Continuous crusher operation with better

level measurement: Application of the month

Any mining operation is only as proficient as its crushing capabilities. The crusher is one of the
first steps to processing the raw materials being excavated, taking large rocks and boulders and
turning them into smaller, workable-sized material, and this is typically completed in two stages –
a primary and then a secondary crusher.
Every crusher has an ideal level measurement at which it runs most efficiently. Too little
material, and throughput drops significantly. Too much material, and the crusher becomes
choked, damaged, or both, resulting in unplanned shutdowns and maintenance.
Getting an accurate and consistent level measurement in this application is a big challenge.
Constantly falling materials can damage any level measurement instrumentation, and the
constant cloud of dust and loud noises interfere with many level measurement technologies.

A creative installation with 80 GHz radar

A large mining operation in Peru runs three crushers and three secondary crushers to
process 18,000 tons of material every day. Operators never knew the level in their
secondary crusher because dust interfered with non-contact measurement instrumentation,
and there was a limited amount of space to mount a sensor. Operators were left guessing 
at how much material was entering the crusher, and the process consistently choked up,
resulting in regular shutdowns. 

VEGA representatives worked with staff at the mine to create a solution that would end the
constant stoppages. They began with the VEGAPULS 69, an 80 GHz radar for the continuous
level measurement of bulk solids. The sensor is equipped with special electronics to give it
the ability to read through any clouds of dust and dirt. Plus, this radar sensor’s high
frequency gives it a narrow focus, which allows it to make measurements in tight spaces –
something that came in handy during installation.

Mine technicians installed the sensor above the crusher and inside a small metal box to
protect it from any falling material. Despite the tight fit, operators began receiving an
accurate and reliable continuous level measurement. Shortly thereafter, mining staff
installed VEGAPULS 69 radar sensors on the rest of their crushers.
Running smoothly and safely

Since installing the new sensors, throughput has increased and unplanned shutdowns due
to a crusher getting choked up and stopped have been nearly nonexistent. The mine’s safety
record has also improved, since unjamming the crusher can be a dangerous job with a lot of
opportunities for error. The secondary crushers had been holding back the entire mining
operation before they installed the VEGAPULS 69s, and now incoming raw materials are
being processed without interruption.

Applications
Crusher
Level measurement in the crusher
To be able to transport and further process the largest possible production volumes, the ore
must have an optimal size. To achieve this, the ore is crushed to the correct size in two stages, in
a primary and then a secondary crusher. In order to enable an optimum throughput, and avoid
choking or damaging the crusher, a reliable level measurement is required.
Measuring task
Level measurement
Measuring point
Crusher
Measuring range up to
20 m
Medium
Ore
Process temperature
0 … +30 °C
Process pressure
0 … 0 bar
Special challenges
Dust generation, filling noise
Reliable
Reliable measurement even during filling
Cost effective
Optimal utilization of the container volume
User friendly
Simple mounting and setup
See all recommended products

VEGAPULS 69

VEGA measurement technology for the

optimization of stone crushers

The system used at Ma-estro optimizes the material flow to the hopper and adapts immediately
to load problems and material changes.

Crushers require a lot of energy to produce the finished product. In addition to the actual
comminution, processes like pre-washing, cleaning, and sorting, all require energy, too. Thanks
to MA-ESTRO's systems, energy consumption per tonne of product is significantly reduced.
They do this through intelligent automation of the entire production chain and real-time data
management. MA-ESTRO's systems virtually dismantle the entire crushing process, from the
quarry to the end-product, and assess all the individual parameters in the respective processes
from every different angle. On average, 15 percent of total energy consumption can be saved by
breaking it down in this way.

