Monitor Technologies, LLC.
    High Temperature SafePoint® Rotary Paddle Sensor Solves Titanium Application
  Monitor News
In This Edition:
>> High Temperature Rotary Paddle Sensor for Titanium Application
(more)
>> Tech Tip: Preventative Maintenance Inspection
(more)
>> Featured Product:
HMI2 Operator Interface for SiloPatrol® (more)
>> SecureCareTM Employee Profile (more)
>> Upcoming Shows
(more)
Other Information:
>> Most important factor for improving accuracy of material weight calculation (more)
>> Solutions for plugged chute detection (more)
>> View our entire list of Technical Articles, Whitepapers and Case Studies
(more)
Check out www.monitortech.com
for the full story.

 

Industry News
>> www.grainnet.com
(more)
>> Industry News Center at
www.powderandbulk.com
(more)
>> Storage Industry Zone at
www.powderbulksolids.com
(more)

 

Trivia Question

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Win an item by E-mailing us the correct answer at
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Free Hat!

 

Fred

 

A large company who supplies high quality titanium metal products was searching for a reliably way to detect any plugged chute conditions that may arise in their process. Titanium is used in hundreds of diverse aerospace, industrial and emerging applications where no other metal is as reliable or economical, especially on a lifecycle costing basis.

The customer was looking for a level control to be successfully used as a plugged chute detector; the customer had experienced problems with RF probes from another manufacturer. Plugged chute detection is critical to make sure that material is flowing properly through a process. A plugged chute condition can cause problems with transfer rates, mix ratios and production “down stream”. Monitor offers several options for plugged chute detection (click here for more information). For this situation, the high-temperature SafePoint® rotary paddle bin indicator was the best choice.

The target materials are Rutile Ore with a bulk density of 150 lbs per cubic foot and Petroleum Coke with a bulk density of 53 lbs per cubic foot. The material characteristics of the Rutile Ore can be described as having a “sand texture” and the Petroleum Coke is “granular”.

This application is made even more challenging due to the extremely high temperatures involved, the ambient temperature ranged from 100 degrees F to 150 degrees F and the internal process temperature could be as high as 750 degrees F. But wait, this gets even better; the internal air in the feed pipe being monitored for a plugged chute condition is a gaseous chlorine, which if combined with moisture of any kind creates Hydrochloric Acid!

The Sales Engineers with Ball Sales, the Monitor rep in CA, OR, WA, AZ, NM, NV, worked with the customer by gathering additional details and suggested that the best solution would be for the customer to install a high-temperature SafePoint rotary paddle bin indicator. The hi-temp SafePoint unit can be used in applications up to 750 degrees F.

The SafePoint will not be challenged by the fluctuating dielectric constant of the target material or the possible changing temperatures that caused the issues with the RF probe they first tried.

The SafePoint® rotary paddle point level sensor is a self-validating device that detects material presence plus continuously monitors its own ability to function. Should the self evaluation detect an internal fault, an output will react accordingly. This includes fault due to power loss.

The built-in microcontroller performs self-validating diagnostics and monitors both shaft and motor mounting plate rotation. This allows the SafePoint to easily distinguish between material presence and any electrical and mechanical failure of the unit. When material presence is detected, the SENSE relay changes state and the drive motor is de-energized to extend motor life. This output is available to control a process function or alarm circuit. When the material level drops, a tension spring returns the drive motor to its original running condition and is reactivated.

Hi-Temp SafePoint in Titanium Application
Figure 1 - Hi-Temp Safepoint used in Titanium Application

SafePoint Principle of Operation
Figure 2 - SafePoint, Principle of Operation


A unit failure is detected by sensing a lack of shaft rotation while material presence has not been detected by rotation of the motor mounting plate. In a failure condition the independent FAULT relay will change state. Monitoring the state of both the SENSE and FAULT relays provides the most flexibility for control and monitoring that is beyond being just “fail-safe”.

Features of the SafePoint® include:
> Rugged cast aluminum construction
> Motor shut-off when paddle becomes impeded by material to increase motor life
> Twist On/Of Cover
> Choice of process connections & accessories
> High Temp model available
> Hazardous location approvals available

Typical applications include High and Low level sensing in bins, silos, tanks, hoppers, and other vessels. The SafePoint can also be used for plugged chute detection. It can be utilized for high level indication of materials over 10 lb/ft3 (160 kg/m3) and for low and intermediate level indication for materials over 5 lb/ft3 (80 kg/m3). Target materials include but are not limited to: Pellets, Powders, Cement, Sand/Gravel, Feed/Grain, Plastics, Coal, Metals, Food Ingredients, Resins, and Sawdust.

For more information, please visit
http://www.monitortech.com/product_p_fails.shtml
or call us in the USA at 800-766-6486 or from anywhere at 630-365-9403. Also, check out our Level Measurement blog at http://monitortech.typepad.com.


Scott Bonine
Director of Sales
Scott B.



Happy Holidays from Monitor
Everyone at Monitor would like to wish you and your family a happy and safe holiday season. Below is a schedule of the days Monitor will be closed for the upcoming 2009 holidays.

