Across the chemical industry, accurate level measurement is essential for maintaining safe, efficient, profitable and compliant operations. Yet, as I explain in a recent article for Chemical Industry Journal titled ‘The Wireless Revolution in Level Monitoring’, achieving reliable monitoring in these applications is often far from straightforward. For example, the typically harsh operating and process conditions can prove challenging for instrumentation, while the tanks and vessels being monitored can be located in remote or hazardous areas that are difficult and prohibitively costly to reach with traditional wired infrastructure.

Emerson’s Rosemount 3408 Wireless Level Transmitter with an ATAP antenna provides an ideal non-contacting radar measurement solution for plastic totes.

Historically, this has often led to operators relying on manual readings and having limited data visibility. This increases safety risks and the potential for operational inefficiency and unplanned downtime due to issues such as overfilling, empty tanks, material shortages or process interruptions not being detected early enough to prevent production stoppages. The article explains how wireless level measurement technologies directly address these challenges. It states:

…By eliminating signal cabling and conduit runs, wireless instruments provide a cost-effective and flexible way to gather level data from virtually anywhere in the plant. They enable faster deployment, easier expansion of monitoring networks, and rapid, low-cost installation in hard-to-reach or previously unmonitored locations.

The article discusses how WirelessHART® technology has been in use for nearly two decades, with both guided wave radar level transmitters and vibrating fork level switches having long been available as fully wireless, self-powered instruments. However, until recently there had not been a native WirelessHART non-contacting radar level transmitter. This created a significant gap in the market, especially as non-contacting radar is an ideal technology for many chemical applications due to its lack of moving parts, minimal maintenance requirements and absence of contact with corrosive, viscous or hazardous media. The article explains:

…The reason this type of device did not previously exist was the high level of power consumption required to generate and process frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar signals. Achieving the necessary measurement performance while operating solely from an onboard power module has historically proven extremely difficult. Because of these constraints, many facilities that wanted wireless access to radar level monitoring data relied on THUM™ adapters. These adapters allowed operators to access radar data wirelessly, but the radar transmitters themselves still required wired power, meaning installations remained constrained by cabling requirements.

The recent introduction of Emerson’s non-contacting Rosemount™ 3408 Wireless Level Transmitter overcomes this limitation. By pairing highly efficient 80-gigahertz FMCW radar electronics with WirelessHART communication and long-life power modules, the transmitter provides a native wireless non-contacting radar solution, with no need for external adapters or wired power. This development makes it possible for organisations to apply their preferred non-contacting radar technology even in remote locations.

The article continues by describing a number of applications where wired devices have not been typically applied and where the introduction of wireless level measurement technology enhances both safety and operational efficiency. Monitoring level in the plastic totes and tanks used to transport and store chemicals is a good example of this. Whereas traditional sensors may require direct contact with corrosive or hazardous media, or tank penetrations that compromise containment integrity, wireless non-contacting radar level transmitters with an ATAP (atmospheric temperature and pressure) antenna provide an ideal solution. The article states:

…By transmitting radar signals that can pass directly through plastic tank roofs, these devices can measure levels without physical intrusion. The result is a safer, low-maintenance installation that enables continuous, remote inventory monitoring and reduces the need for manual checks, supporting uninterrupted production and improved process visibility.

 Another good example is the large tanks providing centralised storage for raw materials, intermediates and final chemical products. These are often located some distance from the main production areas, which can make them difficult and costly to monitor using conventional wired systems. The article explains:

…Wireless level instrumentation allows operators to monitor tank levels remotely and continuously, even in large or dispersed storage areas. Non-contacting radar and guided wave radar technologies deliver reliable, maintenance-free measurements under varying process conditions, while wireless level detectors provide high- and low-level alarms to prevent overfilling or pump-dry situations.

The Rosemount 2160 Wireless Level Detector from Emerson is ideal for providing high- and low-level alarms and overfill prevention in hard-to-reach locations.

I then provide a case study from a Brazilian site operated by the American paints and coatings company Sherwin-Williams. The company was facing efficiency and safety challenges due to its reliance on manual level measurements in outdoor chemical storage tanks, which required personnel to physically gauge the levels of paints and raw materials. As the article explains:

…To eliminate these risks and improve visibility, Sherwin-Williams installed our wireless solution comprising Rosemount 3308 Wireless Guided Wave Radar Transmitters for continuous level measurement, along with Rosemount 2160 Wireless Level Detectors to provide independent overfill prevention. The wireless solution delivered reliable, real-time inventory data, significantly improving operational efficiency and reducing safety exposure. By avoiding extensive cabling and infrastructure work, the site achieved precise inventory management while saving approximately $55,000 in installation, maintenance and future scalability costs through the use of WirelessHART technology.

To learn more about the Rosemount 3408 Wireless Level Transmitter and its suitability for solving chemical industry application challenges, go to www.Emerson.com/Rosemount3408.