August 2007 : Flexar Guided Wave Radar

Silo Inventory Management Integrates With
Multiple Sensor Types

Elburn, IL -- The manufacture of polymer reinforced structural products uses multiple products including aggregates and resins.  Managing the raw material inventory of these items requires the use of differing level sensor technologies that are best suited for the target material and application.  In addition, this inventory of raw material must be managed properly as it can affect the cash-flow and income of the manufacturer. Monitor Technologies LLC uses its SiloTrack V3.53 inventory management software in just such an application to provide the benefits of improved inventory visibility and management of reordering and inventory control. Production depends on proper inventory management and accounting can insist on it.


SiloTrack V3.52 is a smart system using Server and Client software. It can interface with up to 128 sensors, including smart cable-based and guided wave radar devices.  This novel approach means you can be assured of having accurate and up-to-date database of information right at your fingertips.  In a day-and-age that security is paramount, SiloTrack provides security for your data and your internal IT system with user/password protection and encrypted data passing between the Server software and any Clients. SiloTrack V3.52 provides both English and Spanish language for ease of use and utilizes your LAN, WAN/Internet or dial-up connection to transmit database uploads between Server and Client.


Monitor Technologies LLC is a pioneer of level monitoring and measurement and for five decades has been providing unique solutions for bulk solids and liquid applications, especially in the area of bulk materials management. Monitor is located in Elburn Illinois, give us a call today and let us put our creative solutions to work for you!

For more information refer to www.monitortech.com or contact Ms. Emily Jones at 1-800-766-6486 (630-365-9403).

SiloPatrol^® SE
Measuring coal powder levels when nothing else will work ….

Coal-fired power plants are commonplace around the world.  In order for these power generating stations to create huge amounts of electricity the turbines need to be feed with steam and the steam created by boilers that are fired by … yep, coal.  But coal as it comes from the mining operations is not what is fed to the burners.  First it is ground or pulverized into powder.  It is not unusual for the coal powder to be stored in silos awaiting the demand for it to be fed to the burners.  The inventory of coal powder in these silos needs to be monitored to allow for efficient operation of the power plant.

So, how do we monitor the inventory of coal powder in a silo?  Not easily.  In one typical application the power plant personnel found that the only technology that would work reliably is the modern smart weight & cable system from Monitor Technologies LLC, the SiloPatrol^® SE.

Anhui Tongling power plant in Anhui province in China had tried almost ever technology possible to get a reliable level measurement in their 5 coal powder silos.  Radar, ultrasonic and others were tried, but none worked reliably.  It wasn’t until Beijing Conasen walked in and proposed that the Tongling plant use the SiloPatrol SE smart cable-based inventory monitoring system that the power plant personnel found a reliable solution.

Mr. William Yuan, sales manager for Beijing Conasen indicates that the power plant tried many major brands of ultrasonic, radar, and other technologies but that due to good relations with the Tongling plant personnel he was able to sell three SiloPatrol SE model SMU sensors and an HMI operator interface to them.  The units were installed by plant personnel.  Because of the heavy amount of coal dust in the silos an air purge using dry compressed air was used.  The SiloPatrol sensor incorporates the patent-pending use of Hall-effect sensor technology, a split-compartment enclosure, microcontroller, redundant optics and many other valuable features and technology to ensure reliable measurement even in challenging dust applications like coal powder.

The SiloPatrol SE system has been working reliably and the plant has since purchased two additional sensors and connected them into the same HMI operator interface.  This same sensor technology is working reliably at other coal-fired power stations in China as well.

For more information on the SiloPatrol SE click here or contact Monitor Technologies LLC at 800-766-6486 in the USA and 630-365-9403 worldwide.

>>Click here for more information about SiloPatrol SE from Monitor Technologies.
>>Download Product Bulletin 343A