level measurement

Flexar® can provide dependable continuous level sensing in the production of activated carbon

 
Figure 1


Figure 2

Activated carbon, also known as activated charcoal, is a carbon product that has been put through a process to make it very porous. It is then used in the purification of air and water, the cleanup of environmental spills and the capturing of volatile compounds. For example, activated carbon is used in mercury emission control systems for coal-fired power plants. Activated carbon can be derived from a variety of raw materials including coal, lignite, coconut shells, nutshells, wood and other agricultural by-products. The Flexar® guided wave radar level sensor (see Figure 1) has been used to provide continuous inventory management for most of these raw materials. The Flexar has also been used to control inventory on the finished forms of activated carbon such as granular, pelletized, and powdered states. Figure 2 shows an original material (nutshells) on the left and the activated carbon product that is made on the right. Flexar sensors were chosen to provide real-time continuous level control in the storage for both of these items. Flexar is very versatile because it is unaffected by dust, bulk density, temperature and other properties. It can also be used for a variety of liquid applications.

Monitor Technologies’ Flexar^® guided wave radar sensor is a continuous level measurement system using TDR (time domain reflectometry) principles where radar pulses are focused down to the material surface by the unit's wave guide (a heavy duty cable) and the time-of-flight of the pulse reflection back to the instrument electronics is directly related to the empty distance in the vessel and the material level.

Benefits of Flexar^® include no moving parts for less wear and tear, easy installation and setup with minimal to no field calibration required, a universal power supply for high or low voltage options and a choice of RS-485 or analog 4-20mA output. It can also be interfaced with the SiloTrack inventory management software. For more details on Flexar guided wave radar please visit www.flexar.info

 

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Auxiliary Output Enclosure (AOE) Satisfies Input Needs for other Plant Systems

  

When choosing a continuous level measurement system, in addition to an operator interface, sometimes a customer also wants to have an output to some other type of control system such as a PLC or DCS. Available outputs include both relay contacts and analog outputs.  To fulfill these requirements, Monitor developed an auxiliary output enclosure (AOE) capable of housing as many as four output cards containing either relay outputs, analog outputs or a combination of both. When controlled by our HMI2 operator interface, each SiloPatrol® SMUse level sensor can drive one analog and up to two relay outputs. If SiloTrack Inventory Management Software is the operator interface, the number of analog outputs assignable remains at one analog output per sensor but there can be up to four relay outputs per sensor. RS-485 communication wiring consists of a twisted pair that is shielded and installed in a daisy chain fashion. Since the auxiliary output enclosure is also an RS-485 driven device, the AOE can be placed anywhere along the RS-485 communication network. Placement of the AOE in close proximity to a PLC or DCS reduces the amount of additional wiring necessary to connect the AOE outputs to the inputs of these other devices. This will significantly reduce the amount of interface wiring that would normally be required by standard analog output sensor wiring practices.

Flexar® guided wave radar level sensors that are used in conjunction with SiloTrack Inventory Management Software can also drive an auxiliary output enclosure as previously described.

Auxiliary output enclosures are available in either two or four output card configurations. (Two card version shown above.)  The two types of output cards can be mixed or matched. Flexar® guided wave radar and SiloPatrol® SMUse sensors may not currently coexist on the same RS-485 communication network. Consult Monitor's Technical Support group for selection of the correct SiloTrack product offering if your over-all sensor system design requires the use of both SiloPatrol SMUse and Flexar guided wave radar sensors.

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Tired of the mystery?

I am not referring to Sherlock Holmes, or even the 2010 Cubs season…  I am referring to the mystery involving how much material do you have in your silo, bin, or hopper.

How often when you are filling or emptying a vessel do you have to ask yourself “Do I have enough room to add more material?” or “Am I starting to run low?”

A simple way to solve the mystery would be to install a level control. 

Monitor offers many different level control technologies designed to let you know “How much material do I have” or “Where is the level at?”

Some of the questions one should consider before looking for additional information would be:


- Do I need to know where my material level is at “continuously” or can I get by with just knowing when my material reaches a “high level” or a “low level” point in the vessel?  Examples of continuous level sensors are guided wave radar and smart weight & cable based (plumb bob).  Examples of point level controls include rotary paddle, rf capacitance, vibratory, diaphragm pressure switch and tilt switch.

