Tank farm automation

Elimination of trenching and long-distance cabling reduces material and labour costs, as well as engineering and project execution time

Wireless integrates Raptor tank gauging to expand tank farm automation

Tank farm automation is now easier, faster and less costly with the integration of Emerson Process Management’s Rosemount® Raptor tank gauging systems and Smart Wireless technology. System installation costs can be reduced up to 50 per cent by wirelessly connecting the tank farm to the control room, with the added benefit of reducing implementation time by as much as 60 per cent. The savings free up budget for expanded automation of tank farms.

The Raptor system with Smart Wireless technology, features a complete line of Emerson’s new ‘state-of-the-art’ Rosemount® tank gauging components, including high precision radar gauges that use self-configuring, 2-wire, high speed FOUNDATION™ fieldbus technology. The combined communications technologies enable use of a wide range of standardised equipment. The resulting Raptor system forms a network of digital intelligence that improves inventory management, loss control, overfill avoidance, and maintenance efficiency throughout the plant.

Many tank storage facilities that could benefit from modern, non-contact gauging currently use obsolete signal wiring, or are not connected from the tank storage area. Retrofitting an obsolete gauging system is expensive and time consuming because the distance between storage tanks and the control room can be more than one kilometre, requiring extensive trenching and cabling.

As a result of budget restrictions, some plants continue to experience maintenance problems caused by communications limitations and low performing mechanical tank gauges and instruments. Now, with Smart Wireless technology, a new radar-based Raptor system can be installed without new long distance signal wiring. This will radically reduce material and labour costs, as well as engineering and project execution time.

"The wireless-empowered tank gauging systems are effective in new installations or for upgrading existing sites," commented Mikael Inglund, Technical Product Manager, Emerson Process Management. "Our customers struggle with the costs of replacing aged wiring, obsolete measurement instruments, and proprietary gauging systems. Our wireless Raptor systems give them the flexibility and freedom to implement an effective modernisation strategy. They can be changed out and wirelessly integrate new gauging systems one tank at a time. Most upgrades are done without taking the tank farm out of service."

Emerson’s Rosemount brand is the global market leader in tank gauging systems. The systems are custody transfer-approved and can be applied on many types of storage tanks, including fixed roof and floating roof tanks. Applications range from light products such as LPG, LNG and gasoline, to heavier products like crude oils and asphalt.