Sierra SL-800 Drums User Manual
Contents
1. LCD Backlight The Cal Trak s LCD display includes a backlight function to illuminate the display The default setting for the backlight is always on If you wish to conserve battery power you may wish to turn the backlight off or enable the backlight only when inputting information on the keypad To turn the backlight off from the Main Menu press the Light button one time To enable the backlight only when inputting information on the keypad press the Light button a second time To return to the default setting of always on press the Light button a third time 17 Low Battery Indicator A low battery condition is indicated by a B appearing in the upper right hand corner of the LCD The low battery indicator allows the user to connect to an external power source prior to the unit powering down Time between low battery indication and loss of power varies depending on the current application 8 1 Cal Trak Keypad ENTER 8 2 How To Use the Cal Trak Keypad General Menu Navigation Use the Up Down arrows to navigate between different lines within a menu Use the Enter button to select a field to be modified and to lock in any changes Use the keypad for data entry such as entering a User ID number use the Up Down arrows to toggle fields such as temperature or pressure units Use the Fwd and Back keys to advance to the following menu or return to the previous menu 18 Keypad Function The keypad is used for both numeric an2. District Shanghai PR China 200122 Phone 8621 5879 8521 22 Fax 8621 5879 8586 Please have the following information available before calling Sierra for support e Your Cal Trak model and serial number e Instruments being calibrated and or used with the Cal Trak e Your Windows version and service pack level i e Windows 2000 sp3 Windows XP Sp1 e The COM port you are operating with i e COM1 COM2 COM3 COM4 31 Appendix B Cal Trak Specifications Configuration Interchangeable modular flow cells all calibrated elements except crystal time base are in cell Base Unit Size 6 Wx 10 5 Dx4 H 15 2 cm W x 26 7 cm D x 10 2 cmH Weight 4 2 lbs 1 9 kg Flow Cells Size 13 H x 4 diameter 33 cmH x 10 2 cm diameter Weight 5 8 lbs 2 6kg Flow Ranges Model Optimum Flow Range Cal Trak SL 800 10 5 0 sccm 500 sccm Cal Trak SL 800 24 50 sccm 5 slm Cal Trak SL 800 44 500 sccm 50 slm Maximum flow rate is 50 slm at sea level at higher altitudes piston may not return at flow rates higher than 40 slm Absolute Accuracy Single Readings All accuracies are based on of readings Averaging multiple readings will increase repeatability and accuracy Flow Cell Standardized 15 30 C Cal Trak SL 800 10 0 15 Cal Trak SL 800 24 0 15 Cal Trak SL 800 44 0 15 Suitable Gases Non corrosive humidity less than 70 non condensing Time per Reading Approximately 1 to 60 seconds flow amp cell dependent Oper
3. Element Transfer Standards Comparison of Cal Trak with Sonic Nozzle Transfer Standards Vacuum Comparison of Cal Trak with Sonic Nozzle Transfer Standards Calibration of Mass Flow Controllers MFCs Calibration of Mass Flow Meters MFMs Calibration of Rotameters Variable Area Flow Meters Operating Instructions The Cal Trak Keypad How to Use the Cal Trak Keypad Factory Default Settings Taking Readings Setting User Preferences Setup Menu 1 Calibration ID Gas Constant Calibration Type Setup Menu 2 Reading Type in Average Minutes Reading Setup Menu 3 Temp Correction Factor Temp amp Pressure Formats Setup Menu 4 Date Time amp Battery Voltage Setup Menu 5 Date amp Time Formats Setup Menu 6 Leakage amp LCF Leakage Correction Factor Battery System Battery Maintenance and Storage Maintenance Quality Assurance Leak Test Procedure Calibration Returning Your Unit for Calibration or Service Shipment Replacement Parts amp Accessories Additional Information RP OO OO S 12 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 18 18 19 19 20 20 21 21 21 22 22 22 22 22 23 23 24 25 25 25 26 12 0 Limited Warranty Appendices A Cal Trak Trouble Shooting Guide B Cal Trak Specifications Cc Cal Soft Communication Program 27 28 31 32 1 0 General Description The Sierra Cal Trak SL 800 is the most accurate commercially available gas flow calibrator Using near frictionless
4. View Insert Format Tools Data Window Help Deke 6ayv 12345 Sierra instruments b v Test Projectile number 25000554 Date of calibration 08 May 2008 Suggested recal date 07 May 2009 Software release Cal Soft 2 03 Uncertianty 0 4 of reading Calibration As Air P de Waai Port C OM1 ht Comport Cal Trak Shots set 3 Max Cal Trak wait 60 Only the text in blue can be edited B amp 2 iB Paria Read flow from DUT Comport dut DUT settle time 3 DMMset serial number 7395020 DMMread serial number 7395020 ManualDisnlay Switch on Cal Trak and DUT and connect to communication port check Cal Trak unit settings and set burst ON Disable Auto off to assure operation switch Cal Trak OFF with lt Reset gt and then lt 0 gt To change certification set paints goto Startup worksheet And then press START 12 15 vdc Diaital Port C OMB 10 lallallallallal Reference temperature 21 1 c Reference pressure DUT inlet pressure DUT outlet pressure Calibration position 1013 25 mBara 1 Barg 0 Barg Horizontal 1 5 of FS 0 5 of FS Temperature coefficient 0 15 of fuit scale per C Pressure coefficient 0 15 of fuii scale per bar Max Allowed deviation 20 M 4 gt Short manual Operating screen Startup Calibration sheet Instrument Information Ready a 8 x 2 Je Prompt Save and Pr
5. automatically as a flow generator to calibrate other flow meters and perform manual entry for calibration of any analog MFM or MFC instruments The program cannot communicate directly with analog units or but this should be available by late 2008 Cal Soft is written in Visual Basic embedded in an Excel Spreadsheet as a macro Requirements e Your Cal Trak base must be loaded with firmware version 2 03 or above e APC with Windows XP A local serial port is convenient but a USB port may be used with appropriate adapters e Microsoft Excel 2000 or higher e WinZip or an equivalent program for extracting from zipped files e Administrator rights in Windows 2000 XP 2 0 Installation The CD Rom provided from Sierra Instruments contains the Cal Soft Calibration Program a short instruction manual and some troubleshooting hints Load the CD Rom into your computer Select the Excel program Cal Soft and copy it to your computer in a convenient location Open the program and Enable Macros if prompted 3 0 Operating Instructions for Cal Soft Software Cal Soft is separated into 4 separate worksheets for convenience Worksheet descriptions Short Manual A copy of this operation manual included inside the Cal Soft program Operating Screen The start screen where you enter your details and from which you operate the program Tip If you cannot see the full screen view on the Operating Screen go to top bar and select View gt Zoom
6. display the first corresponding letter for that key Repeat this process for additional letters on the same key A space may be inserted by pressing the 0 key twice To go back use the back arrow The Cal Trak will overwrite previous entries Use the Enter key to lock in any selections 8 6 Setup Menu 1 Calibration ID Gas Constant Calibration Type Main Menu Run Setup Leak Test To enter Setup Menu 1 from the Main Menu select Setup and press Enter Setup Menu 1 Sensor Factor 1 000 Cal Type Std Option 1 Sensor Factor This option changes the gas constant or K factor for instruments that are used with any gas other than air or nitrogen but originally calibrated by the device manufacturer using air or nitrogen and a factor Gas conversion factors vary by device manufacturer Please consult the instrument manufacturer s gas conversion multipliers for the device under test and enter the appropriate factor here The input range for this option is 0 200 2 000 The default setting is for 1 000 the setting for air or nitrogen 20 Option 3 Cal Type This option changes the sample type being displayed Toggles between std standardized or mass flow readings as used by MFM or MFC devices and vol volumetric readings as used on PD rotameters 8 7 Setup Menu 2 Reading Type in Average amp Minutes Reading Option 1 Reading Type Toggles between Cont c
7. port selected in the Cal Trak Communications Program Remember that the default serial port selection is COM1 If you are using a port other than COM1 you will need to use the procedure listed in Section 3 0 Changing the COM port If you have additional problems using the Cal Trak Communications Program please see Section 6 0 Contacting Support 39
8. use Up and Down arrows to alter settings Date and time formats are specified using Setup Menu 5 Date and Time Formats This guide is written using the factory default settings Option 1 Date This option allows you to set the date Option 2 Time This option allows you to set the time Battery Voltage cannot be adjusted but is displayed for reference 8 10 Setup Menu 5 Date amp Time Formats Option 1 Date Toggles between MT DT YR or DT MT YR date format Option 2 Time Toggles between AM PM or 24 Hr time format Option 3 Auto Off Toggles between Enable or Disable 65 minute auto shut off 8 11 Setup Menu 6 PTV and PTVM formerly Leakage amp Leakage Correction Factor There is a very small gap between the piston and the interior of the glass flow cylinder allowing a known volume of gas to leak past during calibrations This is the underlying operating principal of the Sierra Cal Trak and what allows the elimination of fluid seals used in earlier piston prover designs like the Sierra Cal Bench At low flows the fixed leakage past the piston becomes a greater percentage of the overall measurement uncertainty The leakage of each individual flow cylinder is quantified at our factory using nitrogen and entered into the Cal Trak as the Piston Tare Value PTV to be factored into subsequent readings This is part of the factory calibration The Leakage ra
