Understanding the Use of Inline Refractometers in Food and Beverage Production

Inline refractometers are used
for jam and jelly production to
ensure consistency and quality.

This post is intended to give a basic understanding of the use of inline refractometers in commercial food and beverage production. 

Refraction

According to Wikipedia, "Refraction is the change in direction of wave propagation due to a change in its transmission medium."

To understand more clearly, consider this. If you place a pencil in a jar of standing in water and look through the jar, it appears to be broken at the water line. When you add sugar to the water, the pencil appears to bend even more. The reason for this is because light travels slower in water than through air. When you dissolve materials (sugar) in the solution, the light will travel even slower.  Understanding this basic concept allows you to understand how you can measure, and therefore control, the concentration on a material in a solution through the use of refraction.

Refractive Index

The refractive index (RI), is the ratio between the speed of light in vacuum and the speed of light in a given media. It determines how much light is bent, or refracted, when entering a material. The Refractive Index of air is 1.0003, and the RI of most gases, liquids, and solids is between 1 and 2.

Refractive Index is defined as:

• RI= Speed of Light in Vacuum / Speed of Light in a Particular Medium

Applying Refraction to Food and Beverage Processing

Food and beverage industries prefer to use their own units rather than the index of refraction for controlling quality of their product. Examples are measuring sugar content in tomato products, citrus juices, and jams and jellies. These industries prefer to use the % Brix scale, which refers to the sugar concentration. Refractive Index is easily converted to % Brix units through simple calculations.

Inline Refractometers for Large Scale Food and Beverage Production

Industrial inline refractometers directly measure the Refractive Index of process fluids and then display the reading in any number of customer-desired units such as Brix, Percent Solids, Dissolved Solids, etc. 

Inline refractometer in food and beverage process
highlighting sensing element and electronics console.

There are two primary components to an inline refractometer, the electronics console and the sensing head.  

The electronics console usually contains a display of some type, and provides a standard output such as 4-20mA. Optionally, there may be some form of networking protocol such as HART® or RS-232/422. 

The sensing head is installed in line by mounting the prism assembly in a pipe and inserting this pipe section in the process line. Vessel mounting is accommodated by having the prism assembly inserted in a flange that can be attached to a storage tank or mixing tank. 

For more information on any commercial or industrial application for inline refractometers, contact visit Electron Machine at http://www.electronmachine.com or call 352-669-3101.

Industrial Refractive Index Transmitters

Example flow loop diagram
showing role of transmitter.

Transmitters are process control field devices. They receive input from a connected process sensor, then convert the sensor signal to an output signal using a transmission protocol. The output signal is passed to a monitoring, control, or decision device for use in documenting, regulating, or monitoring a process or operation.

Transmitters are available for almost every measured parameter in process control, and often referred to according to the process condition which they measure.

The refractive index determines how much light is bent, or refracted, when entering a material. When light moves from one medium to another, it changes direction (refracted). This change in the direction of the light can be measured and applied to properties of the material.

Example of Industrial Refractive Indextransmitter/controller.
Can act as transmitter alone, or with
optional PID control functions.

Industrial Refractive Index transmitters directly measure the refractive index of process fluids. It then conditions the input signal, making it linear, and then converts that signal into any number of customer-desired units (Brix, Percent Solids, Dissolved Solids, SGU, R.I., etc.) and transmits a standard, linear electrical output (4 to 20 mA) that can be utilized by receiving instruments and displays.

Many transmitters are provided with higher order functions in addition to merely converting an input signal to an output signal. On board displays, keypads, Bluetooth connectivity, and a host of industry standard communication protocols can also be had as an integral part of many process transmitters. Other functions that provide alarm or safety action are more frequently part of the transmitter package, as well.

Industrial Refractive Index transmitters have evolved from simple signal conversion devices to higher functioning, efficient, easy to apply and maintain instruments utilized for providing input to process control systems.

For more information on Industrial Refractive Index transmitters visit Electron Machine at http://www.electronmachine.com or call 352-669-3101.

RSP Remote Status Panel for Process Refractometer

Electron Machine RSP Remote Status Panel for Process Refractometer from Electron Machine Corporation

Industrial Inline Refractometer for Green Liquor Density in Pulp & Paper Plant

Electron Machine Corporation has been actively refining the use of refractometers for measuring green liquor density for over 30 years. Their incremental efforts in this application has led to the current combination using the MPR E-Scan with their high pressure cleaner (HPC) adapter supplied with heated demineralized water. The removable nozzle provides for easy maintenance. This system ensures an accurate measurement in these difficult scaling conditions.

Industrial Inline Refractometer for Green Liquor Density in Pulp & Paper Plant from Electron Machine Corporation

New Electron Machine Marketing Video

Here is a new Electron Machine marketing video. Thanks to our loyal customers around the world for your support and business. Electron Machine continues to develop innovative products that apply the refractive index for greater efficiency and safety in industrial production.

Incorporate Inline Industrial Refractometers for Better Quality and Higher Yields

Inline refractometer in sanitary application.

Process refractometry provides an excellent method to determine the concentration of compounds (dissolved solids, proteins, chemicals) in a liquid or paste-like substance. By using the refractive index, industrial refractometry supplies real-time, accurate data to process control systems for higher quality and more efficient production. Some specific industries finding the use of industrial, inline refractometers of high value are:

• Food and juice processing - Ex: Measuring dissolved sugars (Brix) 
• Chemical processing - Ex: Boiler cleaning solution concentration
• Pulp and paper production - Ex:  dissolved solids in green liquor and black liquor
• Pharmaceutical / Bio-Tech - Ex: measuring proteins in solution

Process refractometry enables real-time monitoring and control of a process based on the comparison of a known or "control" sample of a media's desired concentration, versus the value of the product moving through the production line.  Industrial refractometry measures the concentration of compounds in a process media by determining it's refractive index and it’s temperature. The actual measurement is done by monitoring the refraction of light as it passes through the process media. At a certain "critical" angle of incidence, the source light is reflected rather than refracted. This critical angle can be correlated to the properties of the process media, and provides a marker that is used to determine a standard for the desired production output. By knowing this variable, at a known temperature, the concentration of specific compounds in the process media can be calculated and precisely controlled.

The use of inline refractometers for determining concentrations of  in solutions provides a fast, accurate measurement and response for process optimization and quality achievement. They dramatically lower cost by improving consistency, reducing waste, and increasing yield.

Industrial Refractometry Pioneer Carl Vossberg, Jr. Foresaw the Need

Carl A. Vossberg, Jr.

Electron Machine Corporation founder Carl Vossberg, Jr. was a pioneer in the application of refractometers of industrial use. As the holder of more than 30 technical patents, Mr. Vossberg dedicated his life to improving industrial processes through refractometry, measurement, and control.

His biography reveals how his dedication to industrial refractometry led Electron Machine to its leadership position in the industrial refractometer market.

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Carl A. Vossberg, Jr., (born July 16, 1918) was an American electrical engineer, inventor, and entrepreneur in the electronic instrumentation industry. He is known for more than 30 technical patents in the area of refractometry, measurement, and control. Vossberg also founded Electron-Machine Corporation, the company responsible for the introduction of inline process refractometers as a measuring system for the pulp & paper, food, and chemical processing industries.

Vossberg began his college education at the City College of the City of New York (CCNY), studying electronics, and was awarded a BEE in Electrical Engineering from CCNY and a MS in Electrical Engineering (EE) from Columbia University. He also attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During WWII, Vossberg worked for the U.S. Office of Strategic Service (now CIA) participating in the development of remote radio transponders, artillery tracking systems, weapon fire detection controllers, and video transmission.

Vossberg entered the profession as a radio engineer for RCA and designed circuits and established radio facsimile facilities for the Office of War information. Later he became Chief Engineer for Standard Electronics Research Corporation, where his duties were to originate and direct the research and development programs and supervise engineering and technical personnel in electronics, x-rays, communication, instrumentation and process controls. He was also Vice President of Research and Developments, Inc., and Vice President of Industrial Gauges Corporation.

After the war, Vossberg set out to apply electronics technology to industrial applications. Electron Machine Corporation was formed in 1946 for the purpose of designing automatic electronic gaging and indicating equipment. The company was established in the back of a radiator repair shop in Lynbrook, New York. Instruments for diameter and thickness measurements for steel and cable products were conceived, developed, and licensed to other manufacturers. These instruments included the first commercial x-ray thickness gage, optical cable diameter gages, and an industrial process control computer. In 1950 he, in partnership, formed the Industrial Gauges Corporation and later established Research Developments, Inc., as a subsidiary. This expansion provided the manufacturing facilities for the products developed by the Electron Machine Company.

Engineering, manufacturing and design continues today with the third generation of Vossberg leadership. As a vertically-integrated manufacturer, Electron Machine continues the Founder's legacy of manufacturing inline industrial refractometers that solve the most challenging industrial applications while providing the highest levels of service and support to customers.