IDM ¦ Technology/IT
Mixing and blending tanks
Level measurement devices face a range of challenges when used
in mixing and blending applications. These can include turbulence,
foam, and obstacles such as agitators in the tank.
Providing an excellent solution to these challenges, the latest
non-contacting radar level transmitters use 80 GHz FMCW technology
on a single electronic chip with embedded smart algorithms.
This enables exceptional radar beam focusing (see figure
2), so that tank obstructions can be avoided and greater measurement
accuracy and reliability achieved, even with challenging
process conditions such as foam and turbulence.
Reduced size
A significant area of improvement in the development of radar devices
has been a reduction in footprint. This is vital in dairy production,
where there are an abundance of skids with very tight piping
arrangements. The traditional view has been that non-contacting
radar transmitters are too bulky to use in dairy applications. However,
with the latest devices incorporating electronics on a single
chip rather than having a separate circuit board, their design has
become much more compact and cost-effective, making them an
ideal solution for use in space-constrained skids.
24 · May/June 2022 ¦ international-dairy.com
Figure 3:
The Rosemount 1408H Level Transmitter
from Emerson has been designed
specifically for food and beverage
applications with IO-Link technology.
An additional challenge presented by tanks with narrow geometry
is that they can be fast-filling, which causes quick changes
in the product level. However, the use of fast sweep technology
enables the latest non-contacting radar transmitters to deliver accurate
and reliable level measurements even in these conditions.
Easy integration
Reducing complexity is an important area of focus for dairy manufacturers,
and it is therefore vital that the integration of instrumentation
with any automation system should be as straightforward as
possible. To support this aim, the latest non-contacting radar level
transmitters provide conventional 4-20 milliamperes, switch outputs
and digital high-speed IO-Link communication (see figure 3).
It is also vital for manufacturers to have measurement devices
that are easy to use and maintain. Helping to achieve this, software
configuration tools enable the latest non-contacting radar
level transmitters to be connected and configured online or offline,
with easy-to-use graphic interfaces decreasing commissioning
time, digitally recording parameter settings, and optimizing device
replacement processes.
/international-dairy.com
