Technology Review

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• Think of a number between 1 and 10.
• Multiply that number by 9.
• Take the digits in that number and add them
  together.
• Subtract 5 from that number.
• Using the formula A 1, B 2 etc., convert that
  number to a letter.
• Identify the English name of a European country
  that begins with that letter.
• Take the last letter of that countrys name and
  think of a mammal whose name begins with that
  letter.
• Finally, using the last letter of that mammals
  name, choose the name of a fruit.

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Recent Directions In Bulk Solids Level
Measurement Monitoring

• Self-Validating sensors eliminate overfilling
• Successfully implement continuous level

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Level Measurement

• Continuous v. intermittent
• Six primary technologies
• Contact / non-contact
• Sensor location
• Converting to weight
• How do we ensure success?

Guided-wave radar in use measuring seed corn at
Syngenta plant
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Level Monitoring

• Presence / absence
• Five primary technologies
• Contact v. non-contact
• Low or high level
• What if they fail?

RF capacitance sensor in use monitoring high
level condition in flyash silo at Buzzi Unicem
cement plant.
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When Level Monitors Fail The Cost of
Overfilling Your Bin/Silo

• 5K estimate (concrete producer) ...
• lost material
• clean-up costs
• fines due to air quality issues
• damaged bags, baghouse, vents
• lost production

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Top Ten Ways You Know You Have Overfilled A Silo
10 Pneumatic tubing is cascading to the
ground as the pressure blows the fill
lines off the silo 9 The bag house on top
of the silo is no longer visible, as its now
covered by the material that was in your
silo 8 The creaking sound you hear is
coming from the roof of the building next to
the silo as material spills onto it 7 The
truck driver filling the silo suddenly looks very
sheepish as he prepares to make like a Baptist
Church and split 6 Flocks of pigeons
suddenly get airborne
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Top Ten Ways You Know You Have Overfilled A Silo
5 It sounds like its hailing outside
while the sun is out 4 There is a loud clanking
sound as the silo railing hits the pavement 3
A Sherpa asks if you need a guide to climb
the mountain of material now piled next to the
silo 2 Your maintenance manager is in a
panic because he cant find a shovel
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And the 1 Way You Know You Have Overfilled A Silo
All of your employees are scrambling to move
their cars!
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Preventing Silo OverfillThe Number One Solution
?

• Self-Validating Level Monitors
• Not new concept
• More than simple fail-safe
• Sensor determines self-health
• Sensor outputs provide assurance
• Characteristics of a self-validating point level
  monitor
• Continuous diagnostic of critical internal
  functions
• Independent level and health status outputs
• Premium price

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Todays Self-Validating Technologyfor Bulk Solids

• Most universal bulk solids technology
• Lowest cost technology
• Multiple vendors
• Self-Validating technologies
• Optical
• Hall-effect
• Fail-Safe PLUS
• Premium justified by ROI

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Most Popular Continuous Level Measurement Device?

• Guided Wave Radar
• Usage increasing at nearly 21 per year (Venture
  Development Corporation)
• Should be strongly considered for bulk solids
• Broad application base in bulk solids
• High reliability with no moving parts
• Affordable
• Easy to install
• Multiple vendors
• How do we ensure successful installations?

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Ensuring Successful Use of Guided Wave Radar

• How does it work?
• TDR (time domain reflectometry)
• Energy focused down wave guide
• Time-of-flight related to distance / level
• Direct and TBF (tank bottom following) modes
• Direct preferred
• TBF can provide solution for low dielectric
  materials

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48 full vessel Er 1.7 PVC compoundTBF Mode
used
Material level
End of counterweight
Measuring PVC compound at Er 1.7 at plastic
pipe manufacturer
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Ensuring Successful Use of Guided Wave Radar

• TECH TIP Accurate measure of Er (dielectric
  constant) of material
• Measuring range is directly related to Er
• rule of thumb the of radar energy actually
  reflected by the material surface is the
  dielectric constant value, i.e. Er 2.0 means ?
  2 of energy is reflected

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Ensuring Successful Use of Guided Wave Radar

• TECH TIP Respect the signal field around wave
  guide
• Problems
• Parasitic signal reflections
• Signal degradation
• Solutions
• Proper sensor location
• Proper installation

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Nozzle effect
Plastic Pellet Er 1.7 Range 20 ft.
Parasitic reflections affect measurement range
and ability.
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Ensuring Successful Use of Guided Wave Radar

• TECH TIP Respect the signal field around
  wave guide
• Most common problem
• Using inappropriate nozzle
• Half-coupling preferred
• H must be lt D if nozzle used
• NEVER extend nozzle in silo

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Ensuring Successful Use of Guided Wave Radar

• TECH TIP Respect the signal field around wave
  guide
• 2nd most common problem
• Sensor location allows probe to contact
  obstructions or silo wall
• Best location between 1/6 to 1/4 of diameter in
  from silo wall
• Take angle of repose into account
• 3rd possible problem
• Probe too long

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Ensuring Successful Use of Guided Wave Radar

• TECH TIP Respect the signal field
  around wave guide

Installation not optimized Instructions not
followed
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Ensuring Successful Use of Guided Wave Radar

• TECH TIP Respect the signal field
  around wave guide

Installation optimized Instructions followed
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Feed Pellet Er 1.85
Probe too long, touching cone. No end-of-probe
reflection.
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Summary Ensuring Successful Use of Guided Wave
Radar

• Guided Wave Radar is reliable and accurate
• Proper application considerations
• Dielectric constant
• Measuring range
• Sensor mounting location (consider angle of
  repose)
• Proper installation considerations
• Eliminate nozzles if possible follow D gt H rule
• Sensor mounting location material flow (probe
  must not contact silo)
• Proper probe length (especially for low
  dielectric applications)

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Summary Self-Validating Level Monitors

• Unknown Level Monitor Failure Can Lead to
  Overfilling Silos and Bins
• Overfilling can cost you big time
• material loss, cleanup, damage, fines, lost
  time, lost production
• Self-validating level monitor is not just a
  simple fail-safe device
• detects BOTH level monitor health and material
  presence/absence
• beyond fail-safe (not just power failure)
• The cost of a self-validating level monitor?
  About 300.
• The value of preventing silo overfilling?
  Priceless!

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Trivia Questions

• Name the game that originated in India that
  features a board with Home in the center and a
  Start in each corner.
• Cricket
• What English sports car was made world famous in
  the 3rd 007 James Bond movie?
• Aston Martin with license plate BMT 216A
• What was the greatest number of home runs hit by
  Henry Aaron in one season?
• 47 in 1971
• In 1920 what hockey team set the all-time record
  of most goals (16) in a single game?
• Montreal Canadiens March 3, 1920 16-3 against
  the Quebec Bulldogs
• Who was Baseballs Say Hey kid?
• Willie Mays

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Trivia Questions

• What was the Texans win-loss record at the end of
  regular season play in the NFL 2006/2007 season?
• Wins 6
• Losses 10
• Where did Clyde Drexler go to coach basketball
  after retiring from the Rockets?
• University of Houston
• What was Sam Houstons middle name?
• He didnt have a middle name