Related Manuals for Hydronix Hydro-Probe
Summary of Contents for Hydronix Hydro-Probe
- Page 1 Hydronix Moisture Sensor Configuration and Calibration Guide To re-order quote part number: HD0679 Revision: 1.2.0 Revision date: October 2015...
- Page 2 Neither the whole or any part of the information contained in nor the product described in this documentation may be adapted or reproduced in any material form except with the prior written approval of Hydronix Limited, hereinafter referred to as Hydronix.
- Page 3 Hydronix Offices UK Head Office Address: 7 Riverside Business Centre Walnut Tree Close Guildford Surrey GU1 4UG Tel: +44 1483 468900 Fax: +44 1483 468919 Email: support@hydronix.com sales@hydronix.com Website: www.hydronix.com North American Office Covers North and South America, US territories, Spain and Portugal...
- Page 4 Configuration and Calibration Guide HD0679 Rev 1.2.0...
- Page 5 Revision history Revision No Date Description of Change 1.0.0 Feb 2015 First Release 1.1.0 July 2015 Multi-Mode Calibration Section Added 1.2.0 October Process for calibrating a sensor in a mixer added 2015 Configuration and Calibration Guide HD0679 Rev 1.2.0 5...
- Page 6 Configuration and Calibration Guide HD0679 Rev 1.2.0...
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Page 7: Table Of Contents
Digital Inputs/Output Setup ......................17 Averaging Parameters........................ 19 Filtering ............................20 Typical Moisture Trace from a Hydronix Moisture Sensor in Flowing Material ......21 Filtering the Signal When Used in a Mixer Application .............. 22 Outputting the Sensor Data ......................26 Chapter 3 Sensor Integration and Material Calibration ................. - Page 8 Configuration and Calibration Guide HD0679 Rev 1.2.0...
- Page 9 Table of Figures Figure 1: Connecting the Sensor (Overview) ..................13 Figure 2: Guidance for Setting Output Variable ..................15 Figure 3: Raw and Filter Include Sensor Output ................... 21 Figure 4: Raw Unscaled Moisture Trace in Flowing Material ............... 21 Figure 5: Graph showing the Filtered Signal ..................
- Page 10 Configuration and Calibration Guide HD0679 Rev 1.2.0...
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Page 11: Chapter 1 Introduction
Chapter 1 Introduction Introduction This Configuration and Calibration Guide is valid for the following Hydronix sensors only: Hydro-Probe (Model number HP04 onwards) Hydro-Probe XT (Model number XT02 onwards) Hydro-Probe Orbiter (Model number ORB3 onwards) Hydro-Probe SE (Model number SE03 onwards) - Page 12 All Hydronix sensors are pre-calibrated in the factory so that they read 0 when in air and 100 when submerged in water. This is called the ‘Unscaled Reading’ and is the base value used when calibrating a sensor to the material being measured.
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Page 13: Figure 1: Connecting The Sensor (Overview)
Chapter 1 2 Measuring Techniques The sensor uses the unique Hydronix digital microwave technique that provides a more sensitive measurement compared to analogue techniques. This technique facilitates a choice of measurement modes (not available in all sensors, see relevant sensors installation guide for technical specifications). - Page 14 Chapter 1 Introduction Configuration and Calibration Guide HD0679 Rev 1.2.0...
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Page 15: Chapter 2 Configuration
Configuration 1 Configuring the Sensor The Hydronix microwave moisture sensor has a number of internal parameters which can be used to optimise the sensor for a given application. These settings are available to view and change using the Hydro-Com software. Information for all settings can be found in the Hydro- Com User Guide (Hydro-Com User Guide HD0682). - Page 16 Chapter 2 Configuration Output Variable 1 and 2 These define which sensor readings the analogue output will represent and has 10 options. 2.2.1 Raw Unscaled This is the raw unfiltered unscaled variable. A Raw Unscaled value of 0 is the reading in air and 100 would relate to a reading in water.
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Page 17: Digital Inputs/Output Setup
Configuration Chapter 2 2.2.8 Average Moisture % This is the ‘Raw Moisture %’ variable processed for batch averaging using the averaging parameters. To obtain an average reading, the digital input must be configured to ‘Average/Hold’. When the digital input is switched high the Raw Moisture readings are averaged. - Page 18 Chapter 2 Configuration Moisture/Temperature: Allows the user to switch the analogue output between the measurements of Unscaled or Moisture (whichever is set) and temperature. This is used when the temperature output is required whilst still using only one analogue output. With the input inactive, the analogue output will indicate the appropriate moisture variable (Unscaled or moisture).