- Do I want something that is an all electrical device with no moving parts (Ex. guided wave radar, rf capacitance) or would something electro-mechanical suffice (Ex. cable based, rotary paddle)?

- Do I want the “top of the line” (Ex. guided wave radar) or is price point more of an issue (Ex. rotary paddle, diaphragm pressure switch)?

- Are there any “extreme” conditions with the application? High Temperatures, Chemical Compatibility, or Vibration?

- Do I want a level control that is “fail-safe”, one that is capable of monitoring its own health so I am notified in the event of a problem (Ex. SafePoint rotary paddle, MK-2 rf capacitance)?  "Fail-safe" units are prudent in critical applications where you always want to be sure the level control is working.


These are only a few of the questions that you may want to ask yourself if you have grown weary of the mystery concerning your material levels.

I encourage you to call one of our tech support “gurus” to discuss your application. They can give you product suggestions based on your needs and will provide you with a practical solution at every level.

Additional information on any of our products can be found easily on our website - www.monitortech.com.

Scott Bonine

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Moving SiloTrack Inventory Management Software from one PC to another

If it is time to up-grade your PC this brief will help you manage the re-installation of the SiloTrack inventory management program. A SiloTrack installation actually consists of hardware and software.  When moving SiloTrack to a different PC the hardware must also be moved.

SiloTrack consists of:
> Interface hardware which is the RS-485 communication converter/adapter
> Security Key hardware
> Application software; “The SiloTrack Server Program"
> Data files

The interface hardware device allows the SiloPatrol sensor(s) to communicate with the PC.  Older systems utilized an internal PCI serial card RS-485 adapter.  Newer systems use an external USB to RS-485 converter ‘box’/adapter. Simply uninstall the hardware from the old PC and prepare to install it on the new one.  In all cases the drivers for the interface device will need to be installed onto the new PC before the hardware is physically installed/connected.
 
Remove the security key from the old PC. The older SiloTrack system utilized security key fit to the PC’s parallel port .  This small device has the appearance of a pass-through connector or gender change adapter. It will have to be physically moved to the new PC. In the event the new PC does not have a parallel port we do have a USB solution.  Please contact Monitor if necessary.
 
First, install the Sealevel drivers for the RS-485 converter/adapter for your particular model.
Next, run the SiloTrack Server installation CD. 
Follow the Set Up Wizard to complete the installation if you wish to start over as if you were a first time user.
However, you can avoid needing to reprogram all of your silo dimensional information and other operational parameters by copying the following files from your old PC into the working SiloTrack directory of your new PC and into the C:/backup directory:
silotrack3.mdb and silotrackdata.st3

Andy

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All the Leaves are Brown, and the Sky is Gray above your Silo Level Indicators....

So here I am reminiscing about a birthday celebration I attended last night and The Mamas and the Papas jumped in my head as I flashed back to the 60's and 70's for a minute or two. One of our staff cruised by my office door with a used sensor over his shoulder that was in need of evaluation. Since I like examining equipment that has been working in the field for extended periods of time, I  got up and followed it to the test area where we examined the unit. It was a SiloPatrol SMU that was produced in 2004. Upon removal of the cover, a small amount of white powder spilled out on the bench. After seeing the powder and knowing the SMU was sent in because of a Motion Error, we directed our attention to the wiper seal and discovered that it was packed hard in gypsum powder to the extent that the 3/16" SS cable could not travel freely through the wiper. So, finding out what I wanted to know was accomplished I then returned to my desk. "What does this have to do with dead leaves and a dark Autumn sky?", you ask. It got me thinking about a similar unit I worked on a couple of years ago in the dead of winter with 22 knot winds and temperatures in the high minus teens. If the maintenance staff at that facility had performed a preventative maintenance inspection in November, I probably would not have been getting frostbitten fingers in January. (It is difficult to thread a 3/16" SS cable and a compression sleeve and thimble with heavy gloves on.) So to conclude, If you are the proud owner of any brand of plumb bob style continuous level sensor, you might want to think of getting someone aloft to check everything out before the snow flies. And if you live where it is hot by 10AM, you still might want to pull a PM to check for worn parts so you can order them and change them out before your system actually breaks down. I almost forgot to mention that we do have part kits to allow the owners of our original SMU design to convert over to the new wiper seal compartment that eliminates the necessity of cutting your cable to change out a worn out or clogged wiper seal.