9. 0 a E 0 O Desktop My Documents 2 My Computer My Network Places 2 Recycle Bin Qm 3 15PM GJS Microsoft office Out C9 C Documents and Settin E Documenti Microsoft _ Flow Meters Mass Fl E Adobe Reader DW Tuesday Additional information on the Cal Trak calibration systems are available by clicking on the Cal Trak photos at the lower left which will take you to dedicated pages on our flow calibrators You can also obtain a copy of the Cal Trak Uncertainly Analysis from any of our 3 offices or more than 100 distributors world wide 27 12 0 Limited Warranty The Sierra Cal Trak SL 800 is warranted to the original end user to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use and service for a period of 1 year from the date of purchase as shown on the purchaser s receipt The Cal Trak s battery is warranted for 6 months from the original purchase date If the unit was purchased from an authorized reseller a copy of an invoice or packing slip showing the date of purchase may be required to obtain warranty service The obligation of Sierra Instruments Inc under this warranty shall be limited to repair or replacement at our option during the warranty period of any part which proves defective in material or workmanship under normal use and service provided the product is returned to Sierra Instruments Inc with transportation charges prepaid Sierra Instruments Inc shall have no liab
10. Cal Trak has been packaged with care and includes all components necessary for complete operation Please take a moment to check that you have received the following items If you believe you have not received a full shipment or if you have any questions please contact Sierra immediately Your Cal Trak SL 800 Base Includes Cal Trak SL 800 Electronic Base e Battery Charger Leak Test Cable e RS 232 Cable e Instruction Manual Certificate of Calibration behind top cover foam insert e Warranty Card behind top cover foam insert e Cal Soft CD ROM Application software for downloading data to your computer and making calibration certificates Each of Your Cal Trak SL 800 Flow Cells Includes e Cal Trak SL 800 Flow Cell e Leak Test Plug e Certificate of Calibration behind top cover foam insert e Warranty Card behind top cover foam insert If you purchased your calibrator with the Cal Trak case it should look like this when you receive it Optional Pelican Case Certificate of Calibration Leak Test Cable Battery Charger Cal Soft cD Plugs amp Caps under Charger Cal Trak Electronic Base Cal Trak Flow Cells 1 i RS 232 Cable 5 0 Warnings A The Sierra Cal Trak is not rated intrinsically safe and is not for use with explosive gasses or for use in explosive environments A The Sierra Cal Trak is designed for use at ambient pressures This is easiest to obtain by leaving th
11. DUT then make sure in the next section you set the Cal Soft to the same units 4 Cal Trak to Computer cable Connect the Cal Trak to your Computer with a RS232 9 Pin to 9 Pin cable like the one supplied with your calibrator The cable should not be longer than 10 meters but 1 meter cables can improve the reliability of the connection Trouble shooting digital comms When the program is not communicating with the Cal Trak you will find in most cases one of the settings in the Cal Trak is incorrect Please review steps 1 3 above then check all the cables and perform a hard reset the Cal Trak See hole in the back of the Cal Trak base Follow steps 1 3 again Please see if the basic communication is already happening When you press START on the operating screen have a look at the display of the Cal Trak The program will move the Cal Trak from the Main Menu to the Run Mode You will see this change just as if you had pressed the buttons yourself Please verify that this is happening If this is not happening check the RS232 cables Are they properly plugged in Check if you selected the correct com port for the Cal Trak in the Operating screen Are you sure you did not select the Com port of the Sierra 100 series or DUT Does your selected com port exist see My Computer Right mouse button gt Properties gt Hardware gt Device Manager gt Ports Com amp LPT to view the com ports on your computer and check that there are no err
12. SIERRA INSTRUMENTS THE MASS FLOW COMPANY Cal Trak SL 800 Primary Gas Flow Calibrator Instruction Manual Revision A3 June 2008 SIERRA INSTRUMENTS THE MASS FLOW COMPANY Worldwide Locations to Serve You CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 5 Harris Court Building L Monterey CA 93940 USA Phone 831 373 0200 800 866 0200 Fax 831 373 4402 www sierrainstruments com EUROPE HEADQUARTERS Bijlmansweid 2 1934RE Egmond a d Hoef The Netherlands Phone 31 72 5071400 Fax 31 72 5071401 ASIA HEADQUARTERS Room A618 Tomson Centre 188 Zhang Yang Rd Pu Dong New District Shanghai PR China 200122 Phone 8621 5879 8521 Fax 8621 5879 8586 1 0 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 6 0 6 1 6 2 6 3 6 4 6 5 7 0 7 1 T2 T3 7 4 7 5 7 6 7 7 7 8 8 0 8 1 8 2 8 3 8 4 8 5 8 6 8 7 8 8 8 9 8 10 8 11 9 0 9 1 10 0 11 0 11 1 11 2 11 3 14 4 11 5 11 6 Table of Contents Sierra Instruments Contact Information Table of Contents General Description Theory of Operation Cal Trak Layout Unpacking Checklist Warnings Installation Attaching and Removing Flow Cells Connecting the Cal Trak to a Flow Source The Cal Trak Measurement Cycle Application Precautions Comparison vs Calibration the 4 to 1 rule Installation Diagrams and Application Guide Comparison of Cal Trak with Piston or Bell Provers Vacuum Comparison of Cal Trak with Piston or Bell Provers Comparison of Cal Trak with Laminar Flow
13. Trak annual factory calibration is recommended The leak test may take as long as 6 hours or more to complete per fitting Since the leak test may take several hours it is recommended to plug the charger into the base during the leak test to prevent the unit from turning off To Initiate the Leak Test 1 Place the Cal Trak on a flat vibration free surface 2 While in the Main Menu install the leak test cable included with the Cal Trak base unit between the 9 pin Cal Trak Base Connector and the 9 pin Cell Connector Main Menu Run Setup Leak Test 3 From the Main Menu remove the cell and select Leak Test 4 After a leak test is initiated the display will read Place the leak test plug over either the inlet or the outlet port fitting on the Cal Trak flow cell Invert the Cal Trak flow cell 7 Push any key to commence the leak test At this point the Cal Trak will time the descent of the piston The leak test may take up to 6 hours to complete The display will read 8A Ifthe test is completed successfully the display will read 24 8B If the unit fails the leak test the display will appear similar to the following picture Please make a note of the number that is displayed and contact Sierra customer service 9 Repeat the procedure with the leak test port cap over the opposite port fitting 10 To stop the leak test at any time press the RESET button Leak Test Illustration Leak Test in Prog
14. Trak begins its cycle the piston s weight causes the internal pressure to rise by about 0 001 atmospheres 0 1 kPa If a simple pressure regulator feeds the test chain we are simply using the resistance of the entire flow chain to set our flow rate The rate will then change significantly when the Cal Trak is in its measurement cycle This will cause the actual flow measured during the Cal Trak cycles to be less than the average flow seen by the piston or bell prover To render this effect insignificant the flow must not be affected significantly by the Cal Trak s cyclic pressure increase This can be achieved by use of a sonic nozzle as the stable flow source or by feeding a fixed restrictor with a precisely regulated pressure of more than 200 kPa as is used in factory calibration of the Cal Trak Note that at 200 kPa 30 PSI the dynamic flow decrease of a simple restrictor caused by the piston s weight will be about 0 05 In certain circumstances the sonic nozzle or porous plug flow generator may be replaced with a mass flow controller MFC specifically tailored to this task An example is the Sierra Model C100L 10 24 and 44 each specifically built to provide a stable flow source for the Cal Trak calibrator For this type of calibration we can use the setup shown in Figure 5 The adjustable regulator is used to set the flow rate within the range of a properly sized flow restrictor A piston or bell prover cycle is instituted The C
15. Turn on the Cal Trak Enter Setup Menu 4 to check battery voltage Battery voltage should be 6 00 volts or higher nk WwW NY A 3 0 B appears in the upper right corner in the run screen Battery is getting low and should be recharged A 4 0 The Charge LED does not light when charger plugged in 1 Is the wall outlet working properly 2 Are you using the correct charger Please be sure to be using a Sierra 12V charger 3 Is the charger working properly If possible measure the voltage with a voltmeter The voltage should be greater than 12 volts A 5 0 No Cell appears on display No Cell is displayed when the cell is not connected to the base 1 Tfthe cell and the base are connected check the cell connection to the base by removing and reconnecting the cell to the base 2 If display still reads No Cell after it has been established that the base and the cell have a firm connection please contact Sierra A 6 0 Settings have been lost or seem to have changed If the battery is removed or allowed to discharge your settings may be lost Reprogram instrument to desired settings See Section 8 0 Setting User Preferences A 7 0 Piston Error appears on display This error message could be caused by any of the following 29 1A The piston is not reaching the bottom in the time allotted by the program e Push any key to return to the Read Screen e Ifyou want the Cal Trak to start taking re
