Milltronics InterRanger IR-200 User manual

InterRanger IR-200
Technology based. Customer driven.
January 1998
Instruction Manual
PL-545
33455450
Rev 1.0

hank you for purchasing Milltronics products. We endeavour to design
equipment that is simple to use and reliable in its operation, with the aim of
satisfying our customers' needs.
Milltronics has been designing and manufacturing process equipment since 1954.
Our fields of expertise include ultrasonic and capacitance level measurement ,
in-line weighing of dry bulk solids and motion sensing.
Milltronics is established world wide through associate offices and representatives.
Our network is continually being refined to provide our customers with first rate
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For more details on our products and service, please contact us and we will
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T

PL-545 3 InterRanger IR-200
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Specifications 3
Equipment 5
Component Descriptions 5
Storage 10
Maintenance 10
Principles of Operation 11
General 11
Dead Zones (Blanking Distances) 11
Hardware Installation 13
External Connections 13
IR-200 Monitor 14
IRT-100 series Sensor 14
IRP-8D Transceiver 14
Quick Start 15
Configuring the Unit 15
Determining Tank Depth 16
Operation 19
RUN Mode 19
Graphs 19
Program Mode 21
Parameters 23
Program Mode 23
Test Mode 29
Security “Lockout” for PGM and TEST Modes 30
Drawings are referenced throughout this manual. All referenced drawings are located at the end of the
manual.
ALSO CONTAINED IN THIS MANUAL
IR-200 Communication Protocol 31
InterRanger Profiling Software 49

InterRanger IR-200 4 PL-545
SPECIFICATIONS
Power »Requirements
»115/230Vac, ± 15%, 50/60 Hz
»Usage
»30W (+50W with optional heater)
»Protection
»2 – 2A 230Vac fuses
Maximum number of
Sensors »1
Range »0.3m (1 ft) to 30m (99 ft)
Accuracy »0.03m (0.1 ft) @ 7.5m (25 ft)
»0.06m (0.2 ft) @ 15m (50 ft)
»0.09m (0.3 ft) @ 22.5m (75 ft)
»0.12m (0.4 ft) @ 30.5m (100 ft)
Stability »0.1% per degree C
Operating
Temperatures »Sensor (standard)
»-30°C to 80°C (-22°F to 176°F)
»Sensor (high-temperature)
»-30°C to 105°C (-22°F to 221°F)
»Monitor (standard)
»-10°C to 50°C (14°F to 122°F)
»Monitor (with optional heater)
»-30°C to 50°C (-22°F to 122°F)
Humidity »Monitor
»5 to 100%, non-condensing
Outputs »4-20 mA, scalable to any range, 900 :max. load
»4 Programmable relays, rated to 7A @ 250Vac
»1 Alarm relay with panel light
Enclosure »Suitable for outdoor (Type 4X / NEMA 4X / IP65 enclosure)

PL-545 5 InterRanger IR-200
EQUIPMENT
Components in a typical InterRanger installation are:
Required
All of these components are needed for interface detection.
»Model IR-200 Monitor
»Model IRP-8D Transceiver Pre-Amp
»One of the Model IRT-100 series of Sensors
Customer-Supplied
These components are required to install the InterRanger Sensor correctly.
»3/4” stainless steel or galvanized conduit
»3/4” pipe coupling
Optional
These components are available from Milltronics:
Mounting: »Rail mount for Monitor
»Rail mount for Transceiver
»Stationary Handrail Bracket Kit for Sensor
»Swing-out Adapter Kit for Sensor
Heating: »Heater for Monitor
Communications:
»Profiling Software
»RS232 to RS485 Optically Isolated Converter
»RS-485 Repeater
»DB9M to DB25F Converter
COMPONENT DESCRIPTIONS
The InterRanger is made up of three main components: the Monitor, the Transceiver, and the Sensor.
The Monitor
displays the current interface level and transmits this information to other equipment.
The Transceiver
drives the ultrasonic Sensor and transmits the echo signals to the Monitor.
The Sensor
sends out the ultrasonic pulses through the liquid medium and receives the echoes.

