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LevelCon

By Industrial & Agriculture, IoT & Smart Cities

LevelCon uses Acconeer radar sensors in their remote tank monitoring solutions

With 40 years in the business, the company LevelCon specializes in remote tank and bin level monitoring solutions. Located with their headquarter in Houston and branch office in India, LevelCon services the international tank business segment with customer solutions for fuels, oils, lubricants, water/wastewater, fertilizers and animal feeds. Their customers expect accurate readings of tank level data to be delivered in real time.

Extremely easy to mount a tank level sensor and get connected

LevelCon has taken a holistic approach to providing their customers with a complete and cost efficient end-to-end tank level monitoring solution. In order to provide a cost-efficient product, not only did the hardware sensor need to be efficiently designed, but also the surrounding costs in terms of installing, operating and maintaining the system had to be taken into account as well. Many customers have 100s or 1000s of data points to be measured in an accurate and stable fashion over the course of many years of varying environment conditions.

Using the Acconeer radar module in their Bluetooth Low Energy based model R3 tank level sensor, LevelCon allows customers to monitor tanks with a depth of up to 10 meters. Multiple tank sensors communicate through the LevelCon gateway and provide real-time readings for all monitored properties. The backbone communication is based on LTE Cat M1, NB-IoT or even satellite if required. The customer can either use the LevelCon app or integrate with the LevelCon API to read the data and get notifications and alarms.

“Acconeer’s radar solutions provided us with a platform to realize the holy grail of tank gauging: a high accuracy, low cost, highly reliable non-contact sensor that works on the vast majority of tanks.”

Patrick Patel, Director LevelCon

The Acconeer radar module provides high accuracy at low cost

The tube shaped LevelCon R3 tank level sensor features the Acconeer radar module and fits conveniently in the 1.5″ NPT process connection of the tank. The contactless ABS based sensor casing is completely sealed and can even provide readings for aggressive chemicals and acids. The sensor is battery powered with an expected operating time of up to 5 years thanks to the power efficiency of Acconeer’s pulsed coherent radar technology. LevelCon provides their solutions across the world to many different countries with various climate conditions, hence the unit is rated to operate in temperatures ranging from -40°C to +85°C.

Over the years, LevelCon has used nearly every type of sensor technology including submersibles, ultrasonic, continuous level float as well as other radar sensors to address different customer needs. Non-contact sensors are always preferred due to their precision and ease of installation, but most ultrasonic and radar solutions are costly and the few low-cost sensors out there are ripe with problems. After having evaluated the Acconeer radar sensor, the LevelCon team concluded that it met all their requirements in terms of low cost and high reliability and it works in the majority of all tanks.

About LevelCon

Micro-Design/LevelCon is a family owned technology company founded in 1983.  Birthed in natural gas telemetry systems in the early 80s, they have a deep passion for meaningful monitoring solutions that provide value over long periods of time. LevelCon caters to both Fortune 500 companies as well as hundreds of small businesses and utilities all over the world to deliver accurate high value data.  Starting in 2018, LevelCon began focusing on more generalized industrial IoT specifically on emerging markets enabled by new technologies in connectivity, sensing, and edge computing.

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2023-07-06
KYOWA logo

KYOWA

By Industrial & Agriculture

KYOWA Engineering Laboratory provides a system to measure reference points of concrete structures. Acconeer’s A1 radar sensor is utilized for measuring reference points of concrete structures.

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2023-01-02

Gobius

By IoT & Smart Cities

'Gobius C' uses Acconeer radar sensors to achieve millimeter accuracy for the new tank level system

Gobius Sensor Technology has developed and shipped over 100 000 tank level indicators since the start in 2008. One of their key areas is deployment in tanks residing in boats. The indicators have traditionally been based on a conventional vibration technology where 3-4 sensors are mounted on the outside of a fluid container. Each sensor applies a slight mechanical vibration to the canister (think of it as a knock) to determine if the fluid level is above or below the sensor placement. This means that you can only detect whether the tank is 25%, 50% or 75% full, which has been ok for waste tanks onboard leisure boats. At the end of 2021, Gobius decided to develop a solution that could detect the tank level with millimeter accuracy called ‘Gobius C’.

A new generation of tank level monitoring

The Gobius team concluded that they wanted to use a radar based sensor, which is a proven technology within industrial applications. After exploring various options, they decided to go for the Acconeer XM122 radar module. They acquired a development kit for test and evaluation and were able to conclude that the module met their challenging requirements. From there, the development continued very efficiently from the start in late 2021 and the first customers got their units in October 2022.

Featuring the Acconeer radar technology, the new ‘Gobius C’ indicator gives a range of superior benefits compared to previous Gobius systems:

  • Measures 0-100% tank level with millimeter accuracy
  • Mount the sensor on the outside of the tank – get started in 15 minutes
  • Works with any type of fluid (petrol, diesel, fresh water, grey water and black water)
  • Wireless monitoring directly to your phone or PC through Bluetooth.

