Endress Hauser Compact Conductivity Device Smartec CLD18 CLD18-1009/0 CLD18-1061/0 for Beverage Industry

What Is It?

The Smartec CLD18 is a compact, toroidal (inductive) conductivity measuring system designed specifically for hygienic applications in the food & beverage industry.

• It combines both the sensor and transmitter in a single compact unit.
• Because it uses a toroidal (inductive) measuring principle, it’s less sensitive to electrode fouling and works well for liquids with medium to high conductivity.

Key Specifications

Here are some of the important technical specs of the CLD18:

Applications / Use Cases

The CLD18 is especially well-suited for typical beverage-plant tasks:

• CIP control (Cleaning-In-Place): It can monitor conductivity in return lines to ensure cleaning media (detergent / rinse) is correctly separated or detected.
• Concentration control: Used when re-making or adjusting CIP cleaning agents, to ensure correct concentration.
• Phase separation: In small-diameter pipelines, it can act as a switch to detect the boundary between product and cleaning fluid, or product and water.
• Monitoring / leakage: Product flow in pipelines (e.g., bottling lines) can be tracked, and leaks can be detected by changes in conductivity.
• Beer-specific tasks: For example: detecting “push-water” interface in beer lines, or water cut in brewing lines.

Advantages / Strengths

• Hygienic Design: The sensor body is made of PEEK, which is food-safe, chemically resistant, and without crevices that could harbor contamination.
• Regulatory Compliance: 3-A certification for sanitary design, and compliance with food-contact material regulations.
• Compact Size: The design allows installation in small or narrow tubes without constricting flow.
• Robustness: IP69K protection means it can withstand high-pressure washdowns, which is common in food and beverage processing.
• Fast Response: Quick conductivity response (t95 < ~1.5 s) reduces product loss during phase changes.
• Smart Integration (optional): The IO-Link version lets you integrate with modern automation systems, enabling more data and better process control.

Limitations / Considerations

• Range Constraints: Although quite broad, its measurement range starts at ~200 µS/cm, so very low-conductivity applications (e.g., ultrapure water) may not be ideal.
• Calibration: As with any sensing device, correct calibration and maintenance are needed to ensure long-term accuracy.
• Power Requirements: Requires a stable 24 V DC supply.
• Installation: For hygienic applications, proper mounting (e.g., avoiding dead legs, ensuring correct orientation) is important to maintain sanitary integrity. (See installation instructions in the datasheet.)

Comparison / Similar Products

One similar product (from the same family) is:

• Endress+Hauser Smartec CLD132 Compact Conductivity Device — which is another compact toroidal conductivity sensor, but with potentially different installation options or process connections.

Summary / Why Use It

The Smartec CLD18 is a cost-effective, hygienic, and robust solution for conductivity measurement in beverage processing. Its design supports critical operations like CIP control and phase separation, while its optional IO-Link connectivity lets it fit into modern automated plants. For beverage manufacturers who need inline, fast, and reliable conductivity sensing in small-diameter piping — the CLD18 is a very practical choice.