Pulsar Measurement FlowPulse Product Manual

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FlowPulse

Instruction Manual

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PULSAR MEASUREMENT

FLOWPULSE (FOURTH EDITION REV 1)

February 2021 Part Number M-560-0-004-1P

© Pulsar Measurement, 2012-20. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system, or translated into any language in any form without the written permission of Pulsar Process Measurement Limited.

WARRANTY AND LIABILITY

Pulsar Process Measurement Limited guarantee for a period of 2 years from the date of delivery that it will either exchange or repair any part of this product returned to Pulsar Process Measurement Limited if it is found to be defective in material or workmanship, subject to the defect not being due to unfair wear and tear, misuse, modification or alteration, accident, misapplication, or negligence.

DISCLAIMER

Pulsar Measurement neither gives nor implies any process guarantee for this product and shall have no liability in respect of any loss, injury or damage whatsoever arising out of the application or use of any product or circuit described herein.

Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of this documentation, but Pulsar Measurement cannot be held liable for any errors.

Pulsar Measurement operates a policy of constant development and improvement and reserves the right to amend technical details, as necessary.

The FlowPulse shown on the cover of this manual is used for illustrative purposes only and may not be representative of the actual FlowPulse supplied.

CONTACT

For technical support, please contact: Europe: supporteurope@pulsarmeasurement.com

Outside Europe: supportnorthamerica@pulsarmeasurement.com If you have any comments or suggestions about this product, please contact: Europe: europe@pulsarmeasurement.com Outside Europe: northamerica@pulsarmeasurement.com Pulsar Measurement website: www.pulsarmeasurement.com

United States

11451 Belcher Road South Largo, FL 33773 888-473-9546

Canada

16456 Sixsmith Drive Long Sault, Ont. K0C 1P0 855-300-9151

United Kingdom

Cardinal Building, Enigma Commercial Centre

Sandy’s Road, Malvern

WR14 1JJ 00 44 (0)1684 891371

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CONTENTS

Contents ....................................................................................................................................... 4

Chapter 1: Start Here… ........................................................................................................... 7

About this Manual ............................................................................................................... 7

About the Pulsar FlowPulse ............................................................................................. 8

Functional Description ....................................................................................................... 9

Product Specification ....................................................................................................... 10

EU Declaration of Conformity ...................................................................................... 12

Chapter 2 Installation ........................................................................................................... 13

Unpacking ............................................................................................................................ 13

Power Supply Requirements......................................................................................... 13

Dimensions .......................................................................................................................... 14

Terminal Connection Detail .......................................................................................... 14

FlowPulse IP68 .................................................................................................................... 15

Wiring .................................................................................................................................... 15

Terminal Connections ...................................................................................................... 16

FlowPulse Installation Procedures .............................................................................. 17

Flow Pulse PC Installation .............................................................................................. 18

Preparation for Operation ............................................................................................. 19

Maintenance ....................................................................................................................... 19

Chapter 3 Setting Up FlowPulse Using Software ...................................................... 20

Interface ................................................................................................................................ 20

Using FlowPulse PC .......................................................................................................... 20

Software Icons .................................................................................................................... 21

Flow Tab ................................................................................................................................ 23

Flow Record Tab ................................................................................................................ 24

Trace Tab .............................................................................................................................. 25

Parameters Tab .................................................................................................................. 26

Manual Setting ................................................................................................................... 35

Setup Menu ......................................................................................................................... 36

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System Menu ...................................................................................................................... 36

Tools Menu .......................................................................................................................... 37

About FlowPulse Menu ................................................................................................... 37

Chapter 4 RS485 Parameter Guide ................................................................................. 38

Parameter System ............................................................................................................. 38

Parameter Access .............................................................................................................. 38

Output Parameters ........................................................................................................... 39

Configuration Parameters .............................................................................................. 40

Chapter 5 Optimisation and Diagnostics ..................................................................... 52

Interpreting Diagnostic Trace ....................................................................................... 52

PC-over-RS485 ................................................................................................................... 53

Quick-Response Setup .................................................................................................... 54

Simulated Flow ................................................................................................................... 55

Saving & Loading Device Parameters ....................................................................... 55

Firmware Upgrade ............................................................................................................ 56

High Noise Environment ................................................................................................ 57

Chapter 6 Common Questions and Answers ............................................................. 58

Will mechanical vibration affect flow measurement? ......................................... 58

Is it possible to operate FlowPulse in a high noise environment? ................ 58

What is the effect of poor pipe condition? ............................................................. 58

What is the effect of pipe lining? ................................................................................ 58

Does FlowPulse measurement drift over time? .................................................... 58

Can FlowPulse be operated in a wet environment? ............................................ 59

Chapter 7 Troubleshooting ................................................................................................ 60

LED Indications ................................................................................................................... 60

Fault Registers and Log File .......................................................................................... 60

Flow measurement is significantly different from expectation ....................... 61

Flow reading under no-flow condition ..................................................................... 62

Flow reading fluctuates or is erratic .......................................................................... 62

No flow indicated when there is flow ....................................................................... 63

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FLOWPULSE INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Relay state not stable ...................................................................................................... 63

Chapter 8 Disposal ................................................................................................................ 64

Transducers ......................................................................................................................... 64

Controllers............................................................................................................................ 64

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CHAPTER 1: START HERE…

Congratulations on your purchase of Pulsar’s FlowPulse sensor. This quality system has been developed over many years and represents the latest in high technology ultrasonic level measurement and control.

