Efficient silo management for smooth process flow

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Efficient silo management for smooth process flow

The electromechanical Lot system Nivobob® 4000 is equipped with a Modbus function which allows easy connection to visualization systems, thus providing an economic silo management solution.

 

Multifunctional unit for discontinuous level monitoring in bulk goods

 

The electromechanical measurement device is an invaluable instrument in the field of inventory management due to its advanced electronics technology. The reliable electromechanical lot system Nivobob® with its robust mechanical design has for that reason become the choice of many plant operators across the globe faced with demanding conditions. The Nivobob® series of plumb bob sensors is used for continuous level measurement within bulk storage silos and for interface measurement. The simple electromechanical measurement principle is a truly reliable all-rounder in most bulk materials.

 

Nivobob® 4000 with Modbus function

The electromechanical Lot system Nivobob® 4000 is equipped with a Modbus function which allows easy connection to visualization systems, providing an economical silo management solution.

UWT GmbH has developed an economical and practical solution in terms of centralized content level monitoring; especially suited for the storage processes within industrial plants. The maintenance-free electromechanical lot system Nivobob® is mounted on each silo within the plant for continuous level monitoring. The plumb bob systems of the economical Nivobob® 4000 series come standard with a Modbus interface which allows for quick and easy connection of the units to the visualization system.

Parameters such as content level, operating time, pending replacement intervals, sensor status are available to the operator. For level control, diagnostics etc. the license-free visualization software Nivotec® is used: The information is sent from the electromechanical lot sensors to the visualization system via Modbus. The operator can access the required information from any PC 24h a day. The software with its data storage and trend analysis function enables the operator to perfectly plan material disposition and any logistics required. The outcome is efficient silo management resulting in cost saving due to planning security. With this new development UWT has responded to the demands for an affordable solution which combines reliable level monitoring with live-data visualization for effective silo management.

 ADVANTAGES:

  • Communication between Nivotec® visualization software and Nivobob® 4000 lot systems can be    conveniently controlled directly from your PC
  • Modbus RTU interface reduces the installation time by using Daisy-Chain-Wiring
  • Silo full detector can be wired directly to the Modbus RTU interface of the Nivobob® 4000

For more information on UWT products contact Morton Controls today.

The Mining Industry is Booming!

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If you are not using quality components in the mining industry, then you are going to miss out.

Quadbeam’s sensors are top drawer and here is why:

Quadbeam Technologies Sensors are products that can be relied on, due to its accurate, rugged construction, and repeatable signal.

It’s excellent performance means you have control of Suspended Solids and Turbidity in the Mining Processes.

What are the S Series bodies manufactured from?

Polypropylene or PVDF are the main ingredients, and they give excellent chemical resistance for challenging chemical environments, often found in mining applications.

Their Application usage for the mining industry is broad-

  • Raw Water intake monitoring
  • Water Treatment processes
  • Control of flocculate dosing
  • Clarifier overflow monitoring
  • Filter breakthrough monitoring
  • Tank Profile monitoring

The Key Benefits are-

  • Provides excellent chemical resistance
  • Repeatable, reliable and accurate signal
  • Long lasting

The Products to look out for are:

The S10-IMM, S20-IMM and T30-IMM

Quadbeam S20-IMM

We have a nice story from the mining industry for you.  Quadbeam, based in New Zealand, had a client, situated in one of the largest rock quarries, who had a problem in their sand and aggregate washing plant.  The problem was with the recycled waste water.

Following a very painful manual process, and umpteenth errors, where the waste water was being fed back to the sand washing plant, they had a Quadbeam S20 suspended solids sensor installed in a vertical section of the  pipe.  This measured, on a continuous basis, the suspended solids in the recycled water.

 

 

Quadbeam S10-IMMThe flow and suspended solids measurements were sent to a PLC, where it calculated the mass flow of the solids and adjusted the dosing pump so that the correct level of chemical addition was achieved.

 

After the flocculation process, the solids settle out in 3 large cone clarifiers.  Then, the clean recycled water is sent back to the plant.

For the last 2 years, the plant has produced consistently clear recycled water, with minimal maintenance involved.

Should this be a situation you wish to rectify, please contact us for more info on Quadbeam’s sensors.

