Across industries that move the world’s most critical fluids. From oil and gas to chemical manufacturing and water treatment, precision flow measurement keeps operations efficient, sustainable, and safe. Among the technologies that make this possible, electromagnetic flowmeters (magmeters) stand out for their unmatched reliability and accuracy. They measure flow without obstruction, using electromagnetic fields to turn the movement of a fluid into precise, real-time data. But even the most proven technology faces limits when exposed to the complex chemistry of real-world process conditions.
For decades, Emerson has led the advancement of flow and process measurement, developing the industry’s most trusted magmeters under its Rosemount™ brand. Now, Emerson is turning outward, inviting engineers, scientists, and innovators to help solve the next challenge in this field: electrode coating buildup. Substances like paraffin, scale, and abrasive particulates can accumulate on electrodes, distorting flow readings and forcing operators into costly maintenance cycles and unexpected shutdowns.
The Electrode Code seeks innovative solutions that keep magmeter electrodes clean, accurate, and dependable for longer. Success means extending the meter’s effective lifespan, reducing cleaning frequency, and maintaining the precision that industries rely on, even in the harshest environments.
Winning solvers will share in a $30,000 prize pool and may earn the opportunity to collaborate directly with Emerson’s global R&D and manufacturing teams to bring their ideas from concept to commercial reality. By addressing this challenge, you’ll help shape the next generation of flow measurement , one that keeps industry moving without pause.
Emerson
For more than 130 years, Emerson has been at the forefront of industrial innovation, advancing technologies that help manufacturers operate more safely, sustainably, and efficiently. From its beginnings in St. Louis, Missouri, as a pioneer in electrical engineering, Emerson has evolved into a global leader in automation and process control solutions. Within its Automation Solutions business, Emerson delivers one of the industry’s most comprehensive portfolios of flow measurement technologies, including Coriolis, vortex, differential pressure, and electromagnetic flowmeters. Each technology is designed to meet the demands of complex applications where precision and reliability are paramount. Emerson’s long-standing leadership in material science and sensor design enables its products to perform in environments that challenge conventional measurement tools.
Magmeters
Flow measurement lies at the heart of industrial process control. All fluid that moves through a plant carries valuable information. Among the many flow technologies available, electromagnetic flowmeters (magmeters) stand out for their exceptional accuracy, reliability, and versatility. Operating on Faraday’s Law of Electromagnetic Induction, these meters measure the voltage induced as a conductive fluid passes through a magnetic field. That voltage, proportional to flow velocity, is then converted into a precise volumetric measurement by the transmitter. Because magmeters have no moving parts and introduce no obstructions in the pipe, they are widely used in industries handling aggressive chemicals, slurries, and abrasive or corrosive fluids, offering a durable, cost-effective solution even under harsh process conditions.
Over decades of innovation, Emerson’s magmeters have set the standard for flow measurement performance, operating general in a ±0.25–0.5% margin of error. Their robust sensor designs, specialized liners, and advanced digital signal processing minimize process noise and ensure accurate readings across a vast range of applications, from water management to chemical processing and oil production. Careful pairing of liner and electrode materials enables compatibility with diverse fluids and environments, protecting internal circuitry from corrosion and wear. These instruments are the trusted workhorses of flow measurement worldwide. Yet even the most advanced technology can encounter limits when operating in the toughest real-world conditions, such as when coating buildup forms on the electrodes, impeding their ability to measure flow accurately. Understanding and addressing that challenge is the next frontier in ensuring uninterrupted, precise, and maintenance-free flow measurement.
Measurement electrodes in electromagnetic flowmeters frequently become coated with substances such as paraffin and scale, causing significant malfunctions and accuracy issues.
When accurate fluid measurement is critical, and when interfering coatings are more likely to appear, these coatings create severe operational challenges. Coating buildup disrupts the electrodes' ability to accurately measure fluid flow, leading to false readings, increased process noise, and in worst-case scenarios, complete meter failure. The economic implications are substantial; affected systems can require frequent, costly manual cleaning, causing downtime and process interruptions that may cost millions of dollars annually. Without a solution, operational efficiency suffers dramatically, and industries face continuous financial strain due to increased maintenance and potential shutdowns.
Electromagnetic flowmeter electrodes are vulnerable to fouling by various substances present in process fluids. The most common culprits are paraffin, scale (mineral deposits), and abrasive particulates such as silica sand, often the most prevalent solid in produced water. In oil and gas applications, paraffin is a waxy hydrocarbon that adheres readily to surfaces, forming a stubborn layer that is difficult to remove without damaging the electrode. In water distribution or industrial process streams, scale from dissolved minerals can accumulate over time, reducing performance. Compounding the challenge is the constant flow of abrasive solids (sand, heavy minerals, rust particles) that can quickly erode or wear away protective coatings. Previous coating attempts have failed because they dissolved or degraded under this continuous abrasion. In controlled testing, abrasive flow loops can simulate these conditions using known particle concentrations and material properties to assess wear resistance, a critical factor in designing a lasting solution.
