Thread Content
In the petrochemical industry, the challenge in selecting level gauges often lies not in the ability to measure, but in how to achieve accurate measurement while ensuring safety. https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-axegupay5k/0a4203aee2fe4704b530b9642d97e0bb~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1774247689&x-signature=oj5FEzHNd0ManoS1Kbt3whCofJ4%3D Especially light hydrocarbon media are flammable, explosive, and volatile; any installation involving openings poses a potential risk of leakage. This not only represents a red line for intrinsic safety but also has a direct impact on whether VOC emissions meet the required standards. The case in this issue comes from a chemical enterprise in Daqing. As an important company within Daqing’s \"oil-to-chemicals\" industrial chain, this enterprise has light hydrocarbon storage tanks with complex media and special tank designs; the existing radar level gauges suffered from issues such as signal drift and unstable readings during operation. https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/0c38f55bdae647d2958bf873bd61e10e~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1774247689&x-signature=9eLjBrbsYtXcrxZr%2FCkk7RZC3bo%3D AQ 3059-2023「Safety Management Standards for Liquefied Hydrocarbon Storage Areas in Chemical Enterprises». Faced with the \"two-out-of-three\" safety requirements and increasingly stringent environmental regulations, users urgently need a comprehensive level monitoring solution that can prevent leaks at the source, achieve intrinsic safety and zero VOC emissions, while also providing accurate data consistently. After thorough research, the user organization turned to Dinghua Electronics’ external-energy-concentrating sonar level gauge. https://p26-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/80e90033273d4d0b9e5dda2580a55b6d~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1774247689&x-signature=TyJJEuKG0v%2FxeTKTdTG2WJcnHSs%3D This gauge is installed outside the tank; it requires no drilling and does not come into contact with the medium, thus physically avoiding the risk of interference with the internal floating disk ； At the same time, its core energy-concentrating steering technology is capable of focusing and amplifying sonar signals by dozens of times, providing users with a true \"contactless + strong signal\" solution. User Background: A chemical company in Daqing. Storage tank used: φ8200×H11000 internal floating disk tank. Media to be measured: stable light hydrocarbons, isohexane, n-hexane, and other similar light hydrocarbon products. Existing instruments: radar level gauges. Analysis of measurement challenges: (1) The properties of the medium are complex, making it difficult for conventional instruments to ensure both safety and reliability. Light hydrocarbon media are flammable and explosive; contact-type instruments such as magnetic flap gauges are prone to material accumulation and jamming. More importantly, any instrument that requires drilling holes for installation represents a potential point of leakage. With increasingly strict regulations on VOCs, this implies environmental risks and compliance pressures. Although radar level gauges enable non-contact measurement, due to the low dielectric constant and volatility of light hydrocarbons, issues such as signal attenuation and reading fluctuations occur, preventing long-term stable measurements. (2) There are many structural interferences inside the tank. Storage tanks generally have internal floating disks, which move up and down with the liquid level. Instruments such as top-mounted radars, servos, and float switches are prone to mechanical interference with these floating disks; this can lead to measurement inaccuracies in mild cases, while in severe cases it can cause scratches or damage to the floating disks and the sealing structures, posing safety risks. (3) Coexistence of multiple media with large signal differences: The medium composition, density, and dielectric/acoustic properties vary significantly among different storage tanks within the same tank farm, resulting in poor versatility of instruments ； Under certain operating conditions, multi-peak signals and noise interference may occur, making calibration difficult and preventing long-term stable and reliable operation. (4) High safety and compliance requirements: The \"two-out-of-three\" safety instrument specification requires that level monitoring systems must be highly reliable, leak-free, and capable of operating stably over long periods of time. At the same time, environmental protection authorities are increasing their oversight of VOC emissions; any leaks resulting from inadequate sealing of instruments can lead to warnings or even penalties. Dinghua Electronics solutions: Facing the measurement challenges associated with light hydrocarbon floating roof tanks, engineers recommend that users opt for an external focused sonar level gauge. 