Why the Steel & Metallurgy Industry Needs the SLDL53 3D Radar Level Scanner

SOLIDAT · SLDL53 3D Radar Level Scanner | Industry Application Series 2

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.

From the raw-material yard to the blast furnace, coke oven and sinter plant, steelmaking handles large volumes of bulk materials - iron ore, coal, coke, sinter, quicklime, bentonite and limestone. Particle sizes are uneven, moisture varies and transfer points generate extreme dust, while silos are tall and deep. Level and inventory measurement is therefore critical to stable feeding in ironmaking and coking. The SLDL53 3D radar level meter provides an online solution for metallurgical raw-material bin level and ore stockpile volume measurement.

Fig.1  Iron-ore processing and metallurgical raw-material yard - many bulk materials, with both stockpiles and silos

1. Measurement Pain Points in Metallurgical Silos

• Dusty, high-impact coke/sinter silos: Filling generates heavy dust, large lumps and strong wall impact; single-point instruments receive chaotic echoes and are easily damaged.
• Sticky, moisture-bearing iron ore: Wet ore fines stick to walls, bridge and form a central rathole, causing severe single-point radar errors - hence the need for silo bridging and ratholing monitoring.
• Deep silos, complex surfaces: Blast-furnace ore and coke bins are deep and arranged in parallel rows, with off-centering and size segregation, so one point cannot represent the whole bin.
• High cost of shutdown cleaning: Ironmaking and coking run continuously, so starvation or blockage caused by mismeasurement leads to heavy losses.

Fig.2  Large coal/coke silo farm at a steelworks - parallel silos require accurate per-silo inventory

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

• Penetrates heavy dust: The 120-140 GHz terahertz wave penetrates coke and ore dust, staying stable during filling - true level measurement in dusty silos.
• Detects build-up and ratholing: 3D point-cloud imaging clearly shows wall build-up, central ratholes and cone-bottom residue, warning of blockage in advance.
• Whole-silo volume/weight: Multi-point panoramic scanning reconstructs the irregular surface and, with bulk density, outputs inventory mass - coke silo level and volume measurement for proportioning and procurement.
• Vibration and process resistant: 5-500 Hz, 5 g three-axis vibration resistance, IP67, standard -40 to 85 deg C and high-temperature type to 180 deg C for metallurgical sites.
• Multi-silo networking: The SLDL53-20 supports up to 255 units with multi-scanner data fusion, unifying ore and coke bin rows into one master/APP view.

Fig.4  Panorama of coking/ironmaking silos

Fig.5  Multiple coke-oven silos - continuous feeding demands real-time, trustworthy inventory

3. Typical Measurement Points and Value

• Blast-furnace ore/coke bins: Accurate real-time level prevents starvation and overfilling, stabilizing furnace batches.
• Sinter proportioning bins: Per-bin metering of ore fines, flux and fuel improves proportioning accuracy and sinter quality.
• Coke/raw-coal silos: Accurate inventory to schedule filling, maintenance and cleaning and avoid unplanned stops.
• Raw-material yard: The SLDL53-30/70 performs ore stockpile volume measurement and guides stacker-reclaimer automation on ore and coal yards.

Fig.6  Close-up of coke-oven silos - dusty, deep silos are the classic 3D-radar application

Fig.7  Bulk-material yard - the 3D radar provides online inventory and equipment guidance

4. Software and System Integration

SoltaView delivers multi-silo 3D visualization, inventory trends, build-up/rathole alarms and reports. It supports HART, Modbus, TCP/IP, AUTBUS and Ethernet-APL, and connects via OPC UA/Modbus TCP to metallurgical MES, ERP and DCS for ERP integration of silo inventory, feeding production and cost accounting as a silo digital twin.

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 or dust-resistant SLDL53-40 for ore/coke/proportioning bins; SLDL53-20 network for parallel bin rows; SLDL53-30 / SLDL53-70 for large raw-material yards; SLDL53-80 on conveyors for flow, belt misalignment and tear monitoring.

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.