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Remote networks are very useful in monitoring remote tanks. These can be monitored on a nearby local network or over the Internet from virtually any location. How, then, can you get a network or Internet connection to a remote location?
There are a variety of ways to get a network to a remote location. Satellite and cellular connections are good options, but incur ongoing costs. One low cost method to get around this is a radio connection. There are two basic ways to set this up: a simple bridge connection, and a mesh network of radios.
Bridge Connection
A typical bridge setup consists of two units, a master transmitter and a slave receiver. If you were to use our...
A unique water distribution outfit in New England let’s customers fill their own bottles from a network of filling kiosks. The challenge? Keeping the kiosks stocked.
You may think that stocking water is a pretty simple and low cost operation. The fact is, moving any bulk liquid is expensive. It means owning a fleet of trucks capable of pumping and transporting the water. These trucks cost about $180k per year to own and operate (according to DP&C Enterprises, an industrial logistics firm).
The trick is to optimize the routes, and make sure your annual $180k is as productive as possible.
The enemy to anybody moving bulk liquids is waste. If your algorithm says the tank should be empty in two weeks, but it isn’t, then you...
An abrupt change in a remote tank often spells disaster. These can be due to thefts and leaks or unusual usage patterns resulting in an overflow or a shortage. Even when the change is routine, a notification to verify data is always helpful.
So we put an abrupt change alarm on our remote level sensors – the LOE ultrasonic. This sensor connects to the Internet, communicating level data to a central location for easy remote monitoring. The alarm works by defining how much the level can change in a certain amount of time.
You may ask yourself: How do I configure the abrupt change alarm?
We’re going to show you. So whether you’re about to install an LOE, or you just want to understand what it can do for you, read on!
Before you configure the alarm, you need admin rights to...
Many of our customers are managing remote inventories of valuable commodities. There are a number of challenges keeping inventory managers in the dark about what’s really happening to their remote tanks. One of them is abrupt changes that are either unauthorized or unexpected.
Abrupt changes can happen for a few reasons:
First, and easiest, is a tank refill or collection event. When a delivery/pick-up truck services a tank, the transfer of inventory can be difficult to track.
Second, and most difficult, a theft is difficult to swallow. Not knowing about it is adding insult to injury. Suddenly the inventory is missing when needed most. For collection services, an expensive trip to service the tank is wasted.
...Remote Monitoring System Overview and Demo
We just wanted to alert you about a new webcast we did with Design News about our remote monitoring system. You can view the webcast at Design News.
We convinced our very own Karl Reid to take 15 minutes and go over our remote system. He has led the development of adding remote communication to our level sensors over the past few years, the latest in a long career of level and pressure sensor development. Included in the overview is a demo of the online software, and using the system on a...
Distributors and waste collectors of bulk liquids rely heavily on their trucks and remote tanks to transport and store product. This operation is quite expensive.
According to DP&C Enterprises, a logistics optimization firm, companies operating tank trucks spend about $180k/year per truck. That’s about $700 per day in hard trucking costs. This costs goes up and down depending on how efficiently the truck and driver operate.
One chemical distributor and waste collection company wanted to not only reduce this cost, but to do more with fewer trucks, cutting their overhead and raising profits. Their facilities have multiple tanks containing liquids varying from water to sulfuric acid. When it came time to modernize their facilities, they decided to get a better handle on...
Many liquids used in processing applications will separate from each other when allowed to settle. They do this either because they are completely immiscible, or they simply have different densities. When a liquid level of each is required, you need a dual level, or an interface level sensor.
Walt Boyes, Editor in Chief at Control and Control Global magazines said that, “interface level measurement is the hardest level measurement application I know of.”
He’s not kidding. Single liquid level sensing applications can be difficult enough. One of the biggest problems is that many interface level sensors rely on too many variables,...
Level probe installation can be a tricky procedure. These probes often reach from the top to the bottom of the tank. With such a long, and heavy, sensor, just getting it into the tank requires thought and a little muscle.
Mounting Options
Understanding your mounting options is key. What openings are there on your tank or vessel? How big are they, and will a float pass through it? We have mounting options for just about any set-up you have, but getting the wrong mount can be a pain to fix.
Specific gravity of your liquid plays an important role here, believe it or not. The specific gravity of your liquid affects which float you can use on the probe, and how big or small it will be. All of this needs to be sorted out before your...
About a month ago, we gave you Part 1 of our series on the top 10 mistakes made in selecting, installing, and using ultrasonic sensors. The first part covered mistakes ten through six.
Today, we'll wrap it up with the remaining five:
#5: Poor mounting angle
The transducer face of the sensor must be perpendicular to the target in order to receive the maximum sound wave energy reflecting back. This is even more important as the sensing range increase.
#4: Inappropriate application
Not all materials and objects are good targets for an ultrasonic...
Departments of Transportation (DOTs) in mountain states are under increasing pressure to maintain roadways during the winter months. Snow and ice create dangerous driving conditions, resulting in car accidents and fatalities. This has caused a sharp increase in the use of road de-icing compounds over the last few years, that continues to trend upward.
Liquid De-icer on the Rise
Traditional salt and sand road treatment, while effective, corrodes road surfaces and underlying bridge infrastructure. In addition, salt-water runoff contributes significantly to freshwater pollution. To prevent road degredation and water pollution, DOTs are turning to liquid magnesium chloride, which is less corrosive on road surfaces and has a lower environmental...
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