Why Pulp/Paper & Biomass Energy Industries Need the SLDL53 3D Radar Level Scanner

SOLIDAT · SLDL53 3D Radar Level Scanner | Industry Application Series 7

Solution overview: The SLDL53 3D Radar Level Scanner - also referred to as a 3D Radar Level Meter, Radar Level Scanner or 3D Level Scanner - is both a bulk solids level sensor and a bulk solids volume measurement system that forms a silo inventory monitoring system. Using non-contact 3D level measurement, it performs 3D material surface mapping and 3D radar volume measurement across the whole surface and provides average/minimum/maximum level monitoring; it delivers reliable level measurement in dusty silos, supports silo wall build-up monitoring and silo bridging and ratholing monitoring, scales across multiple silos and yards with multi-scanner data fusion, and through ERP integration for silo inventory feeds a silo digital twin and smart inventory management.

Pulp/papermaking and biomass power generation use woody-fiber feedstocks - logs, wood chips, sawdust, wood residues, wood flour and straw. These materials are light, fluffy, high-moisture, with large repose angles and highly irregular surfaces, stored in open yards or tall silos, and they readily bridge, arch and build up on walls. Conventional gauges are almost helpless against such low-dielectric, strongly wave-absorbing materials, and inventory has long relied on experience. The SLDL53 3D radar level meter is purpose-built for difficult low-dielectric powder level measurement and biomass storage level and inventory monitoring.

Fig.1  Pulp and paper - silo monitoring from logs and chips through chipping/grinding, screening and pulping to papermaking

1. Measurement Pain Points in Paper and Biomass Silos

• Fluffy, highly irregular surfaces: Wood chips and sawdust have large repose angles and many voids, so single-point measurement cannot reflect true volume.
• High moisture, easy bridging: Damp wood fibers bridge, build up on walls and form central flow, greatly changing effective capacity - hence silo bridging and ratholing monitoring.
• Low dielectric, strongly absorbing: Light woody materials reflect ordinary radar weakly and defeat ultrasound in dusty, sound-absorbing conditions, requiring a dedicated low-dielectric powder level measurement solution.
• Hard-to-inventory open yards: Biomass fuel yards are large, and fuel procurement and co-firing need accurate inventory and blending ratios.

Fig.2  Pulp-mill log yard and silos - irregular chip/sawdust surfaces

Fig.3  3D material surface mapping and point-cloud inventory model generated in SoltaView (non-contact whole-surface scanning).

2. Targeted Capabilities of the SLDL53

• 3D imaging of fluffy piles: 360 deg x 110 deg scanning models irregular chip/sawdust surfaces and accurately calculates volume rather than a single distance - true 3D material surface mapping.
• Dust-penetrating, moisture-tolerant: The terahertz wave penetrates sawdust dust and suits the humid, dusty biomass environment.
• Bridging/arching/build-up visualization: Clearly shows silo bridging, central flow and wall build-up to guide arch-breaking and feeding, preventing starvation and boiler trips.
• Co-firing and inventory management: Provides biomass power plants with fuel inventory and blending data for stable co-firing - biomass fuel silo 3D scanning.
• Fast large-yard inventory: The SLDL53-30/70 suits open chip and straw yards; the SLDL53-80 monitors infeed conveyor flow.

Fig.4  Biomass power - log, chip, sawdust, residue and wood-flour raw and process silos

Fig.5  Woody-fuel yard at a biomass plant - large, fluffy fuel needs 3D inventory

Fig.6  Biomass building and sawdust yard - inventory and co-firing ratio management

3. Typical Measurement Points and Value

• Pulp/papermaking: Level and inventory of chip, screened and process silos to ensure continuous pulping supply.
• Biomass power plants: Level and bridging alarms for raw and feed silos, preventing starvation from affecting boiler load.
• Open fuel yards: 3D inventory, volume/mass calculation, procurement settlement and stacker/reclaimer automation.
• Conveyors / waste bunkers: The SLDL53-80 monitors chip flow, cumulative volume/mass, belt misalignment and foreign objects; waste bunker volume monitoring is likewise supported.

Fig.7  Aerial view of a paper mill log and chip yard

Fig.8  SLDL53-10 roof-mounted non-contact installation - suited to humid, dusty, strongly wave-absorbing materials

4. Software, Integration and Selection

SoltaView provides 3D pile imaging, inventory/weight, trends, centralized multi-silo/multi-yard monitoring and alarms, supports Modbus, TCP/IP, AUTBUS and Ethernet-APL, and connects via OPC UA to DCS, fuel management and smart-power-plant platforms for ERP integration of silo inventory, turning "estimates" of light fluffy materials into precise figures through a silo digital twin and smart inventory management.

5. Model Selection

Model	Key Features	Range / Scan	Typical Applications
SLDL53-10	Soltascan3D single head, 120-140GHz terahertz, point cloud + AI 3D modeling	120 m, 360 deg H / 110 deg V	Single / standard silos, bins & hoppers
SLDL53-20	Multi-head data fusion, up to 255 units networked, 5G/AUTBUS	120 m, scalable stitching	Large silo farms, multi-silo monitoring
SLDL53-30	6-radar parallel fast scanning, rapid inventory	300 m	Large open / circular stockyards, coal yards
SLDL53-40	Phased-array 3D radar, optional ceramic antenna, heavy dust	120 m, 90 deg V	Heavy-dust, severe-service silos
SLDL53-60	Sonic3DScan ultrasonic 3D, corrosive / foam media	Per application	Special media, ultrasonic-suited cases
SLDL53-70	Laserscan laser stockpile scanner, high-density point cloud	Large stockpiles	Coal/material inventory, stacker-reclaimer automation
SLDL53-80	StrlightScan conveyor belt 3D inspection	Online	Flow/volume/foreign object/belt misalignment/tear

Recommendation: SLDL53-10 /40 for chip, sawdust and feed silos; SLDL53-20 for multi-silo networking; SLDL53-30 or SLDL53-70 for open chip/straw yards; SLDL53-80 on infeed conveyors; SLDL53-60 ultrasonic 3D for special media.

About SOLIDAT

SOLIDAT Applied Technologies, a member of the SOLIDAT group, was founded in 1981, initially providing radar and vibration-analysis technology for the aerospace industry. In 1996 it acquired SOLID Scientific Research & Development, gaining advanced ultrasonic and sonar technology together with the MonoScan and SMARTSCAN trademarks; in 1999 it acquired SOLTA Advanced Technologies, gaining advanced radar technology and the SOLTASCAN trademark. After more than four decades, SOLIDAT has become a globally recognized high-technology intelligent-instrument group at the forefront of radar, ultrasonic, sonar and electromagnetic sensing.

The SLDL53 Soltascan3D 3D Radar Level Scanner is a bulk-solids level sensor and bulk-solids volume measurement system, widely applied in power, metallurgy, cement & building materials, coal & mining, grain & food, petrochemical & plastics, pulp & paper and biomass industries, forming a silo inventory monitoring system that delivers a "transparent silo, smart inventory and unattended operation".

Website: www.solidat.net  |  China Office: +86-10-86468485

Send us your silo dimensions, material, range and communication requirements; SOLIDAT engineers will provide a selection proposal and instrument layout drawing.