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Application 4 Silo Level (Solids)  

 

 
 

 

 
 
There are many potential problems associated with solids level monitoring in 
Silos, depending on the type of material, the method of filling/emptying, the 
varying process conditions and the customer expectations. 
 
Changing the parameters as listed below is an endeavour to get a ‘best fit’ for 
most applications but if in doubt contact your Pulsar representative for further 
advice.  
 
 
Follow the procedure below to help avoid any problems. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Summary of Contents for ULTRA 5

Page 1: ...ULTRA Series SERVICE MANUAL ...

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Page 3: ...e for the product and shall have no liability in respect of any loss injury or damage whatsoever arising out of the application or use of any product or circuit described herein Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of this documentation but Pulsar Process Measurement Limited cannot be held liable for any errors TECHNICAL ENQUIRIES Please contact Pulsar Process Measurement Limited for tech...

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Page 5: ...Pump Inflow 17 P151 Pump 1 Initial Draw 17 DATEM Flags 19 P064 Near Band 19 P065 Near Jump 19 P067 Use First Software Revisions prior to 3 6 0 19 P067 Choose Peak Software Revisions from 3 6 0 20 Best 20 Largest 20 First 20 P071 Update DATEM 20 P078 Use Temp 21 P079 Use Gate 21 P080 Lost Lock 21 Ultra Sound 23 P081 Near Loss 23 P082 Far Loss 23 P083 Loss Change 23 P084 Jump CutOff Software Revisio...

Page 6: ...Temperature Calibration 33 P855 P856 External Temp Scale From Soft Rev 6 6 9 33 P857 P858 Temp Cal transducer 1 transducer 2 33 P859 Temp Average 33 Sound Velocity Calibration 34 P861 P862 Calibrate Distance xdr1 xdr2 From S W rev 6 8 0 34 Filters 34 P102 Material 34 P880 Gate Mode 34 P881 Fixed Distance 35 P882 Process Filter From Software Revision 6 6 6 7 3 released 36 P884 Peak Percentage 37 Re...

Page 7: ...ther hardware functions Care and caution should be exercised when changing any of these parameters and any such changes should only be undertaken by or under the guidance of an experienced Service Engineer Direct Access In order to access parameters directly use the following procedure Some parameters are not part of the menu system and can only be accessed directly To do this use the cancel key u...

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Page 9: ... when adjusting and analysing echo profiles if in doubt please contact Pulsar technical department Fig 1 A typical echo trace Fig 1 above is a typical echo profile showing all four traces from the unit the gate is wrapped around the echo with the blue marker indicating the distance The signal strength is good and there are no competing echoes in front of the true echo ...

Page 10: ...ng and the shaded right hand part of the screen the far blanking the ultra unit will measure 20 further than its programmed empty distance as a factory setting this is known as far blanking The near blanking is the area just in front of the transducer where measurement is not possible Near Blanking Far Blanking ...

Page 11: ...ce is the echo signal return the horizontal scale is distance to target in metres and the vertical scale is signal strength return in millivolts The echo above is approx 3 8m from the transducer and has signal strength of 480mv Ringdown Echo Secondary Echo ...

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Page 13: ...set to its default value or alternatively allows the user to Capture a DATEM trace It should be noted that when using option 1 Capture all echoes seen will be eliminated by DATEM Option 1 Capture The Capture function is particularly useful when setting up applications where the target goes out of range and the echo is lost For example chemical or product tanks where the bottoms are conical or para...

Page 14: ...ofiles below show the effect of Capture the Gate has been removed for clarity Fig 1 Empty tank the unit will pick up on the first echo after initial switch on Fig 2 Empty tank after a Capture Unit will show Loss of Echo ...

Page 15: ...s present at this point the Gate will establish itself around the chosen echo DATEM will update in front of the Gate and reference out any other unwanted echoes It should be noted that DATEM will reset to default values whilst performing this function and reform itself once it has selected an echo P021 can also be accessed via the Operator Password Default 1997 Options Enter distance from the face...

Page 16: ...ncreasing the number of pings may result in a larger Average trace and thereby increase echo processing reliability It should be noted that when increasing the number of pings processing times will increase slightly and when reducing the number of pings per shot slightly faster processing times will be obtained Options Enter the Number of pings required to be taken during each processing cycle Val...

Page 17: ...These parameters are identical to those for transducer 1 and are used to carry out the same functions on units and applications utilising a second transducer P030 Set DATEM 2 See P020 P031 Set Dist 2 See P021 P034 Num Pings 2 See P024 ...

