Camera system with clear benefits in level control

A new range of level control devices which offer an innovative approach to level measurement, is now available from level and flow specialists Allison Engineering

The Canty range of light, sight and camera devices has been developed to provide users with a real-time view of conditions inside process vessels and therefore offers clear advantages and benefits over traditional liquid level measurement technologies.

The system is comprised of three main components, which together, combine to provide users with optimum control over all aspects of level monitoring and control, even when conditions are particularly challenging.

Firstly, through a viewing window located on the vessel, a patented design of fibre optic light is used to transmit an intense and powerful light beam up to a 90degree angle which illuminates the inside of the process vessel.

This light 'bundle' measures only 3/4inch in diameter and can be used against a viewing window to enable operators to see conditions inside the vessel.

Thanks to this compact and powerful light source, a second window is not needed as both illumination and viewing can be conducted through the same window.

With other conventional filament light sources a two window set-up is usually required, one for the light source, another to enable viewing.

The system can be retrofitted using existing viewing windows or supplied as part of the package.

This fibre optic light is small enough to enable operators to see through the same viewing window and so removes the need for a second window.

An important advantage of this lighting technique is that it generates extremely low levels of heat unlike traditional filament light sources, and this is a clear benefit in pharmaceutical applications where highly sensitive and or expensive liquids could be adversely affected by heat build-up.

The second component is a hermetically fused metal to glass window that provides a full 3inch diameter viewing width and withstands temperatures up to 1000C and pressures to over 600Bar.

Hastelloy is the vital material in this component as, unlike stainless steel, it offers outstanding resistance to extremes of temperature and pressure.

For this reason, a number of pharmaceutical manufacturers specify these sight windows as 'without equal'.

Despite the 'exotic' nature of the Hastelloy material, the cost of these sight windows is comparable to standard stainless steel windows, because less material is needed as they are thinner and with the Canty system, only one window is required, as opposed to two.

The third and final component is the integral Ethernet or analogue camera which is mounted to the vessel viewing window.

This provides users with a real-time view inside the vessel under normal process conditions, and in conjunction with associated software, provides an effective solution for 'problematic' applications.

For example, solids and liquids, non-contact level, volume, uniform or uneven hopper levels, foam detection, such as % foam, foaming, volume.

Also, for interface detection, continuous, batch or split phase and for centrifuge and Nutsche filter applications such as those occurring in pharmaceutical applications, for example, cake detection, product level and thickness.

The camera system is also available as a high temperature option for specialised applications such as, molten aluminium / metal level and temperature and glass furnace viewing.

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