Gentle processes are good for the end product

 VEGA sensors in the crushing machines transmit the correct level at all times.
Energy costs aren't the only focus of optimization. The real challenge for the quarry
operator is to deliver an end product with uniform quality. Quality and reproducibility
largely depend on the load placed on the crushing machines. The harder the material, the
greater the stress on crushers and mills. Wet material can be a problem for conveyors,
hydrocyclones, and screens. Plus, the constantly changing properties of the raw materials,
such as mass, density, or hardness, place different demands on the various plant
components like crushers and screens.
Manual intervention in the process is usually difficult, so to continuously monitor the
individual process steps, the main goal becomes reducing the load on the machine
components. MA-ESTRO's system automatically controls the entire process by connecting all
the machines in the system. The sensors installed in the critical areas make it possible to
constantly adjust the load in the individual parts of the system. For example, loading is
controlled, material flow is adjusted, and any clogging scenario is avoided. This protects the
equipment, saves energy, and leads to higher product quality.

Reliable detection of level prevents overloading

 The main objective of automated control is to identify and resolve the discrepancies caused by
raw material variability.
In MA-ESTRO’s world, sensor technology plays a major role. For about a year already,
measurement technology from VEGA has been involved in the monitoring and optimization
of their crushing machines. A total of 50 instruments are being used for this,
including VEGASON 61, 62, 63, VEGAPULS 69 and VEGABAR 82. Most of these are level
sensors.

VEGA radar technology is used to measure the material in the crushers and mills. But these
radar sensors also alert operators of screen clogging, and the radar sensors measure the
level of water used for washing the material. VEGA sensors are also located at the opening
of the press to control the level in the machine, on the conveyor belts to measure the load,
and in the storage containers to measure the quantity of the end-product.

MA-ESTRO had previously used sensors from other manufacturers for these tasks. However,
it was overly costly to integrate these into the existing automation systems. Plus, dust,
residual material, and moisture caused a lot of interfering reflections and resultant
measurement errors.

Installed as a test instrument – retained for permanent use

MA-ESTRO hardly knew anything about VEGA previously. They were convinced to give some
new sensors a try, so they installed a few for testing. It wasn't long before MA-ESTRO was
convinced. The new technology and the sensors have since found their permanent place in
the crushing systems. The measurement engineering team was especially impressed by the
simple configuration of the instruments. Thanks to the plics® concept, the standardized
user interface independent of measuring principle, the team didn’t have to re-familiarize
themselves with the different sensor types over and over again.

VEGAPULS 69, in particular, delivered extremely reliable and accurate measured values – an
important prerequisite for starting an optimization of the crushing process. The level sensor
operates with 80 GHz and has an antenna diameter of approximately 75 mm. This allows
the 80-GHz beam to bypass anything that could otherwise get in the way, such as internal
fixtures or buildup on the vessel wall. Plus, it easily penetrates dense clouds of dust. All
these factors makes measurements more reliable, especially in the harsh environments
found in crushing machines.

On additional feature delighted the Italian company - the option to use wireless

communication via Bluetooth. This is especially useful for hard-to-reach areas, harsh
industrial environments, and Ex hazardous zones. VEGA sensors can be configured and
parameterized from a safe distance with a smartphone or tablet. A fast, easy-to-use display,
and diagnostic functions are also available. VEGA technology fit perfectly into MA-ESTRO's
optimization environment.

Applications
Large storage silos

Level measurement and point level detection in large storage silos

To the application
Bulk solids stockpile

Level measurement of stockpiles

To the application
Crusher
Level measurement and point level detection in rock crushers
To the application
Conveyor belt
 Mass flow measurement on conveyor belts
To the application

Products

VEGAPULS 69

VEGASON 61

VEGASON 62

VEGASON 63

 1
 2

 Measuring rock flow on a conveyor belt:

