Jenny Leion, senior chemical industry manager at Emerson, explains how an expanding range of wireless level technologies is helping chemical manufacturers extend measurement coverage and improve operational efficiency across even the most remote assets.
Accurate and reliable level monitoring is fundamental to safe, efficient and profitable operations in the chemical industry. From raw material storage to finished product tanks, precise level data supports process control, safety, inventory management and environmental compliance.
Accurate level monitoring relies on continuous measurement technologies, including guided wave radar and non-contacting radar transmitters, plus point level detection devices, such as vibrating fork level switches, that provide high-level alarm functionality.
These technologies form the backbone of safe and efficient operations – however, achieving dependable level monitoring in chemical applications can be complex. Harsh process conditions – such as corrosive or abrasive media, variable densities and pressurised or agitated vessels – can prove challenging for instrumentation. The range and severity of these challenges means that no single technology can perform effectively in every scenario, so the choice of instrumentation is very much application-dependent.
Tanks and process areas can also be located in remote or hazardous zones that are difficult and costly to reach with traditional wired infrastructure. Historically, these factors have led to compromises in measurement frequency, coverage, accuracy or data quality, because extending cabling and I/O capacity to every point of interest was prohibitively expensive or logistically impractical. Operators have often relied on manual readings or limited data visibility, but this increases the potential for inefficiency and unplanned downtime.
The evolving wireless landscape
Wireless level monitoring technologies directly address these challenges. 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.
WirelessHART® technology has been in use for nearly two decades, and both guided wave radar level transmitters and vibrating fork level switches have 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 range of available wireless solutions, as non-contacting radar is often an ideal technology for chemical applications due to its lack of moving parts, minimal maintenance requirements and absence of contact with corrosive, viscous or hazardous media.
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.
However, the recent introduction of our 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 locations where installing power or signal cabling would previously have been impractical and cost prohibitive.
Typical applications
There are a number of typical chemical industry applications in which wireless instruments have proven particularly effective. The following examples highlight some of the most common applications where wireless technology enables reliable, continuous monitoring, enhancing both safety and operational efficiency in areas where wiring would be costly or impractical.
Monitoring corrosive media in plastic totes and tanks
The corrosion resistance, portability and cost-effectiveness of plastic chemical totes and storage tanks sees them used widely in chemical manufacturing. Monitoring the level of materials within these vessels can however be challenging, as 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 for plastic totes or tanks that have no tank connection.
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.
Rail car loading
Rail cars are a primary means of transporting bulk raw materials, intermediates and finished products for the chemical industry. Accurate level monitoring during loading operations is essential to prevent overfilling or underfilling, ensure balanced loads, minimise transportation costs and maintain product integrity. Wireless level detectors enable continuous monitoring of rail car filling processes from a safe, remote location, reducing the need for operators to work in potentially hazardous areas.
This wireless level monitoring solution helps to optimise inventory control while providing high- and low-level alarm functionality to prevent spills, equipment damage or process interruptions. The flexibility of wireless communication also allows these instruments to be easily integrated into loading areas where installing conventional cabling would be difficult or costly.
Remote visibility across expansive tank farms
Tank farms play a critical role in chemical production and distribution – providing centralised storage for raw materials, intermediates and final products – but are often located some distance from the main processing areas.
This can make them difficult and costly to monitor using conventional wired systems. 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.
A good example of a wireless solution providing measurable real-world benefits can be found at 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.
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 Vibrating Fork Level Switches 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.
Solids silo monitoring
Bulk solids such as fine powders, pellets and granules are stored in silos for use in a variety of chemical processes, including plastics manufacturing, fertilizer production, and in detergents, colour pigments and adsorbents manufacturing.
Maintaining accurate and reliable level data within these silos is critical for inventory management and process efficiency, but they are often located in remote areas that are difficult to reach with wired infrastructure. Wireless non-contacting radar level transmitters offer an ideal means of continuously monitoring solids levels, providing real-time information without requiring operators to climb silos or perform manual readings.
Advanced diagnostic features in these devices can detect build-up on the antenna, helping maintenance teams identify potential issues before they affect operations.
Streamlining terminal operations with wireless monitoring
Chemical storage terminals that handle bulk quantities of liquid and solid chemicals must maintain accurate, up-to-date inventory data to prevent overstocking, shortages or costly downtime, while also meeting strict safety and environmental standards.
Wireless level measurement is well suited to terminal operations, enabling real-time visibility across multiple tanks without the need for extensive cabling. Non-contacting radar and guided wave radar instruments can deliver reliable measurements even in challenging process environments, and wireless high- and low-level detectors support effective overfill prevention.
When integrated into a site-wide wireless network, these instruments provide comprehensive, cost-effective visibility into all storage assets, helping to streamline compliance and optimise material flow.
A wireless installation at a chemical storage terminal in the Lyon region of France demonstrates these advantages in practice. Corrosion of legacy transmitter housings and wiring had compromised level accuracy, and the location of the tanks made new cabling difficult and costly to install.
The facility adopted a wireless solution using Rosemount 3308 Wireless Guided Wave Radar Transmitters and Rosemount 2160 Wireless Vibrating Fork Level Switches, connected through two gateways. Preconfigured probe lengths matched to each tank simplified deployment, enabling nearly 100 measurement points to be commissioned in just two days instead of the typical seven. With continuous, accurate wireless level data, the terminal now benefits from improved stock management and more efficient day-to-day operations.
Conclusion
The introduction of a native WirelessHART non-contacting radar transmitter expands the range of wireless level monitoring solutions, enabling chemical manufacturers to deploy point level switches, guided wave radar transmitters and non-contacting radar transmitters as fully wireless instruments.
