WO2016189557A1 - Level measuring device - Google Patents
Level measuring device Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO2016189557A1 WO2016189557A1 PCT/IT2015/000143 IT2015000143W WO2016189557A1 WO 2016189557 A1 WO2016189557 A1 WO 2016189557A1 IT 2015000143 W IT2015000143 W IT 2015000143W WO 2016189557 A1 WO2016189557 A1 WO 2016189557A1
- Authority
- WO
- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- motor
- controller
- counterweight
- reduction gear
- rope
- Prior art date
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G01—MEASURING; TESTING
- G01F—MEASURING VOLUME, VOLUME FLOW, MASS FLOW OR LIQUID LEVEL; METERING BY VOLUME
- G01F23/00—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm
- G01F23/0023—Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm with a probe suspended by a wire or thread
Definitions
- Object of the present invention is a new level measuring device intended for industrial and home processes, in particular used in twin or more shafts regenerative kilns for production of lime.
- the level is an important measure parameter in the industrial and home processes and the devices currently available on the market, intended for its measuring, are many and depend on the kind of process in which the measure is carried out, on the treated fluid (subjected to analysis) and on the working conditions.
- the level is the measure of the height of a substance contained in a tank with respect to a point taken as reference. It is a linear measure, typically expressed in percentage or in millimeters, and can be with continuous or point values: the continuous sensors measure the level inside a specific interval and determine the exact quantity of substance in a determined volume, while the point level sensors indicate only if the substance is on
- the level sensors are one of the most important sensor kinds with a prior role in the variety of industrial and home appl ications .
- the level sensors are available and can be designed by using many detection principles.
- the selection of a suitable kind of sensor apt to satisfy the requirement of the application is very important.
- there are to be con idered also costs, measure precision, aesthetic appearance, response frequency, calibration and program easiness, physical dimensions, installation of the device, continuous or discrete (pointly) monitoring and control of the measure .
- level sensors of immersion kind there are known level sensors of immersion kind . (capacitive feeler levels) , with electromagnetic waves (ultrasound, radioactive source, radar), which are not in contact with the material, and finally the touch- sensing ones , in contact with the material in discrete and not continuous way. Therefore it is not possible to use traditional tools, which are not able to resist to the working conditions of the calcina ion process , and cannot carry out accurate and precise measurements.
- a level measuring device in industrial processes, comprising the following elements:
- a first advantage is given by the fundamental feature of the device which, thanks to the continuous couple control of the counterweight guaranteed by the motor- reduction gear assembly, is that it is possible to work in continuous touch- sensing with the material to be measured, thus guaranteeing an extremely reliable continuous measuring .
- a second advantage is given by the parameterization flexibility of the brushless motor, whereby the measurement is precise and not altered by the working conditions, thus not needing continuous adjustments due to the change of working conditions and fields.
- Another advantage of the device thanks to the direct coupling of the motor-reduction gear assembly with the rope winding drum, is the reduction at minimum of frictions which can mechanically interfere with the measurement.
- the device is definitely reliable also in long time and substantially does not need maintenance.
- the device needs only two electric connections (power and signal) without needing other connections or devices, as for example an incremental encoder and parking brake, intrinsic elements to the brushless motor.
- the device is parameterized and programmed directly inside the driver in the construction step, with the need to configure only the simple basic operations at the moment of the installation in the system.
- Figure 1A shows a side graphical representation relative to the elements of the level sensor according to the present invention
- Figure IB shows a front graphical representation relative to the elements of the level sensor according to the present invention.
- Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the level measuring method of the sensor of fig. 1.
- the new level measuring device 100 in industrial processes comprises the following elements:
- controller 6 a controller 6.
- the above described elements 1, 2, 3 are contained in a case 7, obtained only by means of "additive manufacturing” techniques, i.e. 3D printing.
- the controller 6 is positioned.
- the important innovation is given by the fact that the level measuring device, besides being made up of very simple elements, carries out a continuous touch-sensing of the material.
- the elements are managed by an architecture and a logic according to the block diagram shown in figure 2.
- the measuring device 100 provided with a brushless type motor 1 is controlled by a controller 6 comprising a driver which interfaces itself to an outer control 9 by means of a Profibus or Ethernet network with Modbus/TCP protocol .
