May 2007 : SFI and SFD-2

Solids Flow Monitors Improve Process Performance

The Model SFI and SFD-2 line of solids flow detectors provide analog or relay outputs to indicate the flow / no-flow condition of powder and bulk solids materials in chutes and pneumatic conveying lines. Using microwave Doppler radar technology these units are non-invasive and extremely reliable and rugged to withstand the rigors of the installation and your process extremes.

Solids Flow Monitors like the Model SFI and SFD-2 can be used in a wide variety of applications. One customer uses the analog signal from a Model SFI unit to monitor the flow of carbon black in toner cartridge manufacturing to ensure positive flow before further processing and to detect no-flow and possible plugged conditions. Another uses the Model SFD-2 solids flow detector to monitor the flow of coal into the burner of a coal-fired power plant to detect no-flow conditions and ensure safety. These two applications illustrate the potential for use in improving your process efficiency and maintaining process safety.

The Model SFI and SFD-2 solids flow monitors are brought to you by Monitor Technologies LLC. Monitor Technologies has pioneered level measurement for powders and bulk solids for five decades. The experience and market knowledge gained has earned Monitor a reputation for providing high quality and reliable product solutions. 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 of Monitor Technologies 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.
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