Accurately measuring the amount of product sitting inside a silo or container has significant impacts on the profitability of bulk handling operations. While radar has long outstripped manual scale technology and helped to automate this process, solids and liquids have always required different unit types for gaining these readings.
According to John Leadbetter, Managing Director of VEGA Australia, the bulk handling industries are set to benefit from the recently launched the VEGAPULS 6X, which provides access to a singular sensor built for every type of application.
“Generally speaking, radar falls into two brackets either measuring solid materials like flour, cement, or coal, or they’re measuring liquids such as lubrication and oil,” Leadbetter said.
“Historically, there would have to be a dedicated solids radar, and a dedicated liquid one. The two never crossed because they used different types of technology, until now.”
The 6X advanced radar level sensor can reliably measure across a broad range of characteristics including hot, cold, liquid, solid, hazardous, and corrosive materials. By consolidating these capabilities, users can minimise inventory space and cost on measuring tools, as well as the time spend configuring them for different applications.
Additionally, the added safety of remote monitoring can ensure less accidents on the top of grain silos or tall bulk containers. The display and adjustment module can be accessed from wherever is most convenient, and features Bluetooth connectivity for wireless operation through the VEGA Tools App.
“It’s a true testament to how far radar has come in recent years,” Leadbetter says. “The 6X weighs around 4 kilograms, but in 1991 it would have weighed roughly 64 kilograms, and would have had a fraction of the capacity compared to what these units can perform now.”
Still relatively fresh on the market, this model will be on display at the BULK2022 expo amongst a collection of VEGA’s latest in vibrational and radar measurement assemblies. The 6X live demonstration will showcase how the radar technology works, the simple nature of its programming and set-up, and how it can be integrated into existing systems with either hard-wired or wireless connections.
As part of the simulation module, the instrument will be picking up on polystyrene balls within a narrow tank. This will be to illustrate how – apart from measuring bulk solids such as grain and iron ore – it can measure low conductive, or low dielectric material. As a result, aside from high-density solids, and liquids, it can also work with packaging and filling materials as a broad-spectrum inventory volume-tracking device.
“We want attendees at the expo to see our equipment in action,” enthuses Leadbetter. “It will show how the technology responds in a real-life situation with water, slurry or grain, to see whether it will fit the scope of their operations and what they are trying to achieve. It’s an incredibly advanced system, and the product of 30 years of extensive research.”
The BULK2022 Australian Bulk Handling Expo will be held Melbourne, from 24-26th August. Book tickets now at https://www.bulkhandlingexpo.com.au/pricing-packages/