- the controller 6 allows to control the device 100 in two different ways: - manual S100, i.e. controllable by means of a local on-off push-bottom panel, which is the operation mode allowed for the maintenance operations
- the driver manages the brushless motor 1 so that the counterweight 5, fixed to the end of the rope 4, which is wound on a drum 3 and this one coupled directly to the motor 1 -reduction gear 2 assembly, is arranged softly on the bed, free surface of the material/fluid to be analyzed.
- the counterweight 5 is constantly kept in contact with the material/fluid, and the rope always remains tenaioned .
- the incremental encoder integrated in the brushless motor 1 gives back continuously the feedback about the level height of the material /fluid contained in the silos or tank. This allows to monitor the level measure continuously.
- the couple control can be managed in dynamic and flexible way on the basis of the working height and the consequent variations of weight given by the sum of the length of the rope (variable) and the counterweight (constant) .
- CALIBRATION S240 by activating the function "calibration", the incremental encoder of the device 100 can be reset in any time.
- the motor 1 is activated by the driver to bring back the counterweight in the "absolute zero" position, i.e. in the end of stroke position provided by a housing in the case 7 of the device 100.
- the encoder is automatically reset. Once the calibration procedure is ended, the driver activates the motor to bring back the device in parking position.
- the device is provided for achine-to- Machine (M2M) , Machine- to-Human (M2H) and Machine- to-Enterprise ( 2E) connection, since it can manage up to 32 levels in parallel: i.e. with only one management card, there can be controlled up to 32 touch- sensing devices (METRO) , thus obtaining up to 32 different measuring points by only one administrator .
- M2M Machine-to- Machine
- M2H Machine- to-Human
- 2E Machine- to-Enterprise
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Measurement Of Levels Of Liquids Or Fluent Solid Materials (AREA)
Abstract
Level measuring device 100 comprising a motor 1, an epicycloidal reduction gear 2, a rope 4, a rope winding drum 3 directly coupled to the reduction gear 2, a counterweight means 5 fixed to the end of the rope 4, a controller 6, characterized in that the controller 6 is configured to carry out a continuous couple control of the motor 1/reduction gear 2 assembly so that the counterweight means 5 is in continuous touch-sensing with the material to be measured.
Description
LEVEL MEASURING DEVICE
DESCRIPTION
Field of the invention
Object of the present invention is a new level measuring device intended for industrial and home processes, in particular used in twin or more shafts regenerative kilns for production of lime.
State of the art
As it is known, the level is an important measure parameter in the industrial and home processes and the devices currently available on the market, intended for its measuring, are many and depend on the kind of process in which the measure is carried out, on the treated fluid (subjected to analysis) and on the working conditions. Generally, the level is the measure of the height of a substance contained in a tank with respect to a point taken as reference. It is a linear measure, typically expressed in percentage or in millimeters, and can be with continuous or point values: the continuous sensors measure the level inside a specific interval and determine the exact quantity of substance in a determined volume, while the point level sensors indicate only if the substance is on
I
or under the measurement point. Generally, these last ones detect the minimum or maximum levels of a system.
Briefly, the level sensors are one of the most important sensor kinds with a prior role in the variety of industrial and home appl ications . As for other kinds of sensors, the level sensors are available and can be designed by using many detection principles. The selection of a suitable kind of sensor apt to satisfy the requirement of the application is very important. Moreover, there are to be con idered also costs, measure precision, aesthetic appearance, response frequency, calibration and program easiness, physical dimensions, installation of the device, continuous or discrete (pointly) monitoring and control of the measure .
Concerning the level value indication it can be local (in loco or in situ), but most of the time this value is transmitted to the remote control (a PLC) where it is used as indicator, or is recorded, connected to an alarm or regulation system .
Moreover , there are also industrial processes , critical from the point of view of level measure and control and of the equipment intended for such aim.
In some processes, such for example the ones of twin or more shafts regenerative kilns, in which the lime produc ion processes occur, there are considerable difficulties and problems linked to level measuring.
At the state of the art, there are known level sensors of immersion kind . (capacitive feeler levels) , with electromagnetic waves (ultrasound, radioactive source, radar), which are not in contact with the material, and finally the touch- sensing ones , in contact with the material in discrete and not continuous way. Therefore it is not possible to use traditional tools, which are not able to resist to the working conditions of the calcina ion process , and cannot carry out accurate and precise measurements.
