Two enhancements to radar level measurement devices by Siemens Industry Automation & Drive Technologies are leading the company to claim a new standard in operational efficiency for plant operators.
Siemens Sitrans LR250 now comes with SIL 2 (safety integrity level), in line with the IEC 61508/61511 standard requirements for functional safety in hazardous areas.
It is also now available with a threaded PVDF antenna, which, coupled to the device's existing advanced echo processing, makes it about as low cost and high performance as you're going to get – even for short ranges and low dielectric media.
As for the rest, LR250 has been designed to withstand interaction with corrosive chemicals, such as sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid, using speciality plastic Kynar in place of stainless steel, which is suitable for use in food and beverage, chemical, and water treatment applications.
Derek Moore, product manager for Siemens Sensors & Communication, says that in IEC60770-1 terms, worst case accuracy is to 3mm over the full range of the device.
"Performance is not forfeited with the Sitrans LR250's cost effective design. The antenna is able to operate in both high and low liquid levels in even the most space restricting environments," comments Moore. "That means performance and accuracy is guaranteed in every situation."