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Page 19: ...ers to their appropriate value for a quick moving application you can further increase the response time of the instrument These could include P24 number of pings 1 P43 gain breakpoint 90 P45 number of averages 1 P71 update datem 0 P79 gate 0 P870 fill damping 99999 P871 empty damping 99999 Care should be undertaken when changing the above parameters as they could affect the stability of the readi...

Page 20: ...sferred from the unit to the PC Ultra display when receiving echo traces regular echo yes A lower figure gives increased definition but is slower and visa versa Please seek advice from Pulsar before carrying out any adjustment Values Min 1 Max 32 P043 Breakpoint The gain starting point in meters for signal amplitude decay compensation This is similar to time varied gain Used in conjunction with P4...

Page 21: ...g of the echo trace Values Min 1 Max 50 P047 Outside Count This parameter determines the number of processing cycles or transducer shots that any valid echo must be seen outside of the gate before the gate will move and allow the new echo to be processed This will prevent any unwanted update or false readings being given due to the intermittent appearance of echoes from such devices as stirrers Va...

Page 22: ...utside the gate unless the selected echo falls below the value of the loss limit Options 0 No 1 Yes P049 Scale First When P067 1 Best this parameter determines the amount of weighting applied to the first valid echo above the Loss Limits before comparing it to other competing echoes the resulting largest echo will then be processed as the correct echo Values Min 100 Max 100 Default 0 Default 40 ...

Page 23: ...he calculated inflow rate in m min P151 Pump 1 Initial Draw This parameter is the calculated initial draw in m min of a calibrated pump If required this value can be entered manually P152 Pump 2 Initial Draw P153 Pump 3 Initial Draw P154 Pump 4 Initial Draw P155 Pump 5 Initial Draw P156 Pump 6 Initial Draw P157 Pump 7 Initial Draw P158 Pump 8 Initial Draw P159 Pump 9 Initial Draw P160 Pump 10 Init...

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Page 25: ...us preventing the unit from reading a low value when it is submerged and possibly switching off pumps P065 Near Jump See above Note With reference to the above two parameters see P080 Lost Lock P067 Use First Software Revisions prior to 3 6 0 This parameter is used to determine which echo is selected for processing When set to zero the echo with largest valid peak is chosen when set to 1 the First...

Page 26: ... chosen for processing will be the echo with the highest resulting peak after first weighting has been applied Largest The echo with the highest peak will be selected for processing when this option is chosen no weighting is applied to the first valid echo First When selected the First valid echo will be selected regardless of any other echoes that are present P071 Update DATEM This parameter dete...

Page 27: ...o then there will be no agitator control P47 Outside Count and P48 Echo Lock will be disabled the unit will process valid echoes which appear above the Loss Limit and in accordance with the setting of P67 choose Peak Options 0 No 1 Yes P080 Lost Lock This parameter switches on P64 P65 near band and near jump Which are not yet enabled Options 0 No 1 Yes Default 1 Default 1 Default 0 ...

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Page 29: ...s to a distance set via P83 with a default value of 2m Values Min 0 00 Max 99 99 P082 Far Loss This parameter sets the value of the Far Loss in the same way as P81 Near Loss but is applied to distances beyond the Loss Change P83 Values Min 0 00 Max 99 99 P083 Loss Change This parameter sets the distance that the Near Loss and Far Loss are applied to When set at 2m the Near Loss as determined by P8...

Page 30: ...ing that a Larger echo is not seen beyond this point Values Min 0 300 Max 99 999 P084 Mid Loss from software revisions 6 8 This Parameter now determines the height in milli volts of the point where the near loss becomes the far loss i e the loss change point P083 Loss Limit Values Default 40 0m Default 15 00 150mv P41 Ringdown Loss P81 Near Loss P83 Mid Loss Vertical Movement P82 Far Loss ...

Page 31: ... Loss of Echo that a warning message will appear in the Auxiliary line of the display Values Min 0 1 min Max 9999 min P088 Hard Default P88 allows both User and Service parameters to be reset to their Factory Default values N B P930 Factory Defaults will allow the user to reset only those parameters which are accessible via the User Passcode Default 1997 but will not reset any parameters which are...

Page 32: ...able by direct access see about service parameters N B This will change the system type of the unit and will perform the equivalent of a P88 default for the new system type Options 1 Vanguard 5 Flow 3 9 Zenith 6 2 Vantage 6 Flow 5 10 Flow 2 1 3 Advanced 5 7 Levelstar 3 11 Screen 2 2 4 Advanced 6 8 Levelstar 5 12 Oracle CSO ...

