A product exclusive article in the December 2017 issue of Control magazine titled Solids Scanner Adds Analytics describes new capabilities which can be added to existing Rosemount 5708 3D Solids Scanner units, requiring only a software update. These capabilities are also available with new units.
If you’re not familiar with the 5708, it’s one of the most sophisticated level measuring instruments available today. It’s designed specifically for measuring the level and/or volume of solids in a vessel, silo or even piled on a warehouse floor. The article provides a capsule description:
Solids in a storage vessel tend to not settle evenly like liquids. High spots develop under filling points and low spots over emptying points, with peaks and valleys often forming less predictably throughout the vessel. While there are reliable ways to take spot level readings, these often don’t present an accurate indication of overall level and can't provide accurate volumes, especially on larger vessels. In these cases, there's a need for measurements at multiple points to identify irregularities and produce an accurate picture of the peaks and valleys across the surface. This can be accomplished using the 3D measurement technology offered by Emerson’s Rosemount 5708 3D Solids Scanner, first released in 2014, and now updated to add new capabilities.
The new capabilities use the existing transmitter and can be added to units that are already installed. They are COG (center of gravity) and Virtual Section. Let’s look at them one at a time.
COG is important when working with solids because they don’t spread nicely like liquids. If a vessel is on legs and has been designed to be as economical as possible, the designer may have based support calculations on perfectly even weight distribution, which might not happen in the real world. The article reminds us:
Most liquid storage tank level measurement instruments correctly assume the product weight distribution is relatively even, but this is rarely the case with solids. Depending on the severity of the concentration and the structure itself, there have been situations where vessels have tilted or even collapsed. This software feature allows users to define a COG zone in the software, and then automatically calculates the COG for the vessel’s contents with every reading. If the COG has moved out of its defined space, the software can generate an alert, so operations and maintenance teams can take appropriate action. The software displays X, Y and Z coordinates of the COG and the defined accepted area, so operators can see this characteristic continuously. The COG coordinates can also be read and monitored through a SCADA system.
So, if humidity or other factors make the product clump and form piles, this capability could be a lifesaver. It compliments the other capability, Virtual Section. If you’ve ever tried to figure out how product flows through your storage vessel and found this to be challenging, this feature is for you.
Virtual section lets users divide a large vessel or warehouse interior to support continuous analysis of product flow and movement in a vessel. Properly controlled product movement can avoid dead spots where product tends to remain unmoved for extended periods of time. By creating virtual sections, each can be monitored individually, so if too much product is getting built up in one area, filling points can be switched. The virtual sections allow for even distribution and control of filling and emptying to maintain an even distribution across a large surface on a continuous basis, eliminating the need for manual surveys. Using Rosemount 3DVision software, product movement can be tracked and analyzed on a continuous basis.
As mentioned, these new capabilities can be added existing units, or pre-installed for the next deployment.
You can find more information like this, and meet with other people looking at the same kinds of situations in the Emerson Exchange365 community. It’s a place where you can communicate and exchange information with experts and peers in all sorts of industries around the world. Look for the Level Group and other specialty areas for suggestions and answers.