AMNYTT AMNYTT.no 1/2023 | Page 108

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1999

Guided wave radar makes difficult processes less challenging

Non-contacting radar isn ’ t the only technology replacing old , mechanical level measurement systems . Another type of radar , guided wave radar ( GWR ) has gained usage over the last few decades , particularly for difficult applications where there may be two or more liquids mixing with one another . Just as non-contacting radar has done , GWR is opening new possibilities for industries beyond traditional level measurement customers .
“ The guided wave radar opens more possibilities when there ’ s a layer where the actual interface between the two liquids is not really defined ,” says David Trinh , senior product manager for Emerson .
Trinh says that while radar antennas ( noncontacting ) are a very powerful way to measure liquid levels , GWR has the advantage of having a probe which has contact with the liquid . “ It gives you better signal and the ability to measure things like interfaces between two different liquids ,” he continues .
Oil and gas process tanks remain a core application for GWR because inevitably they have oil and water in the same tank . With a guided wave radar probe , users can measure both the oil and the water whereas a noncontacting radar would only measure the level of the uppermost liquid . Steam boilers are another common application for GWR where vapors can disrupt the microwaves and the presence of a probe can alleviate such disruptions . Distillation columns where chemicals are boiling and are separated in levels in a tower are a related application containing steam where in each level , users would have a guided wave radar measuring the level of a particular fraction of the chemical .
In addition , GWR is useful in “ dry ” applications such as blowdown drums . “ In the process industries , you don ’ t want adverse effects . You could have a process running along , and then you have a drum where if suddenly something would happen in the reactor , the liquid gets sent into this drum ,” Trinh explains . “ That ’ s when you need a system which can quickly detect that there ’ s liquid in the blowdown drum . This liquid can be a mix of different process fluids with rapidly changing density and level . Guided wave radar is a great technology for it . It ’ s just a bit more responsive and can handle the rapidly changing conditions better than antenna-based radars . Certainly , compared to non-contacting radar technologies , the guided wave radar is a good fit for that type of application ,” says Trinh .
“ We ’ ve put a lot of engineering effort into making sure our radar portfolio is capable of a lot of applications ,” he continues . “ We ’ re getting into tough applications where you ’ ve got very high temperatures . Those types of applications can be really challenging for more traditional technologies . Emerson has invested significantly into signal processing with industry leading Direct Switch Technology built in to GWR instruments allowing for faster , more responsive units ,” says Trinh .
Aside from the probes used in traditional process industry products , Emerson has designed metal probes ,
1997
Launch of TankRadar PRO Radar Level Gauge , designed for applications in the process industry
1999
Launch of TankRadar REX Radar Level Gauge , as the third generation radar in the Tank Gauging System .
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