“The development work went very smoothly. We started the project back in December 2021 and shipped to our first customers in October 2022.”

Anders Meiton, founder Gobius

Configuring the Acconeer sensor optimally for the Gobius customers

In the ‘Gobius C’ solution, the Acconeer radar sensor is configured to measure tank levels up to 2 meters. Even though the radar sensor is capable of measuring longer distances than that, this is the sweet spot for the use cases where the Gobius solution is deployed since it maximizes the accuracy while staying within the power consumption specs. The primary markets for ‘Gobius C’ are the leisure boats and passenger trains sectors which don’t use tanks with larger depth.

Gobius has developed additional intelligence to its solution to make sure you get a correct value of the fluid volume in the tank. The software can compensate for the rather common scenarios where tanks are not simple straight cylinders or block shaped, but rather follows the surrounding compartment in the boat or train where it’s integrated. The algorithms also ensure that you get a relevant output value even though the tank level fluctuates due to rough sea.

About Gobius Sensor Technology 

Gobius Sensor Technology AB offers unique tank monitors. Gobius’ proprietary products are simple to install, easy to use, reliable, and contribute to a better environment.

Behind Gobius Sensor Technology AB is Anders Meiton, innovator and experienced entrepreneur with sailing and skiing as his main interests. He started the company in 2008 with the aim of providing all boaters increased comfort and greater freedom.

2022-10-19

Enua

By IoT & Smart Cities

A smarter charging for electric cars

Norway is the leading country in the world when it comes to the number of electric cars compared to the size of the population. Thanks to reduced taxes on electric vehicles and a focus on building a wide charging infrastructure, early in 2022 the share of electric cars rose above 80% of the total of new cars sold.  It’s only logical that one of the smartest car chargers has been developed by a Norwegian company.

The company Enua was founded in the city of Trondheim in 2019 by a group of engineers and car technicians. With the common goal to develop an innovative and smart car charger, they launched one of the most clever solutions on the market — ‘Enua Charge’.

What’s so smart about the Enua charger?

The most obvious thing about the Enua charger is that you can take it with you. You simply slide it off the wall mount whenever you would like to bring it. This is handy if you for example want to use it at your country cabin or at your office. Wherever an electrician has installed the smaller wall mount unit, you can use the charger and it works with any type of electric car and power grid.

  • The ‘Enua Charge’ is portable – easy to bring with you.
  • Automatic load optimization when deploying multiple chargers on a parking lot – faster charging.
  • ISO15118 compliance & two-way charging – use your car as a power bank.

Using the integrated Acconeer radar sensor to monitor commercial parking lots

There is one more thing. The Enua charger has an integrated Acconeer A1 radar sensor in the front that makes it possible to monitor a parking slot. The sensor points 45 degrees downwards and detects if a car is present. This feature allows for extra intelligence and automation for owners of large commercial parking lots. If a car is present on the slot but it’s not charging, the parking lot attendant will be notified. By having the Acconeer sensor integrated in the charger, shopping centers and parking estate owners don’t have to invest in a secondary system to monitor their parking areas.

About Enua

Enua was founded 2019 in Norway. Multiple engineers and technicians came together with a simple goal of making the lives of electric car owners simpler. With their combined expertise and market knowledge, Enua noticed clear deficiencies in the market, and thus Enua’s first charger was born. ‘Enua Charge’ is designed, developed and produced in Norway.

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2022-09-19

Orbital

By Consumer Electronics

Orbital's water and energy saving showers use Acconeer A111 radar sensor

Based on a project in collaboration with NASA in 2012, Orbital Systems has developed a unique shower system that helps save two of our scarcest resources in our environment: water and energy.

The shower system uses a water loop that recirculates the wastewater by purifying it through a filter and then back to the shower head. The wastewater is analyzed 20 times per second to determine if it’s clean enough to be reused or to be replaced with new fresh water. This is done super fast and automatically through an internal mechanical water switch throughout the shower session.

By using the Orbital shower, a user can save up to 90% of the water consumption and 80% of the energy it would otherwise require to heat the water. While this obviously leads to a more sustainable lifestyle, an average family can as well actually save more money than it costs to install the shower after 3.5 years.

Orbital core open system

How are the Acconeer sensors used in the Orbital shower solution?

Each Orbital shower system uses two Acconeer A111 radar sensors. One is used in the Orbital core system to measure the water tank level. The second one is facing the shower space and detects whether a person is present in the shower or not.

 

Why did Orbital choose the Acconeer sensors?

A water installation of any sort is usually expected to last reliably for many years in the future, which puts high requirements on all integrated components to work flawlessly and without maintenance. During evaluation of suitable sensors, Orbital noticed that certain types of technologies simply weren’t resilient enough. Wire-based solutions to measure tank level caused unwanted deposit build-ups, ultra-sonic sensors had issues giving correct readings due to water bubbles and infrared sensor were too sensitive to water reflections. However, when testing the Acconeer sensor they found a solution that is accurate, resistant to noise and doesn’t require line of sight or contact with the water.