It has been designed to give you years of trouble-free performance, and a few minutes spent reading this operating manual will ensure that your installation is as simple as possible.

About this Manual

It is important that this manual is referred to for correct installation and operation. There are various parts of the manual that offer additional help

or information as shown.

Tips

TIP: Look f o r t his icon t h r o u ghout your P u l s ar Measure m e nt m anual to find help f u l i n formation a n d a n swers to f r e q u e ntly as k e d q u e stions .

Additional Information

At various parts of the manual, you will find sections like this that explain specific things in more detail.

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About the Pulsar FlowPulse

The FlowPulse is an ultrasonic non-invasive flow monitor designed for use on most industrial liquid flow applications. FlowPulse uses a novel spread spectrum analysis technique never used in flow monitoring. It introduces a radical new Digital Signal Processing approach for exceptional repeatability.

Ultrasound is fired through the pipe wall at 90 degrees to the flow via a tangentially mounted high-output ceramic, then refracted at angles across the axis of the flow and subsequently reflected from bubbles, particles and vortices in all directions and at a wide range of frequencies. The wide, refracted, ultrasonic beam maximises the ultrasound energy captured from flowing particles. These multiple reflections are received back into the unit via a second crystal.

The mass of data generated is analysed using FlowPulse’s Refracted Spread Spectrum Analysis (RSSA) digital signal processing platform to derive flow information. RSSA analyses and integrates the received signals over a wide frequency range, then uses them for real-time analysis and flow rate calculation.

FlowPulse operates in a flow range from as little as 0.3m/s through to 4m/s, with a minimum particle size of 100µ and concentration of 200ppm (the equivalent of hard water) or above.

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Functional Description

The FlowPulse injects an ultrasonic signal through the pipe and analyses the returned signal in real-time to extract flow information. This provides robust and repeatable flow monitoring using a scalable 4 to 20 mA output and a volt-free relay switch. Interface with the PC over both the RS-485 and RS232 serial port is fully supported by the FlowPulse PC software, which can be used for setting up and operating the device.

In addition, there is a RS-485 with Modbus RTU communication protocol that interfaces Flow Pulse to Pulsar’s optional controllers which are listed below:

• Flow Monitor wall mount unit

• Quantum 3

• Ultimate Controller

For further details on how to connect and use the Flow Pulse with the controllers listed above, please refer to their individual instruction manuals, which can be downloaded from our website:

www.pulsarmeasurement.com

For the best results, FlowPulse should be applied where:

• There is full pipe flow

• The pipe material is steel, cast iron, ductile iron, plastic, or glass,

but not rubber or flexible plastic pipes

• The pipe diameter is greater than 30 mm

• The pipe wall thickness is less than 20 mm

• The solids concentration in the fluid is greater than 200 ppm

(e.g. hard tap water), and typical particle sizes are larger than 100 microns

• There is no significant build-up within the pipe

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Product Specification

PHYSICAL

Outside dimensions

120 x 65 x 65 mm (4.75 x 2.6 x 2.6 inch)

Weight

Nominal 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs)

Enclosure material/description

Type 316 stainless steel casting

Cable entry detail

1 cable entry M20 x 1.5mm gland

Maximum separation

500m (1,640 ft.)

ENVIRONMENTAL

IP Rating (Wall)

IP68

Max. & min. temperature (electronics)

-20 ºC to +70 ºC (-4ºF to 158ºF)

CE Approval

See EU Declaration of Conformity

PERFORMANCE

Accuracy/Repeatability

±5% typical subject to installation and pipe conditions

Resolution

3mm/sec.

Pipe wall thickness

Metal or rigid pipe up to 20mm (0.8in) thick

Min. Particle size

>100µ

Max. particle size

>200ppm

Pipe diameter

V1 = 30mm to 350mm (1.2 to 14in), V2 = 30mm to 1250mm (1.2 to 49.2in)

Min. range

0.3m/sec.

Max. range (flow)

4.0m/sec. (10m/sec. for high flow version)

Response time

fully adjustable (1 sec. minimum for fast response version)

SIGNAL PROCESSING

Description

RSSA (Refractive Spread Spectrum Analysis)

OUTPUTS

Analogue output

4-20 mA into a 1k load (when supply voltage is 22 VDC or greater) with 20µA resolution and user programmable span.

Digital output

Full Duplex RS232 to PC software, Half Duplex RS485 to PC software, Half Duplex RS485 with Modbus RTU

Volt free contacts, number, and rating

1 form "C" (SPDT) rated at 1A at 24VDC

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PROGRAMMING

PC programming

via RS232 or RS485 using FlowPulse PC

Programmed data integrity

Via non-volatile RAM

SUPPLY

Power supply

18 - 28V DC

Power Consumption

2.4W @ 24V typical, 3W @24V maximum

Pulsar Measurement operates a policy of constant development and improvement and reserve the right to amend technical details, as necessary.

