Radar level gauge is a very important continuous control level instrument in the field of process control automation, mainly used for measuring level in industrial production. The use of advanced radar measurement technology and multi radar level gauges has particularly obvious advantages in harsh working conditions such as mixing, high temperature, large steam, strong corrosiveness of the medium, and easy scarring in tanks. To better understand and use the radar level gauge, this article discusses the working principle and installation precautions of the radar level gauge.

1、 The principle and characteristics of radar level gauge

The radar level gauge utilizes the special properties of radar waves for level detection. Radar waves are a special form of electromagnetic waves that, due to their physical properties similar to visible light, propagate at speeds close to the speed of light, with frequencies ranging from 300MHz to 3000GHz. They can penetrate interference sources such as steam and dust, and are easily reflected when encountering obstacles. The better the conductivity or dielectric constant of the measured medium, the better the reflection effect of the radar level gauge echo signal. Generally speaking, the higher the frequency of radar waves, the smaller the emission angle, the greater the energy (magnetic flux or field strength) per unit area, and the smaller the attenuation of the wave, the better the measurement effect of the radar level gauge. So, how does the radar level gauge work and what are the characteristics of its products?

1. Working principle of radar level gauge

The radar level gauge operates based on the principle of emission reflection reception. The antenna of the radar level gauge emits a minimum radar signal of 5.8GHz in the form of a beam. When the transmitted pulse touches the surface of the measured medium, a portion of the energy is reflected back and received by the same antenna. By using the principle of time extension technology, the time interval between transmitting and receiving pulses can be calculated, thereby further calculating the distance between the antenna and the surface of the measured medium. Structurally, the radar level gauge mainly consists of transmitting and receiving devices, signal processors, antennas, operation panels, displays, fault alarms, and other components

2. Product features of radar level gauge

Due to the advanced echo processing and data processing techniques used in the radar level gauge, coupled with the high frequency and good penetration performance of radar waves, the radar level gauge has better performance than contact level gauges and similar non-contact level gauges, and can be used in complex, harsh, and multi working conditions.

(1) Accurate measurement, safe and reliable.

(2) Easy to operate and convenient to debug.

(3) Need maintenance to save energy.

(4) Strong adaptability and wide measurement range.

2、 Precautions for installation of radar level gauge

1. During installation, the feeding port should be avoided to prevent false signals reflected from the feeding from affecting the measurement.

2. Ensure that there are no ladders, horizontal pipes, or fill flows on the propagation path of electromagnetic waves, while also being careful to avoid interference from tank walls.

3. Avoid installing the radar level gauge at the center of high and narrow containers.

4. The end of the horn antenna should extend at least 10mm into the container to avoid strong reflection at the end of the connecting pipe.

5. To prevent damage to the instrument, please avoid vibration, high-pressure cleaning, and lateral loads during installation.

6. The multi antenna installation of the radar level gauge should be perpendicular to the interface to prevent damage to the instrument, and its distance from the tank wall should be greater than the emission angle beam area. However, to prevent false echoes, it should be avoided to install it in the center of the arch tank.

7. When installing the radar level gauge on the tank at the bottom of the cone, attention should be paid to aligning the antenna with the bottom of the tank. This may cause some measurement errors, but it can achieve more complete measurement of the level and overcome false echoes caused by the cone bottom.

8. When installing with a connecting pipe, the antenna axis should be perpendicular to the surface of the material, and the diameter of the connecting pipe should be increased to reduce the interference echo generated by the connecting pipe. The antenna should be extended long enough into the tank to ensure sufficient echo.

9. When measuring material levels with high dust concentration, it is recommended to install dust covers or blowing devices to prevent dust hanging from affecting the antenna.

The Rada-22 high-frequency pulse radar level gauge is specifically designed for measuring solid material levels, with a range of up to 30m. Due to the use of a horn antenna with 25GHz high-frequency pulses, it is particularly suitable for applications involving high dust and high-temperature materials. The sight (universal joint) design used in the product can adjust the emission angle of the antenna according to the on-site working conditions, effectively improving the reliability of inclined solid material measurement.