About Orbital

Orbital Systems is revolutionizing the world’s water use through a unique circulation technology that purifies your water in real time. In 2020, they launched their first product, Orbital Shower, a shower that benefits both the environment and those who enjoy the better things in life.

Orbital Systems was founded in 2012 by Mehrdad Mahdjoubi, after an academic collaboration project between NASA and Lund University. Orbital Systems has a global portfolio of more than 100 patents.

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2022-08-19

Metasphere

By IoT & Smart Cities

Wastewater monitoring to prevent flooding and enable sustainable use of water resources

When Metasphere looked for a sensor to use in their product Sense Level, they had high requirements on power consumption, accuracy and size. Given the nature of water supply and sewer infrastructure environments, the solution had to be able to withstand tough conditions in terms of exposure to water and temperature levels. The total cost of ownership should be minimized through a simple installation process and over-the-air remote management and firmware upgrades.

By combining sewer level measurements with rainfall data, Metasphere’s solution can help predict blockages, flooding and other potential problems. Proactively clearing partial blockages ahead of a large rainfall or before a complete blockage occurs, reduces the risk of flooding and damage to the pipes in addition to being far more cost-effective than repairing damages after a full blockage has occurred. Full blockages can otherwise cause spill of waste water into rivers and lakes or in the worst case make the whole system collapse.

Sense Level – a low cost fit-and-forget unit

Featuring the Acconeer A1 radar sensor, the Sense Level is an IoT connected level sensor for use in harsh environments in remote locations. Its design exploits mainstream technologies to minimise costs and ensure reliability and longevity. Utilising the latest low power technology, together with its multi-band NB-IoT/Cat-M1 capability ensures Sense Level has a long service life with significant reduction in Total Cost of Ownership.

  • 60 GHz Acconeer A111 Radar Sensor
  • 0-3m range (accuracy +/- 0.5%)
  • Multi-band NB-IoT/ LTE-M modem
  • Internal lithium battery; 5-year battery life
  • Remote management: Firmware upgrade & configuration

ABOUT METASPHERE

Metasphere is a global telemetry service provider, synonymous with telemetry excellence. The company uses telemetry to drive sustainable use of the world’s natural resources, with over 40 000 installations in 25 utilities, government agencies and system integrators in the UK, Europe and Australasia.

Through market led innovation, Metashpere uses the latest technology to deliver solutions that reduce telemetry ownership cost for their customers to monitor time-critical remote assets and systems.

Metasphere’s products and solutions are suited for many Water, Wastewater, Environment and Gas applications.

MORE INFORMATION

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2022-05-11

iProtoXi

By IoT & Smart Cities

A maintenance free solution
to measure any surface level

The challenge:
5 years operating time with a single set of batteries

iProtoXi – founded in 2012 – provides complete IoT systems designed and developed for harsh environments where typically extreme temperatures, water exposure and shock resistance are part of the specification. The end products are often installed in large numbers and in very distributed environments.  A necessity for keeping the operation of these systems cost efficient is to make them maintenance free. In many cases, there are no power outlets nearby the points of installation meaning that the units have to last more that 5 years on a single set of batteries.

Measure surface levels with the Aistin Level

iProtoXi has developed the Aistin Level that accurately measures any surface level and its properties, while blending smoothly into the environment around it. The product can measure the fill level of fuel and water tanks or the fill rate of waste bins or gravel storage. With the tough requirement of an operating time of more than 5 years with a single set of batteries, the Acconeer A1 radar sensor was a perfect fit thanks to its power efficiency and accuracy.

KEY PRODUCT BENEFITS:

  • Measure any surface level (utilizing the Acconeer A1 radar sensor)
  • Maintenance free: +5 years of battery time
  • Completely wireless — Over-the-Air updates and device management
  • Plug-and-Play – functional, ready with software, ready to use
  • Robust: Shock- and waterproof

“The Acconeer A1 radar sensor was the perfect selection for this device, as it was easy-to-integrate while providing accurate and energy-efficient measuring.”

JANNE KALLIO, CEO IPROTOXI

The Aistin casing seals in all the sensors – object distance utilizing Acconeer A1 radar, ambient temperature, and orientation, making the device robust and waterproof. The device is connected to the internet via 4G-NB-IoT/CatM1 or LoRaWAN which allows for real-time status information and alerts.

 

More information:

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2022-05-04

Parkhelp

By IoT & Smart Cities

ParkHelp was on a mission design the most accurate outdoor single-space sensor, and achieved this by pairing the accuracy of the Acconeer A111 pulsed coherent radar sensor with an electromagnetic sensor, magnetic field detection and Bluetooth beacon technology.

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2022-02-09