Hello

Enquiring about measuring continuous level on a ROM bin.

At present we are using ultrasonics on one bin and Radar on the other bin, surprising the ultrasonic seems to be surviving the dust and I mean dust. The problem is the sensor face on both clog up and the units fail within a period ranging from a week to a month.Opening the bins up to severe damage to the liners as well as the vibro feeder aprons below.

The bin is @ 1000 tonnes in capacity, from the road way to the bottom is 14 metres. They are big structures built into the side of a hill. Each bin is mounted on four supports, but is joined at the top by the rear dump road berm where the 240 ton trucks tip up to 300 ton of coal through steel grates which foul up with large material. This rock is removed by a hydraulic excavator which is not gentle on anything in the area including the level sensor heads which are mounted to the side adjacant the wall at the rear of bin beneath the grates out of harms way.

The problem is the dust and water clogging the heads. The ultrasonic head is open with a passive ring fitted and the radar has a horn antenna.

So you can see they live in a very hostile place, I have been thinking at some sort of water system to spray water at the sensor face once a day in an attempt to try keep them clean.

So if anyone has any suggestions in measuring large coal and rock in a shiney reflective steep angle sided bin with jarring impacts with copious amounts of dust and water for a continuous level measurement within 5 per cent as well as some sort of protection for an empty bin with a running feeder and conveyor.

Regards

PhilD ■