VICTREX® PEEK™ Polymer Adopted by Aichi Tokei Denki for a Small Electromagnetic Flow-Sensor

03 Feb 2009 • by Natalie Aster

Victrex Japan providing high performance materials including VICTREX® PEEK™ polymers, VICOTE® Coatings, and APTIV™ Films, has announced that their VICTREX PEEK polymer has been adopted as the main body of the small electromagnetic flow-sensor "VNS series" developed by Aichi Tokei Denki Co., Ltd., a flow-sensor manufacturer.

The small electromagnetic flow-sensor measures, according to Faraday's Law, the amount of fluid inside a tube by measuring the amount of electricity produced when the fluid moves through the tube. It is different from a mechanical flow-sensor using movable parts such as, a turbine or a float, and has excellent measuring capabilities without being affected by properties of unmeasurable fluid such as, viscosity, density, grime, and impurity. Furthermore, since it has a simple hollow design without any movable parts or obstacles blocking the flow of fluid, it does not affect the pressure and is highly durable, as well as, maintenance-free.

The VNS series developed by Aichi Tokei Denki is low cost, light weight/compact, and highly chemical resistant and is an innovative small electromagnetic flow-sensor able to accurately measure the pulse flow. Conventionally, due to the strengthen of withstanding the building pressure inside the tube, PPS polymers and stainless steel were used for the main body, but for chemical measuring applications, lower chemical resistance has been a problem among those materials. On the other hand, since VICTREX PEEK polymers have excellent mechanical properties, as well as, superb chemical resistance, it is possible to measure highly corrosive chemicals such as, sodium hypochlorite. Furthermore, the design of the main body of the sensor has been made simple, as well as, integral molding has been adopted in the production process, achieving a significantly smaller and lower production cost compared to the companies previous products.

Mr. Yoshida, Manager New Market Development Division, Aichi Tokei Denki has said "In general, it is difficult to accurately measure the pulse flow that changes depending on the amount and direction of the fluid. Since the VNS our company has developed has adopted high-speed sampling and a new calculation formula for measuring pulse fluid, it is able to accurately measure it without being affected by the properties and conditions of the fluid. We will position the VNS series as a flow-sensor and flow surveillance device and will increase our sales mainly in water treatment and semiconductor applications and as an alternative to electromagnetic flow-sensors in the future. Moreover, we are expecting demands for controlling the flow of fluid at purification plants, water treatment plants employing sterilization treatment systems, and plant manufacturers using chemical liquid injection systems and surveillancing gaslocks used in electromagnetic meter pumps."

Source: Victrex