To review the various methods of control systems for setting up an Equilibar FCV for flow control, please visit our “ getting started with flow control ” page.
On this page you will find specific information about using a Bronkhorst flow meter and accompanying software to set up a flow control loop with an Equilibar FCV.
Below is a schematic showing how the system is set up in the video. The software is loaded into the Bronkhorst flow meter and it runs entirely inside the flowmeter without the assistance of a laptop. The laptop is used for initial setup of the flow meter and for setting the PID values to optimize the customer’s application. For best performance, we recommend setting up the flow controller with guidance from an on-site controls engineer experienced in tuning feedback loops.
Note that it is important to select a Bronkhorst flow meter that has sufficient resolution for your application. The Equilibar valve is not the limiting factor in the process. Consult Bronkhorst for specifications.
Control using a Bronkhorst flow meter with built-in flow control software
This video demonstrates how to download and set up Bronkhorst’s FlowDDE and FlowPlot software to control flow using a Bronkhorst flow meter and an Equilibar flow control valve. The FlowDDE and FlowPlot software assist in the electronic closed loop flow control using the built-in PID software in the Bronkhorst mini CORI-FLOW series flow meters. This software runs entirely from the flow meter. A PC or PLC is not required, but is used in the video for demonstration purposes.
In this video, we used a Bronkhorst mini CORI-FLOW M14 flow meter. The accompanying software can be downloaded for free on the Bronkhorst website. Links to download the software can be found below:
Other products used in this video can be found here
- Cable RS232 T-part 8DIN: part number 7.03.444
- RS232 male DB9 to USB2.0: part number 9.09.122
General setup of an Equilibar FCV in a flow control loop with an Equilibar electronic pilot regulator and a high resolution flow meter.