Quadbeam T30-IMM

TELEPHONE: 0861 000 393

EMAIL:  sales@mortoncontrols.co.za / ian@mortcon.co.za

cip system

The CIP System – Within the F&B Industry

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In food manufacturing, cleaning-in-place or the CIP system is a standard component for ensuring reliable and efficient adherence to quality standards. The requirements placed on sensors, used for process control, are particularly high in the food and beverage industry.  They are tailored solutions for optimizing the CIP process, using turbidity and conductivity sensors.

What is involved?

The CIP system consists of numerous interlinked steps. Plant operators need to take into account more than just the downtime of the system. Costs also arise from the consumption of water, chemicals and energy, as well as product loss.

The sequence of the individual cleaning cycles is often still time-controlled. These fixed cleaning intervals will guarantee that the system is always cleaned properly.  However, more water, and cleaning solution and time, may be consumed than would actually be necessary for the medium being processed.

What is the solution?

The solution is to automate control of the CIP system using turbidity and conductivity sensors. The average water consumption, depending on the product, is 1.5 to 3 liters per processed liter of product.  Half of this water is used for cleaning the system.

Are there disadvantages?

A disadvantage of cleaning processes with fixed time intervals is that the maximum required cleaning duration must be used for each cleaning cycle. For example, the removal time for pasty media is considerably longer than for less viscous products. Therefore, when performing CIP cleaning after producing media with less viscosity, more water is used than is necessary.

This, however, can be remedied through automated process control using the turbidity and conductivity sensors. Water consumption at large F&B manufacturing plants can be lowered from an average of 6,500 to 2,500 liters per cleaning cycle simply by deploying an intelligent phase detection system. This will result in savings of water and wastewater costs.

In addition, shorter cleaning cycles lead to a lower consumption of acids and bases.  The use of chemicals can be precisely controlled by measuring their concentrations using the conductivity sensor, allowing their consumption to be further optimized.

What are the production-related stats?

Experience has shown that production-related losses reach 0.5% in large operations and 2.5% in small operations. It is particularly the plants with low levels of automation that experience significant losses in product.

The precise and rapid detection of water-to-product phases using the turbidity sensor lead to reductions in product losses of 5–10% in customer field projects. A CIP system usually takes 60–90 minutes. A hygienic design of the entire system is therefore an important contributor to shortening the cleaning cycles and increasing the efficiency and productivity of the process.

How can Morton Controls help?

As a specialist for sensor systems in hygienic processes, we, at Morton Controls, have sensors and process connections that are optimally designed for the demanding requirements of the F&B industry and that ensure reliable and efficient cleaning of the system.

 

 

 

 


 

History Around Coal Mining

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We love a little bit of history, and coal mining has an interesting tale to be told.

One of the largest mining industries, mining for coal started out in the 18th century and boomed all the way to the 1950’s.  Although maybe not as huge as some other mined commodities, coal is still a valuable form of energy for open-pit extraction.

Interestingly, tunnelling into the earth to pull the coal was the initial method, but had to be stopped due to the perilous vapours that were emitted (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen sulphite) deadly to say the least.

The sensors now used in the coal mining process have helped with detecting these harmful vapours and have progressed from the mining’s canary method.

What is the Miners Canary?

If you know mining, you would have heard of this amazing story.  Very simply, miners would take a canary in a cage down with them as they descended. Canaries were known to be very sensitive to odourless vapours, such as carbon monoxide, and they would show effects of distress, rocking from side to side, before falling off their perches.

While not a very animal safe procedure, it was known to have saved many human lives.  After a time, the canary method of detection was stopped as it proved not to be as effective as they assumed it was.

In steps the Pellistor

The Pellistor was introduced as a catalytic sensor and was able to detect a very wide range of toxic vapours and flammable gases.

Due to limitations, such as malfunction when exposed to chemicals with chlorine, sulphur, halogen, and any metals containing silicon or lead; as well as high costs to maintain the pellistor, this method was withdrawn.

Infrared LED-based Gas Sensor

The more modern and more effective method is the infrared LED – based Gas Sensor.

The advantages of this method are:

  • A wider measurement range
  • A rapid response rate
  • Background gases do not affect the gas sensor, as it did with the Pellistor
  • Each gas can be detected and measured separately