New dawn for non-contact solids level monitoring
Industry first for Siemens with Sitrans LR560 non-contact solids level monitoring device
FALSE readings, lack of repeatability and problematic installations are just some of the problems the aggregates industry faces with solids level monitoring.
To directly address these problems, Siemens Industry Automation & Drive Technologies (IA&DT) have engineered the Sitrans LR560, the first non-contact measurement device to operate at 78GHz frequency to deliver the accuracy and performance levels required by the sector.
The Sitrans LR560 is a non-contact radar level measurement transmitter with a measurement range of 100m. The transmitter emits a narrow four-degree beam which avoids container wall obstructions and other installation interferences, ensuring there are less restrictions on where the radar can be installed.
For the aggregates and mining industries, the Sitrans LR560 allows the monitoring of stockpile levels, providing reliable signal reflection even from solids with a steep angle of repose. It is also highly resistant to material build-up due to its special lens antenna.
Being the first radar transmitter to emit a high-frequency 78GHz short wavelength, it is said to solve the plant operator’s requirement for low-maintenance non-contact level measurements but with the reliability and performance of contact technology.
Derek Moore, product manager with Siemens Sensors & Communication, commented: ‘We understand the aggregates and mining sectors are under growing pressure to increase operational efficiency to ensure processes are competitive, so instrumentation must be robust, reliable, accurate, easy to maintain and offer speed of installation.
‘Typically the industry has preferred non-contact level measurements as these require less maintenance, but repeatability has been a problem as signals can easily suffer interference. Often companies have opted for contact technology, but this can lead to problems with the build up of material on the equipment causing measurement errors or abrasion damage on the probe.
‘Therefore, the high frequency and narrow beam angle of the LR560 offers the best of both worlds, giving industry the maintenance advantages of non-contact technology and the performance of contact technology, as well as making tuning worries a thing of the past.’
The Siemens Sitrans LR560 can be operational in minutes and provides reliable measurement readings without the need for fine-tuning. For any further information visit: www.siemens.co.uk/automation