Greg DeRudder
Product Manager
gderudder@monitortech.com

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Silo Patrol bin level sensor has a long history of success with plastic packaging company

I had a recent conversation with Mike Sahly of Sahly Anderson Company. Sahly Anderson Company is our representative in Northern Illinois, most of Wisconsin, and 2/3rds of Indiana.

We were discussing current opportunities and reminiscing about the past when Mike reminded me about a long-time SiloPatrol customer that manufactures plastic packaging materials. This particular customer has over 50 of our SiloPatrol cable-based level sensors installed on plastic pellet silos located on several different "campuses". They have had the units for many years and the units have operated flawlessly since they were first installed. I guess the old adage "no news is good news" holds true because I have not heard of any problems ever from this customer.

Sahly Anderson Company is huge in the plastics industry, several of the lines they represent along with Monitor are commonly used by extruders, injection molders, blow molders and compounders. Over the years Sahly Anderson has sold hundreds of SiloPatrol units into the plastics industry.  Mike Sahly stated that "Monitor hit a home run with the SiloPatrol design" and that the SiloPatrol is a product that he "truly believes in".

Monitor has a long history of successful SiloPatrol applications not only in the plastics industry but in virtually every other bulk solids related industry as well.

If you have a silo and you are not sure of how much material you have perhaps the SiloPatrol will be a solution.

Please contact us to discuss your application.

Thanks,

Scott Bonine

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Silo Monitoring...how much material do we have?

 

Knowing the level of material in your vessels can be vitally important for production purposes and material inventory management.

Running out of material unexpectedly can literally shut down your production causing huge losses. Another frustration can be if a shipment of material arrives and the silo cannot hold the truck or rail car load because you had no idea of what was in your silos.

Monitor Technologies manufactures two technologies designed to be used for silo monitoring that will provide you with information to answer the question "how much material do we have". 

The product photo on the left is our Flexar® Guided Wave Radar level transmitter designed to provide true continuous readings of material levels in silos.  The Flexar works by sending a micro pulse down a "cable" or "wave guide" at the speed of light.  As soon as the pulse reaches the surface of the material the pulses are reflected back to the sensor electronics.  The time of flight of the pulses are calculated and we can then determine the distance between where the sensor is mounted and the surface of the material. Once we know the distance between the location of the sensor and the surface of the material, calculations based on vessel geometry and material bulk density can be performed to provide information concerning distance, level, volume, weight, an percent.

The product pictured on the right is our SiloPatrol® cable-based level sensor. the SiloPatrol is an electro-mechanical device.  When the command to initiate a reading is received by the sensor a weight on a nylon jacketed stainless steel cable lowers into the vessel, comes in contact with the surface of the material, and reverses.  We measure the distance the weight travels in order to determine where the material surface is located. Once we know the distance between the location of the sensor and the surface of the material, calculations based on vessel geometry and material bulk density can be performed to provide information concerning distance, level, volume, weight, an percent. The SiloPatrol is actually considered an "on demand" type of system

Both the Flexar and the SiloPatrol can be used with our Windows-based SiloTrack^TM inventory management software. The SiloPatrol also offers a discrete display we call the HMI.

For those of you using a PLC a 4-20mA output, this option is also available from both products. The 4-20mA output can be scaled within your PLC and you will be able to determine the information you desire.

There are many factors that come into play when looking at level sensors for determining how much material you have in a silo. Details of the actual application will play a role as will determining what kind of information and how often an update of the level information is required.  Price too may be an issue.

There are pros and cons for each technology, please send me a comment or give us a call to discuss your application.  I am sure we can get you into a system that will be right for you.

Detailed brochures for all of our products are  available on our website www.monitortech.com so check them out for additional information.

Scott Bonine

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NPE 2009

   

In a few weeks, starting June 22nd, the National Plastics Exposition (NPE) will kick off at Chicago's McCormick Place. Many are concerned about how well the show will be attended, it all depends on who you talk to as to how successful the show will be. 

I am aware of some companies deciding not to exhibit for financial reasons in this tough economy.  Monitor will be exhibiting and we are very hopeful that the attendance will justify our expense, my boss actually wants to get a return on our investment!

