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Continuous level monitoring devices regulate and control liquid or solid levels in a processing plant, helping to streamline the operation, eliminate human error and thus maximise overall efficiency. And so level control devices should be and are an investment that needs careful research and consideration to ensure that the investment in such kit is wisely made.

Our customer, a large paper mill based in the UK, approached UWT UK Ltd to achieve all the above for the monitoring of their coal silo and in a backwater tank. A mechanical system in the coal silo and ultrasonic technology in the backwater tank had both failed leaving the monitoring task being executed manually using a tape measure dropped in through the tops of the silo and tank. Clearly, it was time to upgrade.
So the customer approached UWT UK Ltd to visit and inspect the applications and to advise on a long term, reliable solution within budget.

Time & consideration

During the site visit the UWT UK team spent time considering the whole process in situ and established, for the coal silo, that a mechanical lot system wouldn’t be suitable due to the restricted device mounting options.
The coal silo was 11m high and just 3.5m in diameter with a roof that was unsuitable to support any device installation. Naturally, the conditions were also extremely dusty which led to the solution being the UWT NivoRadar® - NR 4100. In this situation, the non-contact 80 GHz FMCW radar sensor NivoRadar® offers the perfect solution with its narrow 4 beam.

Bespoke mounting

The UWT team was also able to offer a unique and effective mounting solution for the NR 4100 given that the silo roof was not suitable for a direct installation. The compact design and low overall weight of the sensor contributed to the decision in favour of the customer-specific requirements.

Foam & sludge

In the backwater tank the previously used ultrasonic method for monitoring the water supply had failed. There was also a high level of solids in the water which presented challenging conditions for level monitoring such as foaming and sludge on top of the water.
Given also that the tank was relatively small – 4m high - the answer to the question of what device would offer the most reliable level monitoring and the most cost-effective solution was the non-contact 80 GHz FMCW radar sensor NivoRadar® NR 7100 with 4...20 mA (2-wire) signal output. The free-radiating radar transmitter can be used in aggressive media such as acids, alkalis and solvents as well as in highly viscous liquids and oils.

Installation & training

In the final step of this customised solution, the UWT team provided the customer with significant support during the installation and commissioning of the devices. During a training session, the customer was familiarised with monitoring using the UWT LevelApp.
Once the devices were mounted and the power connected – the actual commissioning took just 5 minutes via the UWT Level App.

Harmony

This is a perfect example of the UWT expertise, simplicity and technology working in harmony. Now both applications can be monitored at the same time on a mobile phone via the UWT Level App from anywhere in the plant up to 15m away from devices.
A much better option than sending an apprentice with a head for heights to climb up ladders with a tape measure in hand.