About Solids Measurement
With Emerson™ you get accurate and cost effective solids measurement with minimum maintenance and easy installation.
With Emerson™ you get accurate and cost effective solids measurement with minimum maintenance and easy installation.
Measuring the level of solids can be a challenge. Due to the material properties, solids surfaces are usually uneven with irregular shapes, and there are usually high levels of dust. Along with these challenges, solid materials often have low dielectric constants making them hard to measure.
The Rosemount™ range of solids measurement devices is designed to suit your application. We offer different types of level sensors to make sure you get the perfect fit for your application.
Most technologies for continuous measurement of solid materials are top down.
Guided wave radar is less affected by uneven surfaces since the microwave signal is more compact and guided by the probe. Non-contacting radar is affected by uneven surfaces. To compensate for this, the device gathers smaller echoes and merges them into a single echo.
There is often a considerable amount of dust created during the fill cycle of solid materials.
Radar can handle dust in the vapor space without being disturbed. Other technologies such as ultrasonic and laser devices are less suitable since their signal is significantly impacted by dust.
Measuring solids volume is often a challenge due to material properties. There can be high peaks and deep holes and the surface is generally uneven. A single level measurement device can often mean less accurate results. By using multiple devices this can be compensated for in the host system, by using strapping tables.
The main benefit of a continuous level measurement is that it can be used to control a process or ensure material availability. In level measurement there are often relatively fast level changes which puts a demand on the device to react quickly handle long ranges and low dielectrics. Radar devices are generally very good at this and are therefore recommended for level control and inventory management.
The mounting location in relation to the filling location is important for most measuring technologies. The closer the device is mounted to the filling point, the larger the risk of measurement interference.
There are cases where material is blown into a silo through a pneumatic process and measurements can be affected, but this decreases with increased silo size. Dust from the filling can disturb measurement so it is recommended that the solids device is mounted in accordance with best practice.
No technology is perfect for all applications. Guided wave radar is well suited for smaller vessels and where the installation area is restricted.
Non-contacting radar has no restrictions with respect to material weight and may be used in applications where guided wave radar may be prone to probe breakage. It can provide precise measurements over a smaller surface area, or work well even in large storage silos.
