{"id":52411,"date":"2026-06-10T07:09:47","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T05:09:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wika.com\/en\/?p=52411"},"modified":"2026-06-10T07:09:47","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T05:09:47","slug":"level-measurement-in-lifting-plants-non-contact-radar-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wika.com\/en\/anwendungen\/level-measurement-in-lifting-plants-non-contact-radar-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"Level measurement in lifting plants: Non-contact radar technology"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wastewater lifting plants place high demands on level measurement: humid atmospheres, aggressive suspended solids, potentially explosive zones. The model ILT radar level sensor from WIKA avoids all that by measuring from outside through the container wall, without coming into contact with the medium. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n

\"Wastewater

In wastewater lifting plants, sensors are exposed to adverse conditions.<\/p><\/div>\n \n

Somewhere beneath a vaulted cellar, in the plant room of an apartment building or deep beneath a commercial site \u2013 where no one likes to look \u2013 wastewater lifting plants do their work. Their task is unspectacular but indispensable. They transport wastewater upwards into the sewer system, without the help of a natural gradient. Whether the pumps switch in time and prevent the chamber from overflowing depends on the quality of the level measurement.<\/p>\n

Not a pleasant surrounding for measurement technology \u2013 which sensors are suitable?<\/h2>\n

The environment in wastewater lifting plants places high demands on every sensor. High air humidity, aggressive ingredients, grease, suspended solids and faeces take a toll on measurement technology when it comes into direct contact with the medium. In addition, digester gas turns parts of the interior into hazardous areas. Special approval requirements apply to such Ex areas, which represents additional effort for every sensor used. These include, for example, special instrument approvals (e.g. ATEX), adapted installation specifications such as intrinsically safe circuits, as well as additional documentation and testing effort.<\/p>\n

Until now, float-based or hydrostatic sensors have generally been used. They are easy to integrate, operate on the \u201cplug-and-play\u201d principle and deliver robust and proven measuring results in many applications. However, in wastewater lifting plants they are immersed in the partly aggressive medium. This can lead to contamination and mechanical stress. In addition, adapting the instrument to different container sizes often requires different versions, which increases effort in warehousing and procurement.<\/p>\n

How does level measurement from outside with a radar level sensor work?<\/h2>\n

The ILT-C01 industrial radar level sensor from WIKA takes a different approach. It is not installed inside the lifting plant but is mounted from the outside onto the plastic lid or the container wall. Radar waves in the 60 GHz frequency band penetrate plastic without problems and are reflected by the surface of the wastewater. Thus, the sensor, although never having contact with the medium, provides a precise, continuous level signal.<\/p>\n

Prerequisites for measurement through plastic:<\/p>\n