Sensors: The unique verification reflector function in the Rosemount 5300 Series guided wave radar enables device integrity testing without manually raising product level—saving time, enhancing safety, and reducing the risk of spills. This is a Control Engineering 2015 Engineers’ Choice finalist.
The world’s first online guided wave radar (GWR) transmitter and probe testing function—verification reflector—enables automated transmitter integrity tests without stopping the process or manually raising the product level in the vessel. This helps to reduce the risk of accidental spills and enables either device verification or proof-testing to be completed much faster. There is no need to climb the tank to remove the test measurement device or open the tank to monitor levels. This helps to reduce costs, increase plant uptime, and improve staff safety.
In the past, most guided wave radar transmitters have required the fluid level in the vessel to be raised to the alarm point. The fluid has to be moved in and out of the tank under test, increasing the risk of spills. The process can take up to half a day to complete, which can interrupt normal activities. The process needs to be supervised by operators to monitor the tank level, increasing health and safety risks due to the possibility of exposure to the tank contents. The verification reflector function eliminates the need for this procedure by using an adjustable reference reflector fitted to the probe of the guided wave radar. During commissioning, the location and amplitude characteristics of the reflector are stored in the transmitter. When the test procedure is later initiated, the stored reflector data is compared to the current measurement to verify the integrity of the measurement electronics and upper part of the probe.
Emerson Process Management, www.emersonprocess.com