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EU Declaration of Conformity

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CHAPTER 2 INSTALLATION

Unpacking

Power Supply Requirements

The FlowPulse requires a DC 18-28V power supply. The typical power consumption is 2.5W and the maximum power consumption should not exceed 3W. The power supply should also be correctly fused at 250mA. Care should be exercised when connecting the power supply by ensuring the correct terminals and voltage rating are used to avoid damaging the device.

Cable Screen and Earth Requirement

A screened multi-core cable should be used (minimum conductor size of

0.5mm². The cable screen should be connected to the enclosure at the cable entry point via the cable gland, see figure below. The screen of the cable should be earthed at the other end. The supplied cable gland is suitable for cables up to 10mm O.D.

Important Notice

All shipping cartons should be opened carefully. When using a box cutter, do not plunge the blade deeply into the box, as it could potentially cut or scratch equipment components. Carefully remove equipment from each carton, checking it against the packing list before discarding any packing material. If there is any shortage or obvious shipping damage to the equipment, report it immediately to Pulsar Measurement.

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If using RS485 then connect terminal 8 (RS485 SCR) to the Modbus return. The power supply ground on FlowPulse must not be earthed or connected to the cable screen.

Dimensions

Cable Entry

It is recommended that you use the cable gland that comes with the Flow Pulse to ensure that the ingress rating is maintained.

Terminal Connection Detail

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FlowPulse IP68

The Flow Pulse IP68 has an integral 10-core screened cable fitted and is fully encapsulated.

Wiring

The IP68 version of the Flow Pulse is designed to work with Pulsar’s Flow

Monitor wall unit, utilising the RS485. But it is also available on its own for connection to existing Modbus or other devices to monitor RS485, mA output and/or relay behaviour.

Below is a table identifying the terminal connections for each cable:

DESCRIPTION

WIRE

COLOUR

FLOWMPULSE

TERMINAL

FLOW MONITOR

TERMNAL

0V (GND)

Blue

24V DC

Brown

NC (Relay)

Red

Not used with Flow Monitor

COM (Relay)

Black

Not used with Flow Monitor

NO (Relay)

Violet

Not used with Flow Monitor

mA OUT (-)

White

Not used with Flow Monitor

mA OUT (+)

Pink

Not used with Flow Monitor

RS485 SCR

Green

RS485 +

Yellow 9 24

RS485 -

Grey

Cable Screen

Green & Yellow

Not connected

in FlowPulse

Important Notice

DO NOT TRY AND REMOVE THE LID. Consult Pulsar if you require any assistance with the device.

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Terminal Connections

Power

FlowPulse operates from DC power supply or batteries within the range of 18 to 28 VDC. When using a long cable (in excess of 100 m), please ensure that the minimum supply voltage is at least 22 VDC for the Relay to operate reliably.

Relay Outputs

The relay can be programmed for a variety of alarms. The relay contacts on the FlowPulse are rated at 1A at 24V DC. All connections should be such that the short circuit capacity of the circuits to which they are connected, is limited by fuses rated so that they do not exceed the relay rating.

The N.O. terminal is normally open while the N.C. terminal is a normally closed circuit to the common terminal.

Current Output

There is one mA output, of 4 - 20mA with a maximum load of 1k*. It has a 20 µA resolution and a user programmable and adjustable span.

RS232 Serial Interface

The RS232 interface is available on the RJ-11 socket for setting up and operating the FlowPulse using the FlowPulse PC software. It is recommended that the serial cable does not exceed 10 metres in length.

RS485 Serial Interface with Modbus

It is recommended that a screened cable is used, and the cable screen is connected to the screen terminal of the RS485 terminals. If RS485 connection is not required, the cable screen should be connected to the metal enclosure of FlowPulse at the cable entry point and earthed at the other end of the cable. The RS485 terminals are galvanically isolated.

Please ensure that the termination switch is set to the “ON” position if

termination is required. The RS485 serial port can either be used with the Modbus RTU protocol or

to interface with FlowPulse PC.

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FlowPulse Installation Procedures

All electronic products are susceptible to electrostatic shock, so follow proper grounding procedures during installation.

• Before installation, ensure that the necessary cabling has been fitted

and that the device is not being powered.

• The FlowPulse must be mounted on the external, dry surface of the

pipe. The device should not be submerged in liquid.

• The FlowPulse and the pipe surface around the installation location

should not be exposed to external flowing liquid.

• The FlowPulse should be installed on a straight section of pipe at

least 5 pipe diameters from any restrictions or sources of fluid turbulence (e.g. pumps, valves, tees, elbows) where possible.

• On horizontal pipes, it is preferable to mount Flow Pulse between 1

o’clock and 5 o’clock position on the pipe to avoid air pocket on top

or sedimentation on the bottom, as illustrated in Figure 2:

Figure 2 above shows the recommended positioning on horizontal pipes.

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• Ensure that both the base of the FlowPulse and the pipe surface are

free from debris. Pipes with flaking paint should be cleaned down.

• Apply silicone grease or silicone pad to the base of Flow Pulse.

Silicone pad is recommended where vibration and heat are frequently encountered.

• FlowPulse should be strapped onto the pipe with the supplied metal

banding. If further installation attempts are made, reapply silicone grease. In the case of silicone pad, ensure that the pad surface is clean from debris, the pad is in good condition, and there is no folding that might cause uneven contact with the pipe.

• Ensure that the FlowPulse is aligned along the pipe axis, as

illustrated in Figure 3:

Figure 3: Flow Pulse correctly aligned along the pipe axis.

