An application recently successfully solved includes a vent scrubber vessel on an agrochemical intermediate plant where caustic spray is used to clean waste vapours from the process. This process causes a turbulent liquid surface with heavy vapours. Problems were encountered with crystallisation of this caustic solution, which resulted in regular dip pipe blockages and hence, unreliable level measurement using the original D.P. "bubbler" level system. The downtime associated with this loss of level measurement was unacceptable, therefore alternative technologies were investigated. Confidence and knowledge of the Vega Radar range lead to an enquiry with Vega.

The VEGA radar solution was no hybrid, no special design, but Vega’s new "PULSE" compact 2-wire entry level radar. As with all VEGA radar, it had full software and performance capability, no cut down or "lite" version. The PULS 61 unit was supplied "off the shelf", mounted in the Polypropylene bypass tube on the outside of the vessel which was used by the previous bubbler level system. The PULS 61 was installed using the existing cabling and was quick and easy to commission, allowing production to be virtually unaffected.

The radar has restored confidence in the measurement to such an extent that operators are happy to return to fully automated control on this part of the plant. The instrument engineer concluded, "We see radar as a reliable first line level measurement". An every day device for an everyday application on a chemical process plant, proving reliable, cost effective, easy to apply, install and set up. Time to take your PULS?