Case
Grundfos Direct Sensors™ in novel and customized Temperature Control Units and Control Systems from gwk
The Situation
For 50 years gwk; Gesellschaft Wärme Kältetechnik mbH has earned their reputation as being a specialist company for innovative cooling and temperature control technologies.
Lead solutions for high-performance heating and cooling techniques are developed at gwk based on innovative technologies. As a supplier for the whole temperature control process from cooling plants via heating processes, gwk is a competent and innovative supplier for customers, who requests high-quality cooling and heating technology products.
For temperature control applications with flowrates up to 200l/min, gwk was looking for a flow- and temperature sensors with increased temperature range up to 160°C at a competitive price range.
The request was for gwk’s most compact temperature control units in general. The first project was for the integrat 80; a new, high end, multiple-circuit temperature control system with a temperature range up to 140°C securing a homogeneous temperature profile on the mould cavity surface in an extremely energy-efficient manner. The system with up to 96 temperature control circuits is individually controlled with gwk’s proprietary “modulControl” controller. The intelligent controller enables the representation in real time of critical process data by numbers and graphics in color for intuitive operation and has a self-optimizing plus regulating mode.
The flow- and temperature measurements are directly used for monitoring and control purposes, and each circuit can be individually flow controlled.
Together, Grundfos and gwk have been able to find new technical solutions within temperature control applications in the past. The latest solution can now be seen at FAKUMA exhibition: gwk products including VFS flow sensors up to 160°C liquid temperature.
The Grundfos Solution
Since 2005, GRUNDFOS Direct Sensors™ offered sensor solutions for different applications in heating and cooling, but only inside a temperature range up to maximum 100°C.
After the first talks with gwk, it was obvious, that we needed a sensor solution up to 160°C to cover all the applications in the gwk temperature control product range.The development of a 160°C sensor resulted in an update of the existing “VFS-QT” product range with high-temperature sealings together with a robustness update of the electronic and PPS material for the “insert flow pipe”.
First test sensors were delivered to gwk in 2014, followed by extensive longevity and stress tests performed at GRUNDFOS Direct Sensors™ and gwk to confirm the performance and reliability in this new applications area.
The Outcome
The new 160°C sensor range from GRUNDFOS Direct Sensors™ have been used since end of 2017 in gwk’s integrat 80 followed by four-circuit and eight-circuit manifolds, which can be placed at several teco temperature control units from gwk.
The 160°C sensor range offers the most important measurements for a compact temperature control unit with only one sensor measuring flow and temperature in a wide temperature application area. “With having the flow and temperature measurement in each circuit, we can easily control and monitor our multiple-circuit temperature control system”, Mr. Buch, head of product management.
Another benefit is the communication between sensor and control unit, which is based on digital communication. This offers more opportunities inside an application field with ability to transmit each data point up and into the Industry 4.0 realm. gwk is investing a lot to stay at the forefront of IoT backed by the Technotrans Group ambitions in this field with the latest Hahn Enersave acquisition. “Combined functionality, compactness and digital communication are clear beacons for our requirements to our suppliers for us to stay at the forefront of the fast-moving developments these years”, Mr. Buch states.
Grundfos Direct Sensors™ is one of the Grundfos products with the opportunity to increase the product portfolio and move straight into digitalization and IoT in combination with our pump product range.