Coating buildup interferes with the electrodes’ ability to accurately measure voltage induced by the moving fluid. As coatings grow, they cause process noise (voltage fluctuations from particulate impact or irregular surface contact) that mask the true signal. The result is a lower calculated flow rate and increasingly unstable readings. In advanced stages, the noise may become indistinguishable from the actual signal, making the meter unusable. Inaccurate measurements can have cascading effects: from incorrect billing in utilities to unsafe operating conditions in chemical and energy processes. Maintaining consistent, precise voltage readings is therefore as critical as preventing the coating itself.
The cost of adverse electrode coating is seen heavily in operational downtime, lost productivity, and repeated maintenance. In severe paraffin-laden environments, electrodes may require cleaning as frequently as daily, bringing operations to a halt. Scaling tends to accumulate more slowly, but can still cause problems over a 1+ year timeframe, depending on process conditions. Maintenance incurs labor costs, production stoppages, and the logistical complexity of handling equipment in hazardous or remote environments. Unplanned outages for cleaning or replacement can cost hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars annually, especially in industries where continuous operation is critical. The ideal solution would not only extend the time between interventions but also make cleaning faster, safer, and less costly when it is required.
Any viable solution must function reliably across the harsh environments where electromagnetic flowmeters operate. These can include temperature extremes from -20°C to 180°C (-4°F to 356°F), high-pressure systems, and fluids containing abrasive slurries or aggressive chemicals, including strong acids and bases. Even in the more common temperature range of 20°C to 80°C (68°F to 176°F), where most coating issues occur, solutions must endure fluctuating conditions without degradation. Abrasion from solids, chemical attack, and temperature cycling can each independently compromise a solution; together, they present a formidable test of durability. Designing for these conditions from the outset is essential to ensuring long-term field performance.
Develop an innovative solution that keeps electromagnetic flowmeter electrodes clean, accurate, and reliable over extended periods of operation, without the need for frequent maintenance or process interruptions. Your design may take the form of a coating, surface treatment, electrode redesign that effectively prevents buildup that interferes with measurement performance. The ultimate goal is to extend the effective life of the meter, ideally by a factor of two, before cleaning is required, while maintaining accuracy within the standard ±0.25–0.5% margin of error. Achieving this would not only reduce maintenance frequency but also minimize costly process shutdowns and lost production hours, delivering significant value to operators.
Successfully solving this challenge, you will submit a detailed proposal describing your concept, its materials and mechanisms, and evidence of its performance under realistic operating conditions. Submissions should demonstrate both technical feasibility and commercial potential. The following sections outline the must-have requirements a solution must meet to be eligible for review, and the desired features that will distinguish top-performing designs.
Must-have Requirements
Your solution, at a minimum, to be considered for a prize, must demonstrate:
Desired Features:
The following, if met, can result in a higher score for your submission:
To be eligible for an award, your proposal must, at minimum:
A total of $30,000 USD in prizes will be awarded to the top submissions that best meet the challenge objectives and judging criteria. While the cash prizes recognize the most promising ideas, this challenge is designed primarily as a gateway to partnership and development with Emerson, one of the world’s leaders in flow and process measurement technologies.
Beyond the cash awards, top solvers will be invited to collaborate directly with Emerson’s engineering and materials science teams to advance their proposed solution toward testing and potential commercialization. Selected innovators could gain:
By participating, solvers position themselves not only for recognition but for a potential long-term partnership, where their ideas can transition from concept to market-ready technology, improving reliability and sustainability across critical industries worldwide.
As a part of this challenge's shared IP agreement, Emerson reserves the right to contact solvers regarding their submission, solution, and intellectual property. This may include questions about your solution and potentially partnership opportunities for further work, development, or testing with Emerson.
| Open to submissions | November 4, 2025 9AM EST |
| Submission deadline | February 5, 2026 5PM EST |
| Judging | February 6 - March 5, 2026 |
| Winners Announced | March 6, 2026 |
| Section | Description | Overall Weight |
| Prevention / Removal Capability | To what extent does the solution effectively prevent coatings from forming and/or actively remove them, minimizing maintenance needs? Higher scores for proven, reliable performance in relevant operational environments. | 30 |
| Robustness | How effectively can the solution withstand harsh operating conditions, including high pressure, extreme temperatures (-20°C to 180°C), and abrasive slurries, without degradation in performance over time? | 20 |
| Commercial Viability | How well does the solution demonstrate clear economic advantages for customers, including potential cost savings, commercial viability, and feasibility of material sourcing and production? Higher scores for strong ROI and realistic cost-benefit analysis. | 18 |
| Chemical Diversity | How resistant and effective is the solution against a broad range of chemicals, including strong acids and bases? Higher scores for compatibility with a greater number of chemical environments while maintaining performance. | 15 |
| Compatibility | How seamlessly can the solution integrate with existing electromagnetic flowmeters without significant redesign or downtime? Higher scores for plug-and-play retrofit capability across various models and sizes. | 10 |
| Wear Resistance Metrics | Does the solution provide quantifiable wear resistance data (e.g., representative particle sizes, Hardgrove index) relevant to abrasive slurry conditions? Higher scores for well-supported, data-driven claims of long-term durability. | 7 |
Your submission should provide a clear, well-structured presentation of your solution, with enough detail for the judges to evaluate it against the challenge criteria. You will provide a narrative overview of your solution, describing the concept, its intended operating principles, and how it addresses the core problem of electrode coating in electromagnetic flowmeters. Clearly explain whether your approach focuses on prevention, removal, or a hybrid of both, and describe any unique mechanisms, materials, or design features that enable it to work. This narrative should also include your strong theoretical justification, linking the underlying science, engineering principles, and supporting literature or prior work to show why your solution should perform effectively in the target environments. Describe its composition and properties.
