In your treatment plant, sensor readings are often right at your fingertips. But what if you need readings from remote lift stations, water towers or pump stations? The dBi Modbus series from Pulsar Measurement are low-power, ultrasonic level sensors that benefit from Modbus communication.
Modbus makes it possible to connect a plant’s supervisory computer with a remote terminal unit in SCADA systems. The Modbus protocol uses character serial communication lines, ethernet, or the internet protocol suite as a transport layer. The protocol supports communication from multiple devices connected to the same cable or ethernet network.
“The dBi Modbus series is a good fit for the industry because of its flexibility,” says Ken Elander, senior product manager for Pulsar Measurement. “Modbus communications makes it possible to connect up to 120 sensors to a single controller, greatly reducing the setup costs for new installations.”
The IP68 design enables the unit to be fully submerged, making it ideal for applications where flooding or surcharging can occur. The ultra-low power consumption provides a long deployment time, providing data insights for extended periods while reducing the need to maintain a data collection system. Thanks to the built-in DATEM software, the dBi Modbus provides accuracy and reliability by continuously adapting to conditions in the well.
“Due to the intelligence of DATEM built into our software, call outs because of a well running dry or overflowing is a thing of the past as the dBi-M is able to actively discriminate against false-echo targets like pump heads, chains, ladder rungs and grease rings so that the sensor never reports back a false level,” Elander says. “The advantage DATEM provides can be extended to other applications like sewer collections system monitoring thanks to the ultra-low power consumption and its ability to be connected to remote loggers.”
The Modbus Series of Transducers are available in a range of different formats, including with flanged or front-thread connections for mounting flexibility, PTFE coating for corrosive applications, fitted with a foam face for solids applications, and submergence shields to prevent the face of the transducer from becoming dirty in applications where submergence is common.
“The short measuring cycle allows customers to maintain a system battery life, ahead of what they have seen with previous products,” says Stephen Bell, global product and marketing director for Pulsar Measurement. “They also use DATEM to map obstructions, and have found this to be extremely powerful.” 888-473-9546; www.pulsarmeasurement.com