Application of the Month
 
 Ready-mix plants all over southern California rely on a steady supply of crushed rocks to
make their product. A nearby quarry meets that demand by extracting rocks and stones
from an open pit mine, crushing them, and distributing them to their customers. Processing
these rocks to get them to the right size requires moving them to different processes, and
this is done along conveyor belts.
 To control the flow of materials, operators need to know just how much rock is moving
along these conveyor belts. However, getting this measurement can be a challenge for a
number of reasons, including excessive vibrations, rocks damaging equipment, and varying
belt tensions. The most common answer to achieving this measurement has been load
cells, which weigh the rock as it moves along a section of the conveyor belt.
 The quarry in southern California had been using load cells, but the maintenance and
recalibrations were constant. Plus, the load cells weren’t able to deliver the measurement
data to their control system at the operations center. The quarry wanted a better solution –
one with less maintenance, fewer calibrations, and a sensor that could deliver the
information they need to their control systems.


 Non-contact measurement rocks

  The VEGA WeighTrac 31 uses radiometric technology to calculate the mass flow of bulk
materials like rocks in a quarry. It works by mounting a sealed, low-intensity isotope in a
source holder above the conveyor belt with a scintillation detector mounted below. A fan-
shaped collimated beam of radiation is transmitted from the source through the process
material and the conveyor to the detector.
 As radiation passes through the matter, its field weakens . As the total mass per square foot
changes, the amount of radiation reaching the detector changes inversely. In other words,
the amount of radiation reaching the detector is inversely proportional to the amount of
material on the conveyor belt. The internal electronics can then use the speed of the belt to
calculate the mass flow of rocks or other bulk solids being transported.
 The WeighTrac 31 is a completely non-contact measurement, so it doesn’t interfere with the
conveyor belt, making installation easier. It’s a solid state system, with no moving parts, so it
requires dramatically less upkeep than load cells – no more regular recalibrations. Its
resistance to vibration and the metal housing’s ability to withstand most rocks that may fall
off the belt all add up to maintenance calls becoming a thing of the past.
 Getting all the information in one place
 The quarry had a better, more reliable way of seeing just how much rock was moving
around, but they still needed to see that information in one spot at their control center. To
do that, they input the information from the WeighTrac 31 into a VEGAMET 625, which
output the information to their control center using Ethernet. Now, belt speed and the flow
of materials can all be seen and controlled from a single location, securing the steady
supply of crushed rocks for ready-mix plants all across southern California.

 Products in this article



 VEGAMET 625



 WEIGHTRAC 31


Better ways to use differential

pressure for liquid level
measurement
Most engineers understand how the technology works, but
here are practical techniques to improve measurement
performance and reduce maintenance.
Nicole Meidl
Oct 23rd, 2019

Figure 1. Pressure transmitters, such as those in Emerson’s Rosemount 3051 pressure transmitter family,
provide a high degree of precision and versatility for DP level applications. All images courtesy of
Emerson

Using differential pressure as a technology to measure level in tanks and

vessels is a common technique, but many users apply it in ways that decrease
reading accuracy or create maintenance headaches. In this article, we’ll look
at a few basic concepts of the technology and then analyze an example
application to provide ideas for improving and troubleshooting new and
existing installations.

Liquid residing in any type of vessel or tank develops pressure caused by its
own weight, allowing pressure to be measured in inches of water column. If
one were to drill into the side of a tank and insert a gauge calibrated to sense
the proper range pressure and it indicated 120 inches, and if the tank is
holding water and is open to the atmosphere, one can rightly conclude there
is 10 feet of water above the gauge. The underlying principle is simple to
understand but implementing it can get complicated quickly.

First, density is a factor. The specific gravity of the liquid has to be included
in the calculation to turn pressure into depth. If the liquid and its
characteristics are well understood, including the effects of temperature, the
level measurement will have the same degree of precision as the pressure
instrument. 

Second, if the tank is not vented to atmosphere, the interior could be above or
below atmospheric pressure. If the instrument measuring level is reading
against atmosphere, the interior pressure of the system adds to the pressure of
the liquid and can change the calculated level reading drastically because it is
reading the pressure of the liquid plus the system pressure. Under these
conditions, the simple pressure gauge has to be replaced with a differential
pressure (DP) gauge with the high side connected to the liquid contents and
the low side to the head space above the liquid. With this approach, the
reading self-compensates and provides a correct indication of liquid level.

