Level measurement in breweries and diaries

03-mar-2014

Exact level measurement in heavily foaming media - no problem for the LFP Inox level sensor. The measuring principle of guided radar provides for utmost reliability; the hygiene-level design of the sensor opens up a great variety of possible uses in the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries.   Particularly in dairies and breweries, one has to anticipate heavy foaming all the way to the generation of wet, compact foams in the course or conveying, mixing, and bottling milk or beer, respectively. In this scenario, many level measurement systems reach their limit: Capacitive systems and conductivity probes do not submit reliable measured values due to product buildups;  in general, float switches do not meet hygienic requirements concerning cleaning capability and sterilization. The LFP Inox is the ideal solution for such applications.

Level measurement with LFP Inox Filling machine with level sensor LFP Inox

 

Reliable foam suppression and certified hygienic design

Thanks to the measurement principle of time domain reflectometry (TDR), i.e. of guided radar, the LFP Inox is capable of differentiating reliably between liquid media and foams or built-up deposits.  Based on the maximum measuring range of 4,000 mm, the CIP- and SIP-resistant measurement probe can be cut as desired all the way down to 200 mm. It is made of FDA-compliant, foodgrade stainless steel that features a surface roughness of Ra = 0.8 μm. This facilitates residue-free cleaning, minimizes the possibility of build-ups, thus preventing hotbeds for bacteria and other microorganisms. Just the same applies to the changeable, hygienic process connections of the LFP Inox. The level sensor has been certified by the EHEDG (European Hygienic Engineering & Design Group) and also meets the 3-A hygiene certificate of the US food industry.  

 

Permits flexible automation

Level sensor LFP Inox

The LFP Inox combines continuous level measurement and point level detection. The display, a switchable 4 - 20 mA and 0 - 10 V analog output, respectively, IO-Link for individual parameterization, diagnosis and visualization options, as well as two transistor switching outputs are accommodated in the compact sensor housing that meets the requirements of both the IP 67 and IP 69K enclosure ratings. Simple commissioning, maintenance-free operation, and a high degree of independence regarding the properties of the medium to be measured, which means that the sensor requires no recalibration, result in very substantial savings in time and costs.   Consequently, in technical and economical terms, the LFP Inox is the ideal solution for level measurement in buffering containers of filling plants, for monitoring levels in rinsers and CIP facilities, and in cosmetic and pharmaceutical mixers.  

 

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