• Tighten the banding while ensuring best contact and correct

alignment between the Flow Pulse and the pipe.

Flow Pulse PC Installation

The FlowPulse PC software is supported on Win 7, Win 8 and Win 10 (32 and 64 bit). The .Net Framework 4.0 is required to run the program. This is free for download online.

Run Setup.exe if downloaded from the Pulsar website (https://www.pulsarmeasurement.com) to install the FlowPulse PC software. Or alternatively, if you are installing from the CD provided please select to install FlowPulse PC software from the options on screen. A FlowPulse PC shortcut icon will then be created on the Desktop. Double click on the shortcut icon to launch the program.

FlowPulse

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Preparation for Operation

Before applying power, check the following:

• Sensor is installed correctly with optimum acoustic coupling

between sensor and the pipe surface.

• Remove the lid and apply power to the FlowPulse, and the power

supply is correctly connected in the terminal block.

• There’s no exposed or loose wiring around the connection terminals.

• The RED led will flash for 6 seconds, then the GREEN led will begin

to flash. The flashing of the GREEN led indicates that the device is operational.

• Connect the relevant serial cable and converter to the PC depending

on whether RS232 or RS485 is being used.

• Launch the FlowPulse PC program. If using PC-over-RS485, change

baud rate to 19200 using Setup->Serial Port, default is 57600 over RS232. Click the “Tick” icon to connect.

• When connection is established, the current parameters stored on

the Flow Pulse will be extracted by FlowPulse PC. The “Device” bulb on the top right corner of the program will light up to indicate a successful connection.

• Choose the “Parameters” tab on FlowPulse PC, where the current

device parameters are shown and can be modified. (please refer to the Chapter on Setting Up FlowPulse before modification)

• On the top left corner of the “Parameters” tab, set the Pipe I.D. field

to the pipe’s internal diameter in units of either millimetres (default)

or inches.

• Click on the “SAVE” button.

• Return to the “Flow” tab to monitor flow.

Please refer to the Setting Up FlowPulse chapter for more information.

Maintenance

There are no user serviceable parts inside FlowPulse. If you experience any problems with the unit, then please contact Pulsar Process Measurement for advice. To clean the equipment, wipe with a damp cloth. Do not use any solvents on the enclosure. When relocating, or reinstalling the FlowPulse, please ensure that the pipe internal diameter value stored on the device is updated accordingly.

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CHAPTER 3 SETTING UP FLOWPULSE USING SOFTWARE

Interface

The default method for interfacing with FlowPulse is by using the supplied Flow Pulse PC software and serial cable.

If the optional the Flow Monitor is installed, common setup parameters can be programmed directly from the Monitor. Please refer to the Flow Monitor user manual for more information.

Programmed parameters are stored in the FlowPulse non-volatile memory and are therefore retained after power-off.

Using FlowPulse PC

After launching the program and connecting to the Flow Pulse, the device parameters will be automatically extracted once a connection is established.

Refer to the section on “Preparation for Operation” in Chapter 2 for more

details on FlowPulse PC installation and how to connect to Flow Pulse.

Pipe Internal Diameter

The pipe internal diameter is the only parameter that must be entered to get the FlowPulse working to measure the flow.

Choose “Parameters” tab, enter the pipe internal diameter in units of mm in the “Pipe I.D.” field, then click the “SAVE” button.

Return to the “Flow” tab to monitor flow, the “Record” tab shows a time-plot of flow.

Figure 4 shows the main window of the FlowPulse PC software:

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Figure 4: Flow information window of FlowPulse PC.

Software Icons

ICON

DESCRIPTION

Connect: click to attempt connection to the FlowPulse

device. Set the baud rate to 57600 (Setup>Serial Port) with RS232

or to 19200 with RS485

Disconnect: appears after connection is established. Click to disconnect from the Flow Pulse.

Diagnostic Trace: requests for diagnostic trace.

• When active, this icon border will light up yellow and

‘live’ traces can be observed on the “Trace” tab.

• Click again to deactivate.

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FLOWPULSE INSTRUCTION MANUAL

ICON

DESCRIPTION

Save Data to File: click to record data from FlowPulse.

When activate, this icon will light up yellow. Click again to deactivate.

• In order to record diagnostic traces along with the flow

data, please ensure that the trace icon is active and live traces are shown on the Trace tab.

• The recording interval is set via the Setup->Recording

Interval menu. The default is one record in every 2 seconds.

• As of FlowPulse PC 1.2.4, if the FlowPulse does not have a

site name, a site name will be requested. FlowPulse PC

1.2.3 and lower do not require a site name.

• A .flg file is then generated, named with the “FlowPulse-”

prefix followed by the site name and the current date & time stamp. An example is “FlowPulse-Site1234-12-72012-08-00.flg”. This can be renamed. FlowPulse PC 1.2.3 and older generates a .txt file with the same naming structure, minus the site name, this cannot be renamed.

• If recording over a long duration, a new file will be

automatically generated after 30 minutes.

• The recorded data files are stored on the FlowPulse PC

installation folder by default.

• To stop recording, click the ‘Save Data’ button again

Replay recorded data: click to replay recorded data. This can be performed without connection to a FlowPulse.

• The program will disconnect from a FlowPulse during

replay.

