ABB Armored variable area purgemeter FAM3200

Overview

The ABB FAM3200 is an armored variable area purgemeter – a metal-bodied alternative to the glass-tube Purgemaster FGM6100 for small purge flows of gases and liquids, built for environments where a glass tube’s fragility would be a genuine liability rather than a cosmetic concern. It measures flows up to 3,200 l/h for air (113 scfh) and up to 3,000 l/h for water, across a 1:10 measuring span, with process connections from 1/4 inch to 1 inch NPT or pipe thread in both horizontal and vertical body orientations. Instead of a visible glass tube, the FAM3200 uses an enclosed measuring housing with an indicator, giving the same local flow confirmation without an exposed glass element.

Working closely with plant engineers in the region, Seven Star LLC proudly supplies the FAM3200 across Oman and the GCC, specifying it for purge points exposed to vibration, pressure shock, or physical impact risk that would put a glass-tube meter at risk of breakage, and backing every installation with genuine ABB hardware and full documentation.

Operating Principle

The FAM3200 uses the same variable area measuring principle as a glass rotameter – flow lifts an internal float against a tapered metering element until it reaches equilibrium with the flow rate – but the float position is read through a fully enclosed metal housing rather than through a transparent glass tube, protecting the indicating mechanism from mechanical damage. Measurement accuracy is rated per VDE/VDI 3513 at 6% of qg=50% (the meter’s mid-range flow point), with repeatability of ±0.5% of the measured value.

Depending on the configuration ordered, the reading can be taken locally from the indicator housing, transmitted electronically via a 4–20mA two-wire output, or used to drive relay contacts through an integrated switching amplifier for remote alarm signaling. This flexibility lets the same purgemeter platform serve as a simple local sight-flow indicator or as an integrated part of a remote monitoring and alarm loop, depending on how critical the purge point is to overall process safety.

Engineering Design of the FAM3200

Wetted parts are constructed in stainless steel 1.4571 (316Ti), and the meter is rated across a wide temperature range of -50°C to 180°C depending on the gasket material selected – Viton A, Buna N, Kalrez, or EPDM – with PTFE or PVDF meter tube holders chosen to match the required temperature class. Pressure ratings depend on body orientation: horizontal versions (FAM3220/FAM3250) are rated to PN 40 bar in standard configuration, while vertical versions (FAM3225/FAM3255) reach PN 100 bar, with an optional differential pressure regulator available to limit operating pressure to 14 bar where required by the downstream process.

Because the measuring element is fully enclosed in metal rather than exposed as glass, the FAM3200 tolerates mechanical vibration, pressure fluctuation, and pressure shock that would put a glass-tube purgemeter such as the FGM6100 at risk, making it the correct choice specifically where those hazards are present rather than a universal upgrade. Explosion-protection certification options are available at the ordering stage for installation in classified hazardous areas.

Key Features

• Fully enclosed metal measuring housing, no exposed glass tube.
• Flow range up to 3,200 l/h air (113 scfh) or 3,000 l/h water, with a 1:10 measuring span.
• Accuracy of 6% qg=50% per VDE/VDI 3513, with ±0.5% repeatability.
• Tolerates mechanical vibration and pressure shock that would risk glass-tube breakage.
• Three output configurations: local indication, 4–20mA transmitter, or switching amplifier alarm.
• Stainless steel 1.4571 (316Ti) wetted parts.
• Pressure ratings up to PN 40 bar (horizontal) or PN 100 bar (vertical) versions.
• Wide temperature rating: -50°C to 180°C depending on gasket material.

Industrial Applications

The FAM3200 is used for instrument and control line purging in high-vibration or pressure-shock environments – near rotating equipment, compressor skids, and pressure-cycling process lines – across Muscat, Sohar, Salalah, and the wider GCC, where a glass-tube purgemeter would be at meaningful risk of breakage. Its available explosion-protection certification also makes it a candidate for purge monitoring points within classified hazardous areas at refineries and petrochemical facilities across the region.

Seven Star LLC, as a trusted ABB supplier, recommends the FAM3200 specifically for these harsher purge locations and the glass-tube Purgemaster FGM6100 (see related product) for standard, low-vibration purge duty, matching the purgemeter’s construction to the actual site conditions and helping customers avoid paying for armored construction where it isn’t needed.

Technical Specifications

The table below summarizes the FAM3200’s core specifications as supplied by Seven Star LLC.

Request a Quote for ABB Armored variable area purgemeter FAM3200

Contact Seven Star LLC to submit a formal RFQ for the ABB FAM3200 armored purgemeter, request the full technical datasheet, or check current availability and lead time for high-vibration or pressure-shock purge points across Oman and the GCC. With fast quotation turnaround and technical support, Seven Star LLC’s instrumentation division can help specify the correct body orientation, pressure rating, and output configuration for your purge application.

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