AMNYTT AMNYTT.no 1/2023 | Page 110

2004
2007

More connectivity yields continuous safety and diagnostic checks

Industrial safety is driven by many different reasons , but when it comes to level measurement the catalyst for increased safety measures is clear . In the days before radar , oil tankers and onshore storage tanks suffered a lot of severe accidents . Unfortunately , the older , mechanical way to measure tank levels and guard against detrimental spills wasn ’ t quite up to the task .
“ In the old days , it was common that the measurement instruments failed and thus jeopardized the safety ” says Ingemar Serneby , solutions manager at Emerson .
As the industry turned to radar the opportunity to enhance safety and diagnostics capabilities increased . It also made safety and diagnostic procedures more efficient .
When the primary technology consisted of mechanical instruments such as floats , users had to go out in the field and pull up the mechanical devices to make sure that they did work . With today ’ s radar technology , the level devices continuously test themselves . “ For instance , our guided wave radar can be equipped with a reference reflector on the wire ,” Serneby says . “ Guided wave radar uses a wire to measure the level inside the vessel . By having a reference reflector in the vapor space where you shouldn ’ t have anything normally to measure , obviously at very high level , the reference reflector can trigger the instrument to measure it or to avoid it .
“ This is just a very , very tiny echo generated by it . But by triggering it to measure it , we measure a physical target in the tank environment and that will serve as as a comprehensive proof-test ,” he continues . “ So , in that case , all that mechanical work that you had to do previously , to go out there , climb a tank , bring a bucket , lower the float down there , see if it floats , if it alarms , it ’ s done from the control room . That is a big help for the user .”
Essential efficiency
Such efficiency is paramount as operators aim to maintain their proper safety integrity levels ( SIL ). “ You have to assess your safety loop and see what kind of integrity level is valid for your operation ,” Serneby says of the continuous process . “ The safety loop consists of different things like a level device , a temperature sensor , a pressure sensor , an actuator , a valve . To be within that safety level , you have to make sure that you maintain this level throughout the lifespan of the equipment . So , what happens is that you have an expected time until failures occur , and to ensure that you are not on the wrong side , you have to make proof tests .”
He adds that frequent proof tests means that users can maintain their integrity level . The proof test ensures being at the right integrity level that is valid for the entire loop . The weakest part of the loop defines when it ’ s time to do the proof tests , and to know when it ’ s time to perform the proof test , users have several data points regarding the instruments and that ’ s where the standards come into play . Emerson ’ s radar products have evolved to meet the needs of continuous safety monitoring in level measurement applications .
Connectivity and diagnostics
“ I would say that connectivity and diagnostics go handin-hand ,” says Mikael Inglund , manager product man-
2004
Emerson launches the two-wire Non-Contacting Radar Rosemount 5400 in both 6 and 26 GHz versions .
2007
The world ’ s most successful Guided Wave Radar , the Rosemount 5300 , was launched .
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