Guided wave radar level transmitters are typically equipped with a flexible cable or rigid probe-type antennae engineered from robust corrosion-resistant materials. Stainless steel, Hastelloy, and titanium are often used to engineer the sensor that protrudes into a container from above. In some applications, radar level transmitters can be installed horizontally with sensors adjusted to 90° angles. These components generate and transmit microwave pulses across a highly focused energy path before detecting them after reflection.
The speed of a microwave is typically unaffected by process variables such as pressure, temperature, and density. This, combined with the elimination of beam-spread phenomena due to the confinement of incident radio waves, provides a signal that is as much as twenty times more efficient than through-air radar systems.
These signals are transmitted directly to the electronics module through a radio frequency interference (RFI) filter to reduce background noise and provide reliable output readings. Standard graphical displays show level measurement as a function of liquid height in the containment vessel. Advanced radar level transmitters are equipped with additional digital display capabilities, including waveform screens for real-time level monitoring and built-in diagnostics.