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What is Wastewater, and How is it Treated?

Every day, billions of gallons of wastewater are collected from our homes, businesses, and industries. Wastewater is exactly what it sounds like: water that has already been used and disposed of via a tub, toilet, sink, or storm drains. Because it is full of contaminants that make the water no longer suitable for use, it is collected in the sewer system and delivered to plants for treatment to make the water safe to be returned to the environment. Continue reading “What is Wastewater, and How is it Treated?”

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What is Deadband? Switch Actuation and Deactuation

Electrical Switch Products

Dwyer Instruments offers many electrical switch products that make or break a contact based on sensing a parameter such as pressure, temperature, level, and so on.

Most switches are single pole double throw, often referred to as SPDT. This type of switch has one normally open contact and one normally closed contact.  Switches can also be double pole double throw, or DPDT, that have two normally open and two normally closed contacts.  Single pole single throw switches with just one contact are also available and are specified to be either normally open or normally closed.

Continue reading “What is Deadband? Switch Actuation and Deactuation”

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The Intricacy of Proper Instrumentation in Cleaning Produced Water

The cleaning of produced water during oil and gas production and exploration is a crucial, although costly endeavor. In the process of bringing oil and gas up to the surface from a well, several byproducts are also produced. Water is the largest of these byproducts by volume, with 882 billion gallons produced per day. This produced water contains a variety of other compounds and substances, including organic and inorganic compounds, grease, bacteria, and dissolved solids such as iron. Continue reading “The Intricacy of Proper Instrumentation in Cleaning Produced Water”

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How Pressurized Stairwells Keep You Safe

Picture this: You wake up with a start to the sound of crackling flames and the screech of an alarm. A nearby apartment room has caught fire, and you need to get out before it spreads to the rest of the building. You go through the motions; grab the keys, check the door knob, keep low to the ground. You head to the stairs and make your way outside to safety. 

Continue reading “How Pressurized Stairwells Keep You Safe”

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Understanding Sensor Output Signals

Have you ever wondered why there are a multitude of sensor output signals that can be configured on pressure, temperature, humidity, or gas sensing instrumentation used in process or HVAC applications? Most of these offerings were originally set up to allow sensor manufacturers to better align with the inputs offered by manufacturers of programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and direct digital controllers (DDCs), which are used for controlling processes for both automation and HVAC control.

I’d like to focus on two of the most commonly used output signals and zero in on the advantages and/ or disadvantages these output signals offer. Two of the most commonly used output signals include analog current, typically 4 to 20 mA, and analog voltage, typically 0-10 V. Continue reading “Understanding Sensor Output Signals”