ABB's New NINVA™ TSP341-N Non-Invasive Temperature Sensor

ABB has introduced an upgraded version of its NINVA™ TSP341-N non-invasive temperature sensor, providing a safer and more straightforward solution for temperature measurements in the chemical, oil, and gas industries. This new iteration of the NINVA is the first non-invasive temperature transmitter to achieve SIL2 certification, setting a new standard for safety in temperature measurement.

Building on years of proven performance, ABB's non-invasive technology significantly simplifies temperature measurement by offering an alternative to traditional invasive thermowell methods. By utilizing the surface temperature of the piping to infer the process temperature, the NINVA matches the accuracy and performance of invasive devices without the associated risks and lifecycle costs of installation, maintenance, and specification.

The SIL2-certified NINVA TSP341-N is based on the reliable TTH300 temperature transmitter and features several enhancements inspired by customer feedback. These upgrades include a unique remote mount configuration, increased resistance to vibration, options for applications with temperatures up to 550°C (1022°F), and easier calibration and maintenance through extractable measuring insets with independent sensor calibration and trimming. The sensor also offers clamp collars for pipe diameters ranging from 40mm to 2500mm, and specialized designs for pipes smaller than 40mm, eliminating the need for complex thermowell designs for smaller pipes while maintaining accuracy and performance.

"Customers are leading the charge for non-invasive process measurement," said Dr. Guruprasad Sosale of ABB Measurement & Analytics. "The growing demand for sensing in the chemical and oil and gas industries highlights the advantages of obtaining process insights without the need to halt operations or cut into piping. By converting a segment of process piping into a temperature measurement point, NINVA offers plant operators a simpler and safer way to measure process temperature without compromising performance—no shutdowns, no perforations, and significantly reduced engineering complexity."

The robust, clamp-on design of NINVA eliminates the risks and administrative costs associated with maintaining welded mounting connections. By negating the need to puncture the pipe wall, NINVA reduces potential leakage points and minimizes trouble spots during plant commissioning. Even for the simplest temperature measurement points in a plant, NINVA offers a more cost-effective solution, reducing capital expenditure, engineering, installation, and commissioning costs by up to 75 percent.

Given its proven performance, there is a growing movement among customers to consider specifications for clamp-on temperature measurements in future industry standards.