16. able 1 Recommended Maximum External Volume and Tubing Lengths Recommended Max Recommended Maximum Length meters inches Cell Size Volume cc 3mm ID 1 8 6mm ID 1 4 9mm ID 3 8 Small SL 500 10 9 1 2 47 2 0 3 11 8 N A Medium SL 500 24 46 6 5 256 1 6 63 0 0 7 27 6 Large SL 500 44 118 16 7 658 4 2 165 1 9 74 8 6 5 Comparison vs Calibration Calibration consists of comparing an instrument with one of significantly greater accuracy ideally at least four times the accuracy of the device under test the 4 to 1 rule widely accepted by industry We use the term comparison in most of the following applications because depending upon their respective accuracies either device can be calibrating or simply compared with the other For example a 0 2 LFE can calibrate a 1 mass flow controller while a 0 15 Cal Trak can calibrate a 0 6 LFE On the other hand a 0 15 lab prover cannot calibrate a 0 15 Cal Trak to its rated accuracy or vice versa One can calibrate the other to only 0 3 with great certainty so we simply call it a comparison 11 7 0 Installation Diagrams and Application Guide 7 1 Comparison of Cal Trak with Piston or Bell Provers Piston or bell provers have a much longer measurement time than the Cal Trak For this reason it is possible to compare them simultaneously but certain precautions must be observed When the Cal
17. adings again press Read or Auto 1B The piston does not return to the bottom of the cell at all e The flow rate may be too high for the cell being used make sure that the flow is in the specified range e Water vapor may have condensed inside the cell if the cell has been moved from one location to another Allow the cell to come to ambient temperature and the piston should fall naturally as the condensation evaporates e The flow cell may have been used with a gas other than air or nitrogen Some gases are naturally sticky If you have used the cell with another gas run nitrogen gas to the inlet port at a pressure below 5 psig while keeping the outlet port open to atmosphere The nitrogen gas will slowly purge out the sticky gas previously used and the piston will return to the bottom of the cell A 8 0 The piston does not move when the Read or Auto is pushed O y ANA WwW NY Is the cell connected to the base Is a flow source connected Is the flow source connected correctly Pressure vs Vacuum Is the flow source inadvertently set too low Are any of the ports sealed Are any of the tubes pinched Are any of the connections loose or leaking This can happen especially easily with Swagelok fittings Can you hear the valve working If not contact Sierra A 9 0 When taking readings the flow seems off Are any of the connections loose or leaking Swagelok fittings are especially prone to thi
18. ake at each flow point The more Shots the more accurate the result will be but this will also take more time Common settings for this are 4 to10 shots Max Cal Trak wait This is the maximum time in seconds that the program will wait before it aborts it s data collection If the flow is very low you might have to increase this time It also determines how long the program will wait when you check the zero flow point Recommended setting is 30 or 60 seconds If you select a value below 30 seconds it is possible the program will stop it s data collection before the Cal Trak completes its cycle This would result in an error at one or more flow points Step 2 In this step you enter information about the DUT Model Select the unit you want to certify The pull down list will show you a number of options that are defined under that Tab Instrument information You can freely edit and add to this data base and than select your specific instrument Data like accuracy and P T effects will be used in the calibration sheet Only Sierra Models are programmed into the software upon delivery but others may be added Power supply Select the power supply for the unit Only used for Certificate sheet data Input signal Here you select the source of the setpoint signal to your DUT For Flow meter enter NA For RS232 for a Sierra 100 Series MFC enter digital For all others choose from the pull down menu the proper setpoint signal for your DUT Output
19. al Trak and the prover can then be alternately measured using the fixed flow source Gas Fixed Adjustable Sonic Supply Regulator Regulator Nozzle m Lo a Cal Trak OR Porous Plug Piston or Stable Pressure Bell Prover gt 200 kPa Figure 5 Setup for Piston or Bell Provers An alternative approach can be used with piston provers as shown in Figure 6 A cycle is initiated on the prover which is much slower than a Cal Trak The Cal Trak is then started in a cyclical mode averaging its flow Before the prover ends its cycle the Cal Trak is stopped and the average flow read The Cal Trak can be set for sufficient cycles in its average to allow interruption by the stop button or smaller averages such as 5 or 10 readings can be taken during the prover cycle It should be noted that the periodic pressure pulses might cause oscillations in bell provers reducing the bell prover s accuracy somewhat 12 Gas Fixed Adjustable Supply Regulator Regulator m Ca Lio LY Piston or Bell Prover Stable Pressure gt 200 kPa Figure 6 Alternative Setup for Piston Provers 7 2 Vacuum Comparison of Cal Trak with Piston or Bell Provers The Cal Trak operates similarly in both pressure and suction applications Sometimes however users wi
20. an be found in Appendix C of this manual Should you desire more information on Sierra Instruments and our products you are welcome to visit our website at www sierrainistruments com Flow Meters Mass Flow Controllers Air Flow Meters Oxygen Flow Meters Gas Pipe Ultrasonic Windows Internet Explorer lej x g9 gt E http www sierrainstruments com bd Res e File Edit View Favorites Tools Help ww he 5 Flow Meters Mass Flow Controllers Air Flow Meters T E e A E Poge Gods COMPANY SIERRA EUROPE SIERRA ASIA CONTACT SEARCH DOWNLOAD PRESS CENTER SERVI ORDER STATUS SIERRA NORTH AMERICA EUROPE 0 H 31 72 5071400 INSTRUMENTS iwc sass riow compan gt MASS FLOW STORIES Chronicles PRODUCT SELECTION OEM amp CUSTOM SOI gt CALIBRATION amp REPAIR SERVICES GET TECHNIC su gt GET SALES SUPPORT Digital Mass Flow Analog Mass Flow Economical Mass Flow Light Industry Heavy Industrial Transit Time Meters amp Meters amp Meters amp Thermal Mass Thermal Mass Ultrasonic Giaa Controllers Controllers Flow Meters Flow Meters Flow Meters p i i NEMA 6 IP67 Primary Standard Transient Partial Heavy Industrial Heavy Industrial Selection Tools Industrial Mass Flow Ges Flow Flow Emissions Multipsrameter Flow amp Level All Products Controllers Calibration Systems Sampling Systems Mass Flow Meter Switches a x TT TT T Ontem Ro Hr
21. and adjust the zoom to a suitable value Startup A system sheet in which the visual basic operating mode operates During the actual calibration the program will switch to this sheet and opens a Visual basic screen If the red screen window is shown do not select any worksheet with your mouse Only leave this window by pressing EXIT Calibration sheet In this sheet we find the layout of the certificate The data taken during the runs will be placed in this sheet and this can be printed and saved later on You can make changes to this sheet f i replace the Logo with your own but DO NOT insert rows or columns Instrument Information This is a small database in which you can enter your instruments description Sierra models are already entered here These instruments can be selected in the Operating screen and the relevant information will be entered in the calibration sheet 33 Introduction This software in combination with a Sierra Cal Trak can certify flow meters and flow controllers for gases and will generate a calibration certificate Depending on the capability of your DUT Device Under Test this can be done semi or fully automatic If you connect a Sierra 100 series mass flow controller MFC by RS232 and a Cal Trak by RS232 this software obtains most of its required settings and variables from the 100 series and the certification requires minimal human intervention If you calibrate a unit with a display the readout will have to b
22. ating Modes Single cycle continuous cycling or 1 to 255 minute intervals Measuring Cell Graphite composite piston in borosilicate glass cylinder Temperature Range 15 30 C Temperature amp Pressure Sensors Located below piston in flow cell barometric pressure sensor located in base unit Valve magnetic acting design to prevent heating of gas stream self relieving Battery System Internal continuously chargeable sealed 6V lead acid battery AC Charger Adapter 100 240 VAC 47 63 Hz Self Test Piston Tare Value Leak Rate Outputs Illuminated LCD display RS 232 serial port CSV format Warranty 1 year Note Annual calibration offered by Sierra is elective and is not included as a warranty item Software Revision 2 03 All specifications are subject to change Please contact Sierra or visit our web site at www sierrainstruments com for the most current product information 32 Appendix C Cal Soft v 2 0 Communication Program 1 0 Introduction This is the second version of the Sierra Cal Soft concept It was created to support the new Cal Trak firmware version 2 03 which began shipping in the first few months of 2008 This program enables the transfer of flow data from your Cal Trak into an Excel spreadsheet for data series analysis The data is collected in the program in a convenient format which can generate a Calibration Certificate if desired Currently you can automatically certify a Sierra 100 series use any Sierra 100 Series MFC
