level measurement

High Temperature SafePoint Rotary Paddle Sensor Solves Titanium Application

Ball Sales and Engineering, the Monitor rep in CA, OR, WA, AZ, NM, NV, was working with a large company who supplies high quality titanium metal products. Titanium is used in hundreds of diverse aerospace, industrial and emerging applications where no other metal is as reliable or economical, especially on a lifecycle costing basis.

The customer was looking for a level control to be successfully used as a plugged chute detector; the customer had experienced problems with RF probes from another manufacturer. Plugged chute detection is critical to make sure that material is flowing properly through a process; a plugged chute condition can cause problems with transfer rates, mix ratios and production “down stream”.  Monitor offers several options for plugged chute detection, click here for more information.

The target materials are Rutile Ore with a bulk density of 150 lbs per cubic foot and Petroleum Coke with a bulk density of 53 lbs per cubic foot.  The material characteristics of the Rutile Ore can be described as having a “sand texture” and the Petroleum Coke is “granular”.

This application is made even more challenging due to the extremely high temperatures involved, the ambient temperature ranged from 100 degrees F to 150 degrees F and the internal process temperature could be as high as 750 degrees F.  But wait, this gets even better; the internal air in the feed pipe being monitored for a plugged chute condition is a gaseous chlorine, which if combined with moisture of any kind creates Hydrochloric Acid!

The Sales Engineers with Ball Sales worked with the customer by gathering additional details and suggested that the best solution would be for the customer to install a high-temperature SafePoint rotary paddle bin indicator.  The hi-temperature SafePoint unit can be used in applications up to 750 degrees F.

The SafePoint will not be challenged by the fluctuating dielectric constant of the target material or the possible changing temperatures that caused the issues with the RF probe they first tried.

For more information on Ball Sales and Engineering please visit their website www.ballengineering.com   Ball specializes in analyzing applications and recommending a correct, value-added solution for your most demanding applications.

Please feel free to contact us directly at Monitor with any questions...www.monitortech.com

Scott Bonine

Technorati Tags: Level measurement basics bin level indicator level control solids level indicator

plugged chute detector plugged conveying line solids flow detector

Monitor's MK2 RF Capacitance Bin Level Sensor Successful on Powdered Calcium

 

Yesterday I received a call from Ryan Dunlap of LECORP (I was proud to be partnered up with Ryan during a recent golf outing, many commented about our remarkable level of play, comments can be so cruel!).

LECORP is the Monitor representative group covering Kentucky, Tennessee, Southern Indiana, and Arkansas, their website is: www.LECORP.com, if you want to check out what else they offer.

Ryan began working with a plastic bag recycling company in December of 2007.

This company has used several different point level indicator products from a few different level control companies throughout their facility. They reported to Ryan that rotary paddle bin level indicators  and RF capacitance bin level probes manufactured by Monitor performed better than anything else they have tried. In fact they are so pleased with Monitor's products that they are replacing all other brands with Monitor!

A recent application for this company involved our model MK2 RF Capacitance Bin Level Sensors on powdered calcium and calcium coated pellets. The customer told Ryan that they were "tossing the other probes" and putting in Monitor on these applications because the MK2 worked great!

The Monitor MK2 is our top of the line RF Capacitance level probe featuring push button calibration, sensitivity selection and self-test features as well as amazing build-up immunity to ignore product build up that may cause false signaling with other probes on the market. More information on the MK2 can be found in the point level section of our website.

If you have a need to find a bin level indication solution in applications where other level products have struggled, give us a call, we may be able to help!

Thanks,

Scott Bonine

Director of Sales

Technorati Tags: Level measurement basics bin level indicator level control solids level indicator

Something ate my level probe!!!!

 

Last week I received a telephone call from our representative in the Carolina's, Bobby Vaughn of The Vaughn Company (www.thevaughncompany.com). Amazingly, in spite of our language differences, we were able to communicate (Bobby says I only speak "Yankee"). Bobby had received a call from a customer that had purchased one of our RF capacitance probes about four years ago.  Recently they were having some issues and they decided to take a closer look at the probe.  Much to their surprise when they removed the unit they discovered that the once mighty stainless steel probe was gone! It turns out that the probe was installed in Chlorine water, and while it took four years the Chlorine water had eventually dissolved the probe.

This is obviously a very infrequent occurrence with our typical customers but I feel that chemical compatibility issues are something that we should be cognizant of. I am sure that most customers are aware of things at their facilities that may be chemically aggressive, so often they will bring it up first. Also, there are many "chemical resistance charts" available on the web that will show chemicals and how they effect materials they may come in contact with.  One chart I use rates things on an alphabetic scale with "A" having "No effect-Excellent" to "D" Severe Effect-Not Recommended. I reference this chart when I get a question concerning this issue, most of the time our products will work great with the majority of the materials we "target" with our level controls so it is not a problem.

