Waveguide is on the level about saturated steam

A K-Tek product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 23, 2004

The new C9P81 waveguide is designed specifically for saturated steam applications, such as those found in power generation plants and industrial heat processes.

New from K-Tek is the MT2000 waveguide Model C9P81.

The MT2000 uses guided wave radar to make measurements, which means no moving parts and, therefore, virtually no maintenance.

A waveguide directs the microwave pulses, eliminating the beam divergence problems common to conventional noncontact radar transmitters.

The new C9P81 waveguide is designed specifically for saturated steam applications, such as those found in power generation plants and industrial heat processes.

The C9P81 waveguide features an alumina ceramic insulator that allows accurate and reliable measurements up to 138bar at 335C.

"Unlike traditional contact devices, such as displacers, the C9P81 waveguide does not depend on fluid density to make measurements", stated Robert Hotard, Product Manager for Radar and RF products at K-Tek Corp.

"As a result, readings do not fluctuate with shifts in the specific gravity of the fluid and are not subject to variations in dielectric constants".

"This allows for significantly tighter control throughout the steam cycle, from boilers to feedwater heaters to de-aerators".

The MT2000 level transmitter features the industry's largest selection of probe materials, including 316 stainless steel, 304 stainless steel, Hastelloy, Monel and titanium.

This means the instrument works even under the harshest conditions, including high temperatures, high pressures (saturated steam), or corrosive environments, such as hydrochloric acid.

The standard housing for the MT2000 is powder-coated aluminium; an optional stainless-steel housing handles corrosive environments.

A dual-compartment design allows users to isolate the wiring and terminations from the sensing elements and internal electronics.

FM approved and CSA certified for use in hazardous areas, the MT2000 is also ATEX certified for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

With virtually no beam divergence and, therefore, no false echoes, the MT2000 is ideal for use in vessels with complex, internal structures or even small, tight spaces, such as existing displacer chambers and stilling wells that can be found in refineries, chemical plants, and power generation facilities.

The MT2000 provides the highest accuracy readings in the industry at +/-5.1mm.

With traditional contact measurement devices, such as displacers or floats, the specific gravity of the fluid being measured varies with temperature and pressure.

This results in varying accuracies.

The MT2000's guided wave radar, on the other hand, is unaffected by variations in specific gravity.

The instrument provides accurate height measurements even with widely varying temperatures and pressures.

The MT2000 configured with the Model C9P81 waveguide is designed specifically for saturated steam applications and can handle up to 138bar at 335C.

The MT2000 family of level transmitters is the only one in the industry to provide built-in linearisation functions.

This allows users to minimise the unmeasurable or "dead" zones that can occur at the end of probes.

Whereas competin products assume standard dead zones, all MT2000 incorporate a linearisation table.

The MT2000 probes can be customised for retrofitting into existing stilling wells and displacer chambers, from 2 to 20ft.

Output is via 4-20mA, Hart, or Honeywell DDE.

Results are displayed locally with a built-in scrolling LCD panel that offers measurements in a field-selectable choice of feet, inches, millimetres, centimetres, metres or percent.

K-Tek's MT2000 guided wave radar level transmitters are available for immediate shipment.

Prices start at $1325.

The C9P81 waveguide option is priced at $1000.

Delivery is two weeks from receipt of order.