BinMaster Level Controls announces the introduction of the  3DLevelScanner HE designed for use in storage silos containing challenging materials such as clinker, alumina, and fly ash. This new model of the 3DLevelScanner has an operating temperature range of up to 250°F (120°C) to accommodate higher temperatures that may be present when material that has been heated in the production process is conveyed into storage silos. 

The 3DLevelScanner HE is ideal for use in the cement, aluminum and power industries where there are multiple challenges such as dust or high humidity and very large silos where the material surface in the bin may be uneven and difficult to measure. Dependent on the diameter and height of the silo and the desired level of volume accuracy, one or more 3DLevelScanners is mounted on the top of the silo in strategic locations determined by using advanced proprietary software. Each dust-penetrating, non-contact sensor sends pulses in a 70° beam angle, taking multiple measurements from the material surface and continually mapping the material surface to detect changes in level, account for uneven surface topography, and calculate a highly accurate volume estimate for the contents of the silo. 

The 3DLevelManager software reports the lowest and highest points detected and the average level based upon a weighted average of all of the measurements detected in the bin. For the MV and the MVL models, a colorful graphical representation will indicate where high and low spots exist in the silo. “In the manufacturing process, materials such as clinker, alumina or fly ash may be conveyed into the silo when they are still relatively hot,” said Todd Peterson, vice president of sales for BinMaster. “The new 3DLevelScanner HE withstands these higher temperatures while maintaining a high level of measurement accuracy, unlike some non-contact devices that are prone to becoming unreliable in harsh environments. With our experience in over 500 installations in North America, the 3DLevelScanner has been proven to perform in a wide variety of materials like heavy lump material like clinker, fine granular material like alumina oxide, or powdered materials such as fly ash.”