IDM ¦ Technology/IT
Enhanced radar level
transmitters help optimize
dairy production
Author: Erdem Böcekli, Product Manager Level for Emerson D/A/CH
Erdem Böcekli explains how the latest generation of compact
and cost-effective radar transmitters meet the industry’s
tough level measurement demands and help manufacturers
ensure food safety, achieve smooth production
processes with reduced product loss, and maximise throughput.
Dairy manufacturers are always seeking ways to increase the
efficiency of their production processes, to help maximize profitability
and meet consumer demand for an ever more diverse range
of products. Automated level measurement solutions have an important
role to play in helping them achieve this aim, but there are
certain criteria that manufacturers should consider when selecting
instrumentation.
Most importantly, the chosen technology must be able to accurately
and reliably measure the product level in the storage tanks,
mixing tanks and batch tanks commonly utilized in manufacturing
facilities. Precise level measurements help to optimize tank utilization,
ensure consistent product quality, increase safety by protecting
against both overfills and dry-running pumps, reduce product
loss through waste, optimize inventory management, and lower
production costs.
Level measurement instruments used in dairy production must
comply with the industry’s strict hygiene and food safety standards,
to prevent contamination. They must also be compatible with
challenging process conditions such as high temperatures, foam
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and turbulence, which can affect measurement accuracy. In addition,
devices should be simple to install and integrate into an
automation system, to minimize complexity for manufacturers.
Technology options
A broad range of technologies can be used to provide continuous
level measurements, including differential pressure transmitters,
capacitance probes and ultrasonic transmitters. These technologies
are relatively inexpensive but also have certain disadvantages.
These can include requiring calibration, which increases complexity;
being in contact with the product, thereby creating a food
safety risk and the possibility of leakage; and being susceptible to
changes in process conditions such as density and temperature affecting
their measurement accuracy and reliability.
Non-contacting radar transmitters
For many years, non-contacting radar transmitters have successfully
provided level measurements in safety-critical industries such
as oil and gas, with high-value materials and challenging process
conditions, where their exceptional accuracy and reliability is vital.
However, the technology has typically been considered too bulky
and costly for use in dairy manufacture.
However, the latest generation of instruments, such as the
Rosemount™ 1408H Level Transmitter from Emerson, have been
designed specifically for food and beverage applications, and can
meet previous industry concerns about the size and cost of such
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