If you have any questions concerning an application please give us a call, we will be happy to work with you to find a solution. Thanks, Scott Bonine

Technorati Tags: Level measurement basics bin level indicator level control solids level indicator

Using extensions with rotary paddle level switches

Rotary paddle switches are a great way to detect when your material reaches or leaves a point in your silo. Frequently we see paddles being ordered with extensions, and occasionally, we see a significant length of extension. With an extension, you can mount your paddle switch in a top mount location, and ‘extend’ the paddle into the bin at just about any length (up to 144 inches), but when doing this; you have to take into consideration a few things.

The extensions are solid; they are subject to lateral forces that may end up doing damage to your paddle, the extension, or in few cases, the switch itself. This is why Monitor recommends the use of a guard, which surrounds the extension and prevents it from doing much traveling while in the vessel.

The use of our Springflex coupling is also highly recommended when the length of the insertion is greater than 18 inches. This takes a lot of lateral force off the paddle and extension by acting as a ‘shock absorber’ for the switch itself.

Also, keep in mind that the guard and extension, when ordering, are always going to be the same length, and with a guard, a full coupling mounting plate must be used. This will ensure that you get the most life out of your rotary paddle switch.

John Mish
Sales / Technical Support
Monitor Technologies

Technorati Tags: Level measurement basics bin level indicator level control solids level indicator

Affordable Reliability - Rotary paddle level indicator

 

In spite of all the different technologies available for point level detection sometimes there is no beating an old favorite. Rotary paddle bin level sensors have been used for years in all types of powder and bulk solid applications. 

Paddle units are still a best seller for Monitor and have been for our 50+ years of being in business.  50+ years is an impressive run for any technology so there must be something to be said about the humble paddle unit!

In addition to "ease of installation" and "reliability", the paddle unit gives a "great bang" for your buck!

Our standard model KA still sells for less than $200.00 for the power-pack. For critical applications, we also offer our SafePoint® rotary paddle bin indicator designed as a true "fail-safe" unit the SafePoint paddle unit will let you know if there is a problem either electrically or mechanically. The SafePoint is a bit more in price than the standard KA but the price difference is minimal when you look at what you get! The ordinary location SafePoint has a highly visible light on the cover so you can determine at a glance the relay  status.

Look, things are still tough for many of us, we are all looking for ways to get a job done as economically as possible without compromising quality and functionality. The next time you have a need for an affordable and reliable level sensor give us a call to discuss a KA or a SafePoint rotary paddle unit.

Scott Bonine

Technorati Tags: Level measurement basics bin level indicator level control solids level indicator

Ethanol plants use a variety of level controls

Ethanol production is at an all-time high in the United States and around the world.  There is a huge amount of research on-going in the field as well to determine what else we can process to turn into a fuel source besides corn.  With the surge in gasoline prices this year a boost to Ethanol has occurred.  While some critics blame the Ethanol industry on increasing grain and food prices, this industry generates thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in the economy for construction and operation of these facilities.  Let's look at where level measurement and monitoring devices are used:

Corn storage silos: Typically using open-air radar or smart weight & cable systems.  Guided wave radar is also a possibility depending on range required.  High level overfill protection can be handled with self-validating rotary paddle technology.

Corn surge hoppers: Application for guided wave radar technology as range is usually less than 30' and atmosphere is very dusty.

Corn grind silos: These applications can also be handled with guided wave radar technology or even open-air radar.

Dryers:  Best fit with RF capacitance point level sensors for high and low level detection.

Many other applications exist and sensors required for measuring level are varied.  Open-air radar, ultrasonic, RF, rotary paddle and other technologies are used.  The manufacturers and contractors that thrive from the construction and operation of Ethanol facilities also benefit greatly from this industry.  Ethanol is good for the USA.  What to know more?  Click here for a Download WhitePaper_EthanolSolutions.pdf free white paper.

Joe Lewis

Technorati Tags: Ethanol level sensor level measurement bin level indicator level control solids level indicator guided wave radar

Digital Cameras are a relatively inexpensive and indispensable diagnostic tool.

