Environment and recycling

Sustainable economic activity requires careful, efficient use of natural resources. Environmental legislation has also placed tough demands on the waste and recycling industry. IPTech measurement technology delivers a convincing performance even under the extremely challenging application conditions of modern environmental technology.

Application

The waste storage bunker in the reception hall is an important part of the EFW incineration plant. Its purpose is to provide a place to store, buffer and uniformly mix the delivered waste and ensure a continuous supply of waste to the incinerator. A grab crane transports the waste to the feed chute of the furnace. To ensure efficient operation of the plant, a reliable and accurate level measuring system is required in the waste storage bunker. In addition, the level in the feed chute must be monitored to protect against a blowback of flue gas.

Your benefit

Reliable

Protection against flue gas blowback through uniform filling of the feed chute

Cost effective

Optimal utilization of the bunker capacity by ensuring steady, even filling

User friendly

Constantly updated measurement data allows easy control of the grab crane

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement

Measuring point:

Surge bin

Measuring range up to:

20 m

Medium:

Household and commercial waste

Process temperature:

+10 … +50 °C

Process pressure:

0 … 0 bar

Special challenges:

Uneven surfaces, varying media properties, dust, noise, steam and gas emissions, movements of the grab crane

Application

After the crane system lifts the waste from the waste bunker and drops it to the feed chute, in the lower part of the chute, a hydraulic piston pushes the waste onto the combustion grate. It is important that waste in the chute is always at an optimal level and uniformly distributed. This prevents air from leaking into the furnace and ensures a constant supply of fuel for combustion. For that reason the minimum level in the feed chute has to be monitored and the resulting data displayed to the crane operator.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable detection of the minimum level protects against false air in the combustion chamber

Cost effective

Continuous supply of waste material ensures uniform combustion

User friendly

Crane driver receives accurate indication of the filling height

Process data

Measuring task:

Point level detection

Measuring point:

Shaft

Measuring range up to:

4 m

Medium:

Household and commercial waste

Process temperature:

+10 … +50 °C

Process pressure:

0 … 0 bar

Special challenges:

Continuous operation, widely different media, abrasion

Application

To ensure that the waste burns completely, temperatures up to 1000 °C must be maintained. For this purpose, large amounts of primary air from below and secondary air from above are blown in. Air quantity and air pressure must be precisely measured. Also an optimum waste layer thickness on the combustion grate is required for uniform combustion.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable measurement of the layer thickness and air flow, even at high combustion temperatures

Cost effective

Continuous operation and uniform combustion

User friendly

Maintenance-free measurement

Process data

Measuring task:

Pressure and level measurement

Measuring point:

Incinerator

Measuring range up to:

30 m

Medium:

Burning household and commercial waste

Process temperature:

+20 … +1000 °C

Process pressure:

0 … 0 bar

Special challenges:

Extremely high temperatures, measurement through open flames

Application

The hot, burned-out slag falls into the water quenching bath of the deslagger. A mechanical discharge mechanism pushes the slag out and, while doing so, presses out most of the entrained water. Evaporation and slag removal cause a steady loss of water. For that reason the water level in the deslagger has to be measured and replenished as required.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable function despite abrasive

Cost effective

Automatic operation ensures optimum level at all times

User friendly

Maintenance-free operation

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement

Measuring point:

Wet deslagger

Measuring range up to:

1 m

Medium:

Water and slag

Process temperature:

+20 … +80 °C

Process pressure:

0 … 0 bar

Special challenges:

Abrasive medium, steam, foaming

Application

Flue gas from waste incineration must be cleaned before it is released into the environment. Flue gas scrubbers do this by removing acidic gas components such as sulphur dioxide. Lime water is used as the washing solution and it is sprayed in against the flow of the gas. The lime deposits filtered out of the washing water are used as gypsum, e.g. for the production of plasterboard. To ensure a continuous scrubbing process, a constant level in the scrubbing tower is required.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable function, even with a turbulent product surface

Cost effective

Economical solution without capillary tubes

User friendly

Front-flush mounting avoids buildup and enables a maintenance-free measurement

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement

Measuring point:

Scrubbing tower

Measuring range up to:

4 m

Medium:

Lime water, flue gas

Process temperature:

+30 … +50 °C

Process pressure:

+0.2 … +0.4 bar

Special challenges:

