This article was originally published on October 18th, 2021 by John Varkonda and was updated on April 24, 2024, by Dean Moyer. Anyone working in the water/wastewater industry knows just how important it is to maintain accurate and reliable pressure measurements throughout the process. Without the proper instrumentation to do the job, your operation is at risk for pump damage, clogging and other issues that could bring the entire system to a halt. At Ashcroft, it is our business to know the challenges you may encounter to keep your operation running safely and effectively and to provide solutions that will address your specific needs. In fact, in my 30 years of experience, I have seen just about everything that can go wrong (and right) in water/wastewater applications. In this article, you will get an overview of common water/wastewater application issues, and learn how the proper instrumentation, including isolation rings and accessories, can help you prevent these issues from happening to you. Throughout the article, you will also see links to additional resources that you can use as a reference to answer other questions you may have. Let's get started.

If you experiencing issues with diaphragm seal failure in your process, you are not alone. In harsh applications that involve corrosive media and other challenging conditions, diaphragm seals are your primary line of defense in protecting your pressure instruments from becoming damaged. At Ashcroft, we've seen practically every scenario that can cause a diaphragm seal to fail, leading to inaccurate readings and costly downtime. In this article, we will review how a diaphragm seal works, explore the three conditions that account for the majority of diaphragm seal failure — corrosion, high temperature, and fluid fill leakage — and offer some corrective measures to fix these issues. When you are done, you will have a better understanding of why diaphragm seals can fail and be able to identify and prevent potential issues in your own process. You will also find links to additional resources that will help address other diaphragm-related questions you may have.

Isolation rings are also known as isolators. They are designed to protect pressure-measurement instruments from the damaging effects of corrosive media in water/wastewater treatment plants, chemical processes, and mining facilities. To fully appreciate the importance of using these instruments in your operation, we need to start with a basic understanding of how they work. Ashcroft has been in the pressure and temperature instrumentation business since 1852, and we wrote this article for the industry novice. We hope you can use it as a foundation for understanding the important role isolation rings play in challenging applications. Read on to learn how isolation rings protect pressure-sensing instruments in your applications, the three most common types of rings, how they are constructed and the primary benefits of using these instruments. When you are done reading, you will also find additional, related resources in case you want to go beyond the basics of this topic.

If you work in a production plant or facility that uses highly corrosive process media, you likely own diaphragm seals to protect the sensing element of your pressure instrumentation from getting damaged. Without that protection, your whole operation can be compromised. But how can you be sure your diaphragm seal is performing properly? Ashcroft, a leader in pressure and temperature measurement, provides training on different aspects of these devices. In fact, as a territory manager, I have been training product distributors on this very topic for years. Now I want to share this information with you. In this article, I will cover how diaphragm seals are used in different applications and the steps you can take to ensure these instruments perform as you need them to.