Those of us that have played the Tech Support Game for any length of time have at some point been in a situation where neither the caller seeking help nor the person trying to render assistance was understanding the other’s inability to comprehend what was being said or asked.  Believe me when I say that that is a situation that can turn volatile in a nano-second.  Especially in the level sensor business, there are some fairly creative ways for end users to improperly install point level sensors in a way that will severely impact the sensors ability to function as it was designed to do. Maybe we will work on a top ten list for later publication. Anyway, what I am doing on a more frequent basis is to ask the customer if they have a digital camera at their disposal. About now you are saying to yourself, “Self, almost everyone with a cell phone has a digital camera these days.”  While this may be true, my experience with the quality of the pictures taken and sent by a cell phone is that the pictures received are very often all but useless due to low resolution of the image.  Some of the newer cell phones have better resolution but there are going to be a large quantity of poor resolution camera phones out there for some time to come.  Almost any off the shelf digital camera is capable of providing the resolution needed to see intricate construction detail of some sensor mounting that was previously verbally obscure in the description of someone speaking a different mechanical language than the other person. When trying to photograph a sensor or sensor mount inside a dark silo, the low lux (low light) capabilities of most digital cameras indeed becomes a huge asset.

Innocent misunderstandings can change the tone of a conversation from friendly to confrontational in a very short time. No one wants that to happen and it can cause bridges to burn so to speak. So, if you find yourself in a situation when either receiving technical help or giving it and someone is not getting (ready for this?) “The Big Picture” (sorry, I couldn't resist J ), consider asking for or volunteer to take a digital picture and email it to the other party. A digital camera is a valuable tool and it can potentially reduce the amount of time it takes for a tech support person to identify a problem and offer a solution.  Best of all, a reasonably capable digital camera that is small enough to fit in a pocket can be quite inexpensive making it quite easy to justify obtaining one.

Take a look at the photo at the top of this blog post.  This photo happened to be taken by one of our service techs but it shows a bad installation for this guided wave radar sensor and explains why it wasn't working properly.  Never extend a nozzle into the silo when installing a guided wave radar level sensor.  The customer could have been talking to us for a long time before he stumbled on this little known fact because the installer and the person we speak with to provide tech support many times aren't the same people.  A picture is indeed priceless and worth more than a thousand words.

Greg DeRudder

Technorati Tags: level sensor level measurement bin level indicator level control solids level indicator guided wave radar 

Penny wise...

I have the joy of going on many calls where I am helping a customer with an inventory control system.  There are many technologies available that will allow a customer to know how much material is in a vessel at any given point.  The two most common technology solutions are Guided Wave Radar and Cable-Based Smart Sensor (weight & cable) systems.

These systems provide a "continuous" or "continuous on demand" output that will let the customer know how much material they have on hand. If you know where the material level is throughout the day you can tell how much material you have used, you can also tell when material levels are running low so you can re-order as needed.  Continuous or Continuous-On-Demand are both affordable solutions for inventory control. 

Bear in mind, as I walk into a plant I pass by hundreds-of-thousands-of-dollars, if not millions worth of equipment.  I also realize how much money is sitting in a silo full of material.  For example, some plastic pellet or resin materials is going for as much as $0.80 per pound.  A silo with 200,000 lbs of this material has $160,000 worth of inventory tied up.

So I do my best to present these two viable solutions, guided wave radar and weight & cable.  The customer is naturally impressed.  I then ask what they are using for a high-high level alarm for fill shut-off...they may say "nothing" so I suggest they use a "point-level" control as a back-up device so they do not overfill a silo.  They ask for a "ballpark" price, I tell them a paddle unit can be around $200.00, an RF probe around $350.00, this is the point where I sometimes get the "sticker shock look".  We have all seen this look, especially at the gas station where the "sticker shock look" is immediately followed by the "cry my eyes out look".

So the awkward silence moment has arrived, here we sit in a multi-million dollar plant producing millions of dollars of product, and I hear "thats too much, we could never spend THAT much money for a back up"

My question is how you can afford not to have a high-level back up? We have seen reports of costs associated with overfilling vessels, even on this blog, and yet when it comes to a device that will minimize the chance of overfilling a vessel that is the point where you want to save a few bucks.

Penny wise and pound foolish some may say...so the next time you are cleaning up after an overfill keep in mind the couple of hundred dollars someone saved by not having a high level control.

For more on saving money by preventing untimely silo spills take a look at this article reprint from a recent issue of Powder Bulk Solids magazine.  Download selfvalidating_point_level_sensors_pbs_4.08.pdf

Scott Bonine
National Sales Manager

Technorati Tags: level sensor level measurement bin level indicator level control solids level indicator guided wave radar 

Ethanol production is good for level measurement and good for the world.....

Ethanol production require a vast amount and variety of process measurement instrumentation as part of the overll automation and control of the plant processes.  For level measurement there are applications throughout the process from monitoring inventories of raw corn to helping to control dryers, to the monitoring of storage vessels containing the finished product.  But recently we have begun to hear in the media a number of comments talking about how bad Ethanol production is and has been.  It has increased the demand for corn and driven food prices up.  Well perhaps in the short term that is true but living out here in the corn belt of Illinois I can tell you that this country has more corn than you can imagine.  And, corn is not the only raw ingredient that Ethanol can be produced from, it is just the most common right now.