• A prompt will appear for choosing the data files to play.

• Select the data files to replay, ensure that only FlowPulse

PC recorded data files are selected.

• To replay more than one file, select multiple files by

holding down the CTRL key on the keyboard while clicking additional files.

• Recorded traces are shown in the Trace tab and the

recorded flow is shown in the Flow tab.

• During replay, click again to stop.

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ICON

DESCRIPTION

Chart a Log File: click to chart a log file. By charting a log file,

the whole log file will be drawn out at once.

• The program will disconnect from a FlowPulse during

charting.

• A prompt will appear for choosing the log file to play.

• If the log file is longer than the length of the ‘Flow Record’

chart, FlowPulse PC will prompt you to continue to the next section of logged data.

Increase Replay Speed: during replay click to increase replay speed.

Decrease Replay Speed: during replay click to decrease replay speed.

Exit: click to exit program

Flow Tab

The default screen of FlowPulse PC is the Flow tab. The dial on the left displays the linear flow velocity, while the numerical display on the right shows the volumetric flow rate. The default volumetric unit is litres per second, and is configurable on the Parameters tab.

Signal Strength

The signal strength gives an indication of the strength of the flow signal detected. A signal strength level of higher than 60% is recommended for reliable operation. A higher Sensitivity setting may improve the Signal Strength (please refer to the Sensitivity section before changing).

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Stability

The stability level is an indication of the consistency of flow reading, as derived from the combination of signal strength and statistical fluctuations of the flow reading. A high level of stability would point to a low-noise environment, clean and optimum acoustic pipe conditions, and a relatively laminar liquid flow within the pipe. However, the stability level does not necessarily indicate the accuracy of the flow reading as this is subject to calibration. A higher stability level indicates higher level of repeatability and better flow-tracking.

Flow Record Tab

The Flow Record provides a record of flow over time. Each point of flow on the graph represents a 1.2 second interval. However, when the trace button has been pressed and a trace is being retrieved from the Flow Pulse this slows down how frequently a point on the graph is plotted and the points then represent a 2 second interval.

You can zoom in by clicking and holding the mouse then selecting the region to zoom in on. Zoom out by right clicking on the chart and selecting “Undo All Zoom”. To clear the Flow Record chart, select Setup->Clear Flow Record Chart menu while the chart is inactive.

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Trace Tab

This tab allows you to call up and display diagnostic traces when the Trace button is activated. Please refer to Diagnostic and Troubleshooting for more information on interpreting the traces.

Important Notice

DO NOT TRY AND REMOVE THE LID. Consult Pulsar if you require any assistance with the device.

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FLOWPULSE INSTRUCTION MANUAL

Parameters Tab

This enables the user to setup the Flow Pulse. It is important to note the following to ensure that Flow Pulse is correctly programmed:

At every connection to FlowPulse, FlowPulse PC will synchronise the values on the Parameter tab to that stored on FlowPulse.

After changing any parameter, the “SAVE” button must be clicked to send and save the new values to the device.

The values need to be valid and within allowed range for a parameter change to be successful.

If the change is not successful, the values shown on the Parameter tab will reflect the current parameter value on FlowPulse.

If Flow Pulse is being controlled simultaneously on both RS232 via FlowPulse PC and RS485 via Modbus interface, the values on the Parameter tab will not be instantly updated on FlowPulse PC if a parameter change is instructed via the RS485 Modbus.

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Pipe Internal Diameter

The pipe internal diameter is the only parameter that must be entered after every FlowPulse installation. The default unit is millimetres (mm), with the option for unit of inches.

Calibration Factor

The calibration factor can be used to internally scale the flow reading by a multiplication factor.

As an example, a factor of 0.5 will scale the reading to give only half of its original value, or a factor of 1.2 will scale the reading to give 120% of its original. This is set to 1.0 by default, implying no scaling. Note that any change in the calibration factor is stored on FlowPulse.

Sensitivity

The sensitivity of FlowPulse can be increased for difficult pipes or liquids. When using FlowPulse on high sensitivity setting, observations should be made to ensure that no-flow indication is consistent. Operating at higher sensitivity may increase the susceptibility of the device to external sources of noise.

A lower sensitivity may be desirable when operating in an environment that has the potential for electrical interference. At lower sensitivities, observations need to be made to ensure that there is sufficient signal strength for reliable detection of flow. This needs to allow for any long-term variation in pump or pipe conditions. In general, minimum signal strength of 60% is required.

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SETTING

DESCRIPTION

High Sensitivity

• Good for low flow or poor pipe condition with weak signal

strength.

• If set very high, watch for false indication of flow when the

pump is not running and there is no flow. This may not be critical in applications where the main alarm condition is for low or no flow while pumping is called for.

Low Sensitivity

• Good for high flow or excellent pipe condition with strong

signal strength.

• If set very low, watch for false indication of no flow when

the pump is running and there is flow. It is recommended that the sensitivity be set as high as possible subject to the constraint of false flow indication.

Damping

Fluctuations from non-laminar flow as well as from electrical noise will affect the stability of the flow readings. The damping parameter allows these fluctuations to be smoothed, at the expense of response time.

A higher damping will produce a more stable reading with less fluctuation, but the response time to a sudden change of flow is longer, and vice versa.