InterRanger IR-200 6 PL-545
IR-200 MONITOR
Description
The Monitor is housed in a fiberglass NEMA 4X enclosure
containing the signal analysis, display, and control circuitry
for the system. All configuration and parameter changes are
made from the membrane keypad on the front panel of the
Monitor.
Temperature Range
-10°C to 50°C (14°F to 122°F)
-30°C to 50°C (-22°F to 122°F) with optional heater
Drawing
0-8130003Z-DU-C
HEATER FOR MONITOR
Description
The optional heater should be ordered when the Monitor is to
be located in a climate that drops below -10°C (14°F). The
heater has a built in thermostat so that power consumption is
kept to a minimum. When operating, the heater will consume
an additional 50 watts of power and is available in 115Vac
and 230Vac configurations.
IRP-8D TRANSCEIVER
Description
The Transceiver is housed in a polycarbonate NEMA 4X
enclosure and boosts the Sensor signal enabling it to be
transmitted over standard signal cable for up to 225 m (750’).
For use with the IRT-100D or IRT-100DC Sensor.
Temperature Range
-30°C to 50°C (-22°F to 122°F)
Drawing:
0-8130007Z-DU-B

PL-545 7 InterRanger IR-200
IRT-100D SENSOR
Description
A small, submersible, dual head Sensor constructed of
polyurethane and 316 stainless steel. It is fitted with a 3/4”
NPT nipple and includes 7.5 m (25’) of shielded cable
(optional 22.5 m (75’) available).
Temperature Range
-30°C to 80°C (-22°F to 176°F)
Drawing
0-8140001Z-DU-C
IRT-100DC SENSOR
Description
Same as the IRT-100D but is constructed of high
temperature epoxy. Supplied with either a Kynar®or 316
stainless steel 3/4” NPT nipple and 7.5 m (25’) of Teflon®
jacketed cable (optional 22.5 m (75’) available).
Temperature Range
-30°C to 105°C (-22°F to 221°F)
Drawing
0-8140002Z-DU-C

InterRanger IR-200 8 PL-545
RAIL MOUNT FOR MONITOR
Description
This anodized aluminum plate allows the Monitor to be mounted on a horizontal or vertical, standard 2” hand
rail. Two 2” U-bolts are supplied and all holes are pre-drilled.
Drawing
0-8130004Z-DU-C
RAIL MOUNT FOR TRANSCEIVER
Description
This anodized aluminum plate allows the Transceiver to be mounted on a horizontal or vertical, standard 2”
hand rail. Two U-bolts are supplied and all holes are pre-drilled.
Drawing:
0-8130008Z-DU-C
Anodized Aluminum Plate
2” Hand Rail
Anodized Aluminum Plate
2” Hand Rail

PL-545 9 InterRanger IR-200
STATIONARY HANDRAIL BRACKET KIT FOR SENSOR
Description
This kit contains a two piece mounting bracket, two 2” U-bolts and two 3/4” U-bolts for suspending an IRT-100
series Sensor from a standard 2” handrail. The 3/4” pipe and coupling needed to connect the Sensor to the
bracket are supplied by the customer.
Drawing
0-8140004Z-DD-C
SWING OUT ADAPTOR KIT FOR SENSOR
Description
This kit contains a swing-out bracket, a skimmer
guard, and six 3/4” U-bolts for use with an IRT-
100 series Sensor and Stationary Handrail
Bracket. This kit should be used if the tank has a
surface skimmer so that the Sensor deflects out
of the way when the skimmer moves past it.
Drawing
0-8140005Z-DD-C
Skimmer

InterRanger IR-200 10 PL-545
STORAGE
All components can be stored in a dry area with a maintained temperature range of -20°C to 50°C
(-4°F to 122°F). The Monitor and Transceiver should be sealed to prevent moisture intrusion in humid areas.
MAINTENANCE
The only part of the InterRanger IR-200 that requires maintenance is the Sensor face and only when it is
subject to algae or scale build-up.
Cleaning of the Sensor face is required is if build up of material exceeds:
»algae or debris: >1.5 cm (1/2”)
»scaling: >0.75 cm (1/4”)
Greater build-ups than these will make it difficult for the Sensor to detect the return echo signal and may result
in incorrect or null readings. The timing of this maintenance is determined by the rate of accumulation and
should be estimated at the installation site.
There is no routine maintenance or calibration procedures that need to be performed on the IR-200
electronics.