23. brator without an RMA number or your service may be delayed 11 4 Shipment When shipping the Sierra Cal Trak please ensure that the packaging is adequate to protect the instrument When possible the Cal Trak should be shipped in the optional storage case Sierra Instruments Inc is not responsible for damage that occurs during shipment When transporting by air the internal solenoid valve must be in the Open position to avoid possible cell damage To open the valve from the Run Menu press the Stop button The valve position may be verified by sealing both the inlet and the outlet fitting The piston should move freely up and down the cylinder 11 5 Replacement Parts amp Accessories Part Description SL 800 B Base Unit SL 800 10 Low Flow Cell range 5 sccm to 500 sccm SL 800 24 Medium Flow Cell range 50 sccm to 5 slpm SL 800 44 High Flow Cell range 500 sccm to 50 slpm PEL 1600 Pelican case with foam insert fits 1 base 1 cell amp accessories PEL 1650 Pelican case with foam insert amp wheels fits 1 bases 2 3 cells amp accessories 800 BAT Battery 6V lead acid UNIVERSAL 120 240V battery charger please specify plug configuration FOAM 1600 Replacement foam insert for Pel 1600 FOAM 1650 Replacement foam insert for Pel 1650 LT CABLE Leak test cable CA 23 RS 232 cable for PC connection 26 11 6 Additional Information Technical Specifications for your Cal Trak calibrator c
24. ccurate for a number of seconds after the start and the end of a Cal Trak measurement cycle When calibrating such systems a stable flow source should be used and the LFE read before and after the Cal Trak cycle Intra Cycle Pressure Change After the initial brief pressure pulse the change in insertion pressure is typically 0 1 of an atmosphere 0 1 kPa or 1 cm water column This is usually insignificant For example flow from a 100 kPa gauge pressure 15 psi source will change by 0 1 However very low pressure sources will show larger flow change during a Cal Trak cycle and may require compensating calculations to achieve Cal Trak s best applied accuracy Inventory Dead Volume Inventory volume consists of all the space contained between the flow source s point of restriction and the timed portion of the cylinder This includes tubing empty space within the Cal Trak base the lower portion of the measuring cylinder and any other space contained within the test setup It is important to keep inventory volume to a minimum Excess inventory volume amplifies the effects of minute pressure variations within the Cal Trak cell In extreme cases the excess volume also prevents gas pressure from accelerating the piston properly causing significant errors in readings Ideally the volume contained between the cell and the flow source should be on the order shown in Table 1 which also shows the volume as an equivalent length of tubing T
25. d The time required for the graphite composite piston to traverse a known distance through the flow cylinder is precisely measured and an internal computer calculates the flow The volumetric accuracy of the instrument is built into its dimensional characteristics Standardization of the gas flow readings to obtain mass flow is achieved with precisely calibrated temperature and pressure sensors Piston provers like the Cal Trak are characterized by the most basic of quantities length and time As flow is necessarily a derived unit a dimensionally characterized system would be as close as possible to direct traceability from national dimensional standards An idealized piston prover would consist of a mass less friction less leakproof shape invariant and impermeable piston inserted within the flow stream and enclosed by a perfect cylinder The time that the piston takes to move a known distance which implies a known volume then yields the volumetric flow Q as Q V T Tr h T Where e V is measured volume e T measurement time e r radius of cylinder e h length height of measurement path Such a device would be as accurate as its physical dimensions and its clock with almost insignificant drift mechanisms Although such idealized devices do not exist we believe the Cal Trak offers close to ideal performance Figure 1 The Cal Trak clearance sealed prover uses a piston and cylinder fitted so closely that the viscosity of the
26. d alpha character entry When pressed each alphanumeric button will display its corresponding number If pressed again within two seconds the unit will display the first corresponding letter for that key Repeat this process for additional letters on the same key A space may be inserted by pressing the 0 key twice To go back use the back arrow The Cal Trak will overwrite previous entries Use the Enter key to lock in any selections Reset Button Clears both the current reading and the group average and opens the valve allowing the piston to return to its resting state Stop Button Stops current reading and opens the valve allowing the piston to return to its resting state Auto Button Initiates automatic readings must be accessed from the Run Menu If the Reading type has been set to Cont in Setup Menu 2 the unit will run until the preset average is reached and then start the cycle over If the Reading type has been set to Burst in Setup Menu 2 the unit will run until the preset average is reached and then stop Read Button Initiates a single reading must be accessed from the Run Menu 8 3 Factory Default Settings The Sierra Cal Trak has a number of user definable features and settings To return to factory default settings press Reset followed by Save from the Main Menu Parameters Factory Settings Optional Settings No of Readings in an Averaging Sequenc
27. d by small variants of back pressure A 11 0 During Leak Test Leakage gt 9 999 ccm appears on display 1 2 Check for poor connections on either the pressure or suction port Make sure all fittings are tight 30 A 12 0 The Cal Trak does not appear to be sending data through the serial RS 232 port 1 Review Appendix C Cal Soft Software Instructions beginning on page 33 of this Manual 2 Is the serial cable plugged into the correct COM port and the Cal Trak 3 Is cable correct The cable should be a to 1 connection not a null modem cable A 13 0 Resetting the Cal Trak There is a Hard Reset button recessed on the back left hand side of the Cal Trak Use the Hard Reset button in order to override current operation and return to the Main Menu All settings will be retained however current flow data will be lost A 14 0 Contact Sierra for Assistance If the above tips do not get your calibrator functioning correctly you are welcome to contact your local Sierra distributor Or you may contact any of our three locations for additional Sierra Instruments Technical Support CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 5 Harris Court Building L Monterey CA 93940 USA Phone 831 373 0200 800 866 0200 Fax 831 373 4402 EUROPE HEADQUARTERS Bijlmansweid 2 1934RE Egmond a d Hoef The Netherlands Phone 31 72 5071400 Fax 31 72 5071401 ASIA HEADQUARTERS Room 618 Tomson Centre Bldg A 188 Zhang Yang Road Pu Dong New
28. e 10 1 100 Atmospheric Pressure mm Hg mBar kPa PSI Temperature C F Standardized Temperature Setting 0 C 0 0 50 0 C Date Format MM DT YR DT MM YR Time Format AM PM 24 Hr 8 4 Taking Readings Main Menu Run Setup Leak Test 1 Press Enter Read or Auto to enter the Run Menu 19 e Press the Read button to initiate a single reading e Press the Auto button to initiate multiple readings e Press the Stop button to stop current flow reading and open valve e Press the Reset button to clear the display of current data 8 5 Setting User Preferences The Sierra Cal Trak offers enhanced electronics options that allow the user to define parameters specific to their application There are six Setup Menus in all For a comprehensive flowchart of the complete menu tree please see Appendix B General Menu Navigation Use the Up Down arrows to navigate between different lines within a menu Use the Enter button to select a field to be modified and to lock in any changes Use the keypad for data entry such as of readings in an averaging sequence use the Up Down arrows to toggle fields such as temperature or pressure units Use the Fwd and Back keys to advance to the following menu or return to the previous menu Keypad Function The keypad is used for both numeric and alpha character entry When pressed each alphanumeric button will display its corresponding number If pressed again within two seconds the unit will
29. e at a time The program will ask you to record the flow from the DUT then it will run the Cal Trak and record the calibrator s measured flow beside your DUT flow After you have collected data at one point adjust the gas flow to the next value wait for the flow to stabilize and repeat the process When all the boxes are filled calibration is complete NOTE the Cal Trak always records data in sccm units The program will modify these units to match your DUT in the next step Step 4 Print and or Save the certificate The Certificate is saved to C certification If you want to save the file to a different location you can go to the bottom on the certificate see worksheet Calibration sheet and press the Save Certificate button 38 4 0 Software Troubleshooting Most software problems encountered will fall into one of two areas Serial Port Selection Issue The Cal Trak Communications program might be configured for a serial port that you are not connected to Most modern computers have only one serial port but many older computers have two 9 pin serial ports If your computer has two 9 pin ports and you are experiencing difficulty with installation please switch your serial cable to the other port and test again If your computer has no serial ports you may use USB ports with corresponding USB serial adapters Serial Port Configuration Issue You might have the correct physical port selected on the computer but the wrong