In case of level measure in tanks containing extremely fine and/or powder material, for example in the processes for lime production functioning in severe conditions, with high temperatures and pressures , and in presence of chemicals therein and with more or less long fields to be measured, it is not possible to use traditional tools, which would not be able to resist to the process working conditions, and could not carry out accurate and precise measurements. The capacitive feeler level
sensors are in fact to be excluded both for the installation limits and mechanic resistance of the feelers when immersed in the material, the ones with radioactive source for their installation difficulties, costs and safety; the level sensors with electromagnetic waves remain critical for the strong difficulty of reading, accuracy and measure reliability. Therefore, for reliability, precision and accuracy the choice of the level sensors falls on the touch- sensing sensors. These are based on the old system of lowering a rope with a counterweight fixed at an end from the upper portion of a tank, up to come in contact with the product contained in the tank which is intended to be measured. Then the level measure results from the length measure of the rope used for such operation. Currently, the touch- sensing levels available on the market, used to monitor the material flow in silos and tanks are of hydraulic - mechanic, pneumatic or electro-mechanic kind. Generally, they are completely automatized and made up of a touch-sensing feeler connected to a steel tape/rope, a motor-reduction gear assembly for lowering and lifting the touch-sensing feeler, an electric pulses generator and an electric pulses meter ,
But the known measurers have the drawback that they cannot carry out accurate and, above all, continuous measurements, i.e. the continuous touch- sensing of the material, independently of the dimension of this last one, the measuring conditions and the working fields changing, which, as it is known, have to be set and changed at ones pleasure .
Therefore, there exists the need to provide an optimized, simple, practical and efficient sensor, which allows to solve the above described technical problem and which is able to carry out accurate level measurements for its application in critical industrial contexts, such those ones of twin or more shafts regenerative kilns for limestone baking .
Summary of the invention
According to an aspect of the present invention it is described a level measuring device in industrial processes, comprising the following elements:
- a brushless motor with an incremental encoder and parking brake integrated;
- an epicycloidal reduction gear;
- a rope winding drum, directly coupled to the reduction gear;
- a steel rope;
- a counterweight,
- a controller,
and having the features described in the appended independent claim of product.
According to another aspect of the present invention it is described a method for controlling the measuring device having the features described in the appended independent claim of method.
Other preferred and/or particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention are described according to the features described in the appended dependent claims.
The use of such device allows many advantages both from technological and economic and aesthetic point of view.
A first advantage is given by the fundamental feature of the device which, thanks to the continuous couple control of the counterweight guaranteed by the motor- reduction gear assembly, is that it is possible to work in continuous touch- sensing with the material to be measured, thus guaranteeing an extremely reliable continuous measuring .
A second advantage is given by the parameterization flexibility of the brushless motor, whereby the
measurement is precise and not altered by the working conditions, thus not needing continuous adjustments due to the change of working conditions and fields.
Another advantage of the device, thanks to the direct coupling of the motor-reduction gear assembly with the rope winding drum, is the reduction at minimum of frictions which can mechanically interfere with the measurement.
In addition, for construction easiness of the mechanic and electric elements characterizing it, the device is definitely reliable also in long time and substantially does not need maintenance.
Advantageously, the device needs only two electric connections (power and signal) without needing other connections or devices, as for example an incremental encoder and parking brake, intrinsic elements to the brushless motor.
The device is parameterized and programmed directly inside the driver in the construction step, with the need to configure only the simple basic operations at the moment of the installation in the system.
Finally, the reduced dimensions and the contained weight favour the whole transportation and installation/maintenance operations on the system.
Brief description of the drawings
The present invention will be described in the following by means of the following drawings taken as a way of not limiting example.
In particular:
Figure 1A shows a side graphical representation relative to the elements of the level sensor according to the present invention;
Figure IB shows a front graphical representation relative to the elements of the level sensor according to the present invention.
Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the level measuring method of the sensor of fig. 1.
Detailed description
As yet stated, the new level measuring device 100 in industrial processes, shown in figure 1, comprises the following elements:
- a motor 1 of brushless type - with an incremental encoder and parking brake integrated;
- an epicycloidal reduction gear 2 ;
- a rope winding drum 3 directly coupled to the reduction gear;
- a steel rope 4;
- a counterweight 5 ,
- a controller 6.
