The noncontact aspect of ultrasonic sensors means that the sensor is not affected by the product that is being measured, level measurement company Vega Instruments claims. The company says that the measurement of liquid product levels by means of ultrasonic technology has many useful applications.
Vega Instruments’ com-pact ultrasonic sensors, the Vegason 61 and 62, are wear- and maintenance-free, and measure levels to a high degree of accuracy of about 10 mm.
The Vegason 61 sen- sor is ideal for imple-mentation in level measurement for open vessels, such as in chocolate production. The reservoirs of the pouring machine are supplied evenly with a stream of chocolate as thick as an arm.
A level-controlled flap alternately steers the chocolate mass into either of the open reservoirs, and two Vegason 61 ultrasonic sensors carry out a continuous filling level measurement. The noncontact measure-ment is unaffected by abrasion from the added ingredients and build-up of the chocolate mass.
The Vegason 62 can be used in water catchment applications. Mounted on a frame over the catchment inlet to a vessel or settling pond, the sensor acts as a reliable level gauge for the water catchment.
The transducer on this sensor is made of poly-vinylidene fluoride, a nonreactive thermoplastic fluoropolymer, with an ethylene propylene-diene monomer rubber seal and integrated temperature sensor to correct the sound running time.