AMNYTT AMNYTT.no 1/2023 | Page 112

2016

Ease-of-use and efficiency bring radar to chemical processing

One of the newest applications for radar level measurement technology is chemicals processing . Following the natural evolution from maritime oil shipping to oil tank storage , the chemical processing industry is reaping the benefits of radar , mainly due to its need for a non-contacting solution . In addition , the lower cost of radar technology has made it more viable for chemical processing .
Chemicals play a vast role in our daily lives . “ You can imagine how diverse the space is ,” says Jenny Leion , chemical solutions manager for Emerson .
The plethora of products produced in various forms makes radar technology an ideal solution for the various substances that are stored , mixed and processed . “ That ’ s one of the challenges , to be able to measure all of them , but that ’ s where non-contacting radar technology is really good because it is independent of density changes and steam and so on , so it still measures the surface really well ,” she says . “ Then for chemicals , as for many industries , the focus today is sustainability , of course .”
She says that among the challenges the chemicals processing sector faces , reducing waste and adding safety are paramount , and both non-contacting and guided wave radar technology as well as the point level detectors address those needs . “ We are very tied to safety since level measurement is often used as a safety precaution , so you don ’ t have overfill and risk of spill ,” Leion says .
Just as the oil industries in which radar technology saw its first commercial use , accurate level measurement is necessary to protect against detrimental spillage . In the case of chemicals , the result can be even more damaging given the hazardous nature of many of the formulations .
And , for waste reduction ? “ You can reduce waste by measuring variables and optimizing your process ,” she adds , noting the continuous monitoring capabilities of radar versus mechanical means of the past .
“ Coming from the chemical industry , I ’ ve seen many cases of both . You ’ re standing as an operator measuring from above with a tape measure , and that ’ s of course not great for safety for your operators ,” Leion says . “ For chemical , we have legacy technologies such as displacers and ultrasonic measurements that have their issues . “ With the new technology advances , radar has become a more affordable choice to be able to go into more applications than it did before . Previously , it was costly , but now with the latest radar technology , it ’ s much more affordable and can reach more applications .”
Leion says customers in the chemical space utilize both guided wave and non-contacting radar from Emerson depending on the type of application . Sometimes , users want to measure both level and interface level . Guided wave radar can accomplish it . “ I think that ’ s a very cool technology that can measure two layers of a liquid with the same radar ,” she says .
2016
In April , the company moves its offices and production plant to a new state-of-art facility in Mölnlycke , Sweden . The facility provides optimized manufacturing capability and an enhanced range of services , support , and training for users of Emerson ’ s radar level measurement products in the terminals , processing and shipping industries .
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