The trusted Raytek Thermalert TX infrared pyrometer is still available as intrinsically safe certified for use in hazardous environments. Recently the standard TX was rebranded as Fluke Thermalert 4, but this did not include the IS versions which still carry the Raytek Thermalert TX name.
Intrinsically safe devices prevent explosions in hazardous locations by limiting the energy and surface temperature of the device under normal operation, or when conditions arise that could become hazardous. Devices are approved as intrinsically safe only after passing the rigorous approval process required by a recognised entity.
Fully ATEX certified for use in Zones 1 and 2 (gas) and Zones 21 and 22 (dust), the TX is also suitable for use in other operational areas including:
- Steel and metals processing (foundry/forging operations and heat treating)
- Power boilers for electricity generation
- Glass processing (bending, forming, tempering, annealing, and sealing)
- Paper processing (ink drying/curing and lamination)
- Plastics processing and thermoforming, and
- Semiconductor processing.
The sensor and electronics are housed in the same rugged housing and communication and power supply share a 2-wire loop. This simplifies installation and requires fewer connections. All heads have provision to fit protective windows and air purge collars, and water cooling can be implemented easily. A stainless steel version is also available for corrosive environments.
Raytek DataTemp Multidrop software is a user-friendly application for system configuration and monitoring. With this software application users can set temperature and output ranges, emissivity and alarm logics, align the output to correspond to min, max or average temperature over a set time, and monitor data from the sensor(s) on a real-time graphical display.
With II 2G Ex ib IIC T4 Gb Atex 100a certification for gas and EX II 2D Ex ibD IIIC T135°C Db Atex 100a for dust, the TX-IS can be used in many additional areas – for example, in steel industry processes using a hydrogen atmosphere, such as galvanising, annealing, plating and coating. Other application areas include hydrogen reduction in the solar industry, petrochemical (sulphur recovery, boilers, reactors, pipes, flare control) and chemical (fertiliser, starch, alcohols, vinyl) processes, mining (monitoring) conveyors and equipment, fire detection and storage terminals (coal, wood pellets, sulphur, petroleum coke, starch), hazardous waste disposal and sewage, as well as ink, laminate and coating processes that emit volatile vapours, and more.
Some of the TX's further features include emissivity adjustment on all models and a fast response time. Engineers at R&C Instrumentation point to the following as the top features of the TX:
- The 2 wire system: "It is just so easy to install and maintain."
- Versatility: "The TX range covers just about all application areas."
- Reliability: "These things just don’t give us problems and require minimal maintenance.”
The TX and other EX certified instruments, including portable pyrometers and vibration sensors, are available from R&C Instrumentation.
For more information visit: www.randci.co.za