The above described elements 1, 2, 3 are contained in a case 7, obtained only by means of "additive manufacturing" techniques, i.e. 3D printing.
In the same way, in a separated case 8, 3D-printed as well, the controller 6 is positioned.
The functioning in continuous couple control of the counterweight 5, guaranteed by the motor-reduction gear assembly, allows to work in continuous touch- sensing with the material to be measured, thus guaranteeing a continuous and definitely reliable measuring .
Therefore, the important innovation is given by the fact that the level measuring device, besides being made up of very simple elements, carries out a continuous touch-sensing of the material.
The elements are managed by an architecture and a logic according to the block diagram shown in figure 2.
The measuring device 100, provided with a brushless type motor 1 is controlled by a controller 6 comprising a driver which interfaces itself to an outer control 9 by means of a Profibus or Ethernet network with Modbus/TCP protocol .
The controller 6 allows to control the device 100 in two different ways:
- manual S100, i.e. controllable by means of a local on-off push-bottom panel, which is the operation mode allowed for the maintenance operations
- automatic S200, i.e. controllable by an outer automatic logic which communicates with the device by means of a dedicated network, Profibus or Ethernet with Modbus/TCP protocol.
In the automatic functioning, there are five operative modes:
- HOLD S210: by activating the "braking" function, the driver interrupts, with a brief intervention ramp, the power to the motor, closes the parking brake integrated in the same brushless motor 1 and maintains the counterweight 5 in the position in which it is. This mode intervenes automatically when a failure is detected in any one of the other functioning modes of the device.
- WORK Ξ220: by activating the function "work", the device is activated to detect continuously the material level in the silos to be analyzed.
The driver manages the brushless motor 1 so that the counterweight 5, fixed to the end of the rope 4, which is wound on a drum 3 and this one coupled directly to the motor 1 -reduction gear 2 assembly,
is arranged softly on the bed, free surface of the material/fluid to be analyzed.
Thanks to the couple control of the motor, the counterweight 5 is constantly kept in contact with the material/fluid, and the rope always remains tenaioned .
The incremental encoder integrated in the brushless motor 1 gives back continuously the feedback about the level height of the material /fluid contained in the silos or tank. This allows to monitor the level measure continuously.
Thanks then to the complete configurability of the driver, the couple control can be managed in dynamic and flexible way on the basis of the working height and the consequent variations of weight given by the sum of the length of the rope (variable) and the counterweight (constant) .
- PARK S230: by activating the function "parking", the driver activates the motor 1 so that the counterweight 5 is brought to a predetermined fixed position. The speed with which the device is brought back in the parking position is fully manageable by the driver.
CALIBRATION S240 : by activating the function "calibration", the incremental encoder of the device 100 can be reset in any time. Hence, the
motor 1 is activated by the driver to bring back the counterweight in the "absolute zero" position, i.e. in the end of stroke position provided by a housing in the case 7 of the device 100. As soon as the motor 1 detects, by means of the couple control, an increase in absorbing (threshold settable by the driver) , to indicate that the counterweight means 5 has reached the end of stroke, the encoder is automatically reset. Once the calibration procedure is ended, the driver activates the motor to bring back the device in parking position.
- EMERGENCY STOP S250: by activating the function "emergency stop", the driver interrupts instantly the power to the motor, closes the parking brake integrated in the same brushless motor 1 and maintains the counterweight 5 in the position in which it is.
From the HOT point of view (Industrial Internet of Things) the device is provided for achine-to- Machine (M2M) , Machine- to-Human (M2H) and Machine- to-Enterprise ( 2E) connection, since it can manage up to 32 levels in parallel: i.e. with only one management card, there can be controlled up to 32 touch- sensing devices (METRO) , thus obtaining up to
32 different measuring points by only one administrator .
Even if at least an embodiment was described in the brief and detailed description, it is to be intended that there exist many other variants in the protection scope of the invention. Further, it is to be intended that said embodiment or embodiments described are only example and do not limit in any way the protection scope of the invention and its application or configurations. The brief and detailed description give instead the experts in the field a convenient guide to implement at least an embodiment, while it is to be intended that many variations of the procedure here described can be made without departing from the protection scope of the ■ invention encompassed by the appended claims and/or technical /legal equivalents thereof .