Note that a “Step Response” feature allows a large change of flow to bypass damping, potentially giving a faster response at the start and end of pumping cycles. Please refer to the Step Response section for more details.

By default, the damping is set to give a stable reading, and the response time is in the region of 30 seconds.

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Volumetric Unit and Time Unit

The flow measurement on the FlowPulse is performed in terms of volumetric flow rate.

The defaults are litres for the volumetric unit and seconds for the time unit, giving flow rate in units of litres per second.

This can be modified to give the desired units of flow rate. Please note that both volumetric and time units should be selected such that the numerical range falls within 0.01 to 60000 for the corresponding pipe internal diameter.

The table below lists the valid combination of volumetric and time units:

VAILD VOLUME

PER TIME

Litres

• Second

• Minute

Cubic Metres

• Minute

• Hour

Cubic Feet

• Second

• Minute

Imperial Gallons

• Second

• Minute

US Gallons

• Second

• Minute

Million US Gallons

• Hour

• Day

Access Level

The access level refers to the permission to perform actions or modify some parameters. There are two levels of access, the USER and SERVICE levels. At power-up, the access level on FlowPulse always defaults to USER.

Step Response

The step response allows FlowPulse to temporarily bypass damping and track any sudden change in flow commonly encountered during the beginning and end of a pumping cycles.

This function is on by default.

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Step Response Threshold

The step response threshold is the change in flow required for the normal damping to be bypassed. The range of the step response threshold is: Min = 22, Max = 426. Default = 60

400 relates to the ‘Flow High’ value. The higher the step response threshold, the larger the jump in flow needs to

be before damping is skipped.

Step Change Limit

The step change limit is the maximum change in flow that the FlowPulse will ignore the damping for. A change in flow greater than this limit will adhere to the set damping. Min = 22, Max = 426 Default = 119

Flow Low and Flow High

The “Flow Low” and “Flow High” parameters represent the minimum and

maximum flow rate setting, in units of volumetric flow rate. By default, the flow rate limits, in units of litres per second, are set to

correspond to the specification of flow velocity range of 0 to 4 m/s (0 to 10m/s for high flow version).

Note that the mA output is scaled to the flow rate limits that are set here. For example, if the range is set to Flow Low = 3 litres/sec and Flow High = 10 litres/sec, then the mA output will be 4 mA at 3 litres/sec and 20 mA at 10 litres/sec. Please refer to the “mA Output” section for more information.

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mA Output

mA Low, mA High, Flow Low, Flow High

The mA output has a range of 4 to 20 mA by default. This is scaled to the flow range set by the Flow Low and Flow High parameters. The following figure illustrates this:

Figure 5: mA output scaling versus the low-high range of flow.

The mA High limit must be larger than the mA Low limit, and the Flow High limit must be larger than the Flow Low limit.

The Flow Low and Flow High limits are in units of volumetric flow rate as determined by the volumetric and time unit parameters (litres/sec by default). Therefore, the Pipe I.D. should be correctly set before setting the Flow Low and High limits.

mA Output

Flow

Flow Low limit

Flow High limit

mA High limit

(def: 20mA)

mA Low limit

(def: 4mA)

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As an example, in an application with low flow through a 100 mm Pipe I.D., the user can choose to scale the mA output from 4 to 20 to correspond to a flow range of 0 to 15 litres/sec instead of the full flow range of 0 to 31 litres/sec. This is achieved by first ensuring that the Pipe I.D. has been correctly set, and then setting the Flow High limit to 15 (the Flow Low limit is 0 by default).

The mA Low and mA High setting can also be used to make small

adjustment to calibrate the device’s mA output at Flow Low limit and Flow

High limit. For example, if the mA output is 4.05 mA at Flow Low limit, the mA Low setting can be set from 4.0 to 3.95 for calibrating the actual mA output to 4.00 mA exactly.

mA Output: mA Trim

The mA trim allows calibration to the mA output by using a fixed mA offset. The offset is in units of microamps (µA).

For example, if the mA output is 4.1 mA at Flow Low limit, an offset of minus 100 µA can be entered. Entering and saving -100 (minus 100) to mA Trim would produce 4.0 mA at Flow Low limit.

The maximum offset allowed is ±500 µA (±0.5 mA). The mA trim should only be used to make small offset to the mA output. This offset is applied across the full mA range.

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Relay/Alarm

The Relay/Alarm parameters allow the set points and switching mode to be configured. Figure 6 shows the alarm zones defined by the low and high set points, and the function of the different alarm modes.

ALARM

MODE

ZONE LOW

ZONE MID

ZONE HIGH

Low (Default)

Alarm ON

No Change

Alarm OFF

High

Alarm OFF

No Change

Alarm ON

Out of Range

Alarm ON

Alarm OFF

Alarm ON

Alarm OFF

De-energise

Alarm ON

Alarm OFF

Figure 6: The alarm modes and its effect in the relay/alarm zones as defined by the low and high set points.

Flow Rate

Time

High

Setpoint

Low

Setpoint

Zone

Low

Zone

Mid

Zone

High

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The default alarm mode is low alarm. The default relay mode is normally de-energised. The connection to the NC

terminal is closed. For low and high alarms, the Mid zone can be used as a buffer zone before

switching occurs. The Relay parameter (P204) is used to set whether you wish the relay to de-

energise or energise in a state of alarm. The Low and High Set-points are in units of volumetric flow rate as

determined by the volumetric and time unit parameters (litres/sec by default). Therefore, the Pipe I.D. should be correctly set before setting the Low and High Set-points.

