Use cases for the hygienic radar level sensor
Use in the production of wine and fruit brandies
Steinhauser distillery in Kressbronn on Lake Constance has been in existence since 1828 and is still family-owned today. 1996 saw the erection of what was then the most modern bonded distillery in Europe. ifm sensors and software have been supporting production since 2021. One sensor used in the production of spirits and wine is the LW2720 non-contact radar sensor. It monitors the level in the tank which is filled with various fruit mashes. This can be mash for the classic Williams (pear) brandy, but also cherry, mirabelle, plum or apple mash. The mash is then fermented in the tank.
The reasons for using the radar sensor are numerous: unlike with hydrostatic level measurement by means of a flush pressure sensor, the non-contact measurement rules out deposits on the measuring cell. This is important because deposits can have a negative effect on the measurement. The same goes for the so-called head pressure created in the tank during fermentation which would also affect the pressure measurement. What is more, the sensor’s intelligent algorithm can reliably mask the agitator that is moved into the tank during the filling process.
Level monitoring in hygienic stainless steel tanks
The foundations of Meckatzer Löwenbräu Allgäuer Bierspezialitätenwere laid over 280 years ago when Joseff Fessler served Meckatzer beer from the Allgäu region for the first time in 1738. 115 years later, Lena and Gebhard Weiß acquired the ‘Landbrauerei zu Meckatz’, thus establishing the Weiß family’s enduring passion for brewing high-quality Allgäuer beer. Today, sensor technology from ifm supports our customer in the brewing process. This technology also includes the LW2720 radar sensor which is used for continuous level monitoring in a tank containing degassed water. The tank itself has a conical bottom that tapers downwards and is equipped with a spray ball, which has proved challenging in the past. For the radar sensor, however, the geometry of the tank poses no problem and the measurement is accurate at all times. The key is the 80 GHz frequency at which the sensor emits the signal in a very narrow beam angle. This means that the radar waves remain unaffected by the spray ball, both during and after cleaning.
Automatic masking of moving structures in a tank and reliable level detection
A customer producing fruit juice not only uses the pure fruit juice, but also processes the fruit residues in order to optimise the use of resources. After pressing, which separates the juice from the fruit, the fruit residues are fed from above into a solids buffer tank. In the plant, the residues first enter a bridge breaker that shreds and crushes them. Directly below, at the bottom of the plant, a screw conveyor transports the residues to the next process. With the solids buffer tank, it is important to note that the bridge breaker can only work properly up to a specific level. And this is where the LW2720 radar level sensor comes in. Even with extensive structures in the tank that are constantly in motion, the sensor reliably determines the current level and the supply of fruit residues can be regulated accordingly.
Continuous level monitoring in a CIP tank
The challenge with caustic tanks in a CIP process is that the caustic solution can crystallise over time and settle on the tank walls or structures within the tank. For our customer, who had several tuning forks in use, this meant that the tuning forks were switching constantly or incorrectly. Now a radar sensor monitors the level in the caustic tank safely and reliably and it remains unaffected by the crystalline deposits.
Monitoring of hygienic storage tanks
Large storage tanks used in the dairy and beverage industries, but also by other liquid food processing companies are one of the most common applications for hygienic level measurement technology. Our customer,Deine Bio-Molkerei - Die Gläserne Molkerei, previously used pressure gauges to monitor the level of large storage tanks at their Münchehofe location. Now the LW2720 radar sensor - which is non-contact - takes care of the monitoring. Even structures such as agitators and mixing tools or spray balls for cleaning the tank are no problem for this sensor.
On the day of commissioning, both the production manager of the Münchehofe location and the project manager of the plant manufacturer GEA TDS were on site. Both were prepared for several hours of implementation in rainy weather. But after a brief explanation from our sales department and the configuration of the reference height, the commissioning was complete. It was clear to all: the LW2720 does not require any expert knowledge or complex commissioning.
Use in a sedimentation tank
Caustic soda is a widely used medium in the food industry. Among others, our customer relies on it to clean bottles, i.e. to remove labels and dirt residues. To be able to reuse the caustic several times, it is treated accordingly in a sedimentation tank.
The challenge here is that the dirt particles in the tank interfere with the hydrostatic level measurement. This is because the dirt particles settle on the measuring cell, causing it to stick. Ultrasonic sensors, too, reach their limits due to vapour and condensate. Our solution: continuous level monitoring with the LW2720 radar sensor.
Application in the manufacture of bakery products
ifm’s customer relies on the LW2720 radar sensor for level monitoring. A 9-metre high tank filled with vegetable oils, such as palm oil, and pressurised from above is monitored during the production of cookies. The sensor stands out because it works independently of temperature and pressure. Even condensate and almost transparent media pose no challenge to it. In direct comparison, both ultrasonic sensors and optical systems would reach their limits in this application due to condensate and pressure.
