Measuring Materials in the Modern World
Knowing how to accurately measure liquids and solids is a key part of everyday life.You have to know how much petrol is left in your tank and supermarkets need to know what the average contents of the cereal packet theyre trying to sell you may be.Even in our leisure time, knowing how much water youve got to pump into the log flume from moment-to- moment is essential to ensure that the plastic tree really does slide down with a splash rather than smash to pieces at the bottom because the water level is too low.
Accurate level measurement is even more essential in many industrial processes upon which we all rely.At first sight, the only connection between brewing and pharmaceuticals might seem to be the fact that youll need the latters end product if you consume too much of the formers! However, both relay heavily on the use of advanced level switch technology to ensure continuous production to consistently high standards. In beer production, fresh barley is stored in tanks that can be as high as 20 meters for a couple of weeks. These silos are constantly being emptied and refilled and knowing exactly how much stuff you have in there without constantly opening and reopening the tanks is vital to getting the recipe right.
Similarly, in the pharmaceutical industry, most of the raw materials that are made into common prescription medicines are in powder or solid granular form. These dry ingredients too are stored in vessels of varying heights and for varying periods. Filling usually takes place pneumatically and the materials are drawn off on a conveyor, but knowing how much to draw off and what is left is critical to make sure the end product is pure and is correctly constituted.
Vibrating level switches devices that hum like a tuning fork and give a constant means of monitoring solids levels – have made great inroads in all production processes that employ a variety of solids, from powders to granules. They work by having a tubular rod construction, within which is mounted a second concentric rod.The harmonic vibration between the two rods is driven and monitored by piezo crystals. When the rod is covered (i.e. when the desired level has been reached) the frequency and amplitude is damped and that change is signalled to the control centre.
If your process involves liquids handling, especially dangerous or hazardous liquids, theres a high tech solution there too. Radar level transmitters for non-contact level indication will provide level measurement on almost any liquid whether in storage or during processing second-by- second.Because radar level transmitters are non-contact, they are versatile and extremely reliable.Theyre ideal for use in liquids that would be too hot or too corrosive to measure by direct contact, like molten metals or acids, and because they dont physically make contact with the liquid they are also very hygienic. And great for purified water vessels of monitoring levels in desalination plants to accommodate demand.