Bin Level Measuring Solution Avoids Tripper Car Mishaps


Krohne’s Optiwave 6300 radar-based bin level
meter features an antenna design that prevents
product buildup in dusty conditions.
Tripper cars typically function as a shiftable transfer point for raw material, moving back and forth along a track to direct the dis-charge of mined material at specific loca-tions, such as conveyor loading points, mills, bins or stockpiles, for example.

Krohne, a Duisburg, Germany-based provider of technology for measurement of flow, mass flow, level, pressure and tem-perature in process applications, reports that one of the world’s largest gold mines solved a bulk storage problem by using its Optiwave 6300 non-contact radar level meter to reliably measure ore levels in multiple bins, with product height typical-ly exceeding 10 m (33 ft). In operation, the position of the tripper car is controlled by the bin levels and the demand for material in the bins. However, due to mounting and mechanical restrictions, the existing bin level radar meters were posi-tioned to the side of the bins and conse-quently could not measure full product level when the top of the pile approached the height of the conveyor, resulting in the possibility for ore to build up to the level of the tripper, damaging the car and caus-ing a potentially hazardous situation. After mounting an Optiwave 6300 radar level meter on the tripper car itself, the 6300’s radar proved capable of quickly locking onto and measuring the material height in each of the bins. The car-mounted radar, according to Krohne, provides redundancy for the bin-mounted radars and protects the tripper cars from damage caused by an overfilled bin.

Krohne also noted that the dust and dirt inherent in handling ore makes reliable bin level measurement from a moving tripper car even more challenging. In these condi-tions, the 6300’s radar level meter, said the company, provides a more stable and responsive measurement than pulse radar because it features a teardrop antenna design that prevents product build-up in dusty applications. In addition, the unit’s frequency-modulated, continuous-wave (FMCW) measuring principle provides con-tinuous measurement at high bandwidth, resulting in enhanced reliability and accu-racy in the presence of strong multiple reflections, like a dusty environment. An installation wizard specifically for solids, powders and granulates permits the instru-ment to measure uneven surfaces accu-rately with ranges up to 80 m (260 ft).

As featured in Womp 2013 Vol 04 - www.womp-int.com