Conductivity Electrodes

Conductivity electrodes are devices that measure the salinity and conductivity of water samples. Conductivity is simply a measurement of how well a material carries a current. An electrode is inserted into a sample liquid to determine the concentration of ions. Because electrode size differs between devices, conductivity is measured in Siemens/unit area of the electrodes. Conductivity electrodes are not stand-alone units and thus require external signal analysis or data acquisition equipment.

Critical specifications for conductivity electrodes are conductivity range, accuracy, response time and cell constant. Cell constants define the volume between the electrodes. Cell constant K is directly proportional to the distance separating the 2 conductive plates and inversely proportional to their surface area. K= d/a. Cell constants should be matched to the meter or controller for the expected range of operation. Different cell constants act like mechanical multipliers for a solution's resistance.

A number of mounting options are available for conductivity electrodes. A handheld or “dip” style device is popular for laboratory work, as it is easy to use, not requiring special mounting and is often portable. In-line or insertion styles are good for direct measurement without disturbing line flow, as they can be inserted directly through a pipe or bulkhead. Flow-through types of electrodes typically come with integral flanges or other means of pipe connection to be placed directly into existing pipeline.

Typical features of conductivity electrodes include water resistance, temperature compensation, built-in temperature sensor and a design specially suited for sanitary applications. One special feature is an output of total dissolved solids (TDS). Electrolytes such as acids, bases or salts will increase the conductance of water and other liquids. Thus, conductivity can be used to measure the total dissolved solids in closed water systems such as boilers and cooling towers.

• Copper EDM Electrodes
  EDM electrodes and materials (wire or tube) are used in (EDM), a process that removes metal with an electrical discharge of very short duration and high current density between the electrode and the...
  (read more)
• Conductivity Measurement: Critical for Clean-In-Place Systems
  There are two main types of sanitary conductivity sensors — contacting and inductive. Contacting sensors bring the measurement electrodes into contact with the solution to be measured. This can...
  (read more)
• Power: Calculation of pH and Carbon Dioxide from Power Plant Conductivity Measurements
  Although ammonia or amine feed to the steam cycle is required to meet pH specifications, it is common practice to rely on the equivalent specific conductivity for direct control purposes since it is a...
  (read more)

Pages: 1 - 3 of 68

Part Numbers for Conductivity Electrodes