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In late 2010, European utility provider E.ON launched a comprehensive modernization initiative at its Åbyverket, Sweden, plant. One of Sweden's largest biomass-fueled power stations, the Åbyverket facility has provided heating to customers through a 390km-long pipeline network since the 1960s. Over the years E.ON has used a variety of methods to measure fluid and gas levels in the plant's tanks, but frequently experienced problems of one kind or another with older conventional technology.

With the 2010 modernization initiative, E.ON sought to implement a reliable, accurate tank level measurement solution once and for all.

“We decided to go with Emerson Process Management's Rosemount wireless guided wave radar (GWR) level meters,” said E.ON's Per Lundmark, who discussed the benefits of GWR along with Emerson's Ingemar Serneby this week at the 2014 Emerson Global Users Exchange in Stuttgart, Germany. “The results were immediate.”

Lundmark described the challenges his team faced in accurately detecting fluid levels in the Åbyverket facility's turbine steam condensers, which is critical for the plant to operate safely. Abnormally high levels may result in insufficient condensing and even damage the turbine. Levels that are too low can damage pumps throughout the plant. E.ON found that displacement meters were overly sensitive to density fluctuations and cost a great deal to maintain over the long term.

“We replaced the conventional displacement level meters with the Rosemount wireless GWR units, which we were able to install directly inside the existing displacer cages,” Lundmark said. “The GWR units are more accurate than traditional meters, but they are also immune to density changes. This allows us to secure the performance of our condensers and ensure pump safety at all times.”

Offering another example, Lundmark explained how E.ON had previously used a servo float-type meter for fuel oil inventory management in one EO1 (light oil) tank at the Åbyverket plant. “Those local meters were prone to mechanical failure, float corrosion, and accuracy issues,” he said. “The Rosemount 5300 wireless guided wave radar meters that we installed in place of the old servo float are highly accurate and have functioned virtually maintenance free.

Emerson's Rosemount radar meters come with several different antenna configurations that are optimal for a variety of applications and configurations, Serneby said. They integrate seamlessly with the DeltaVTM process automation system and the AMS SuiteTM predictive maintenance application, whose advanced diagnostic capabilities can help operators troubleshoot maintenance issues before equipment is damaged or accidents occur.

“In our experience, radar instrumentation has shown advantages over other measurement technology,” Lundmark concluded. “Its top-down orientation makes it easy to install and inexpensive to commission. The fact that the units have no moving parts, and are unaffected by density, pressure, temperature means that we are able to set them and forget them. With Emerson's GWR solutions, we have improved not only accuracy and reliability, but also operating efficiency and safety.”