Next, provide evidence of performance for the Prevention / Removal Capability criterion. Include any available data or test results demonstrating how your solution either prevents buildup of paraffin, scale, and similar substances, or removes such buildup once it occurs. If testing has been performed, share detailed results, methodologies, and conditions under which testing occurred. Detail how your design avoids interference with the induced voltage and maintains consistent, precise readings. This section should also capture robustness-related parameters, explicitly state the range of temperatures and pressures your solution is designed to withstand, and describe how it resists wear and degradation from abrasive slurries. Outline the chemical compatibility of your solution, including the types of chemicals it can withstand without performance degradation, with higher scores for a broad range of compatibility backed by data. Provide quantitative wear resistance data, such as particle size and hardness values, that further support your durability claims.
You will also include a section dedicated to Commercial Viability and integration feasibility. This is where you will discuss material sourcing, manufacturability, and any cost considerations from a customer perspective. Explain how the solution can be economically produced, highlight potential cost savings from reduced downtime or maintenance, and describe how it can be integrated with existing electromagnetic flowmeters with minimal disruption. If your design is adaptable to multiple meter sizes and models, clearly state this.
Provide CAD models or technical drawings that accurately depict your proposed design and help reviewers understand its structure and function. These should be detailed enough to evaluate manufacturing feasibility and integration into existing systems.
Finally, include your testing and validation plan. This plan should describe how you will verify the solution’s effectiveness under realistic operating conditions, including fluctuating temperatures, low-conductivity fluids, abrasive slurries, and chemical exposure. Detail the types of tests you will conduct, the success criteria for each, and the timeline for completion, which must be achievable within one year.
Participation Eligibility:
The challenge is open to all adult individuals 18 years of age or older, private teams, public teams, and collegiate teams. Teams may originate from any country. Submissions must be made in English. All challenge-related communication will be in English.
Individual competitors and teams may originate from any country, as long as United States federal sanctions do not prohibit participation (see: https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/Programs/Pages/Programs.aspx).
No specific qualifications or expertise in the field of materials science is required. Prize organizers encourage outside individuals and non-expert teams to compete and propose new solutions.
To be eligible to compete, you must comply with all the terms of the challenge as defined in the Challenge-Specific Agreement
Registration and Submissions:
Submissions must be made online (only), via upload to the HeroX.com website, on or before 5pm ET on February 5th, 2026. No late submissions will be accepted.
This challenge allows only one submission per individual/team.
Intellectual Property Rights:
By entering, Innovator agrees that: (i) all Submissions become Challenge Sponsor's property and will not be returned; and (ii) Challenge Sponsor and its licensees, successors and assignees have the right to use any and all Submissions, and the names, likenesses, voices and images of all persons appearing in the Submission, for future advertising, promotion and publicity in any manner and in any medium now known or hereafter devised throughout the world in perpetuity.
All intellectual property rights, if any, and all inventions, patents, patent applications, designs, copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, software, source code, object code, processes, formulae, ideas, methods, know-how, techniques, devices, creative works, works of authorship, publications, and/or other intellectual property (“Intellectual Property”) developed by Innovator as part of the Submission will remain with Innovator, subject to the following condition:
If Challenge Sponsor notifies Innovator that Submission is eligible for a Prize, Innovator will be considered qualified as a finalist (“Finalist”). Finalist must agree to grant to the Challenge Sponsor a royalty free, non-exclusive license in respect of all such intellectual property rights, if any, for the purposes of commercial exploitation of the idea or concept demonstrated by the Submission. Notwithstanding granting the Challenge Sponsor a perpetual, non-exclusive license for the submission, Finalist retains ownership of the submission.
Consolation Prize:
In the event that none of the submissions meet the Judging Criteria, the sponsor will award the following consolation prizes to the competitor(s) that score the highest:
Awarding of the Prize:
The Individual Submitter or Team Captain is automatically designated as the Recipient of the prize monies. The Individual’s or Captain’s name must also match the Authorized Person on the receiving Bank Account. No changes are permitted to the prize Recipient after the Submission Deadline date. If you wish to change who would receive the prize monies, those changes must be completed prior to the Submission Deadline. View our Knowledge Base article here for how to change Team Captains.
Judging Panel:
The determination of the winners will be made by a group of relevant subject matter experts.
Additional Information
