Real SIL, Real Safety: Flap-11C Plastic Magnetic Level Gauge Safely Measures Hydrofluoric Acid
1. Introduction: Hydrofluoric Acid — The “Bone-Corrosing” Measurement Challenge
In modern industry, hydrofluoric acid (HF) is widely used in high-tech fields such as fluorochemicals, semiconductors, nuclear fuel, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials due to its unique corrosiveness and solubility. However, HF is also known as one of the “most dangerous acids.” It strongly corrodes traditional materials like glass and ceramics and can penetrate skin and bones, causing cumulative harm. Any leakage can result in catastrophic consequences.
A hand corroded by hydrofluoric acid
For companies handling and storing HF, safely and accurately monitoring liquid levels has long been a significant technical challenge. Traditional metal level gauges are quickly corroded, while plastic or fluorine-lined instruments may resist corrosion but often fall short in long-term stability and safety under high-risk conditions. A deeper challenge lies in the growing demand for safety instrumented functions (SIFs) in pursuit of extreme safety, while the authenticity of the underlying Safety Integrity Level (SIL) certifications is often neglected—or even misused—by the industry.
Hengyang Jinxin Laifu New Materials Co., Ltd. (hereafter “Jinxin Laifu”), a high-tech enterprise focused on fluorochemical new material R&D and production, has faced exactly this dual challenge in measuring liquid levels in HF storage tanks and reactors.
2. Measurement Challenges and Safety Requirements at Jinxin Laifu
During production, Jinxin Laifu needs to handle and store large quantities of high-concentration hydrofluoric acid. Their liquid level measurement requirements include:
- Extreme corrosiveness of the medium: HF corrodes nearly all metals and silicate materials, so all parts of the level gauge in contact with the medium must be made of corrosion-resistant plastics such as PP (polypropylene), PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride), or PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene).
- Strict long-term stability requirements: Even corrosion-resistant materials may degrade physically under prolonged exposure to high-concentration, high-pressure HF, causing instrument failure. Jinxin Laifu requires a solution that can operate reliably over the long term, with minimal or no maintenance.
- High accuracy and reliability: Accurate liquid level measurements are crucial for material dosing, reaction control, and inventory management. The instrument’s reliability under extreme conditions is critical for both personnel and equipment safety.
- Highest level functional safety (SIL2/3) requirements: As a hazardous chemicals manufacturer, Jinxin Laifu understands that even minor instrument failures can have catastrophic consequences. Critical level monitoring points demand SIL2/3 compliance, ensuring that the level gauge can perform its safety function with extremely low failure probability within an Independent Protection Layer (IPL).
During market research, Jinxin Laifu found that while many so-called “HF-resistant” plastic magnetic level gauges exist, very few could meet long-term stability, high accuracy, and genuinely verified SIL certifications simultaneously. Particularly for SIL, the market is full of uncertainty, making authenticity difficult to verify.
3. Industry Chaos: The “Fake SIL” Dilemma and Safety Risks
In today’s safety-conscious era, SIL certification should be the “gold standard” for assessing instrument reliability. However, in the Chinese market, the situation is alarming:
- Fake certifications are rampant: According to industry insiders, over 95% of purported SIL certifications on instruments in China may be fraudulent—a harsh reality, not an exaggeration.
- Low-cost “purchased” certificates: Some unscrupulous institutions exploit companies’ lack of SIL knowledge and cost sensitivity. Without rigorous testing, analysis, or evaluation, companies can obtain a certificate for as little as RMB 1,000.
- Phishing-style websites hide the truth: These fraudulent institutions sometimes create websites with a “global” appearance (often from Italy or Eastern Europe) to appear as legitimate international certification bodies. These sites only list their own fake certificates. Users checking their certificates believe they are authentic, falling into a trap.
- Life-threatening safety hazards: Fake SIL certifications not only disrupt market order but endanger lives. An instrument with a false SIL label has zero true safety reliability, and failure in hazardous chemical conditions could be catastrophic. Companies may appear compliant while actually exposing themselves to extreme risk.
4. Jiwei Automation Flap-11C: A Genuine Solution
Among the available options, Jiwei Automation stands out for its deep expertise in level measurement and rigorous approach to functional safety. Jiwei recommended its Flap-11C Plastic Magnetic Level Gauge for highly corrosive media, with both the gauge and its remote transmitters possessing authentic SIL2/3 certification.
Key Features of Flap-11C:
- All-plastic corrosion-resistant construction: The main tube, float, flange, and all parts in contact with HF are made of high-quality PVDF or PP, offering excellent chemical resistance. The instrument remains corrosion-free even under prolonged exposure, solving compatibility issues at the root.
- High accuracy and stability: The magnetic coupling and specialized float design ensure precise float movement and clear flag indication in HF. Remote transmitters use non-contact magnetic induction to output standard 4–20mA signals for real-time control system integration with minimal error.
- Authentic SIL2/3 functional safety certification: This is the core competitive advantage of Flap-11C and the key reason Jinxin Laifu chose Jiwei.
- Authority and verifiability: All Jiwei SIL certifications can be publicly verified on the CNCA (Certification and Accreditation Administration of China) official website.
- Full coverage of core products: In addition to Flap-11C and its transmitters, other key Jiwei level products, including vibrating rod level switches, also hold official SIL certifications.
- Rigorous third-party testing: Jiwei submits prototypes to accredited international labs for comprehensive evaluation, including hardware fault tolerance, diagnostic coverage, and mean time to dangerous failure (MTTFd). This contrasts sharply with the market’s “buy a certificate” scams.
5. Field Application and Results
Jinxin Laifu installed Flap-11C gauges and certified remote transmitters on HF storage tanks and some reactors.
- Safety assurance: The Flap-11C exhibited highly stable corrosion resistance and measurement accuracy over long-term operation. Verified SIL2/3 certification provided a reliable safety layer, significantly reducing the risk of incidents from gauge failure.
- Precise control: Accurate liquid level data improved dosing, mixing, and reaction control, enhancing product quality and production efficiency.
- Cost savings and confidence: Flap-11C’s long-term maintenance-free performance reduced operational costs. Importantly, Jiwei’s insistence on genuine SIL certification gave Jinxin Laifu confidence in domestic high-end instruments, reducing overreliance on imports.
6. Conclusion: True Manufacturers Deliver Safety and Peace of Mind
The Jinxin Laifu case reaffirms an unshakable truth: Safety and peace of mind can only come from genuine manufacturers. In functional safety, any shortcut or falsification is intolerable.
Jiwei Automation’s Flap-11C Plastic Magnetic Level Gauge combines superior HF resistance, reliable and precise measurement, and verifiable SIL2/3 certification, providing high-risk customers like Jinxin Laifu with true safety assurance. It solves technical challenges and sets a benchmark for functional safety in China’s hazardous chemical industry, exemplifying the responsibility and commitment of Chinese manufacturing.
By choosing Jiwei Automation, Jinxin Laifu achieved greater automation, efficiency, and a solid step forward in functional safety, setting a model for safe production in the fluorochemical and hazardous chemical sectors.