PL-545 11 InterRanger IR-200
PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
GENERAL
The InterRanger series utilizes ultrasonic acoustical energy to detect and monitor material interfaces within
liquids. An interface is described as the transition point between two materials with different densities such as
liquid to liquid, liquid to solid, or liquid to suspended-solid.
The IRT-100 series Sensor is suspended just below the surface of the liquid in a vessel and contains a
transmitter and a receiver element. The transmitter emits a burst of ultrasonic energy towards the bottom of
the vessel and the receiver “listens” for the returning echo. The microprocessor based monitoring system
measures the time delay and stores the result in memory. Once enough information has been gathered (over
a user-determined time frame), the Monitor displays a ‘Tank Profile’ on the LCD display. All interfaces
detected are displayed and a user-specified interface will be tracked by the unit and shown in the numerical
display above the keypad.
DEAD ZONES (BLANKING DISTANCES)
Two “dead zones” exist where an interface is difficult or impossible to detect. The first zone exists within 15
cm (6”) of the Sensor face because of interference from the transmitter. Echoes returned from this area are
lost in the “noise.” The second zone is within 2 to 5 cm (1 to 2”) of the tank bottom because weak echoes from
this area are usually overwhelmed by the strong echoes returned by the tank bottom or heavy sediment. This
height of this zone can be adjusted by the user to eliminate the strong echoes and help detect the weaker
echoes.

InterRanger IR-200 12 PL-545

PL-545 13 InterRanger IR-200
HARDWARE INSTALLATION
EXTERNAL CONNECTIONS
See Drawing 0-8130005Z-DI-C for wiring and connection information.
POWER
The InterRanger Monitor requires 115 or 230 Vac at 50 or 60 Hz and consumes up to 30 W of power. If the
optional heater is installed, an additional 50 W of power will be used when the heater is operating. Be sure
that the “voltage selector” switch is in the appropriate 115 V or 230 V position before turning the unit on. The
Voltage Selector switch, the On/Off switch and two 2 A fuses are located in the bottom left corner of the
Monitor enclosure.
Do NOT apply power to the unit without the Sensor connected.
Damage to the Transceiver may result.
4 - 20 mA
An isolated 4 to 20 mA output is provided which will drive loads up to 900 ohms.
Calibration of “zero” and “span” is done using the ‘TEST’ mode. (See Test Mode on page 28). Adjustment of
“zero” and “span” for the level is done in the ‘PGM’ mode. (See Program Mode on page 21) When in an
alarm condition, the output will drop below 4 mA and cause an “underflow alarm” to alert any external devices
that use this output.
SET POINT RELAYS
Four “Form C” relays are available for set point control outputs with relay contacts rated for 7A resistive load
at 250 Vac. Each relay can be programmed to perform as either a high or low alarm and the hysteresis for
each is adjustable.
See RELAY NUMBER x FUNCTION on page 27 for more information.
ALARM RELAY
A fifth “Form C” relay can only be used to remotely indicate the existence of an error condition and is rated for
7A resistive load at 250 Vac. This relay is wired to be energized in the NO ALARM state with the normally
open contacts closed for normal operation. The unit will enter an alarm condition if power is lost.
SERIAL COMMUNICATIONS
The IR-200 provides both RS-232-C and RS-485 communication capability with a DOS-based PC that has
640K of base memory and DOS 4.01 or higher. Up to 40 IR-200’s can be monitored using RS-485 and
appropriate wiring.
Only one type of communication: RS-232 or RS-485 can be used at a time.

