How the level switch working principle of Baumer’s CleverLevel Series can benefit the brewing and distilling industry

Traditionally, during the fermentation stage of brewing, vibrating forks are used to prevent overfill when storing excess yeast in an excess yeast tank. However, overflow problems have caused issues for level vibrating forks in the past, with the heavy build-up of foam preventing the forks from being triggered. PIF spoke to sensor technology specialists, Baumer, to find out how the CleverLevel Series Level Switch working principle helped the Carlsberg brewery solve this problem.

The Level Switch Working Principle

Before we take a look at Baumer’s CleverLevel level switch, it's important to understand the level switch working principle. Level sensors are designed to monitor the levels of free-flowing substances within an enclosed space. In Carlsberg’s case, this was within their fermentation tanks with the substance being the yeast that is used to convert glucose in the wort to alcohol and carbon dioxide gas.

The working principle of a level switch exceeds the performance of the traditional level vibrating forks, because they act as a type of sensor to identify the minimum or maximum levels required to function. In this case, Baumer’s CleverLevel sensor offered a genuine solution for Carlsberg, by effectively detecting the filling level of the yeast tanks and preventing the overflow problem.

What is a Switch Sensor and how can you benefit from Baumer’s CleverLevel Series?

Baumer’s CleverLevel level switch sensor series provides a clever alternative to vibrating forks. It has the ability to detect the level limit of the application media. Therefore it avoids process interruptions caused by flow problems within the application, such as overflow in brewing and enables a smoother overall process.

The CleverLevel level switch working principle enables reliable function, without the need for maintenance. It offers a diverse range of options and is capable of working with a wide variety of media. Applications for the CleverLevel Series range from dry running protection at pumps, to reliable overflow or leak monitoring within brewing applications. They are also ideal for selective media detection with foam depression or layer separation.

Benefits of the CleverLevel Series level switch working principle

Some of the main benefits for switching from traditional products within these applications, such as vibrating forks, include:

• Process stability
• Easy installation
• High efficiency
• Reduced operating effort
• Industry 4.0 and IIoT ready

When it comes to brewing or distilling applications, or applications where hygiene is key, CleverLevel switches are a highly-efficient alternative to the traditionally used vibrating forks. They boast outstanding cleaning capabilities and have an insensitivity to adhesions that means minimal process downtime.

The CleverLevel switch enables optimum solutions to be found for every installation situation, regardless of immersion lengths or high temperatures. The CleverLevel Series is also reliable with viscous media. Adhering remains do not cause a problem, as the CleverLevel switch always switches reliably without the need for maintenance.

There is no need for concern when processing bulk goods either. While vibrating forks pose a risk of material deposition or jamming of media, CleverLevel switches are suitable for all media - eliminating production downtimes considerably.

The problem faced by Carlsberg is a common issue for many brewing companies. Most breweries tend to revolve around the detection of foam and excess yeast within the fermentation process. Vibrating forks do not have the capability to detect when the levels of foam have gone over the maximum level. As a result, this leads to an overflow of yeast and interruption of the process.

CleverLevel has the ability to separate layers of media to accurately detect the levels of the medium. When the levels of yeast reach the maximum capacity, the sensor technology detects this via frequency sweep technology.

All of the above benefits make CleverLevel switches the ideal choice to overcome the challenges presented by many brewing applications.

How the CleverLevel Series improved performance for Carlsberg.

For Carlsberg, the CleverLevel switch working principle completely eliminated the overflow problems they were having in the excess yeast tanks. This enables them to be more environmentally friendly, as leftover yeast is no longer entering the sewage system. It has also proved to be cost-effective, as the need for maintenance has been drastically reduced.

Here is what Højbjerg Petersen, Maintenance Coordinator at Carlsberg, Denmark said about Baumer’s CleverLevel switch.

“The CleverLevelswitch has solved our problems with overflow in the excess yeast tanks due to its unique and easy configuration options. We are now considering using the CleverLevel switch in our CIP caustic tanks, where we experience similar issues with foam and overflow.”

For more information about the Baumer CleverLevel Level Switch Series or any of Baumer’s other products, visit www.baumer.com.