FM Approved Level Transmitters, Switches

• When a product is FM Approved, you know that a product conforms to the highest standards of quality, technical integrity, and performance.
• We offer a wide range of level transmitters and switches with FM approval to ensure confidence in product quality.
• These level transmitters rely on radar, magnetostrictive, and vibrating fork technology, which enables them for use in a wide variety of media including slurries and highly viscous liquids.

At Process Solutions Corp., we offer a wide range of level transmitters that are FM Approved to provide the best quality options possible to our users. The type of level transmitter that’s ideal for your application very much depends on the type of media that the transmitter will measure. For example, operators may choose a microwave/radar level transmitters, a magnetostrictive transmitter, or they may choose a sensor type that uses a vibrating fork. Here, we will review some of the options we have available and discuss common applications for which they are most useful.

PiloTREK Pulse Burst Radar Level Transmitters

The 25 GHz (K-band) PiloTREK Pulse Radars are the most progressive non-contact level transmitters of the industrial process automation field. Their accuracy is excellent with short and narrow antennas to make installation simple and low cost. The FM Approved NIVELCO’s K-band radar features ±3 mm (0.12 inch) accuracy and short dead band. Moreover, it excels with a versatile housing concept with plastic, aluminum, and stainless steel versions. The antenna range incorporates stainless steel horn or parabolic planar antenna with plastic tube enclosure varieties available. Furthermore, the enclosed antenna versions can be replaced without removing the antenna enclosure from the process.

Local programming of the PiloTREK is simple with a plug-in display module. If users do not require on-site reading capabilities, this module would not be necessary, thus reducing cost of ownership. The signal processing algorithm of the PiloTREK is based on NIVELCO’s 35 years of experience with non-contact level measurement. This makes it an excellent choice for applications, whether simple or more challenging.

Easy to Operate FM Approved Level Transmitters

The operation of our non-contact microwave level transmitters relies on the measurement of the time of flight of the microwave burst. The propagation speed of microwave impulses is practically the same in air, gases and in vacuum. This means its measurement is independent from process temperature and pressure. So, the physical parameters of the medium does not affect the distance it measures. The level transmitter induces microwave impulses a few nanosecond long in the antenna. A part of the energy of the signal that emits bounces (reflects) back from the measurement surface, depending on the media.

The time of flight of the reflected signal is measured and processed by the electronics, and then this is converted to distance, level, or volume proportional data. The measurability of the level of a specific medium depends on the signal strength of the reflecting microwave impulses. The signal strength of the reflecting impulses is considerably dependent on the distance it measures, thus the relative dielectric constant of the medium and the turbulence of the surface. The relative dielectric constant (εr) of the medium should be more than 1.4 in case of parabolic design, or it should be more than 1.9 with horn antenna types.

NIVOTRACK Magnetostrictive Level Transmitter

NIVOTRACK magnetostrictive transmitters are an ideal solution for high accuracy measurement of clean fluids. Its high precision renders the NIVOTRACK suitable for custody transfer measurement of liquids. For example, it’s ideal for fuels, solvents, alcohol derivatives, etc. Units with flexible tubing not only make the accurate measurement for higher tanks possible, but they also offer a more convenient method for shipment and installation. Furthermore, plastic coated versions of the NIVOTRACK substantially expand the field of application for a wide range of aggressive materials. Integrating the transmitter into a process control system is easy thanks to the intelligent signal processing and communication software as well as the wide of range of accessories offered.

How a Magnetostrictive Level Transmitter Operates

A float containing a magnetic disc moves along a guide tube with the specific magnetostrictive wire in it. A pulse generates from the electronics and travels along the magnetostrictive wire. At the point that the pulse reaches the float’s magnetic field, a torsion develops. Reflecting from the torsion point, the pulse creates an acoustic wave that travels back along the wire. The 4-20 mA output of the transmitter is proportional to the elapsing time between the excitation and detection.

FM Approved NIVOSWITCH Vibrating Level For Switch

The FM Approved NIVOSWITCH with a parallel vibrating fork sensor are suitable for liquids. However, the NIVOSWITCH with non-parallel vibrating fork are suitable for solids. With mounting on pipes, silos, tanks, or hopper bins, operators can control filling and emptying using these devices. Likewise, operators can use these level switches to generate fail-safe alarms that provide overfill or dry run protection. The operation principle relies on an electronic circuit that excites the fork probe, thus making it vibrate. As the medium reaches and covers the fork, its vibration changes or stops completely. The fork will start vibrating again as the medium sets it free. The electronics senses the change of vibration and gives output signal after a selected delay.

There’s a plastic coated version that performs well with aggressive mediums. Conversely, the highly polished version is ideal for abrasive mediums. The PNP/NPN transistor output versions can connect directly to a PLC or relay unit. NIVOSWITCH vibrating forks can solve switching tasks of high-current loads with the help of UNICONT PKK switching amplifiers. The UNICONT PKK-312-8 Ex intrinsically safe switching unit is designed to serve Ex rated vibrating forks.