01 Contactless measurement for inherent safety – The external energy-concentrating sonar level gauge is installed outside the tank; its probe is placed on the outside of the tank wall, with no contact whatsoever with the medium and no mechanical connection to the internal floating disk at any point. Without any openings, there are no leakage points, which means that the pathways for VOCs to escape are completely blocked. In this way, intrinsic safety is no longer just a slogan but a real and essential requirement. 02 The signal strength is high, and energy-concentrating technology addresses the signal-related issues. The main reason why light hydrocarbon media are difficult to measure is that the echo signals are weak, prone to attenuation, and hard to identify. The energy-concentrating director acts like a \"focusing lens\" for sonar signals: field measurement data show that the signal strength produced by this director ranges from 70 to 100 mV, which is far higher than the 3 to 50 mV achieved by ordinary directors, representing a signal enhancement of over 50 times. https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/b7a6bb08d2214cbb9cab5490540771c5~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1774247689&x-signature=E%2Bbr2%2BZTq9lSafZ9ZfKiRvCWoAc%3D Signal from the focused-energy steering system: 70 mv. https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/6e45539831c94633a25469c4e20ce330~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1774247689&x-signature=ufDu%2BF%2FpSMp2XH42BbpUig2lvaI%3D Signal from a regular steering system: 4 mv. Model 03 features high precision and more stable level readings. After three months of continuous monitoring, it was found that the measurement errors of the external focused-energy sonar level gauge were smaller compared to those of the radar level gauge; moreover, it is not affected by temperature changes. What’s more, the output curve of the external focused-energy sonar level gauge is stable, without the frequent fluctuations seen with radar gauges, resulting in data that is closer to the actual liquid level. https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/b89fc873b6d14190a94dfcc220c38db7~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1774247689&x-signature=NoRagXx0ZZIu7vsRpbBX%2Frdx2Uo%3D Trend chart of the external energy-focused sonar level gauge https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/17aae971a53b4d9d8c8425efc2d23d0c~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1774247689&x-signature=1JD5w1OVAZCPTqbgsedYEqeSM8Y%3D Trend chart of the radar level gauge – more stable; no need for worries once installed. The instrument has been operating stably ever since it was put into use! For instrument maintenance personnel, this “no need to worry once it’s installed” experience is the true value. 05 Multi-medium adaptation: greater efficiency with one device. The media present in the user’s tank area are diverse, ranging from stable light hydrocarbons to n-hexane, each with different acoustic properties. Conventional instruments often require repeated calibration for each type of medium, whereas the external-focused sonar level gauge, thanks to its strong signal strength, can obtain effective signals quickly in tanks containing multiple media, thereby greatly improving calibration efficiency. This also provides ample compatibility for subsequent modifications to the tank area. There is no universal formula for level measurement, but that is precisely where technological innovation comes in. The measurement challenges associated with light hydrocarbon floating roof tanks in this case are not an isolated incident. In the petrochemical industry, difficulties in level monitoring due to special tank structures and complex properties of the fluids are common. External tank focused acoustic level gauge: · Achieves intrinsic safety and zero VOC emissions through non-contact measurement ； · Long-term operational reliability is ensured through focused energy technology ； · The maintenance-free experience reduces the lifetime cost. https://p3-sign.toutiaoimg.com/tos-cn-i-6w9my0ksvp/babea22c3203481aa977c7be4b383656~tplv-tt-origin-web:gif.jpeg?_iz=58558&from=article.pc_detail&lk3s=953192f4&x-expires=1774247689&x-signature=YZ48yTHu5Bxr5LGlgDWZAms2z%2FQ%3D If you are also facing challenges in level monitoring for similar applications, feel free to reach out to us. Dinghua Electronics, with 34 years of experience in external measurement technology, is ready to provide you with professional and reliable solutions!