Non nuclear density measurement of slurries???
Non nuclear density measurement of slurries???
(OP)
Can anybody suggest any alternatives to nuclear density metering of mining slurries running in pipes? Is it me or is it getting more difficult and time consuming [hence expensive] to comply with the paperwork for acquiring and moving nukes in Canada?
Any viable suggestions welcome.
Any viable suggestions welcome.
RE: Non nuclear density measurement of slurries???
An ultrasonic density meter passes sound waves across the pipe diameter. A strong echo is is received with low % solids, but as the solids increase the sonic energy is absorbed by the particles and the echo weakens. The problem is above 10% solids the signal has to be correspondingly damped. This causes errors, since the damped signal is not the true average of the random noise. Such devices only measure across a thin diameter, which is not representative of the complete cross section.
Microwave phase shift techniques should not be used with mining slurries, since reliance is placed on a reasonably constant dielectric strength of the media. Mining slurries do not exhibit this characteristic.
The best non-nuclear device appears to be a simple direct mass per unit volume system. It actually continuously measures mass of a relatively large, and hence representative, volume. It is vibration and temperature insensitive, while accurate to < 0.5%. It may be used in series with a magnetic volumetric flow meter for wet or dry mass flow, wet density or % dry solids in pipes 2" - 40" diameter. A good explanation is given on www.sciamworldwide.com
RE: Non nuclear density measurement of slurries???
RE: Non nuclear density measurement of slurries???
londnbob