level sensing in harsh environments with gwr
DESCRIPTION
Level Sensing in Harsh Environments with Guided-Wave Radar -- by Charles Richard, Radar Product Manager, K-TEK, A Member of the ABB GroupTRANSCRIPT
© ABB Inc.April 13, 2023 | Slide 1
WMP-125-1 Level sensing in harsh environmentswith guided-wave radar
ABB Automation & Power World: April 18-21, 2011
© ABB Inc. April 13, 2023 | Slide 2
WMP-125-1 Level sensing in harsh environments with guided-wave radar
Speaker name: Charles Richard
Speaker title: Product Manager – Radar Products
Company name: K-TEK, A Member of the ABB Group
Location: Prairieville, LA
© ABB Inc. April 13, 2023 | Slide 3
Level sensing in harsh environments with GWRAgenda
Today’s common level measurement technologies
Troublesome installation and applications
How guided-wave radar solves level problems
Why GWR has better reliability
Applications to avoid with GWR
Conclusions
© ABB Inc. April 13, 2023 | Slide 4
Differential Pressure
Capacitance
Ultrasonic
Non-Contact Radar
Guided-Wave Radar
Level sensing in harsh environments with GWRToday’s common level measurement technologies
© ABB Inc. April 13, 2023 | Slide 5
Hydrostatic measurement has been around for a very long time
Easy to calibrate
Rarely questioned as a level solution
Can be serviced when tank is in service
Dependable technology if process conditions are stable
Today’s Common Level Measurement TechnologiesDifferential pressure
× Susceptible to changes in specific gravity
× Susceptible to changes in ambient and process temperatures
× Susceptible to diaphragm coating, abrasion, and wear
× Damage and coating on diaphragm causes failure or erroneous readings
× Expensive installation and total cost of ownership
× Requires routine tuning and maintenance
× Liquid applications only
© ABB Inc. April 13, 2023 | Slide 6
Inexpensive total cost of ownership
Works on most conductive fluids
Dependable technology if process conditions are stable
× Difficult to calibrate
× Dielectric changes cause shifts in measurement
× Coating causes shifts in measurement
× Installation greatly affects measurement dependability
× Damage to coated probe causes failure
× Mounting in non-metallic vessels requires ground chain
× Over-applied when technology hit market
Today’s Common Level Measurement TechnologiesCapacitance
© ABB Inc. April 13, 2023 | Slide 7
Non-contact measurement
Can be applied in liquids and solids applications
Inexpensive
Can be applied in tall vessels
Dependable if applied correctly
× Susceptible to changes in process temperatures and pressures
× Limited process temperature capabilities× Susceptible to foam or light powder (fluidized)
surfaces× Susceptible to dust or gas layering× Mounting can affect performance× Susceptible to condensate and coating on
transducer× Susceptible to false reflections from tank shape
and internal obstructions× Susceptible to changes in angle of repose in
bulk solids applications× Typically a 4 wire device× Over-applied when technology was first
introduced
Today’s Common Level Measurement TechnologiesUltrasonic
© ABB Inc. April 13, 2023 | Slide 8
Non-contact measurement
Can be applied in liquids and solids applications
Unaffected by changes in temperature, pressure, density
Flexible application capabilities
Dependable if applied correctly
× Mounting can affect performance
× Susceptible to foam or light powder (fluidized) surfaces
× Susceptible to dust
× Susceptible to condensate and coating on antenna
× Susceptible to changes in dielectric
× Susceptible to false reflections from tank shape and internal obstructions
× Susceptible to changes in angle of repose in bulk solids applications
Today’s Common Level Measurement TechnologiesNon-contact radar
© ABB Inc. April 13, 2023 | Slide 9
Can be applied in liquids and solids applications
Unaffected by changes in pressure, temperature, density
Unaffected by turbulence
Virtually unaffected by foam
Virtually unaffected by changes in dielectric constant
Very flexible application capabilities
Dependable if applied correctly
× Susceptible to heavy high dielectric coating on probe
× Mounting can affect performance
× Cable subject to wear in highly abrasive solids
× Contact technology
Today’s Common Level Measurement TechnologiesGuided-wave radar
© ABB Inc. April 13, 2023 | Slide 10
ApplicationsNot all are the same
Changing product densities
Changing pressures or temperatures
Gas layering in the vessel fill stream
Agitation & turbulence
Coating or scaling
All of these technologies are viable level solutions
All can perform in stable applications
Internal obstructions
Vessel geometry
Foam
Dust
Changes in angle of repose
Maintenance Cost, Reliability and Total Cost of Ownership
Distance is determined by measuring the time it takes for a signal pulse to be emitted and received by the transmitter.
64,000 Pulses / second
2 readings per second
Principle of Operation
Return Pulse(at speedOf Light)
Signal Pulse(at speedOf Light)
Time Of Flight
00.3200.32
2D = C
Where:
D - is distance
C - is the speed of Light
specific gravity
ambient and process temperatures
diaphragm coating, abrasion, and wear
Expensive installation
routine tuning and maintenance
Troublesome Application Examples
Troublesome Application Examples
Troublesome Application ExamplesSolids vessels
Slide 16
Guided-Wave Radar Time domain reflectometry
Guided micro-impulses with advantage of a more focused energy
Better reflection characteristics
Risk of side reflections
80% of the energy
is concentrated
within a radius of
8”/ 20cm
8”20cm
© ABB Inc. April 13, 2023 | Slide 17
Troublesome Application ExamplesHorizontal cylinders and false reflections
© ABB Inc. April 13, 2023 | Slide 19
Troublesome ApplicationsTank Obstructions and Surface Conditions
© ABB Inc. April 13, 2023 | Slide 20
Troublesome ApplicationsTank Obstructions and Surface Conditions
© ABB Group April 13, 2023 | Slide 22