InterRanger IR-200 14 PL-545
IR-200 MONITOR
The IR-200 Monitor is normally mounted near, or on, the tank that it is tracking, usually with the Milltronics
Rail Mount assembly (See drawing 0-8130004Z-DU-C).
Ensure that the voltage selector switch inside is set for the power available to the unit and that liquid-tight
connectors are used to seal all wires entering the enclosure.
All electrical connections must be made before turning the unit on. To turn on the unit, open the
faceplate and use the white power switch.
IRT-100 SERIES SENSOR
The IRT-100 series Sensors must be suspended in a liquid in order to work.
They will NOT work through air.
The face of the Sensor should be placed about 5 cm (2”) below the surface of the liquid. It may be suspended
lower than that if conditions dictate, but there is no performance advantage.
The easiest method of installation is to use one of the Milltronics Handrail Brackets in conjunction with a piece
of 3/4” stainless steel or galvanized pipe and a 3/4” pipe coupling. If the monitored tank has any type of
surface skimming mechanism then the Milltronics Swing-out Adapter should be utilized. (See drawings 0-
8140003Z-DD-B, 0-8140004Z-DD-C, and 0-8140005Z-DD-C.)
IRP-8D TRANSCEIVER
The IRP-8D Transceiver may be located up to 225m (750’) from the Monitor and 22.5m (75’) from the Sensor.
It can also be mounted on a tank railing using the Milltronics Transceiver Rail Mount assembly. (See drawing
0-8130007Z-DU-B )
All wiring connections must be made before power is applied to the unit to avoid damaging the
Transceiver
(See drawing 0-8130005Z-DI-C or 0-8130006Z-DI-C depending on your Sensor.) Ensure that
liquid-tight connectors are used to seal all wires entering the enclosure.

PL-545 15 InterRanger IR-200
QUICK START
CONFIGURING THE UNIT
This procedure should be completed to configure the unit, locate the tank bottom, and prepare the unit for
normal operation.
1O/I The first time a unit is turned on, it will be in an alarm condition. A
message will be displayed explaining that the unit will not operate until
the tank depth has been programmed. (If this error message is not
displayed, it means that a tank depth value has already been entered
and only the RUN light will be lit.)
2Press the program key the enter the PROGRAM Mode of operation. A
screen requesting the TANK DEPTH is displayed.
3Press the next page key once to advance to the DISPLAY FORMAT
screen.
4Use the up arrow key to select a value of 4, clear water depth in meters,
or 3, clear water depth in feet.
5Press the next page key twice to advance to the ECHO PROFILE
UPDATE RATE screen.
6Press the down arrow key until you select a value of 1 (7.5 sec).
7Press the next page key once to advance to the INTERFACE LEVEL
AVERAGING CYCLES screen.
8Press the down arrow key until you select a value of 1.
9Press the previous page key four times to return to the TANK DEPTH
screen.
10 Press the up or down arrow keys to enter a tank depth that is at least
0.6m (2’) greater than the actual tank depth. By setting this value too
deep we are able to test that the InterRanger is performing correctly as
it will detect a strong echo at the true tank bottom.
11 After the TANK DEPTH has been set, press the run key. While the unit
adjusts transmitter power to the tank conditions, the displays will go
blank for a few minutes. This is normal.

InterRanger IR-200 16 PL-545
DETERMINING TANK DEPTH
The graph that appears in the LCD display shows numbers
along its side indicating depth in feet. A peak appearing at
any place on the display indicates an interface at that
depth. The larger the peak, the stronger the echo returned
and the more distinct the interface.
For example, if we are measuring a tank with a 12 foot
depth we would initially test the unit with a TANK DEPTH
setting of 14 feet. This setting will give us a strong echo at
12 feet (Figure 1).
At this point there are two ways of determining the TANK
DEPTH:
From the Test Echo Profile
Look at the profile displayed and check for a large peak on
the graph where you would expect the bottom to be. Write
down this number so that it can be entered later. This is the
easiest method of determining the tank depth but it can be
in error if there are thick solids at the bottom of the tank
which return a strong echo.
Physical Measurement
If the bottom is not visible on the graph, or no major peaks
appear where expected, this usually means that the solids
are very thick on the bottom or that the tank bottom is
sloped. In this case carefully measure the distance between
the Sensor face and the bottom of the tank to obtain your
TANK DEPTH measurement. This is the preferred method
of measurement because it is the most accurate.
In the example we then change the TANK DEPTH to 12
feet (your value is determined by your tank depth and
sensor placement). The InterRanger IR-200 now takes the
next-largest peak and scales it to 80% of the chart range
(Figure 2). In the example this peak is at the 8 foot mark
and is most likely the interface of interest for us. This
automatic scaling is only available if the GAIN CONTROL is
set to 0. (See GAIN CONTROL on page 25.)
If the graph is a flat line with GAIN=100% (Figure 3) then
there is a problem in the wiring, the Sensor placement, or
tank conditions are completely upset and no interface can
be detected.
Figure 1 – Detection of tank bottom at 12 feet
Figure 2 – Detection of interface at 8 feet
Figure 3 – Error condition