Turbulent product surface, vacuum, buildup, low liquid level

Application

Waste incineration converts domestic and commercial waste into combustible gases and ash. Pyrolysis is carried out in the absence of air at temperatures up to 500 °C. The intermediate product, charcoal, is then further burned by adding air. Ash and synthesis gas with high thermal content are the end products. For continuous operation, the vessel must be loaded and emptied automatically. To this end, the level of material in the pyrolysis chamber and in the ash pan has to be measured.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable backup detection in the chute

Cost effective

Optimal utilization of the ash container volume

User friendly

Low maintenance requirements thanks to non-contact measurement

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement

Measuring point:

Container

Measuring range up to:

2.5 m

Medium:

Hot ash

Process temperature:

+40 … +200 °C

Process pressure:

0 … +2 bar

Special challenges:

Measurement through narrow chute, poorly reflecting medium, measurement during filling

Application

In open cast mining, the groundwater levels must be continuously reduced to protect the mining area from flooding and the excavation walls from instability due to water pressure. A large number of dewatering wells with submersible pumps are kept in operation for this purpose. A continuous water flow prevents the pump shaft from blocking due to the effects of hardening clay/iron oxide deposits. To regulate the pump output, precise level measurement is required in each of the up to 750 m deep wells.

Your benefit

Reliable

Maximum measurement reliability

Cost effective

Long-term availability of the measuring sensor

User friendly

Maintenance-free, thanks to self-cleaning effect of the flush-mounted diaphragm

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement

Measuring point:

Deep well

Measuring range up to:

750 m

Medium:

Water

Process temperature:

+4 … +10 °C

Process pressure:

0 … +10 bar

Special challenges:

Heavy deposits and buildup due to clay content in the water

Application

Pollutants contained in the waste are partly washed out over time by rainwater, posing a significant threat to groundwater and surface water. For that reason, leachate is caught in drains within the ground seal or liner, collected in wells and fed to a multistage treatment plant. To control the submersible drainage pumps, a level measuring system is needed inside the leachate well.

Your benefit

Reliable

Protects the drainage pumps from running dry

Cost effective

Protective PE coating ensures long-term measurement availability

User friendly

Simple installation and setup

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement

Measuring point:

Leachate well

Measuring range up to:

5 m

Medium:

Landfill leachate

Process temperature:

+5 … +25 °C

Process pressure:

0 … +0.5 bar

Special challenges:

Aggressive leachate

Application

In the stripping column process, the nitrogen and carbon compounds are decomposed by various microorganisms. Special carrier materials are packed in the central part of the reactor, which improve the biochemical reaction processes. To ensure an optimal operating point inside the stripping column, an exact level measurement at the base of the column is required. Because the surface of the medium in the reactor is very turbulent due to air flowing in from below, the level measurement has to be carried out in a bypass tube.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable measurement despite joints and deposits in the bypass tube

Cost effective

Precise measurement for efficient operation of the reactor

User friendly

Simple installation and setup

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement

Measuring point:

Reactor

Measuring range up to:

0 … 1 m

Medium:

Landfill leachate

Process temperature:

+15 … +45 °C

Process pressure:

0 … +0.5 bar

Special challenges:

Aggressive leachate

Application

Hazardous waste can include lacquers, paints and thinners, as well as acids, alkalis and mixtures. At hazardous waste treatment facilities, environmentally harmful substances are converted into environmentally safe ones. Before treatment, the liquid hazardous waste is collected in receiving tanks. Level measuring systems ensure the automated, monitored operation of the facility, thereby protecting human health and the environment.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable measurement despite changing process conditions

Cost effective

Optimum utilization of the vessel volume

User friendly

Complete, safe and automated operation of the facility

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement and point level detection

Measuring point:

Tank

Measuring range up to:

0 … 2 m

Medium:

Liquid hazardous waste

Process temperature:

+5 … +50 °C

Process pressure:

0 … +10 bar

Special challenges:

Differing media properties, changing process conditions, aggressive media

Application

Both chemical and thermal processes are used to treat hazardous waste. For efficient processing, the flow rate through the processing facility must be kept constant. To facilitate this, hazardous wastes such as varnishes, paints and thinners are buffered in tanks. Agitators prevent clumping and settling of the solids contained in the mixture. Reliable level measurement ensures continuous waste processing is maintained.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable measurement, even with vapours and agitators in motion

Cost effective

Uninterrupted waste processing

User friendly

Non-contact measurement for all hazardous wastes

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement and point level detection

Measuring point:

Tank

Measuring range up to:

15 m

Medium:

Lacquers, paints, thinners

Process temperature:

+5 … +40 °C

Process pressure:

0 … +0 bar

Special challenges:

Outgassing, agitators, changing composition

Application

Complete plastic windows can be recycled by means of a special process. The recycling process results in a final product of high-quality, pure-grade PVC granules, which serve as a raw material for new windows. It is stored in large silos that are fitted with tubes for uniform colour mixing. For optimal control of production and supply, the contents of the silo have to be determined, which is usually via level measurement.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable measurement for control of production and delivery

Cost effective

Optimal utilization of the silo volume

User friendly

Measured value display and convenient adjustment via external display and control unit

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement

Measuring point:

Silo

Measuring range up to:

25 m

Medium:

Plastic granules

Process temperature:

-10 … +40 °C

Process pressure:

0 … +0 bar

Special challenges:

Noise and dust during filling, abrasive medium, poor reflective properties

Application

Glass is made of quartz sand, lime and soda, which are melted together at extremely high temperatures up to 1600 °C. This melting process is very energy intensive and for that reason, more easily melted waste glass is also often added into the mix. After delivery, the waste glass is first crushed and freed from impurities. The material, known as cullet, is then transported and filled into a silo, where it is fed to the melting process. To ensure a continuous supply of material to the furnace, a reliable level measurement in the cullet silo is required.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable measurement enables a continuous supply of material to the furnace

Cost effective

Non-contact measurement, long service life

User friendly

Blockage detection makes additional monitoring superfluous

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement and point level detection

Measuring point:

Silo

Measuring range up to:

0 … 15 m

Medium:

Crushed waste glass

Process temperature:

-5 … +40 °C

Process pressure:

0 … 0 bar

Special challenges:

Noise and dust during filling, poor reflective properties

Application

The waste oil is heated to a temperature of 105 °C in the lower section of the column. Here, the water evaporates and is pumped away after it condenses. After reaching the appropriate temperature, the oil is transported through pipes to the upper part of the column, where the remaining water vaporises. For optimal dewatering, a defined level is required in the column. As the oil surface is very turbulent due to the action of pumps and heating, making level measurement directly inside the column practically impossible. For that reason it is done in a bypass tube.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable measurement enables dependable operation of the column

Cost effective

Optimal dewatering performance through defined level

User friendly

Measurement independent of medium properties

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement

Measuring point:

Dewatering column

Measuring range up to:

2 m

Medium:

Waste oil

Process temperature:

+20 … +105 °C

Process pressure:

0 … +1 bar

Special challenges:

Turbulent surface due to pump action and heating, fluctuating medium properties, deposits and buildup

Application

Accurate monitoring of the river level is an important prerequisite to be able to react quickly and correctly in the event of a flood. Visual, on-site level monitoring requires great effort, particularly for facilities in remote areas.

Application

Tsunamis travel quickly and cause great damage when they hit land. So it is vital that tsunami warnings are issued early. Tsunami information centres continuously evaluate simultaneous data from seismic and sea level measuring stations. Such a sea level measuring station is operated by an oceanographic centre in a ferry and cargo-ship terminal. The measurement has to reliably and accurately detect the sea level and forward the data directly to the central monitoring system.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable, millimetre-exact detection of the sea level

Cost effective

No maintenance or cleaning required

User friendly

Simple installation, easy access to the measuring point at any time

Process data

Measuring task:

Sea level measurement

Measuring point:

Harbour wall

Measuring range up to:

10 m

Medium:

Sea water

Process temperature:

+4 … +20 °C

Process pressure:

0 … 0 bar

Special challenges:

Outdoor use, aggressive seawater, highest reliability required for international measurement data system

Application

In a recycling company, oil sludge, oil/water mixtures and emulsions from many industrial processes are collected and treated. The objective is to separate the oil and water for recovery, purification and reuse. This process takes place in several steps. Firstly the oil/water mixture is centrifuged, hydrogen peroxide is added and mixed in a stirring reactor, then finally it is centrifuged again. Continuous level measurement is required in the reactor stage to enable automated operation. It’s very important for there to be an absolutely reliable and accurate measurement even at low liquid levels, right down to the vessel bottom.

Your benefit

Reliable

Reliable function, even with differently reflecting media, tank internals and agitators

Cost effective

Inexpensive integration into the reactor vessel, no modifications required

User friendly

Measuring point easily accessible

Process data

Measuring task:

Level measurement

Measuring point:

Reactor

Measuring range up to:

6 m

Medium:

Oil/water mixture

Process temperature:

0 … +50 °C

Process pressure:

0 … 0 bar

Special challenges:

Turbulent surface due to pump action and heating, fluctuating medium properties, deposits and buildup