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Page 19: Averaging Parameters
Configuration Chapter 2 Inputs/Output Configuration Settings 3.2.1 High Limit and Low Limit (Alarms) The High Limit and Low Limit may be set for both the moisture % and the sensor Unscaled value. The two parameters operate independently. The Bin Empty output will activate when the reading is below the Low Limit. -
Page 20: Filtering
Chapter 2 Configuration is stable, for example, when measuring at the output from a silo, the averaging should be set to ‘Raw’. 5 Filtering Default filtering settings can be found in the relevant sensor default settings engineering note, see Appendix A Document Cross Reference for details. The Raw Unscaled reading is measured 25 times per second and may contain a high level of ‘noise’... -
Page 21: Typical Moisture Trace From A Hydronix Moisture Sensor In Flowing Material
Time (s) Figure 3: Raw and Filter Include Sensor Output 6 Typical Moisture Trace from a Hydronix Moisture Sensor in Flowing Material Figure 4 is a typical Raw Unscaled trace of a flowing material. The signal is erratic due to the action of the material flowing past the sensor. -
Page 22: Filtering The Signal When Used In A Mixer Application
Chapter 2 Configuration 7 Filtering the Signal When Used in a Mixer Application Due to high levels of noise caused by the mixer blades, the signal will require a certain amount of filtering to make it usable for moisture control. The default settings are suitable for most applications however they can be customised if required. -
Page 23: Figure 8: Filtering The Raw Unscaled Signal (1)
Configuration Chapter 2 The following two graphs illustrate the effect of filtering the same raw data shown above. Figure 8 shows the effect of using the following filter settings which create the ‘Filtered Unscaled’ line on the graph. Slew-Rate + = Medium Slew-Rate - = Light... - Page 24 Chapter 2 Configuration 8 Measurement Modes Measurement Modes enable the sensitivity of the sensor to be optimised for a given material. Selection of Measurement Modes is not available in all sensors and different models will have different default Measurement Mode settings. Refer to the technical specification section in the relevant sensor installation guide for further information.
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Page 25: Figure 10: Relationship Of Unscaled Values To Moisture
To determine which mode is the most appropriate it is recommend to run trials for a given material, mixer type or application. Before doing so it is recommend that you contact Hydronix to seek advice on our recommended settings for your given application. -
Page 26: Outputting The Sensor Data
1 might be set to “Filtered Unscaled Mode F” or “Average Moisture Mode E”. RS485 Protocol The Hydronix Hydro-Link protocol has been extended to allow data for different modes to be requested. Using the extended protocol the host might request “Average Unscaled Mode V”... -
Page 27: Figure 12: None Specified Output Selection
Configuration Chapter 2 Moisture Unscaled Moisture Actual Output Output Mode Coefficients Calculation Calculation (Current Loop or RS485 request) A, B, C, D (Mode F) Mode F Mode F Mode F Current Loop or A, B, C, D (Mode E) Mode E Mode E Mode E RS485... - Page 28 Chapter 2 Configuration Configuration and Calibration Guide HD0679 Rev 1.2.0...
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Page 29: Chapter 3 Sensor Integration And Material Calibration
(0) value relates to the measurement in air and 100 relates to water. This is used to give a raw output value from a Hydronix sensor which ranges from 0 to 100 and is called the Unscaled value. -
Page 30: Figure 15: Typical Calibration Results
Fluctuations in the composition of the material such as varying blends, density or compaction may adversely affect the validity of the calibration. See the Installation guide for the appropriate sensor for mounting advice. For further advice regarding specific applications please consult the Hydronix support team support@hydronix.com The Calibration Types Hydronix Microwave Moisture Sensors can be calibrated using several different methods. -
Page 31: Ssd Coefficient And Ssd Moisture Content
Total moisture moisture The SSD coefficient used in Hydronix procedures and equipment is the Saturated Surface Dry offset, which is the water adsorption value of the material. The SSD value can be determined using industry standard procedures or obtained from the material supplier. -
Page 32: Calibration Procedure For Flowing Material (Linear)
No need to learn how to use additional software. • If it is necessary to replace the sensor, a replacement Hydronix sensor can be connected and valid results obtained immediately without connecting the sensor to a PC to update the material calibration. - Page 33 Sensor Integration and Material Calibration Chapter 3 Hints and Safety • Wear safety glasses and protective clothing to guard against expulsion of material during the drying process. • Do not attempt to calibrate the sensor by packing material on the face. The readings obtained will not be representative of those from a real application.
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Page 34: Good/Bad Calibration
Chapter 3 Sensor Integration and Material Calibration All three samples should be completely dried and the results compared. Use the moisture calculator to calculate the moisture %, (see section 5.4). If the results differ by more than 0.3% moisture then the samples should be discarded and the calibration process repeated. -
Page 35: Quadratic Calibration
Figure 19 - Examples of Poor Material Calibration Points 7 Quadratic Calibration Hydronix Microwave Moisture sensors are able to utilise a quadratic calibration function for use in the rare occasions where a material is non-linear. For quadratic calibrations, where the calibration points do not form a straight line the ‘A’... -
Page 36: Calibrating A Sensor In A Mixer
Chapter 3 Sensor Integration and Material Calibration Best Fit Curve Sensor Unscaled output Figure 20: Example of a Good Quadratic Calibration Figure 21 is an example of a poor calibration. It is evident that the calibration points are not close to the curve fit and this indicates that there are possible sampling and laboratory errors. This calibration would need to be completed again. - Page 37 Sensor Integration and Material Calibration Chapter 3 To determine the water in the material the dry weight must be calculated using the ������ ��������ℎ�� following equation: (1+���������������� %) Dry weight = (Moisture %: 1=100%, 0.1 = 10%) = 879.63���� 1.08 Sand = 1014.63����...