These are basic enough concepts. Usually a company understands its process
and products sufficiently to overcome the density question, but implementing
DP measuring techniques can be more challenging.

Figure 2. A diaphragm sensor mount minimizes the potential for process

containment loss while also protecting the transmitter.

Basic implementations

The simplest implementation for the two connections of the DP reading using
a digital transmitter (Figure 1) is to put a direct impulse line to the high side
from the liquid tap, and then run a line from a tap at the top of the tank to the
low side. The first connection is wet and the second is dry. The problem with
this approach is that the impulse lines and the transmitter itself are now part
of the process containment. A loose tube fitting or breach of any kind in the
lines or transmitter is a loss of containment. If the process is benign and the
operating temperatures and pressures are not excessive, this might be
perfectly adequate.

Where conditions are more critical, the process connections on the tank
typically use a flanged spud and the transmitter connection uses a diaphragm
(Figure 2), which keeps the process medium inside because the pressure is
transmitted via an incompressible fill fluid inside the impulse lines on both
sides. While this is very effective at protecting the process and the
transmitter, once the lines containing fluid come into the picture, they
introduce several side effects that can affect reading accuracy.

Figure 3. Here are three approaches to solve pressure measurement errors

caused by wet legs. “A” uses a balanced approach which can vary due to
temperature induced density changes. “B” is a tuned approach which
improves response time. “C” illustrates Emerson’s Rosemount 3051 ERS
System which eliminates the impulse line entirely.

Problems with impulse lines

Depending on the height of the tank, the headspace tap at the top can be a
long distance from the main transmitter. Under these conditions, the weight
of the fill fluid becomes a factor as it creates its own pressure, distorting the
headspace measurement. Naturally there are mechanisms to mitigate this
problem (Figure 3, a and b), which generally involve ways to compensate for
the impulse lines.

Fluid-filled impulse lines also present a variety of difficulties related to

temperature differentials. If the process is hot, the fill fluid needs to be
capable of withstanding the high temperature without vaporizing. This is
usually not a problem given the high temperature tolerance of certain fluids,
but these fluids tend to become viscous at typical ambient temperatures.
Consequently, some impulse lines need heat tracing in cold environments to
avoid the fluid becoming too cold and viscous to transmit data reliably once
removed from the process heat.

Simplifying installations while preserving reliable process containment often

begins with getting rid of the long impulse line from the upper headspace tap.
One highly effective approach uses a second pressure transmitter mounted at
the top of the tank (Figure 3, c) as an electronic remote sensor (ERS) to
measure headspace pressure and send the data electronically to the main DP
transmitter at the bottom. This eliminates the long impulse line and all its
problems.

Using two transmitters in tandem is not a new idea, but getting such a setup
to provide the degree of accuracy sufficient for effective process control or
inventory management requires modern high-precision transmitters. If a
process is pressurized at 100 psi and the tank has 10 feet of water, the upper
and lower transmitters will read 100.00 psi and 104.34 psi, respectively. Both
readings must be within a tight tolerance band to provide the level
measurement, and this is only possible with matched transmitters providing
high repeatability. With tolerance of ±1%, the level reading could indicate
anything from 91 to 149 inches, hence the need for high precision. This
application calls for tolerance ranges with fractions of percentages, which
fortunately is possible with modern high-end transmitters.
Figure 4. Distillation towers come in a variety of sizes and shapes but include
many common elements.

Learning from a difficult application

Much can be learned from difficult applications and applied to less complex
situations. Here is a case in point: measuring level in a distillation tower
using DP. A typical distillation tower (Figure 4) receives a mixture of heated
liquids which turn into vapors that can be separated using their differing
boiling points. Most towers have trays arranged at specific levels where
specific vapors will condense in a fairly pure form, allowing the components
to separate into their respective streams.