Persistence is the length of time that a flow reading must be present above or below the relevant set points before the alarm/relay status is switched. The Low Persist (LowPsis) parameter is associated with the Low Set-point while the High Persist (HighPsis) parameter is associated with the High Setpoint.

For example, at low alarm mode, the flow must exceed the High Set-point before the alarm is disarmed and the relay switched. If the High Persist value is set to 2, and the reading is present for 2 consecutive seconds that exceed this set point, then a switch is triggered.

RS-485

The FlowPulse can be interfaced using Modbus via the RS485 terminals. The default Modbus Slave ID is 126. The chapter on Parameter Guide provides more details on Modbus register addresses and valid values.

The RS-485 port can also be used to interface with the FlowPulse PC software, by selecting the PC-485 mode. Please ensure that you have a USB to RS-485 converter before setting FlowPulse to this mode, as this is required for communicating with the device in the PC-485 mode. Refer to the PC-over-RS485 section in Chapter 5.

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Manual Setting

There is an option for manually setting the parameters using the Manual Setting terminal on the Parameter tab, as illustrated in the following figure.

Figure 7: The manual setting window on the Parameter tab.

Every parameter on FlowPulse is identified by a unique Address, and the content is the parameter Value.

All configurable parameters can be queried by entering the parameter address in the Address field and clicking on the Query button. The FlowPulse will reply with the current value of the parameter.

For setting a parameter, both the Address and Value must be entered before clicking on the Set button. The appropriate access levels are required for setting parameters.

The list of parameter addresses, and valid values are available in the chapter on Parameter Guide.

The Manual Setting terminal should not be used for the normal setting up of FlowPulse. Refer to the “Parameter Guide” before setting parameters using address-value pair.

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Setup Menu

This menu enables setting up of the RS232 port. The default setting when interfacing using FlowPulse PC is 57600 Baud 8bits-No Parity-1Stop bit. There is normally no need to change this as FlowPulse PC should automatically detect a FlowPulse connected however a specific comport can

be selected in the ‘Serial Port’ sub menu. The ‘Recording Interval’ menu controls the time interval before a new flow

record and trace is saved to file when the save-to-feature is in use.

The ‘Clear Flow Record Chart’ option allows the Flow Record chart to be

cleared.

The ‘Work Folder’ allows the setting of a default folder for data files to be

saved.

System Menu

This menu provides the option to perform the following actions:

OPTION

DECRIPTIONS

Save Device Parameters

Extract configuration parameters from the device and save onto PC as a parameter file. This is saved

to FlowPulse PC’s installation folder and the filename is prefixed with “ParamFlowPulse-”.

Load Parameter to Device

Load the parameters from a parameter file onto FlowPulse. This should only be used with a file that has a prefix of “ParamFlowPulse-”

Bootloader Control

Launch the Bootloader PC program for connecting to FlowPulse’s Bootloader. This allows the firmware on FlowPulse to be upgraded. Note that any customised parameters will be erased during a firmware upgrade, and therefore it is recommended that device parameters are saved onto PC before performing a firmware upgrade.

Reset Device to Bootloader

Reset FlowPulse into Bootloader mode. The Bootloader PC program must be used to connect to FlowPulse in this mode. FlowPulse will resume normal operation if no connection is established within 30 seconds.

Parameter Factory Reset

This results all parameters to factory default.

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Tools Menu

This menu is available in FlowPulse PC 1.2.4 and newer, it provides the following actions:

OPTION

DECRIPTIONS

Export Data to CSV

This is used to convert a FlowPulse log file to CSV format. This provides a more readable format for the data that can be viewed in programs such as Microsoft Excel and Google Docs.

Chart Data File

Plot the entire record of a log file. If the log file is longer than the time frame on the window, a prompt will appear to continue to the next time frame.

Modbus to PC-485

Allows changing a FlowPulse that is currently set to Modbus to PC-485 so that FlowPulse PC can work with the FlowPulse. (This feature requires a Modbus to USB converter).

Write Modbus Register

This allows FlowPulse PC to act as a Modbus master and modify single parameters on a FlowPulse via Modbus. (This feature requires a Modbus to USB converter).

About FlowPulse Menu

This menu provides information on the current version of FlowPulse PC program.

When connected to a FlowPulse, information on the firmware and hardware versions of the device are also available.

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CHAPTER 4 RS485 PARAMETER GUIDE

Parameter System

Every parameter on the FlowPulse is represented by a unique address and a value. The parameters consist of two main types: output parameters and configuration parameters.

Output parameters are read only and cannot be set by the user. Examples are current flow reading and current signal strength.

Configuration parameters can be queried and set. With each parameter, there is a factory default value, an associated access level which is required for setting, and a valid range of values for each parameter.

The parameters are always stored and entered as whole numbers, and the absolute range is from 0 to 65535, please refer to individual parameter for individual range.

The naming syntax for the parameters is with a prefix of ‘p’ before the address. For example, a parameter at address 102 is “P102”. The value/content of the parameter is delimited by a colon “:”, such that “P102:20” indicates that the parameter at address 102 has a value of 20.

The terms “parameter” and “register” are used interchangeably as the

parameter number is the actual address of the storage register.

Parameter Access

The parameters on the FlowPulse can be accessed using any of these methods:

• The parameters tab on FlowPulse PC (RS232 or RS485)

• The manual setting terminal on FlowPulse PC (RS232 or RS485)

• Modbus communication protocol (RS485)

It is recommended that only one method of access is used at any point in time.

Note: When using methods (b) or (c), the parameter guide in this chapter should be referred to as the value required may be different from the values normally entered on FlowPulse PC with method (a).

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Output Parameters

Flow Rate (P20 and P21)

The current flow rate can be read from register 20 and 21, in the following format:

P20 contains the whole number part of the flow reading, while P21 contains the fractional part of the flow reading. The P21 is stored as a whole number from 0-999 (allowing a fractional representation from 0.001 to 0.999).

Signal Strength (P22)

P22 gives the current signal strength in terms of percentage, from 1 to 100.

Stability (P23)

P23 gives the current stability in terms of percentage, from 1 to 100.

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Configuration Parameters

RS485 Communication and Modbus

The default RS485 setting is 19200-8Bit-Noparity-1Stopbit. P51 allows the Modbus protocol to be turned on and off, and P52 is the

Modbus Slave ID of the FlowPulse. When using Modbus-RTU, note that the register addressing scheme uses

Base-0 addressing protocol (i.e. there is no offset of 1).

PARAMETER

ADDR

OPTIONS

DEF.

NOTES

Modbus Mode

0 = Not in use

ASCII mode not fully supported yet. The PC-485 mode enables FlowPulse PC interface using RS485. Modbus protocol turned off while using PC-485. Refer to PC over 485 section in Chapter 5 for more information.

Device Address

Unique Address, 1 – 127

126

Modbus Device id

Baud Rate

0 = 1200 1 = 2400 3 = 9600 4 = 19200 5 = 38400 6 = 57600 7 = 115200

Baud rate for RS485

Parity

0 = No parity 1 = Odd parity 2 = Even parity

Parity for RS485 Stop Bit

1 = One stop bit 2 = Two stop bits

Stop bit for RS485

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RS232 Communication

The default RS232 setting is Baud rate 57600 - 8Bit – No parity - 1Stopbit.

PARAMETER

ADDR

OPTIONS

DEF.

NOTES

Baud Rate

0 = 1200 1 = 2400 3 = 9600 4 = 19200 5 = 38400 6 = 57600 7 = 115200

Baud rate for RS232 FlowPulse PC / debug / refresh port

Parity

0 = No parity 1 = Odd parity 2 = Even parity

Parity for RS232 Stop Bit

1 = One stop bit 2 = Two stop bits

Stop bit for RS232

Processing Parameters

The following are parameters that relate to the detection and processing of the flow signal.

PARAMETER

ADDR

OPTIONS

DEF.

NOTES

Sensitivity

102

800 – 3000

1600

Higher number gives lower sensitivity

Damping

104

10 – 40

Higher number gives more damping.

Average Count

105

1 - 20

This is the number of averaging to perform on the reading – this is independent of the damping process. Reducing this will increase flow sampling rate at the expense of measurement stability.

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PARAMETER

ADDR

OPTIONS

DEF.

NOTES

Calibration Factor

108

1 – 500

100

In percentage terms, default is 100, for 100%. Example: 50% would be half and 200% would be double the reading.

Pipe Internal Diameter

110

10 – 3000

Expected Pipe Internal Diameter in units of millimetres.

Noise Adapt Threshold

111

500 – 3000

1000

Defines the difference between the min value of the trace and the normal floor before a trace is considered to have a raised noise floor.

Step Response Mode

113

0 = Off 1 = On

When StepResp is off, no damping bypass will be performed.

Step Response Threshold

115

22 – 426

The threshold that the step change size needs to exceed before damping bypass is invoked. May use diagnostic trace to adjust this.

Minimum flow Cutoff

120

250 – 4000

740

This parameter multiplies the units of flow by 23 on the horizontal axis of the flow trace. E.g. if set to 2300, then the corresponding flow index would be 100, and the FlowPulse will not report any flow unless the red(flow) indicator exceeds 100 on the flow index.

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PARAMETER

ADDR

OPTIONS

DEF.

NOTES

Step Change Limit

121

22 - 426

119

Step Change Limit is the limit on any sudden change in flow reading. May use diagnostic trace to adjust this.

Track Threshold Add

128

20 – 2000

400

Only activated when the noise floor is raised, such that the noise floor is more than P111 away from the normal floor without flow. This causes the flow to be tracked at a lower flow index so that compensation can be applied.

Pipe Type

133

0 – 2

Adjustment factor to compensate for the type of pipe material: 0-Iron (No change) 1-Stainless Steel (x1.8) 2-Hard Plastic (x1.1)

Density

134

0 – 4

This parameter is sued to set up the type of material being measured in the pipe: 0-Very Low (water with no bubbles) 1-Low 2-Medium (Effluent) 3-High 4-Very High (Bubbly)

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PARAMETER

ADDR

OPTIONS

DEF.

NOTES

Multipoint Calibration @ 0.2 m/s

152

5 – 5000

100