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Page 38: Brix Calibration
Chapter 3 Sensor Integration and Material Calibration The calibration data can be entered into Hydro-Com or excel to calculate the calibration coefficients. This can also be done manually using the following equations: ���������������� ( ������ ) −����������������(������) ���������������� ( ������ ) −����������������(������) B (Gradient) = 5.96−4.36 46−35... -
Page 39: Figure 22: Example Of A Good Brix Calibration
Sensor Integration and Material Calibration Chapter 3 The average of the laboratory results and the Filtered Unscaled value make up one calibration point. Steps 3-5 should be repeated for additional calibration points. Ideally calibration points should be collected to cover the entire expected Brix range of the material. Hydro-Com software should be used to calculate the calibration coefficients and to update the sensor with the calibration. - Page 40 Chapter 3 Sensor Integration and Material Calibration Configuration and Calibration Guide HD0679 Rev 1.2.0...
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Page 41: Chapter 4 Best Practices
Chapter 4 Best Practices The sensor is a precise instrument and in many cases is more accurate than other equipment or sampling techniques used for calibration purposes. For best performance ensure that the installation follows the basic guidelines below and that the sensor is configured with suitable filtering parameters. It may also be beneficial to adjust the sensor filtering and signal smoothing parameters as described in Chapter 2 Section 5. - Page 42 Chapter 4 Best Practices Configuration and Calibration Guide HD0679 Rev 1.2.0...
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Page 43: Chapter 5 Sensor Diagnostics
Chapter 5 Sensor Diagnostics The following tables list the most common faults found when using the sensor. If you are unable to diagnose the problem from this information, please contact Hydronix technical support. 1 Sensor Diagnostics Symptom: No output from Sensor... - Page 44 Chapter 5 Sensor Diagnostics Symptom: Incorrect Analogue Output Possible Check Required result Action required on explanation failure Wiring problem Wiring at the Twisted pairs used Wire correctly using junction box and for complete length specified cable in of cable from sensor the technical to PLC, is wired specification...
- Page 45 Sensor Diagnostics Chapter 5 Symptom: Near Constant Moisture Reading Possible Check Required result Action required on explanation failure Empty bin or sensor Sensor is covered by 100mm minimum Fill the bin uncovered material depth of material Material stuck in bin Material is not stuck Smooth flow of Look for causes of...
- Page 46 Chapter 5 Sensor Diagnostics Symptom: Inconsistent or Erratic Readings That Do Not Track Moisture Content Possible Check Required result Action required on explanation failure Debris on sensor Debris, such as The sensor must Improve material cleaning rags always be kept clear storage.
- Page 47 Sensor Diagnostics Chapter 5 Sensor Output Characteristics Filtered Unscaled Output (values shown are approximate) RS485 4-20mA 0-20 mA 0-10 V Sensor exposed to air 4 mA 0 mA Hand on sensor 75-85 16-17.6 mA 15-17 mA 7.5-8.5 V Configuration and Calibration Guide HD0679 Rev 1.2.0 47...
- Page 48 Chapter 5 Sensor Diagnostics Configuration and Calibration Guide HD0679 Rev 1.2.0...
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Page 49: Chapter 6 Frequently Asked Questions
Chapter 6 Frequently Asked Questions Hydro-Com doesn’t detect any sensors If there is more than one sensor connected on the RS485 network, ensure that each sensor has a different address. Ensure the sensor is correctly connected, that it is powered from a suitable 15-30Vdc source and the RS485 wires are connected through a suitable RS232-485 or USB-RS485 converter to the PC. - Page 50 Chapter 6 Frequently Asked Questions The sensor readings are changing erratically and are not consistent with the changes in moisture in the material. Is there a reason for this? It is possible that some material is building up on the sensor face during the flow. With a build- up even if there is a change in the moisture, the sensor only ‘sees’...
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Page 51: Appendix A Document Cross Reference
Hydro-Probe Orbiter Installation Guide HD0678 Hydronix Moisture Sensor Electrical Installation Guide EN0077 Moisture Control Methods for Batching EN0078 Integrating Hydro-Mix and Hydro-Probe Sensors in a Grain Duct EN0079 HP04 Sensor Factory Default Parameters EN0080 XT02 Sensor Factory Default Parameters EN0081... - Page 52 Appendix A Document Cross Reference Configuration and Calibration Guide HD0679 Rev 1.2.0...
- Page 53 Index Alarms Free Moisture ..........31 High Limit .......... See Alarms High Limit ..........19 Low Limit ........... 19 Hydro-Com ..........15, 49 Low Limit ........... See Alarms Analogue Output ........13, 15 Auto-Track ............. 18 Measurement Modes ........24 Average Unscaled .........
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