The recently launched TankScan® from ATEK is a remote level-monitoring system that gathers tank-level data via micropower impulse radar (MIR), a low-power radar system using very short electromagnetic pulses across a wide band of frequencies. The technology requires no moving parts or high-tech materials and is powered by batteries, which the manufacturer said ensures the "measurement device is intrinsically safe and suitable for use with petroleum products and chemicals, including combustible liquids".
Mounted on top of above- or below-ground tanks, TankScan sensors generate low-energy electromagnetic impulses that travel down a thin probe immersed in the fluid. The MIR monitor can be used in tanks up to 40 feet high, with no limitations on tank width or volume. The wide-wire separation technology improves level-reading accuracy because it is unaffected by vapors that may be present in the tank. Level measurement is accurate to within .3" or .5% of probe length.
"TankScan was built to be a reliable solution that can be installed easily and integrated into almost any liquid storage application," said Kurt Carpenter, TankScan product manager.
In addition to the MIR monitor, TankScan includes a receiver/controller unit and a data-management software package. Using an RF link, the MIR monitor can transmit data over 1000 feet to the controller, which is capable of managing information from over 30 monitors. After collecting tank-level data, the controller can send the information through an analog phone line, cellular/satellite modem, Ethernet connection, or directly to a PC using a USB port. Data can be presented and interpreted either by software locally installed in an individual computer system or on the Internet from any computer with internet access.
www.TankScan.com
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