries as diverse as food, pharmaceutical, chemical, oil and gas, steel and mining.

Previously flowmeters using Coriolis technology had convoluted tube designs that restricted the flow of materials passing through the instrument.  This could lead to production downtime caused by fouling or blockages.  These designs were also much less durable because particles would strike the wall of the tube as they travelled around bends and therefore accelerate wear.

KROHNE?s OPTIMASS overcomes all these traditional problems.  Its straight-tube design will not restrict the flow of materials passing through it and particles pass directly through the tube without colliding with the walls.  The result is much improved performance and reliability and an instrument which can be used for high and low viscosity applications.

The OPTIMASS can also reduce operational costs.  Previously the design of flowmeters would result in a pressure drop across the instrument.  This meant that pumps would have to work harder to maintain pressure levels therefore increasing power consumption.  The OPTIMASS? straight-tube design introduces minimal pressure drop.

The capability of the OPTIMASS is further enhanced with KROHNE?s adaptive sensor technology (AST) which adapts each meter independently of external forces and fluid density.  The combination of these two technologies has resulted in an instrument that is inherently balanced and reliable in all operating conditions.

?Winning the Queen?s Award is a tremendous achievement,? said Trevor Fawcett, managing director of KROHNE Ltd.  ?It recognises the immense skill and capability staff at KROHNE has in designing and manufacturing world class products.

?It positions us as one of the top performing businesses in the UK.?

The OPTIMASS single, straight tube mass flowmeter is available in a range of seven sizes, which can measure from 16 kg/min to 9,300 kg/min.  Wetted parts of the instrument can be manufactured from titanium, stainless steel or Hastelloy® and each unit is made in accordance with relevant industry standards, such as the European Pressure Equipment Directives (PED) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

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