 

Christmas
Thursday, Dec. 24th
Friday, Dec. 25th
New Year
Thursday, Dec. 31st
Friday, Jan. 1st, 2010
Upcoming Shows
(Visit Monitor at the following tradeshows)
World Of Concrete 2010
Booth # N 1117
February 2 - 5 , 2010
Las Vegas Convention Center
www.worldofconcrete.com


GEAPS Exchange 2010 Exchange 2010

Booth # 929
February 21 - 23 , 2010
Wichita, KS
www.geaps.com

PBS Show
PTXi, PBS, Chem Pharm & Pack 2
Booth # 2407
May 4 - 6, 2010
Rosemont, IL
web site


Tech Tip: Perform A Preventative Maintenance Inspection On Outside Level Sensors Before Winter Fully Hits
 

All the Leaves are Brown, and the Sky is Gray above your Silo Level Indicators. So here I am reminiscing about a birthday celebration I attended last night and The Mamas and the Papas jumped in my head as I flashed back to the 60's and 70's for a minute or two. One of our staff cruised by my office door with a used sensor over his shoulder that was in need of evaluation.

Since I like examining equipment that has been working in the field for extended periods of time, I got up and followed it to the test area where we examined the unit. It was a SiloPatrol SMU that was produced in 2004. Upon removal of the cover, a small amount of white powder spilled out on the bench. After seeing the powder and knowing the SMU was sent in because of a Motion Error, we directed our attention to the wiper seal and discovered that it was packed hard in gypsum powder to the extent that the 3/16" SS cable could not travel freely through the wiper. So, finding out what I wanted to know was accomplished I then returned to my desk.

"What does this have to do with dead leaves and a dark Autumn sky?", you ask. It got me thinking about a similar unit I worked on a couple of years ago in the dead of winter with 22 knot winds and temperatures in the high minus teens. If the maintenance staff at that facility had performed a preventative maintenance inspection in November or early December, I probably would not have been getting frostbitten fingers in January. (It is difficult to thread a 3/16" SS cable and a compression sleeve and thimble with heavy gloves on.)

 

Silo Patrol Wiper Seal
SiloPatrol® Wiper Seal

So to conclude, If you are the proud owner of any brand of plumb bob style continuous level sensor, you might want to think of getting someone aloft to check everything out before the snow flies. And if you live where it is hot by 10AM, you still might want to pull a PM to check for worn parts so you can order them and change them out before your system actually breaks down.

I almost forgot to mention that we do have part kits to allow the owners of our original SMU design to convert over to the new wiper seal compartment that eliminates the necessity of cutting your cable to change out a worn out or clogged wiper seal.

For more information on SiloPatrol® , please visit:
http://www.monitortech.com/product_c_c_sp.shtml

Please visit our blog at . . .
http://monitortech.typepad.com

Greg D.
Product Manger


Featured Product:
HMI2 Operator Interface

HMI 2

Silo Patrol Smart Level Sensor

Monitor Technologies, LLC is proud to offer the new HMI2 which is the next generation in operator interface for the SiloPatrol® SE cable-based "smart" sensor inventory management system.

The HMI2 Features:
> Two sensor networks to provide operator interface with up to 32 SiloPatrol® level sensors.
> A universal AC power supply that accepts 100-240V AC power.
> Controls SiloPatrol SMU “smart” output sensor operations, displays measured and calculated data and performs/displays system and sensor diagnostic messages.
> The HMI2 can be programmed to operate the SMU sensors automatically and it can provide Manual readings as needed.
> The display is back-lit for visibility in low-light conditions and can show data in English or Metric units including feet, meters, pounds, kilograms, cubic feet, cubic meters, U.S./British bushels, gallons, liters, tons, metric tonnes.

The combination of the HMI2 and the SiloPatrol® SE cable-based bin level sensor provides an intuitive and durable inventory management system for a variety of bulk solid, powder, pellet, granular, slurry and some liquid applications.

For more information please visit:
http://www.monitortech.com/product_c_c_sp.shtml

 


Securecare Profile  
Name: Ginny Owen
TITLE: ESD
DEPT: Manufacturing
ANIV: May 15, 2000

Interview
Q: Where are you from originally?
A:
Elburn, IL.


Q: What is your favorite food?
A:
Moose Tracks Ice Cream.


Q: What consumer item reminds you most of Monitor?
A:
Corn.


Q: Previous positions you have held at Monitor?
A:
I am currently working in ESD.
I started in the True Cap department, and then went to shipping for awhile.


Q: What is the best aspect of working at Monitor?
A:
Working for the owner, who has a lot of passion for the company, and the best co-workers a person is lucky to work with.


Q: Current Projects?
A: Right now I am in the process of testing boards for the SMU product.


Ginny


 

Monitor Technologies, LLC.

4W320 Keslinger Road
P.O. BOX 8048
Elburn, IL 60119-8048

800-601-5946
PH 630-365-9403
FAX 630-365-5646

 

 

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[email protected]

 

     

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