30. e battery pack therefore if the Cal Trak is not used regularly it should be fully charged at least once every three months When possible periodically leave your Cal Trak on charge overnight 10 0 Maintenance Although the Sierra Cal Trak is a rugged instrument certain care and maintenance requirements must still be met When not in use always store your Cal Trak in a clean dry environment Sierra Instruments provides a range of cases ideal for storage and transportation of your 23 Cal Trak calibrator See Chapter 12 5 Accessories or contact Sierra Instruments for details Wipe only with a damp cloth and do not spray with liquid solvents or use abrasive cleaners Any service to the Sierra Cal Trak must be performed by Sierra maintenance personnel Current service or calibration information and pricing can be received by contacting Sierra Instruments Inc at any of the locations listed on the front cover Alternatively you can contact us via our web site www sierrainstruments com 11 0 Quality Assurance 11 1 Leak Test Procedure A quality assurance self test feature is provided to verify proper integrity of the flow cell It is recommended that the self check leakage test be conducted periodically as part of an ongoing quality assurance program Passing the leak test does not ensure proper function of the Cal Trak It does ensure that total leakage is within the product s allowable limits To ensure proper function of the Cal
31. e entered manually into the program during the certification If you have a DUT with an analog output you have to measure this output with a DVM and enter the readout manually into this program during the certification The software communicates with the Cal Trak through RS232 and will configure your calibrator automatically It is recommended that you power on your Cal Trak DUT Sierra 100 Series MFC if used and then run the Cal Soft program Setup Cal Trak To make the Cal Trak communicate correctly with this software the following settings have to be made to the Cal Trak before you start using this program After you switch the Cal Trak on insure the following settings are indicated as below 1 Setup Menu 1 See Section 8 7 on pg 35 Choose STD or VOL based upon your DUT For Mass flow meters or controllers you must use STD Set the Sensor Factor 1 000 for calibration with Air or Nitrogen gas 2 Setup Menu 2 See Section 8 8 on pg 36 of this Manual Set BURST On It is not necessary to set the in AVERAGE because this value will be determined in the Software automatically You must set the MIN READING to 00 3 Setup Menu 3 See Section 8 9 Select the proper units for Temperature and Pressure Make them match your DUT Set the Reference temperature on 21 1 C Standard conditions or to 0 0 C Normal conditions NOTE some DUT instruments will have other Reference Conditions Set up the Cal Trak to match your
32. e outlet open to atmospheric pressure For vented applications up to 5 inches of water column 12 mbar or 0 18 PSI at the outlet fitting maybe used without impact on measurement accuracy More than this pressure will add additional uncertainty to the flow readings Do not use the Cal Trak with a differential pressure above 0 35 bar 5 PSI In other words the pressure differential across the flow cell must be less than 0 35 bar or the flow cell may be damaged Please visit www sierrainstruments com for the most current product specifications A The Sierra Cal Trak is for use with clean laboratory air or other inert non corrosive gases only 6 0 Cal Trak Installation 6 1 Attaching amp Removing Flow Cells The Sierra Cal Trak accepts interchangeable cells for different flow ranges If user tries to enter Run Menu prior to installing a flow cell the unit indicates No Cell and returns to the Main Menu after a 5 second delay Attaching Flow Cells 1 Position the selected flow cell into the electronics base opening with its silver Sierra Instruments label facing you 2 Locate the guide pins when the guide pins are engaged press down firmly 3 When the power is turned on the base electronics will sense which cell is installed and display the appropriate units for that cell Removing Flow Cells Grasp the flow cell firmly by the base of the cylinder and lift upward out of the base 6 2 Connecting the Cal Trak to a Flow S
33. fitting 6 3 The Cal Trak Measurement Cycle Operation of a Cal Trak is extraordinarily simple and little training is required However any measurement interacts with the device being calibrated to some degree Often these interactions are negligible However sometimes device interactions can seriously affect measurement accuracy Here we will explain what happens during a Cal Trak measurement to aid in installing and using the instrument appropriately In its inactive state the Cal Trak will like any device exhibit a constant insertion pressure drop At all but the highest flows the pressure drop is very small In the inactive state gas flows from the inlet to the outlet through the bypass valve Figure 3 When a measurement cycle begins the bypass valve closes and the gas is directed into the cylinder effectively inserting the piston in series with the gas flow allowing measurement Timing commences after the piston has accelerated to the flow stream s speed At the end of the timed cycle the valve opens and the piston falls to its inactive position at the bottom of the cylinder Outlet Bypass Valve Piston SS SSS ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANNANN ANN ANNANN ANN ANN ANN ANNANN AAN Inlet aai Figure 3 Basic Piston Prover In real world applications there are significant dynamics to consider At the beginning of a cycle pressure rises rapidly until the piston accelerates to
34. gas under test results in a leakage small enough to be insignificant For reasonable leakage rates such a gap must be approximately 10 microns As a practical matter the piston and cylinder are made of graphite and borosilicate glass because of their low matched temperature coefficients of expansion and low friction gt Vent Cylinder E 7 N Light Photodiode Emitter Collimator N J Bypass Valve Y x aE N Piston Inventory Volume SST ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN ANN Inlet gt WEA Inlet Filter Figure 1 Idealized Automatic Piston Prover In order to make an intrinsically volumetric device useful for measurement of gases it is generally necessary to adjust the readings to a standardized temperature and pressure yielding mass flow For this reason we include temperature and pressure transducers to allow computation of standard mass flow by the internal computer Figure 2 gt Vent Cylinder J N Light Photodiode Emitter Collimator NI VA Bypass Valve Yy x J N X Piston Inventory Volume Absolute Temperature Transducer Transducer Inlet SO p Inlet Filter Figure 2 Practical Piston Prover 3 0 Cal Trak Layout Back and Side Front and Side Air Inlet Air Outlet Sa Connector f Serial Port Charging Jack Hard Reset 4 0 Unpacking Checklist Your Sierra
35. h Sonic Nozzle Transfer Standards A high quality sonic nozzle used above its critical pressure ratio will supply a constant flow despite changes in its outlet pressure For this reason a calibrated sonic nozzle can be compared to a Cal Trak by simply connecting its outlet to the Cal Trak s inlet as shown in Figure 9 Pressure Transducer Fixed Adjustable N Regulator Regulator NY 0 i Sonic Nozzle Cal Trak Stable Pressure gt Critical Figure 9 Setup for Sonic Nozzle Transfer Standard 14 7 5 Vacuum Comparison of Cal Trak with Sonic Nozzle Transfer Standards The Cal Trak operates similarly in both pressure and suction applications Sometimes however users wish to compare the Cal Trak under suction vacuum conditions With a calibrated sonic nozzle a simple setup such as that shown in Figure 10 can be used with the inlet to the Cal Trak flow cell at atmospheric pressure There is one precaution however The sonic nozzle s pressure must be measured during the Cal Trak cycle to obtain the actual flow that the Cal Trak is measuring In turn the pressure transducer must not be upset by the Cal Trak s initial pressure pulse and must have rapid response relative to the Cal Trak cycle time This method is therefore most suitable for flows in the lower part of a Cal Trak s range It should be noted that cycling of the Cal Trak would cause a slight change in the
36. ility to repair or replace any Sierra Instruments Inc product e Which has been damaged following sale including but not limited to damage resulting from improper electrical voltages or currents defacement misuse abuse neglect accident fire flood act of God or use in violation of the instructions furnished by Sierra Instruments Inc e Where the serial number has been altered or removed or e Which has been repaired altered or maintained by any person or party other than Sierra Instruments Inc or a Sierra authorized service center This warranty is in lieu of all other warranties and all other obligations or liabilities arising as a result of any defect or deficiency of the product whether in contract or in tort or otherwise All other warranties expressed or implied including any implied warranties of Merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose are specifically excluded In no event shall we be liable for any special incidental or consequential damages for breach of this or any other warranty express or implied 28 Appendix A Cal Trak Troubleshooting Guide A 1 0 Unit does not turn on Battery may be deeply discharged or dead Plug charger into unit Confirm that the Charge LED is lit Wait 10 minutes and try turning unit on again If the unit still does not work please contact Sierra A U NY A 2 0 Unit suddenly turns off Battery may not be fully charged Plug charger into unit Plug cell into unit
