VEGA and Varibox bring transparency to chemical management
80-GHz radar sensors measure the level from the outside through the plastic wall – without opening the container and without coming into contact with the liquid medium.
Schiltach – When storing and processing chemicals in intermediate bulk containers (IBCs), the current level is a key piece of information. However, with closed, double-walled IBCs, it’s impossible to tell from the outside how much liquid medium is in the container. Together with the Dutch IBC manufacturer Varibox, VEGA has developed a solution that provides exactly this needed transparency.
Varibox IBCs, like the FC 1000 and the compact FC 250, are designed for the safe handling of acids, alkalis and cleaning agents. Their double-wall construction also serves as an integrated containment pan, protecting people, products and the environment. However, this also makes it difficult to monitor the level during operation.
VEGA addresses this by leveraging the advantages of 80-GHz radar technology. The radar waves penetrate the plastic wall of the container and detect the surface of the medium through reflection. The sensor is mounted on the outside of the IBC. The container remains sealed, preventing contamination and ensuring the sensor does not come into contact with aggressive media.
“The deployed radar sensor has the advantage that it measures right through the plastic layers of the Varibox,” explains Torben Pfeffer, Varibox DACH Account Manager. “The container doesn’t need to be opened, so there is no risk of contamination.”
Another advantage: The sensor is not attached to the individual container, but to the dispensing station. When an empty IBC is replaced with a full one, the measuring equipment remains in place. This means that, in many applications, a single measuring instrument per dispensing station is sufficient.
For mobile or hard-to-reach containers, the autonomous Vegapuls Air 41 sensor is used. It transmits measured values to VEGA Inventory System via NB-IoT, LTE-M or LoRaWAN. There, the level is visualised and consumption documented, allowing refills to be planned more effectively. For stationary applications with direct system integration, Vegapuls 31 with 4 … 20 mA/HART signal is the ideal choice.
Specially designed VEGA mounting brackets ensure that the sensors are positioned consistently at the optimal measuring point. In this way, Varibox and VEGA are making secure chemical IBCs fit for digital inventory management – and transforming previously “blind” containers into transparent building blocks of modern chemical logistics.