Page 33: ...Distance at which the DATEM trace will start or stand off from the Ring Down P110 Middle mV This parameter determines the height at which the angle of the DATEM trace will start Default 0 25m Default 700mv P110 Middle milli volts P109 Start Point P107 Blanking Distance ...

Page 34: ...his parameter determines whether the Min DATEM is in use or not Options are 0 No Min DATEM not in use DATEM update will not be restricted and will update right back to the ringdown 1 Yes Min DATEM applied DATEM update is restricted to the values entered in P109 P110 and P111 which will ensure that DATEM is held off the ringdown Default 0 8m Default 1 P111 End Point metres ...

Page 35: ...Array Count The array count averages the rate readings before processing an application with a very slow rate of rise may benefit from an increase in the value as it will give a smoother rate value reading P115 Rate Validate The rate validate will adjust the calculated time to overflow Increasing the value will have the effect of bringing the pumps on later and visa versa This parameter should onl...

Page 36: ...ndows Terminal The parameter will automatically revert back to 0 No when the RJ11 cable has been removed and updating has been displayed on the LCD Options 0 No 1 Yes P142 Reset Comms Board Options 0 No 1 Yes P358 Log Time The unit has 10 daily totals that start and end at midnight This parameter can be used to alter the start time at which logging begins for the 24 hour period Default 0 Default 0...

Page 37: ... number of pumps set in the unit and the level shown on the display This can be used to ensure if a rising main can only take so much flow the limit is not accidentally exceeded P361 P362 Max Pumps on groups 1 2 From S W ver 6 7 3 This parameter will restrict the number of pumps that will run regardless of the number of pumps set in the unit and the level shown on the display This can be used to e...

Page 38: ... s set in the P705 the totaliser will be stop totalling the flow when it reaches 80 l s or higher Options Min 1 Max 9 Display P817 Auxiliary Display Offset From Soft Rev 6 5 6 7 3 released This parameter will allow the Auxiliary display to be offset to an appropriate value in system units It can be used to ensure a more operator friendly reading is seen in the auxiliary display Values Min 99999m M...

Page 39: ... output 4mA enter P855 and press the n hotkey to receive the raw signal Press enter to accept this value and repeat for P856 with the sensor forced high output 20mA The temperature can then be observed using P586 P857 P858 Temp Cal transducer 1 transducer 2 This parameter is used to calibrate the transducer temperature If due to component tolerances the temp is not the same as when measured by a m...

Page 40: ...nd switches of Update DATEM see P71 and also makes Reform available see P050 Closed Tank 3 when selected this will default certain parameters to values more suitable for this type of application please see Application 1 Enclosed Tank for more details P880 Gate Mode This parameter determines the operation of the gate that is established around the processed echo and is used to track the echoes move...

Page 41: ...parameter is used to set the width of the gate either side of the echo measurement point blue vertical line in Ultra PC when P880 Gate Mode is set to 0 Fixed The total gate width will be a maximum of twice this value Default 0 2m 0 4m ...

Page 42: ... of process filtering Setting to fast increases the response of the unit but will also show more discrepancies or spikes as the filtering is less intensive Changes the speed of unit response to level changes Options 1 Fast P43 90 P45 1 P79 0 P71 0 2 Medium P45 2 P47 5 3 Slow P45 3 Default 3 ...

Page 43: ... point for the unit For liquid applications this occurs on the most vertical part of the leading edge as the surface is generally quite flat giving an accurate measurement For solids applications the blue line appears in the centre of the echo as this is the average point for a sloping surface accuracy can vary on a sloping surface depending on the angle of repose of the material being measured De...

Page 44: ...ient This parameter determines the amount of Reform that is applied to the slope of the leading edge of the echo the lower the value of P051 the more relaxed the rising edge of the echo will be Range 00 00 99 99 Default 0 500 P052 Release Coefficient This parameter determines the amount of Reform that is applied to the slope of the lagging edge of the echo The lower the value of P052 the more rela...

Page 45: ...erfere with the DATEM signal If this happens then changing the value of this parameter will cause the Ultra unit to remove the entire signal up to the point of the sensitivity setting It is recommended that if you do not change this parameter without the aid of Ultra PC to observe the effect your parameter changes are having on the echo profile If echoes go under the line they will not be seen by ...

Page 46: ... P916 Side Clearance Xd1 Xd2 This parameter sets the distance by which the yellow DATEM trace will be separated from the red trace as the DATEM trace passes around an echo returned from an obstruction Default 0 05m ...

Page 47: ...termines whether or not an IR remote communicator needs to be shown to the front of the unit before it can be used Replaces P089 Kiss Enable Options 0 No 1 Yes P089 Kiss Enable From Software Revision 6 4 1 to 6 9 1 The kiss enabled parameter allows the unit to be accessed via a remote infra red communicator Options 0 No 1 Yes Default 1 Default 1 ...

