7/18/2019 Radar technology provides reliable ammonia levels Measuring anhydrous ammonia precisely - cpp - chemical plants &

plants & processes

Radar technology provides reliable ammonia levels

Measuring anhydrous ammonia precisely

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Typical installations (left to right):

Rosemount 5400 Series non-contacting
radar 5401 (6 GHz) and 5402 (24 GHz), 5301
high-performance guided wave radar, 5601
non-contacting radar (10 GHz) and 3301
guided wave radar

Ammonia is widely used in many

processes in the chemical
industry. Amongst other things, it
is the raw material for the
production of fertilisers. It is also
employed industrially as a
cleaning agent, disinfectant and
refrigerant. Ammonia is commonly
stored as anhydrous ammonia.
Precise level measurement in
those pressurised vessels is
di cult, because Ammonia has
the tend-ency to change between the liquid and vapour states.

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Ammonia is usually stored as a liquid in pressurised vessels and can be a very

difficult compound to measure reliably due to its tendency to change between the
liquid and vapour states as the pressure and temperature varies. In addition, the
surface of the fluid tends to boil as it moves between states and the heavy vapours
can affect measurement accuracy. Ammonia is hazardous and an irritant. It will also
diffuse through many elastomers and this needs to be taken into account when
selecting measurement technologies and devices.

Boiling at the surface has the disadvantage that displacer based level devices often
give inconsistent results that do not match the actual level. Moreover, contact with
caustic ammonia means that frequent maintenance is required to replace
components. Differential pressure (DP) level sensors struggle with the challenges of
measuring ammonia owing to the changing density of both the liquid and the
vapour space. Radar based sensors, on the other hand, are ideal for this purpose.
The choice of non-contacting or guided wave technologies depends on the context.
Low-frequency radar devices, for example, are less prone to attenuation and better
suited to many ammonia applications. There are also different methods of
propagation. While some designs project the radar signal down through the
atmosphere to the surface of the liquid, others use a probe to guide it.

Whichever technology is chosen, ammonia is a hazardous substance and it is

important to protect operators from contact with its vapours. Bearing this in mind,
some radar devices are designed so that when installed, they can be easily isolated
for maintenance – minimising the risk to the operator. Transmitter heads can thus
be serviced without breaching the tank atmosphere, eliminating any problems
caused by the need to open the tank.

Guided wave or non-contacting?

Radar level sensors are generally based on either guided wave or non-contacting
technologies. In a guided wave radar (GWR) installation, the GWR is mounted on top
of the tank or chamber containing the ammonia with the probe extended to the full
depth of the vessel. A low-energy pulse of microwaves is sent down the probe;
when it reaches the ammonia surface, a reflection is sent back to the transmitter.
The transmitter measures the time taken for the pulse to reach the ammonia
surface and be reflected back while an on-board microprocessor accurately
calculates the distance to the surface using ‘time-of-flight’ principles.

As GWR is not density-dependent and is unaffected by high turbulence or

vibrations, its measurement accuracy and reliability in ammonia applications are
good. Since there are no moving parts to stick or wear, maintenance costs are
minimised and the problem of false readings leading to hazardous situations is
avoided. Guided wave radar is suited for measuring both liquid anhydrous
ammonia and aqueous ammonia.
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Non-contacting radar devices provide a top-down, direct measurement of the

distance to the surface of the ammonia. They send a signal through the vapour
space that bounces off the surface and returns to the gauge. No compensation is
necessary if the density, dielectric or conductivity of the fluid changes. As it is non-
contacting, its susceptibility to corrosion is lim-ited. Both guided wave and non-
contacting radar are suitable for measuring liquid aqueous ammonia (ammonium
hydroxide or ammonium hydrate). These same technologies will also work with
many other liquid ammonia solutions.

However, the tanks used to store the ammonia sometimes require isolation valves.
It is therefore not possible to use guided wave radar with valves unless a bypass
chamber is installed. If the radar is mounted directly on the vessel and a valve is
required, this valve must be a full-port type so that the inside of the nozzle is
smooth. A non-contacting radar transmitter – such as the Rosemount 5402 with a
process seal antenna – is preferred in conjunction with valves because it uses a
higher frequency (24 GHz) which allows better signal propagation down the nozzle.
The process seal antenna has a dish made of PTFE which seals off the cone-shaped
antenna from the tank atmosphere. This means that only corrosion-resistant, non-
metallic materials are exposed to the atmosphere inside the vessel.

Level measurement in anhydrous NH3

Liquid anhydrous ammonia is difficult to measure because it produces heavy

vapours that attenuate radar signals. As the storage pressure increases, the density
of these vapours also rises. Heavier vapours result in more signal attenuation. For
this reason, the overall range capability of the radar decreases as the pressure
increases. This effect is more pronounced with higher-frequency units. A stilling well
can help to increase the range capability.

Guided wave radar operates with a low-frequency pulse. Since lower-frequency

radar signals are less attenuated in heavy vapour, guided wave radar is a better
option than non-contacting technology in high-pressure installations.

Turbulence from product boiling may affect the radar reflection during operation. If
guided wave radar is used, this effect is much less. A stilling well will strengthen the
signal with both GWR and non-contacting radar.

Proven results

Kerteh Terminals in Malaysia was using a displacer to measure the level of

anhydrous ammonia in a tank. Displacer technology is commonly employed for low-
temperature applications down to -33 °C. The displacer technology presented the
customer with many problems owing to the difficulty of carrying out
measurements. Firstly, the readings were inconsistent and did not match the actual
level. Secondly, the density of ammonia often changes as it moves between vapour
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and liquid phases, and it can also vary in response to moderate pressure or level
changes. Finally, frequent repairs were necessary and parts regularly had to be
replaced on the existing displacer system.

Due to the small span, heavy vapours and changing density, differential pressure
level and non-contacting radar technologies are not good choices for anhydrous
ammonia applications. The customer installed a Rosemount guided wave radar and
found that it met all expectations. With its low-frequency signal, the Rosemount
GWR is unaffected by the heavy vapours that commonly attenuate higher-frequency
signals. Kerteh Terminals specified the Rosemount GWR with a coaxial probe,
because this provides a strong, uninterrupted signal that further enhances the level
signal in this highly condensing environment. In addition, the Rosemount GWR has
no moving parts, making it virtually maintenance-free.

cpp-net.com/0112416

29. März 2012

Tags Ammonia Radar Wave

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