The point I want to make is in regards to the impact Ethanol production has on the world supply and cost of fuel.  I point to a study and report recently issued by LECG.  First, LECG (I have no idea what LECG stands for) is a "global expert services" firm.  They do studies and render expert opinions on a number of subjects.  Well, the Renewable Fuels Association had them do an impact study of Ethanol on the cost of crude oil.  That's right.  They answered the question "what would the impact be on crude oil prices today if Ethanol production did not exist?".  Well before I tell you what they found out let me tell you that they reported that the amount of Ethanol produced in the world in 2007 was 17 billion gallons.  The majority of this was produced in the USA and Brazil.  In 2008 it is projected that this production will increase by 20% to 20.4 billion gallons.

There appear to be complexities in calculating the impact of Ethanol on crude oil prices and I don't have the time, nor the patience, to dig into it and report it here for you, but the report by the LECG indicates that crude oil would cost another $35.70 per barrel if it weren't for the production of Ethanol.  Think about the effect of that on the price per gallon of gasoline next time you fill up and next time you drive by a corn field, or next time you hear someone talk down the Ethanol industry.

A complete editorial about the LECG report can be found written by editor Myke Feinman of Bieofuels Journal magazine.  The editorial appears on page 110 of the May/June 2008 issue.

Want to know more about the level measurement and monitoring applications in an Ethanol production operation?  Download this file.  It's a white paper on that subject. Download WhitePaper_EthanolSolutions.pdf   

Joe Lewis

Technorati Tags: Ethanol level sensor level measurement bin level indicator level control solids level indicator guided wave radar

Manual? I don't need no stinking manual!!!! Well... actually you do.

Ignoring Installation & Operation Manuals can lead to frustration and many times extra cost for users, installers and even manufacturers supplying the equipment being installed.  This is something we in Tech Support face almost daily.  All too frequently people installing level sensors do not consult the Installation and Operation Manual beyond where to connect the wires carrying the supply voltage and to identify where to connect the wires for the output. Then, when the sensor does not work or it fails shortly after installation, they call and ask for help often blaming the manufacturer for a poor design (sigh). For point level devices that are fairly low-tech this usually does not present a problem but here are a few real examples of issues we have faced where the installer or customer did not adequately prepare for the installation by reviewing the Installation & Operation manual provided with the level sensor.

1. An RF Capacitance probe mounted was mounted directly in the fill stream of a very abrasive material.  Result?  The insulator between the active probe section and the driven shield (used for build-up immunity) was literally blasted away.  This rendered the probe useless. Solution?  Install a baffle inside the vessel to eliminate direct impact of the fill stream as recommended in the Installation & Operation (I&O) manual provided with the sensor.
2. A guided wave radar continuous level measurement sensor "locked up" at a fixed distance from the mounting flange.  This measurement did not reflect the correct material level. Cause?  It was discovered that the vesel being measured had horizontal I-Beam supports a mere three inches away from the probe.  This close proximity caused enough signal reflection to fool the sensor into thinking it was the actual material level reflection pulse. Solution?  Relocate the sensor to provide the minimum probe clearance as stated in the I&O manual.
3. A Smart RS-485 inventory monitoring installation with 10 sensors that were connected to a PC running Inventory Management Software.  The sensors would not communicate with the PC. The software indicated a communication error for each sensor on the network. Cause of problem?  The installer ran a sepparate RS-485 cable from each individual sensor back to the PC and tied all the wires together in a junction box. This caused so much noise on the network that the PC could not read the digital signals. Solution?  Rewire the sensors in a "Daisy-chain" fashion as described in the I&O manual. In this case, the installer thought that RS-485 was to be wired just like analog devices would be and reading the I&O before performing the actual installation would have saved him.

The list goes on.  But, as technology evolves, installers need to drop their "old school" ways and read the Installation manuals before they perform the actual installation. If an existing process connection does not meet the minimum installation requirements, they are asking for trouble by not installing a new process connection that does. A botched installation takes time and costs additional time and money to correct.  It creates conflict among people and can in some cases result in hard feelings between all involved parties.  That is not good.

One way to help avoid all this is for you or your installer to contact the manufacturer's Technical Support Department to review and discuss the proposed installation in detail. The engineer at the factory will know what questions to ask the installer to be sure the installer knows how to correctly install and commission the system.

Greg DeRudder

Technorati Tags: silo spill silo overfilling silo overfill prevention fail safe level sensor self validating level sensor level sensor R F level probe guided wave radar