37. int certificatic Save as Print Rijn 4 44PM 35 Step 1 Enter information about you and the Cal Trak Company Enter the name of your Company Reference Enter your reference number that will be shown on the calibration certificate Project file number Enter your internal project number that will be shown on the calibration certificate Date of calibration Will be automatically filled in here To enter date manually Used for certificate data only type in date Suggested recal date Will be automatically filled in with today s date 1 year Software release Current software version 2 03 cannot not be edited System ERROR Uncertainty of the Cal Trak factory set at 0 4 Change to 0 2 for use with Cal Trak SL 800 Certificate type Select the type of certificate you are going to generate Determines title of the Certificate no other effect Measured gas pressure this information is obtained from the Cal Trak Measured Gas temperature this information is obtained from the Cal Trak Calibration gas Use the pull down menu to select the gas you will use for the calibration At this moment this is only suitable for Air and Nitrogen Consult factory for other gasses Performed by Enter your name here It will be printed on the certificate Comport Cal Trak Select the RS232 Com port to which the Cal Trak will be connected Selectable from Com port 1 to 10 Shots set Enter the number of shots that the Cal Trak will have to t
38. mpletes the certificate If a Sierra 100 Series is to be used as part of your calibration system set the units of the 100 Series to sccm to match the Cal Trak Gas enter the gas the DUT will be used with during normal operation Note that many instruments are calibrated on nitrogen or air even if they are to be used with a wide variety of gases If a Sierra 100 Series is connected through RS232 it obtains this information automatically K Factor Enter the K factor that relates that calibration gas to the gas for which the DUT will be used For air or nitrogen enter 1 00 36 Reference temperature Will be selected automatically based in the units selected Normal OC Standard 21 1C Reference pressure Will be selected automatically based in the units selected DUT inlet pressure enter the inlet gas pressure to the DUT Used for certificate data only DUT outlet pressure enter the outlet gas pressure of the DUT Used for certificate data only Calibration position Enter the position in which your DUT is mounted during the calibration Used for certificate data only Accuracy Will be pulled down from the program s instrument database Instrument information if you are calibrating a Sierra Model If you are calibrating an instrument of another manufacturer enter the rated accuracy of the DUT here Repeatability same as Accuracy above Temperature coefficient Will be pulled down from the database Instrument information if you a
39. nozzle s inlet pressure Even though the pressure transducer is read during the Cal Trak cycle the nozzle may not achieve internal thermal equilibrium during the cycle slightly reducing accuracy Pressure Transducer A a CN a e A gt gt K J a Sonic Nozzle Vacuum Pump vA Cal Trak x Z Stable Pressure gt Critical Figure 10 Vacuum Setup for Sonic Nozzle Transfer Standard 7 6 Calibration of Mass Flow Controllers MFCs Modern mass flow controllers have fast response times on the order of milliseconds They can simply be connected to an appropriate inert gas source and their output stream applied to the Cal Trak as in Figure 11 Proper calibration consists of comparing the Cal Trak reading to the MFCs actual indicated flow and not to its control signal If a slow flow controller is to be calibrated it is best to calibrate it in its metering mode Apply the appropriate signal to fully open the controller s internal valve full scale or digital open and calibrate the device as shown for mass flow meters MFMs below Remember that the Cal Trak is designed to be operated at ambient pressure If the outlet pressure of the MFC is atmospheric then Figure 9 is correct If the outlet pressure of the MFC is above ambient insert a back pressure regulator and a pressure gauge between the MFC and the Cal Trak Adjust the back pressure regulator until the press
40. nt cycle This will cause the actual flow measured during the Cal Trak cycles to be less than the average flow seen by the laminar flow element LFE Moreover the initial pressure pulse may cause the LFE instrument s sensitive pressure transducers to be destabilized for several seconds For the latter reason the LFE instrument should be read only immediately before the Cal Trak reading and afterward only when the LFE instrument s readings stabilize At low flows the Cal Trak measurement may take sufficient time to allow LFE stabilization In that case the instruments can be read simultaneously In addition the flow must not be affected significantly by the Cal Traks s cyclic pressure increase This can be achieved by use of a sonic nozzle as the stable flow source or by feeding a fixed restrictor with a precisely regulated pressure of more than 200 kPa At 200 kPa 30 PSI the dynamic flow decrease caused by the piston s weight will be about 0 05 For this type of calibration we can use the setup shown in Figure 8 The adjustable regulator is used to set the flow rate within the range of a properly sized flow restrictor Gas Fixed Adjustable Sonic Supply Regulator Regulator Nozzle j m C Xe _ s a ee ae OR Porous Plug LFE Meter Stable Pressure gt 200 kPa Figure 8 Setup for LFEs 7 4 Comparison of Cal Trak wit
41. ontinuous auto read and Burst performs continuous auto read then stops after the quantity in averaging sequence is reached as programmed below in Setup Menu 2 Option 2 in Average Option 2 in Average Changes the quantity in an averaging sequence consecutive readings from 1 to 100 When used in Burst mode the Cal Trak stops after this number of readings Option 3 Min Reading Specifies the time interval in minutes between flow readings A setting of 00 means continuous readings no interval 8 8 Setup Menu 3 Pressure Units Temp Units and Temp Correction Factor Option 1 Pres Units This option allows you to toggle between pressure units of mmHg kPa mBar or PSI Option 2 Temp Units This option allows you to set the temperature units for F or C Option 3 Temp Corr This option is used to set the standardization mass flow reference temperature Use the keypad to enter the numerical value of the reference temperature For mass flow units of slpm a reference temperature of 21 1 C is commonly used For mass flow units of nlpm a reference temperature of 0 0 C is common Check the specific reference conditions for each DUT 8 9 Setup Menu 4 Date Time amp Battery Voltage This menu has an alternate navigation method 21 Within this menu use the Fwd and Back arrows to change between different options and to move about within each option
42. ors reported 34 If you use a USB to RS 232 converter this could be the problem Sierra has tested the ASUS and CONRAD Nr 982417 and BELKIN converters which all worked OK but we cannot confirm that all converters will function properly If this does not solve the issues please write down the error What do you see on the screen Report what you have tried this far and report to your Sierra agent or e mail this to service sierrainstruments com Setup DUT Insure that the Cal Trak flow cell is suited for the range of the DUT In general flow instruments are commonly tested at 0 25 50 75 100 of their rated maximum flow so the Cal Trak flow cell selected should be suited for 25 to 100 of the range of the DUT Currently the program is not suited to change Cal Trak flow cells during a certification run You would have to make 2 runs and merge the data manually Connect a suitable gas supply to the DUT and insure the inlet pressure is correct Set up the DUT to its operating condition Please remember the Cal Trak only operates under atmospheric pressure conditions If your DUT requires some back pressure place a back pressure regulator between the DUT and the Cal Trak Insure your system is free of leaks Setup Cal Soft Go to the tab marked Operating screen In this screen you find 4 steps that need to be taken to certify your DUT The Operating screen looks like this 3 Microsoft Excel Cal Soft v201 E Fie Edit
43. ould be installed between the MFM and the Cal Trak Adjust the valve until the pressure gauge reads the correct pressure for the MFM under test Gas Fixed Adjustable Sonic Supply Regulator Regulator Nozzle eae af aS O Flow Meter Cal Trak Stable Pressure OR Fue te Plug gt 200 kPa OR MFC Figure 12 Setup for Calibrating Mass Flow Meters 7 8 Calibration of Rotameters Variable Area Flow Meters Variable area meters can become unstable when connected in series with a volume Cavity resonance may even occur They are best calibrated using the setup of Figure 13 The flow stream is alternately applied to the Cal Trak and to the device under test A sonic nozzle or a large swamping pressure restriction is used to render the differences in the two devices insertion pressures insignificant with respect to the required accuracy 16 Variable Area Meter Rotameter Fixed Adjustable Sonic Regulator Regulator Nozzle A al Pee CS Stable Pressure OR Porous Plug Cal Trak gt 200 kPa Figure 13 Setup for Calibrating Rotameters Variable Area Flow Meters 8 0 Operating Instructions Charging the Cal Trak Battery The Sierra Cal Trak is powered by an internal lead acid battery The battery will power the instrument for 6 8 hours of continuous use and has a t
