INTERNATIONAL SALES DIVISION

e-mail: gabrielgodoy@smar.com.br
smar
First in Fieldbus

APPLICATION NOTE

DENSITY MEASUREMENT IN
BREWERY AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES
USING SMAR INSERTION DENSITY TRANSMITTER, THE DT301

I - INTRODUCTION:

The DT301 (Touché) Intelligent Concentration/Density Transmitter is an instrument designed for the continuous
online measurement of liquid concentration/density, directly in the industrial process.

The DT301 consists of a capacitive type differential pressure transmitter coupled to a pair of pressure repeaters
immersed in the process. The repeaters are connected to the external capacitive sensor through capillary
tubes. A temperature sensor located between the two pressure repeaters automatically compensates
temperature variations in the process.

Special techniques in the production and assembly repeaters and temperature sensor, ensure that small
variations in the process temperature are quickly informed to the transmitter, that calculates the fluid density
process accurately through a dedicated software.

Depending on the industrial process, density can be expressed in Density, Relative Density, Brix degree,
Baumé degree, Plato degree, % of Solids, Concentration, etc.

Designed for process control applications, this 2-wire transmitter generates a 4-20 mA signal proportional to the
concentration/density. Digital communication for remote calibration and monitoring is also provided (Protocol
Hart).

Applications Engineering Department

International Division
 INTERNATIONAL SALES DIVISION
e-mail: gabrielgodoy@smar.com.br
smar
First in Fieldbus

The digital technology used in the DT301 allows the choice of several types of transfer functions, an easy
interface between the field and the control room and some characteristics that reduce the installation, operation
and the maintenance costs considerably.

Main features:

- High accuracy density and concentration on-line measurement for monitoring and control.
- Accuracy of 0.0004 g/cc, and 0.1 Brix/Plato/Baumè. Other technologies have accuracy from 0.002 to 0.05
g/cc and 0.5 to 2 Brix.
- Proven and reliable technology;
- Competitively priced for tank and pipe applications;
- Two-wire loop powered requiring no auxiliary supply;
- Single integrated unit, without need for remote electronic units;
- Proper for static and dynamic liquids;
- Calibrated in the unit specified by the user;
- Easy field calibration (without process reference, no need for laboratory calibration, without process
interruptions).
- The on-board microprocessor automatically compensates any process or temperature change, thus, no
additional computation is required.
- No moving parts;
- No routine maintenance;
- No filtration required;
- Applicable in open and closed tanks (including vacuum) and also in-line;
- Industrial and Sanitary connections according international standards;
- Mechanical and Electrical simplified assemblage;
- Direct density reading in the desired engineering unit;
- Remote diagnosis – Information for identification and wetted materials, configuration, range settings and
diagnostics can all be accessed by remotely from a hand-held;
- Operators can get on-line feedback of the product density as well as the temperature and monitor all critical
parameters in real time. This information may be used to identify the product and to detect contamination by
another product besides to achieve tighter product uniformity.
- Direct process temperature readout on the local digital indicator;
- Several different wetted materials to be compatible with corrosive industrial process;
- Direct analog (4 – 20 mA) output of density and concentration such as: g/cm3, Kg/m3, Specific Gravity,
o
Brix, oPlato, oINPM (% of alcohol in weight), o Baumé, % solids, etc.
- Intrinsically safe and explosion proof certified.

II – SOME COMPARISON WITH OTHER TECHNOLOGIES

Unlike nuclear density type transmitters, the DT301 does not utilise a radioactive source and therefore no
special permits are required for its use.

The tuning fork transmitters are not suitable for tank measurement, due it creates a little environment around it
probe by the vibration, losing accuracy. It has high electricity consumption, which do not allow it be loop
powered like the DT301, requiring additional wiring for supply.

Coriolis type mass flow transmitters measure density as one of the parameters but they are installed in-line with
a pipe and therefore unsuitable for tank measurement. It is not easy to clean, very sensitive to vibration caused
by pumps, valves, air bubbles, etc.

Applications Engineering Department

International Division
INTERNATIONAL SALES DIVISION
e-mail: gabrielgodoy@smar.com.br
smar
First in Fieldbus

The density inferred by a set of pressure and temperature transmitters is commonly used, but it brings many
disadvantages such change of distances between pressure sensors due wall tank deformation, build-up and
scaling on the sensing diaphragm, hard calibration of the complete set. Additionally, the seal capillaries cause a
poor temperature performance resulting in lose of accuracy. An external computer is required to calculate the
density. DT301 has a significantly higher accuracy, direct readout, shape designed to avoid scaling and to meet
3A Standard of FDA.

Refractometers are not loop powered, requiring external power supply on separated wires. Its optical prism has
to be very clean. It measures only discrete values, always depending of samples, not on line measurement.
Unlike for the integrated DT301, the refractometer electronics is separate and interconnected to the sensor by
cable.

II – BREWERY AND BEVERAGE APPLICATION

The DT301 Density Transmitter has been applied very successfully in Brewery and Beverage Industries due to
its flexibility, high accuracy and other advantages over other forms of measuring density. As compared with
manual sampling and other technologies, the savings and benefits for this intelligent multivariable transmitter
are great.

The main applications of the DT301 in Brewery and Beverage Industries are Plato degree in fermentation tanks,
alcoholic degree of the solution, liquid sugar Brix degree and density of must in boilers.

II.1 – Plato Degree in Fermentation Tanks:

In breweries, the fermentation process is easily controlled by measurement of the Plato degree by the DT301.

On line measurement can indicate how is the exactly status of the process, allowing the operator act
immediately for any changes. Laboratory analysis can show discrete points only.
The industry can optimize the energy consumption to control the temperature of the tank. By the Plato degree,
the DT301 indicates when the fermentation process is finished or the liquid is ready.

Applications Engineering Department

International Division
INTERNATIONAL SALES DIVISION
e-mail: gabrielgodoy@smar.com.br
smar
First in Fieldbus

The DT301 send information to the supervisory system in real time, which contribute to statistics analysis for
Total Quality Certification.
The costs are reduced, having more precise process, reducing human mistakes, no more loss by samples
neither lab analyzes costs.

II.2 – Alcoholic Degree:

By the sample vessel installed in line, the DT301 can measures the GL or INPM degree, alcoholic degrees by
volume and by mass, respectively.

II.3 – Liquid Sugar Brix Degree:

Very used for beer and soft drinks production, the sugar can be the “top secret” point of the production, so it is
important to control its degree, by measurement of Brix.
The DT301 can measures the Brix degree of a sugar solution by installation in line or in tank, depending of the
customer’s process.

Applications Engineering Department

International Division
INTERNATIONAL SALES DIVISION
e-mail: gabrielgodoy@smar.com.br
smar
First in Fieldbus

II.4 – Must density in boilers:

Installed in tank, the DT301 measures the density of the most in boilers to, informing when the must is in the
right point to continue the process.

III - MAJOR REFERENCES ON BREWERY & BEVERAGE INDUSTRY:

PLANT LOCATION APPLICATION

TEQUILA SAUZA Cid. Del Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico Tequila Base Density
BRAHMA (AMBEV) Agudos, SP, Brazil Must Density in Boiler
KAISER (MOLSON GROUP) Araraquara, SP, Brazil Plato Degree in
Fermentation Process
CITROVITA Catanduva, SP, Brazil Orange Juice Brix Degree
BRAHMA (AMBEV) Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil Plato Degree in
Fermentation Process
CUTRALE Colina, SP, Brazil Orange Juice Density
SCHINCARIOL Cachoeira de Macau, RJ, Brazil Plato Degree in
Fermentation Process

Applications Engineering Department

International Division