If you are a customer, and if you plan on attending the show, please stop by our booth (#131019, West Hall) and take a look at what we can offer.  Our SiloPatrol Level Control / Inventory Management System, used to determine material levels in silos and large bins/hopper's, has been amazingly successful in the plastics industry.

The SiloPatrol is used by hundreds of customers world-wide to determine how much material they have in their vessels.  Plastic pellets, resins, compounds, or regrind are ideal targets for the SiloPatrol. My guess is if you are attending the NPE you probably have some of these materials at your facility.

Please stop by, say hello, and check out the SiloPatrol and the other products we offer that may help you out!

I look forward to seeing you!

Scott Bonine

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IDK....

 

Greetings,

Many of you may recognize the acronym in this blog title, especially if you have kids! 

Based on my limited research "IDK" means "I don't know" at least that is what my kids tell me. I get this response from them via text message when I ask them almost any question, especially when I ask them when they are finally moving out. 

It seems to me that most of my kids spend a ton of time text messaging their friends, a review of the cell phone bill detail reinforces this fact, it is amazing how many text messages my kids send, it is a wonder they have time for anything else, like eating, sleeping or trashing the house! 

I too have been caught up in this form of communication, in fact I text my kids often, even if they are just downstairs from me.  Sometimes this is my preferred method of communicating with them, the less "face to face the better"! (Just kidding).

I assure you my rambling has a purpose, albeit a bit too long in coming....recently one of our reps has been working with a large company who is looking at some of our level control equipment. 

The customer loves our hardware and our inventory measurement software. During the meeting they mentioned that they would sure like to be able to get information from our system via e-mail or text message.  I know e-mail notification is nothing new, nor is the idea of getting a message via an antique device called a  pager, and even communicating information via cell phone is not novel, but what seems to be a bit unique to me is the text message request. I guess this is a sign of the times...maybe the next step could be bin level notifications on the screen during a Wii game.

I am curious if many of you are communicating for business purpose via text message, would you find text message notifiers concerning your material levels for example as something of value to you?  Are you currently receiving process information from your plants in a manner in which it appears on your phone or your Blackberry-like device?

As I mentioned none of these are new technologies but I am intrigued by how it may have value in the field.

Please let me know your thoughts.

TLK2UL8R,

Scott Bonine

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Avoid Obstructions When Installing A Guided Wave Radar Sensor

Guided wave radar instruments, like Flexar®, use a cable as a wave guide or antenna.  The microwave energy pulses down the cable antenna and reflects off the material surface.  The reflected pulse travels back up the antenna to the transceiver. 
Obstructions near (within ~12”) of the cable antenna have a high probability of interfering with the microwave energy measurement pulses. Just think of attempting to make a cell phone call while standing inside a metal doorway.  Sometimes it works but most times it doesn’t.
Some obstructions result in crazy reflective echoes.  These reflections can exceed the strength of that from the material surface.  To cancel such large reflection an irritating and often substantial dead zone has to be created along the length of the wave guide cable antenna.  Not good.

Obstructions also cause signal degradation.  Like the cell phone example, energy from the wave guide cable can be bleed off onto the obstruction.  Because the Flexar guided wave radar sensor is measuring and not cooking the silo contents the emitted energy level is rather limited.  If enough of this energy is bleed off there is a possibility that insufficient energy will remain to make a viable reflection.

Vessel View, Exterior

Vessel View, Interior

 

   

Pictured above is one of the most common examples when it comes to interfering obstructions.

For unknown reasons the factory provided application and mounting recommendations were disregarded and the Flexar instrument was mounted to the pictured stub nozzle.  Under the best of circumstances the height of a stub nozzle should not exceed the inside diameter.  In this example that guideline has been completely violated. As shown, the nozzle protruding above and below the roof line well exceed the inside diameter.  This resulted in crazy pulse reflections which were so strong that the level signal would not follow the
material level.  The short term solution required a six foot dead zone to be created on the top portion of the vessel. 
This meant the customer lost the ability to monitor the material in the upper six foot section of the vessel.  Not good. 

The long term solution is to move the Flexar to the  center of the forward plate which sits atop a large nozzle which better conforms to the mounting guideline.

Andy

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