Level measurement

[wdd0422]

I am new to instrumentation and looking for advice and recommendations. We have Magnatrol pulse burst radar level transmitters on a reactor vessel containing soybean oil. Neither I or their field tech can get them to work consistently. Are these a good fit for this application? Would a guided wave work better. I am told it is hard to get a good signal with soybean oil because it has low dielectric properties.

 

[hacksaw]

D/P level works fine, you might also cobnsider flanged types with fill fluids suited to soy bean oil service.

Where you say reactor vessel, are you hydrogenating the oil? That could make for additional requirements for your measurement.

Go with the tried and true and get on with the real problems

 

[JimCasey]

There are a bajillion ways to measure level.
The primary selection criterion for Radar is that it is non-contact. DP cells work well for pressurized vessels. Magnetic level gages are an option, with a sensing tape that transmit the level of the magnetic float for signal transmission. Displacer insruments are somewhat old-school but as reliable as gravity. If your tank is atmospheric, you can just bubble gas into the bottom an measure the pressure that it takes to push the bubbles out. That works amazingly well in sludgy applications where a much more expensive remote diaphragm DP sensor would otherwiwe be neded.

 

[roydm]

A DP cell would be my choice.
I expect you are restricted to the top mounted (radar) flange so as others suggest a bubble tube and DP transmitter might be the easiest fix.
If you have a spare bottom connection you can connect the HP port there and the LP port to the radar flange. If you tube it right you won't need purge gas.