44. ource As the accuracy of the Cal Trak is dependent upon the mechanical set up plumbing of the device under test it is useful to review the basic operation of the calibrator prior to plumbing Always remember the following important guidelines 1 The accuracy of the Cal Trak is dependent upon its source being stable An unstable flow source may produce inconsistent readings 2 Sierra Instruments Cal Trak is designed to be used at ambient pressures This is easily accomplished by leaving the outlet of the flow cell open to atmosphere for positive pressure installations or the inlet open to atmosphere for vacuum installations If a vent hose is required on the outlet fitting a maximum pressure of 5 inches water column 0 18 psi or 12 mbar above ambient is acceptable Exhaust pressure of more than this amount will add additional uncertainty to the flow measurements of Cal Trak One way to reduce exhaust pressure is to increase the diameter of the vent line Do not subject the Cal Trak to a differential pressure above 0 35 bar 5 PSI In other words the pressure drop across the Cal Trak calibrator must not exceed 0 35 bar 5 PSI or damage may occur In vacuum scenarios make certain that the pressure drawn across the Cal Trak does not exceed 0 35 bar 5 PSI 3 Flow direction is indicated by the arrow on the top of the flow cell To use a pressure flow source connect to the inlet fitting or to use a vacuum flow source connect to the outlet
45. ow If you have a Sierra 100 series connected you can set the gas flow here to any value Simply enter a setpoint from 0 100 of FS when asked and click OK The software will send this setpoint to the Sierra 100 Series and it will generate the flow requested This is convenient to confirm that the Sierra 100 Series DUT or Cal Trak is working properly before starting an Auto Full Run At any time if you suspect that the data collected at one of the 5 defined flow points is incorrect you can run just that point again Click on the box S0 S1 S2 S3 or S4 The program will set the flow to the value indicated to the left and ask you to enter the value for the DUT When you have done this it will replace the previous data with your new value run the Cal Trak automatically and enter the new value from the Cal Trak Manual Flow Calibration If the Setpoint to MFC you entered in the Operating Screen Step 2 above is not DIGITAL you will be performing a manual flow calibration The squares named Auto Full Run Manual Run and Set DUT Flow will be dark and will not function Select the flow points that you will measure or choose the default values for FS Generate gas flow equal to the flow points selected using a manual valve or an MFC Wait up to 2 minutes at each flow point for the flow to stabilize Now you will collect data at each flow point by selecting SO to S4 By pushing these boxes you take the data for these individual flow points on
46. pecification of the Cal Trak Model SL 800 10 is 5 sccm the new adjusted minimum would be 1 988 5 9 94 sccm Setup Menu 6 PTV 0 460 ccm PTVM 1 000 Option 1 PTV This is the Leakage rate of a particular cell It is factored into all flow readings to obtain a leakage independent flow reading The PTV is part of the factory calibration and non adjustable Option 2 PTVM This is the PTV Multiplier and is multiplied by the Leakage value to enhance accuracy at lower flows when using gases other than nitrogen or air The LCF factory setting is 1 000 although it may be changed to any value between 0 200 and 3 00 using the keypad For further information please contact Sierra 9 0 Battery System The Sierra Cal Trak is powered by an internal lead acid battery The battery will power the instrument for 6 8 hours of continuous use and has a typical service life of approximately 2 4 years depending on use The Cal Trak provides a convenient 65 minute automatic shut off to extend battery life The Cal Trak can be charged by the Sierra single station charger when plugged into a standard power source outlet 9 1 Battery Maintenance amp Storage Battery Maintenance Lead acid batteries will not exhibit the memory effect common to nickel cadmium batteries due to continuous charging and no further conditioning is required to maintain full performance Long Term Storage Long term storage without charging can damage th
47. piston technology it combines the accuracy of a primary standard with unequaled speed and convenience The Cal Trak consists of two primary sections The base houses the main computer time base and barometric pressure sensors while the flow cell performs the actual physical measurements using a precision machined graphite composite piston and borosilicate glass tube The flow cell also contains the integrated temperature sensor The base has 9 pin connector and two guide pins on its upper surface into which the interchangeable flow cells are installed Mass Standardized or volumetric flow readings are obtained with the push of a button The Cal Trak can be set to take flow readings manually one reading at a time or automatically in the auto read mode The Cal Trak can be programmed for up to 100 readings in an averaging sequence It can be used to measure gas flow rates from most positive pressure sources or under vacuum Please contact Sierra Instruments for special precautions before using your Cal Trak under vacuum The Cal Trak includes a convenient LCD user interface in the base unit In addition an RS 232 port for computer interface capability is provided An Application program for downloading data from Cal Trak into Microsoft Excel is on the included CD ROM See Appendix C Cal Trak Software Instructions for Data Downloading at the end of this Manual 2 0 Theory of Operation The Sierra Cal Trak SL 800 is a true primary gas standar
48. re calibrating a Sierra Model For other makes enter the DUT coefficient here Pressure coefficient Same as Temperature coefficient above Max Allowed deviation Will be pulled down from the program s database Instrument information based on the Sierra Model selected This value is the pass fail criteria as shown on the calibration certificate It is in general either the accuracy of the meter uncertainty of the calibrator or the RSS of the accuracy of both devices Sq Root of meter accy calibrator accy Step 3 Perform a calibration Press the START button This will begin the calibration routine A red screen will appear in which several options are given to start the certification Do nothing until the window Please wait disappears The screen looks like this S File Edit view Insert Format Tools Data Window Help E 2 x D g Hg 2 0 x Be Prompt 16 45 23 gt Receiving Cal Trak data 16 45 24 Setting up OUT communications 16 45 24 Manual set DUT serial and flow 16 45 24 gt Finished program initialization Set DUT flow Never select with your mouse the background sheet or another sheet until after you press Exit or the program could stop running 37 Begin your calibration by defining the flow points that you will measure These are pre defined in the program under the heading FS as 0 25 50 75 100 If you want to take data at these 5 points continue to the next section If yo
49. ress KS a Re T Inverted Cell Leak Test Plug VA een Fitting Leak Test Cable Nee 11 2 Calibration As a quality assurance measure Sierra recommends annual calibration of all measurement instruments However how often you have your Cal Trak calibrated is an internal quality control decision The determining factors are whether the unit passes the internal leak test quality system requirements if applicable and the conditions in which the unit is used Units used in a laboratory setting may require calibration less frequently than a unit that is used in a manufacturing environment The annual calibration program is an elective and is therefore not included as a warranty item Expedited RUSH turnaround service is also available at an additional cost Please contact the factory for more information on available calibration services and pricing 25 Calibration Includes Cleaning if required Valve adjustment if required Battery capacity test Internal computer program upgrade as necessary Mechanical upgrades as necessary Run in test Dynamic performance test NIST traceable calibration certificate 11 3 Returning Your Unit for Calibration or Service Prior to returning your Cal Trak for service or calibration please contact Sierra Instruments Inc for an RMA number You can request an RMA number from any Sierra office or via our web site www sierrainstruments com Do not return your cali
50. s Are any of the tubes pinched Is the gas constant set to the correct number See Section 8 1 Setup Menu 1 Calibration ID Gas Constant Calibration Type If you are using the cell within bottom 10 of its flow rating with a gas other than air check to make sure the LCF Leakage Correction Factor is set correctly See Section 8 6 Setup Menu 6 Leakage amp LCF Make sure your standardized temperature matches the current DUT If a standardization temperature of 21C is used with a DUT having a standardization temperature of OC an error of approximately 7 5 can result A 10 0 Readings taken with the Cal Trak do not correlate to those taken with another flow meter Please check previous question If that does not solve your problem please check the following 1 Are you comparing volumetric flow with standardized flow See Section 8 1 Setup Menu 1 Calibration ID Gas Constant Calibration Type If both units are set to Standardized are both units set to the same standardized conditions See Section 8 3 Setup Menu 3 Temp Correction Factor Temp amp Pressure Formats If a standardization temperature of 21C is compared against a standardization temperature of OC an error of approximately 7 5 can result Are there any large containers in the flow stream such as extra tubing large damper s Magnehelic gauges etc These items can cause inaccurate readings Is the flow source strong enough that it will not be affecte
