level sensing in harsh environments with gwr

© 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