PL-545 17 InterRanger IR-200
Now that basic operation of the unit has been verified, the critical parameters can be reprogrammed to
produce a true profile.
12 Press the program key and then the next page key to advance to the
DISPLAY FORMAT screen. When changing program parameters,
DISPLAY FORMAT must be changed first (if necessary) because this
setting affects all of the measurements used in the InterRanger. The
TANK DEPTH must be re-entered whenever the DISPLAY FORMAT is
changed.
Press the up or down arrow keys to select the measurement units and
information displayed.
If you choose to display “5 = sludge depth as % of tank” then all
measurements must be made in feet.
13 Use the previous page key to return to the TANK DEPTH screen and
press the up or down arrow key to enter the value determined during
the Initial test.
If you have not yet determined the depth of the tank, which is really the
distance from the Sensor face to the tank bottom, then return to
Configuring the Unit on page 15.
14 Now use the next page key to scroll forward through the other
parameters and the up and down arrow keys to set the following values
listed. These are good starting points for most applications and can be
fine tuned later. Each of the following parameters is described in more
detail in Parameters on page 23.
Parameter Example Setting
Trend Graph Time Scale 1
Echo Profile Update Rate 4
Interface Level Avg. Cycles 10
Trigger Point 1
Trigger on Peak or Leading Edge 1
Median or Average 1
Sensitivity 8
Bottom Dead Zone 0.4’ (0.1 m)
Top Dead Zone 1.0’ (0.3 m)
Gain Control 0
Maximum Transmit Gain 100
Bottom Echo In Gain Control 0
AGC Exclusion 0
Speed of Sound Correction 1.000
Lost Interface Control 1
15 Press the run key to begin operation.
The graphical display will update after the amount of time set in the
ECHO PROFILE UPDATE RATE (1 minute in the example). The
numeric display will update after the graphical display has updated the
number of times specified in the INTERFACE LEVEL AVERAGING
CYCLES (10 in the example). This would mean that the numeric display
would update after 10 minutes if the settings from the example are used
(1 minute times 10 cycles). Press the PGM key at any time to return to
the PROGRAM mode for further parameter adjustments.

InterRanger IR-200 18 PL-545

PL-545 19 InterRanger IR-200
OPERATION
RUN MODE
This is the normal operation mode of the InterRanger. While running, it does the following:
»Displays a graphical profile of the tank being monitored which indicates all interfaces present
in that tank
»Detects, monitors, and displays the depth of the selected interface
»Opens or closes the relays depending on their configuration
The InterRanger starts in RUN mode. This allows the unit to keep functioning if the power fails and then
resumes.
GRAPHS
There are two display formats available for viewing while in the RUN mode described below. Use the next
page and previous page keys to switch between the two graphs.
shows the Echo Profile Graph (default at startup).
shows the Trend Graph.

InterRanger IR-200 20 PL-545
ECHO PROFILE GRAPH
The ‘Echo Profile Graph’ provides the operator with a
cross-sectional profile of the tank being monitored. The
graph depicts the relative strength of all echoes returned
from the tank and indicates the depth at which they occur.
By reducing the update time of the graph to it’s lowest
setting (1 = 7.5 seconds) the operator can view changes
in the tank as they happen. For normal operation this
setting (ECHO PROFILE UPDATE RATE) should be set
to 3 (30 seconds) or 4 (1 minute).
The Echo Profile Graph is the default screen that appears
when RUN Mode is enabled.
In the event that the InterRanger cannot detect an
interface level, ‘Err’ will appear in the numeric display and
the graphical display will continue to show the echo profile
with ‘Interface Not Found’ displayed at the top of the
screen.
TREND GRAPH
This display is a “virtual strip chart recorder” showing the
level of the interface being monitored over the last 3, 6,
12 or 24 hour period (TREND GRAPH TIME SCALE
parameter).
This graph gives the operator an overview of how the
interface of interest fluctuated over the selected time
scale. This information is useful when the tank is
inspected on a daily basis.