Normally the inlet is near the midpoint of the tower, and through downward
flow of liquids and upward flow of vapors, the liquids separate into the
lightest/lowest boiling components at the top and the heaviest/highest boiling
components at the bottom. The liquid level at the bottom of the tower is the
most critical measurement. When the process runs correctly, the liquid level
will remain within a narrow range. It has to be high enough for the re-boiler
to do its job but below the lowest trays. Major industrial disasters, such as the
accident at the BP Texas City plant in 2005, have resulted from towers filling
with liquid because malfunctioning level measurements caused operators to
pump in too much liquid (U.S. Chemical Safety Hazard and Investigation
Board, Mar. 20, 2007 https://www.csb.gov/bp-america-refinery-explosion/) 1.

Distillation towers present multiple challenges for measuring level:

 There are too many internal obstructions for any top-down technology
to work.
 The interior is pressurized, and this pressure varies with throughput.
 There can easily be 100 feet or more between the top and bottom
measurement points.
 The fluid is usually hot with temperature ranges from 200-600° F.

Let’s look at these factors individually and see how to solve the challenges.

1. With all the trays and other internal structures, the only practical approach
for measuring level is DP since no top-down technology can do the job.
Moreover, even if there were no obstructions, the distances often involved
would be beyond the range capabilities of most radar transmitters.

2. Towers are sealed and invariably pressurized, which means the head-space
measurement has to be part of the level calculation. Some have free internal
flows with consistent pressure across the entire height, while the trays and
liquid flows of others create internal pressure profiles that can complicate the
level measurement. An ERS can help characterize such profiles to solve
measurement challenges.

3. Tall towers create the problems with impulse lines discussed earlier, so
this is an excellent situation where an ERS with two transmitters can avoid
distance compensation and temperature gradient issues with fill-fluids. There
will be no need for heat tracing or other maintenance-intensive approaches.

4. The one topic remaining is temperature. Distillation towers can be very

hot, both at the top and bottom — frequently too hot for conventional
transmitters mounted directly to spud. Users often try to solve the problem by
installing an impulse line to create some protective distance, but this
introduces all the operational and maintenance headaches related to impulse
lines.
To address this issue, there are self-contained diaphragm and transmitter
assemblies (Figure 5) that have internal fluid-filled sections designed to
minimize heat transfer between the process and transmitter, while avoiding
the usual drawbacks. These assemblies use two fluids: one selected to
withstand the full process heat and a second suited for ambient conditions.

The high temperature fluid is contained in a capillary tube between the main
diaphragm and a second internal diaphragm, and the tube transmits pressure
to the second fluid, which contacts the actual measuring diaphragm. The
assembly is fully sealed and protected to avoid any physical damage to the
mechanism. This type of assembly increases the thermal range possible for
the transmitter, providing greater application flexibility.
Figure 5. This cutaway view of Emerson’s Rosemount 3051S Thermal Range
Expander shows how it uses two fill fluids in sealed capillaries to carry
pressure but not heat to the transmitter, ensuring fast response time and low
maintenance.

Solutions simplify complexity

DP can serve applications well whether the primary objective is inventory
management, process control or improved safety. DP can provide a high
degree of precision and repeatability but is still economical. If new
technological         
References

1. U.S. Chemical Safety Hazard and Investigation Board, Mar. 20, 2007
https://www.csb.gov/bp-america-refinery-explosion/

Nicole Meidl is a product manager for Emerson in Shakopee, Minnesota.

She specializes in Rosemount DP level products, but in her five years with
Emerson she has managed Rosemount pressure transmitters, multi-variable
transmitters and electronic remote sensor systems. Nicole has a bachelor’s
degree in mechanical engineering and is currently pursuing an Master’s in
Business Administration from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul.