Michell’s engineers have developed a unique, hybrid mirror to provide a fast response to changes in temperature and humidity, while also improving the drift-free accuracy of the fundamental chilled mirror technique by 25% to ±0.15°C.
The mirror is highly resistant to corrosion from acids and other contaminants, and, during rigorous testing, outlasted other mirrors based on traditional designs. Customers will be offered three choices of sensor: single and dual stage cooling, plus a dual-stage sensor which is designed specifically for use in harsh, demanding applications such as control of metallurgical processes. This harsh environment sensor is capable of operating in temperatures up to 120°C.
It’s not just the sensor that Michell’s engineers have improved: the control unit has also been re-designed with a new case design and improved firmware. The new Optidew has two formats – the Optidew 501 wall mounted unit, and the Optidew 401 bench top instrument. Both are available with a full colour touch screen HMI for easy local operation and interrogation. The Optidew 501 is also available as a transmitter, without a screen, for integration into a DCS, or an environmental monitoring system such as the adaptive Rotronic Monitoring System (RMS). Michell also offers PC-based software for data capture and graphing. The transmitter version also includes a multi-colour LED indicator which clearly displays the instruments’ status for operators to view locally.
The Optidew 501 and 401 both have two 4-20mA outputs, and offer a choice of digital communications. The wall mounted Optidew 501 has Modbus RTU over RS485 as standard, with an optional Ethernet connection and SD card slot for data logging. As a bench top unit, the Optidew 401 has a wider range of communications as standard: RS485, USB and SD card data logging. Customers can also choose to have an Ethernet connection if required.
Typical applications for the Optidew include environmental control for engine testing, climatic control in clean rooms and environmental chambers and monitoring the coating process in pharmaceutical and confectionary manufacture. The Optidew 401 is also an excellent chilled mirror reference instrument to validate humidity probes when combined with a humidity generator and calibrated to ISO 17025 standards in one of our UKAS, NVLAP, JCSS, or SGS accredited labs.