Page 48: ... and record the effect that the parameter changes are having 1 Liquid applications in tanks vessels where the surface is slow moving or still and close to the transducer 2 Liquid applications in wet wells where the empty distance is close to the end of the range of the transducer and the surface may be turbulent and or foamy 3 Solids applications where the process is fast moving and the control is...

Page 49: ... below At a certain focal length the secondary echo can become problematic If this is the case you may find the unit reading a level that is twice the actual distance Follow the procedure below to cure the problem Software Version 7 1 8 0nwards simply enter the programme Mode and go to P102 Material and select option 3 Closed Tank the following parameters will then be set automatically to the valu...

Page 50: ...rst Change to 50 This parameter increases the amount of weighting the unit will apply to the first echo increasing it makes the echo less likely to go to a multiple P108 Far End Blanking Change to 5 Reducing this value shortens the effective range of the instrument giving less room for a multiple to appear within the measured distance far end blanking P871 Empty Damping Set the value to just above...

Page 51: ...to increased surface movement and foam on the surface in extreme instances the noise of the falling water can lead to the transducer picking up acoustic noise from the well itself The spread of the falling water can interfere with the beam angle The solids matter and debris at the bottom of the well can be disturbed leading to a more uneven surface also the benching can become exposed which is not...

Page 52: ...to a better position or upgraded P47 Outside Count Change to 25 This is the parameter that controls the movement of the gate Increasing the value makes the movement of the gate to another echo that is closer to the transducer less likely P82 Far Loss Change to 1 This enables smaller echoes to be seen at the end of the units programmed empty distance P84 Mid Loss Change to 10 See above P870 Fill Da...

Page 53: ...ds Crusher Control or similar For crusher control the unit needs to work at high speed to ensure that the bowl does not overfill the transducer needs to be positioned so that it avoids the inflow to the bowl and is not liable to get damaged ...

Page 54: ...r of averages taken before the echo is processed thus saving processing time Now Change the following parameters these are not adjusted by choosing Solids in P102 or Fast Response in P882 P67 Echo Algorithm 2 Largest The unit will measure on the largest echo seen above the loss limit Threshhold P79 Use Gate 0 Not using the gate means that the unit will measure on the largest echo seen above the lo...

Page 55: ...on the type of material the method of filling emptying the varying process conditions and the customer expectations Changing the parameters as listed below is an endeavour to get a best fit for most applications but if in doubt contact your Pulsar representative for further advice Follow the procedure below to help avoid any problems ...

Page 56: ...ftware multiplier it does not increase the raw signal strength If the echo is disappearing the transducer needs to be moved to a better position or upgraded P47 Outside Count Change to 25 This is the parameter that controls the movement of the gate Increasing the value makes the movement of the gate to a false echo less likely P67 Echo Algorithm 2 Largest The unit will measure on the largest echo ...

Page 57: ... can see from the above example that the loss limit values have been reset this is to enable the unit to pick up smaller echoes when the silo is filling and picking up the echo is difficult these parameters are application dependant and should be used with the commission engineers discretion P809 Failsafe Timer This value should be increased to suit the application for example if the silo is fille...

Page 58: ...looking for the largest echo above the loss limit thresholds so datem is not needed in most applications if the silo has obstructions then it should be emptied and Datem should be allowed to shape around the false echoes before being switched off ...

Page 59: ...ppear to work and display the correct distance if the product is close enough but the relays will not operate and the unit will go LOE when the level moves further away from the transducer Check that the transducer has been installed in the correct position and has a clear as possible shot at the target make sure any protective transit covering has been removed Ensure the target is within range of...

Page 60: ...and check the voltages are there at the terminals use the manual for the particular type of unit you have to establish the correct terminals If the voltages are ok without the cables attached but change when the wires are connected then you have a wiring problem connecting the wires incorrectly or shorting them out should not damage the transducer Often the transducer extension cables are not the ...

Page 61: ... will then adapt to any changes to the echo profile in front of the moving target enabling Pulsar to keep the correct reading under constantly changing process conditions In order to initially cover all the false echoes we need to get the level in the application to its lowest measuring point and then tell the control unit where the true echo is it will then mask out all the false echoes in betwee...

Page 62: ...gain until the unit is reading correctly The above process and the Pulsar software is excellent at reading the correct echo under difficult conditions however it is still good practice to install the transducer in the optimum position within the application If the unit is still not reading go to the self test parameter P990 and enter 1 the unit should respond with Clock ok Eeprom ok If the self te...

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