51. sh to compare the Cal Trak under suction vacuum conditions With a piston or bell prover the setup of Figure 7 can be used Note that the inlet to the Cal Trak is at atmospheric pressure The restrictor should be sized to provide a drop of at least 70 kPa 21 inches or 500 mm Hg The purpose of the restrictor is to render the piston insertion pressure change 0 1 kPa relatively insignificant as in the similar pressure calibration methodology In volumetric comparisons it is important to compensate for the difference in outlet temperature from input temperature Although the pressure is the same on each end the restrictor and the pump affect the outlet temperature and flow must be normalized to the inlet ambient temperature a i J HEHE gt gt XY Restrictor Vacuum Pump Cal Trak Figure 7 Vacuum Setup for Piston or Bell Provers 13 7 3 Comparison of Cal Trak with Laminar Flow Element Transfer Standards When the Cal Trak begins its cycle the piston s acceleration causes the internal pressure to spike briefly by about 0 01 atmosphere 1 kPa The pressure then remains elevated by about 0 001 atmosphere 0 1 kPa due to the piston s weight If a simple pressure regulator feeds the test chain we are simply using the resistance of the entire flow chain to set our flow rate The rate may then change significantly when the Cal Trak is in its measureme
52. signal Here you select what kind of output your DUT is using for RS232 for a Sierra 100 Series enter digital Comport DUT Select the RS232 Com port on which the Sierra 100 Series will be connected Selectable from Com port 1 to 10 This will be used if your DUT is a Sierra 100 Series or if the Sierra 100 Series MFC will be automatically controlling flow into your DUT If you will control flow to your DUT manually select NONE DUT settle time s When using a Sierra 100 Series MFC in automatic mode or when calibrating a Sierra 100 Series MFC select the number of seconds that you want your controller to stabilize after the Cal Soft program gives it a setpoint 60 seconds recommended DMM iin serial number If a DMM is used to measure the DUT setpoint analog signal you can enter the serial of that DMM here DMMott serial number If a DMM is used to measure the DUT output analog signal you can enter the serial of that DMM here DUT serial number Serial number of the DUT If a Sierra 100 Series is connected through RS232 it obtains this automatically Maximum Flow Enter the max range value of the DUT Add no units numbers only If a Sierra 100 Series is connected through RS232 the software obtains this value automatically Units Enter the units of your DUT as you wish them to appear on the Calibration Certificate The new firmware of Cal Trak always reads in sccm units but the program will convert to your chosen units when it co
53. te is based upon the viscosity of nitrogen For proper calibration with gases other than nitrogen or air the PTV multiplier PTVM factory set to 1 000 allows the user to adjust the Cal Trak to account for different gas viscosities The PTVM is based upon the difference between the viscosity of nitrogen and the viscosity of the gas under test expressed as a ratio PT VM the viscosity of nitrogen viscosity of the gas being used To optimize low flow calibrations of alternate gases the user should determine this ratio and adjust the PTVM as necessary Note since the Leakage rate is fixed for a particular flow cylinder the use of a PTVM greater than 1 000 22 will alter the factory specified low end flow of that flow cylinder To calculate the low end flow of a flow cylinder while using a PTVM other than 1 000 multiply the PTVM by the factory specified low end flow of the cylinder in question The resulting number is the new low end flow of that cylinder at the manufacturer s rated accuracy specification For example to calculate the effect on the low end flow specification of a Cal Trak Model SL 800 10 low flow cylinder while calibrating with actual hydrogen gas The viscosity of N2 at 0 C is 165 31 microPoise The viscosity of hydrogen at 0 C is 83 21 microPoise To determine the new PTVM these should be expressed as 165 31 83 21 or 1 988 Enter 1 988 as the new LCF for calibration of hydrogen Since the original minimum flow s
54. the speed of the flow stream Figure 4 is an illustration of a typical Cal Trak s internal pressure during a measurement cycle A near maximum flow rate is illustrated to accentuate the pressure variations The initial pressure pulse lasting some tens of milliseconds reaches a peak of about 0 5 kPa or 0 5 of its working near atmospheric pressure The pressure settles out to about 0 1 kPa 0 1 of working pressure during the timed period This pressure represents the added pressure due to the weight of the piston Very small oscillations continue due to the piston s under damped nature 0 8 _ Initial Pressure Pulse 0 6 o P 2 N 0 10 300 400 500 Milliseconds 600 700 800 900 1000 Intracell Pressure kPa Figure 4 Cal Trak Internal Pressure 10 6 4 Application Precautions Although the Cal Trak s dynamic pressure effects are very small in some circumstances they may affect the measurement or interact with the device under test For the above reasons certain precautions should be observed when using a Cal Trak Initial Pressure Pulse The initial pressure pulse is small about 1 of an atmosphere or less However even so small an increase may affect some very sensitive transducers for several seconds Two examples of this are the resonant transducers used in LFE systems such as the DH Instruments Molbloc or capillary based systems For this reason the LFE instrument may not be a
55. u wish to select alternate flow points click on the grey box FS and change to another percent as desired In the example above the second flow point has been changed from 25 to 20 using this method You can only measure up to 5 points per calibration Should you desire more than 5 points you will need to run the program more than one time Automatic Flow Calibration Using Sierra 100 Series MFC If you have selected on the Operating Screen Step 2 a Setpoint to MFC that is DIGITAL the program will establish communication with a Sierra 100 Series MFC via the selected COM port All the squares at the bottom of the red screen will become active when Please wait disappears You may choose Auto Full Run By pushing this button you can do a fully automatic calibration run If the DUT is a Sierra 100 series the settings to this unit are given by the program and the values from the 100 series and the Cal Trak are read automatically into the computer software If the DUT is not a Sierra 100 Series but you are controlling the gas flow via a 100 series MFC the program will automatically generate the proper gas flows and ask you to input the data from your DUT at the proper intervals Follow the instructions on the screen until all white boxes under Output DUT are filled then click EXIT when your calibration is complete Manual run By pushing this button you do a run of the Cal Trak No data is transferred to the Program Set DUT fl
56. ure gauge reads the correct pressure for the MFC under test usually the same pressure the device will see in its normal operation Calibrate under the actual operating pressures with the outlet of the Cal Trak at atmospheric pressure 15 Gas Adjustable Supply Regulator C n N d Cal Trak Figure 11 Setup for Calibrating MFCs TT Calibration of Mass Flow Meters MFMs Mass flow meters can be calibrated with the setup of Figure 12 which is similar to that shown for LFE transfer standards Again the flow must not be affected significantly by the Cal Trak s cyclic pressure increase This can be achieved by use of a sonic nozzle as the stable flow source or by feeding a fixed restrictor with a precisely regulated pressure of more than 200 kPa At 200 kPa 30 PSI the dynamic flow decrease caused by the piston s weight will be about 0 05 Alternately a stable mass flow controller may be used to maintain specific flows into the MFM under test In this scenario the MFC will function as a pressure stabilizer and precision flow regulator with the Cal Trak defining the accuracy of the device under test Contact Sierra Instruments for special Smart Trak flow controllers designed for this application If the MFM under test must be calibrated at pressure i e because it is always used under pressure then a fine resolution valve needle valve and a gauge sh
57. ypical service life of approximately 2 4 years depending on use The Cal Trak provides a convenient 65 minute automatic shut off to extend battery life Before using your calibrator be sure that the battery system has been adequately charged to ensure that it will perform to its specifications and maintain operation for the calibration period If B is indicated in the upper right hand corner of the display during operation recharging is required To charge connect the Sierra supplied charger into a standard wall outlet Be sure to use only Sierra approved batteries and AC adapters chargers for all Cal Trak flow calibrators Insert the Cal Trak charger s barrel plug end into the charging jack located on the left rear side of the SL 800 base The green Charge LED will illuminate Full charge takes 8 12 hours and the Cal Trak can charge while being used Upon full charge the charger will taper to a trickle mode automatically The unit may be charged indefinitely without damage to the battery Turning the Cal Trak On Press On to start the Cal Trak An opening screen will appear indicating the instrument s software revision level followed by the Main Menu Turning the Cal Trak Off The Cal Trak has a battery saving automatic shut off system After 65 minutes of inactivity the Cal Trak will shut off Alternatively the unit can be shut off manually by pressing the Reset button followed by the number 0 from the Main Menu
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