LNG will become the energy of the future, which is the consensus of many transportation practitioners – LNG combustion produces almost no smoke, and significantly lower levels of greenhouse gas emissions, which are its environmental benefits. Compared with traditional energy sources, LNG (liquefied natural gas) and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) also have economic advantages, so the liquefied gas industry is getting more attention.

LNG is particularly popular in the Marine transport industry, with an increasing number of container ships and cruise ships choosing to use natural gas as power. However, as long as there is liquefied gas, safety must be put in the first place, because liquefied gas has low temperature and flammable and explosive characteristics. The VEGAPULS 6X radar level gauge provides measurements that help liquefied gas applications reduce risk and optimize production processes.

The radar level gauge is measuring LNG

T8402 Three major challenges need to be addressed

01

The material must be strong and durable

The VEGAPULS 6X uses a non-contact measurement principle, which is not affected by the following factors when measuring liquid levels:

The radar level gauge features a very robust construction – essential in LNG applications. The metal structure of the instrument is corrosion-resistant stainless steel, which can effectively avoid the influence of temperature on the sensitive electronic components inside. Thanks to this reliable barrier against temperature, the level meter makes accurate measurements at temperatures as low as -196°C. Therefore, the instrument’s housing and its PTFE antenna flush with the surface are not only suitable for corrosive media such as acid and lye, but also for low-temperature applications.

02

Low dielectric constant

Liquefied gas, like most products in the petrochemical industry, has a very low dielectric constant and poor reflection ability to the signal sent by the liquid level meter. The VEGAPULS 6X uses a radar frequency of 80GHz, which can reliably capture even weak echoes, and the signal strength of 120dB makes the medium clearly identifiable.

03

Need to bring material disassembly

In liquefied gas applications, users often require that the instrument used can be separated from the container through the valve to achieve material disassembly. Therefore, in such applications, the measuring instrument needs to be mounted above the ball valve. The strong focusing capability of the VEGAPULS 6X ensures that the ball valve does not negatively affect measurements.

All-round security guarantee

Safety is a top priority in the extraction, processing, storage and transportation of LNG and LPG. VEGAPULS 6X provides a full range of safety and security to meet the needs of the liquefied gas industry.

T8402 Functional safety: The VEGAPULS 6X radar level gauge has an outstanding SIL safety index to ensure the necessary operational safety.

Cyber security: VEGAPULS 6X complies with IEC 62443-4-2 and meets strict specifications for data transmission and access restrictions.

Self-diagnostic function: The radar level meter has a built-in self-diagnostic system, which can identify whether the safety of the instrument function has been affected, thereby improving the availability and performance of the measuring equipment.

LNG and LPG for the transportation industry

Growing in importance

Whether it is the storage and transportation of liquefied gas, or the use of gas such as filling stations: accurate measurement data can help you minimize potential risks.