Claims
1. Level measuring device 100 comprising a motor 1, an epicycloidal reduction gear 2, a rope 4, a rope winding drum 3 directly coupled to the reduction gear 2, a counterweight means 5 fixed to the end of the rope 4, a controller 6, characterized in that the controller 6 is configured to carry out a continuous couple control of the motor l/reduction gear 2 assembly so that the counterweight means 5 is in continuous touch- sens ing with the material to be measured.
2. Device 100 according to claim 1, characterized in that the motor 1, the reduction gear 2 , the drum 3 are contained in a case 7 obtained by means of 3D printing.
3. Device 100 according to claim 1 or 2, character! zed in that said controller 6 comprises a driver interfaced to an outer control 9 by means of a Profibus or Ethernet network.
4. Device 100 according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said motor 1 is of "brushless" type and is provided with an "encoder" and a parking brake.
5. Control method of the level measuring device 100 according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a manual mode, which can be activated
by means of a local push-bottom panel for the maintenance operations, and an automatic mode managed by the controller 6 for the working conditions of the device 100.
6. Method according to claim 5, characterized in that said automatic mode comprises five operative modes: braking, working, parking, calibration and emergency sto .
7. Method according to claim 6, wherein in said braking operative mode the controller 6 interrupts, after a brief intervention ramp, the power to the motor 1 closing the parking brake integrated in the same motor 1 and maintaining the counterweight 5 in the position in which it is.
8.. Method according to claim 6, wherein in said working operative mode, the controller 6 controls the motor 1 so that the counterweight 5 is constantly kept in contact with the material/fluid to be measured, and the rope 4 always remains tensioned.
9. Method according to claim 6, wherein in that parking operative mode, the controller 6 activates the motor 1 so that the counterweight 5 is brought in a predetermined fixed position,
10. Method according to claim 6 , wherein in said calibration operative mode, the controller 6
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IT2015/000143 WO2016189557A1 (en) | 2015-05-27 | 2015-05-27 | Level measuring device |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IT2015/000143 WO2016189557A1 (en) | 2015-05-27 | 2015-05-27 | Level measuring device |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| WO2016189557A1 true WO2016189557A1 (en) | 2016-12-01 |
Family
ID=54150634
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/IT2015/000143 WO2016189557A1 (en) | 2015-05-27 | 2015-05-27 | Level measuring device |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| WO (1) | WO2016189557A1 (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2021176498A1 (en) | 2020-03-02 | 2021-09-10 | 株式会社Ｆｕｊｉ | Wiring formation method |
Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US1917478A (en) * | 1929-03-07 | 1933-07-11 | Freyn Engineering Co | Combined charging and indicating system |
| US4942351A (en) * | 1989-03-28 | 1990-07-17 | Robertshaw Controls Company | System for monitoring a level of material, device therefor and methods of making the same |
| GB2237662A (en) * | 1989-11-03 | 1991-05-08 | Wurth Paul Sa | Level probe for a shaft furnace |
| DE102009060855A1 (en) * | 2009-12-30 | 2011-07-07 | Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG, 79689 | Electromechanical liquid level measuring device i.e. proservo NMS 53x series-tank measuring system, for use in modern industrial system, has sensor determining whether torque is affected by weight force of element on axis of wheel at rope |
-
2015
- 2015-05-27 WO PCT/IT2015/000143 patent/WO2016189557A1/en active Application Filing
Patent Citations (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US1917478A (en) * | 1929-03-07 | 1933-07-11 | Freyn Engineering Co | Combined charging and indicating system |
| US4942351A (en) * | 1989-03-28 | 1990-07-17 | Robertshaw Controls Company | System for monitoring a level of material, device therefor and methods of making the same |
| GB2237662A (en) * | 1989-11-03 | 1991-05-08 | Wurth Paul Sa | Level probe for a shaft furnace |
| DE102009060855A1 (en) * | 2009-12-30 | 2011-07-07 | Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG, 79689 | Electromechanical liquid level measuring device i.e. proservo NMS 53x series-tank measuring system, for use in modern industrial system, has sensor determining whether torque is affected by weight force of element on axis of wheel at rope |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2021176498A1 (en) | 2020-03-02 | 2021-09-10 | 株式会社Ｆｕｊｉ | Wiring formation method |
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