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When choosing between non-contact radar and guided wave radar, check how each instrument will be inspected and removed after the vessel is built. A probe that fits inside the tank can still be impossible to withdraw beneath a low roof. A compact non-contact instrument can also become difficult to service if its nozzle sits behind hot pipework.
Draw the Maintenance Space, Not Just the Installed Outline
Show the complete removal path on the vessel drawing. Include overhead steelwork, lifting access, nearby services and the space needed for personnel to work under the approved isolation procedure. Check whether maintenance requires emptying, depressurising or cleaning the vessel; non-contact measurement does not remove process-connection hazards.
| Assembly | Access need | Issue to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Free-space radar | Lens, cover, connection and withdrawal clearance. | Vapour deposits and nozzle access remain relevant without an immersed probe. |
| Rigid probe | Full removal path for the ordered rod. | Installed headroom can be much smaller than the space needed for withdrawal. |
| Cable probe | Controlled handling and any approved end restraint release. | Flexibility does not remove entanglement, coating or extraction loads. |
Non-Contact Radar vs Guided Wave Radar in the METRAVON Range
MV-RD12 uses a PTFE lens to measure liquid through free space. MV-RD701 carries the measurement pulse along an immersed rod or cable. MV-RD701 is listed with rods up to 6 m and cables up to 30 m; those maxima are not removal-space allowances or a promise that every probe length suits every vessel.
Use the MV-RD12 installation data for its connection and exposed lens, and the MV-RD701 probe data for contact and handling requirements. Compare the actual offered construction. A cable alternative still needs clearance from agitators, inlet flow and internal structures throughout operation.
Include the Maintenance Work in the Quotation
Ask which parts can be serviced without changing the process assembly and which require removal. Define access equipment, handling arrangements, cleaning responsibility and replacement seals as separate scope items where needed. Do not assume a low sensor price includes the shutdown work that makes replacement possible.
For an existing installation, inspect drawings and safely obtained photographs before choosing a new probe. An inaccessible bottom restraint or a probe coated with hardened material can change the practical removal method. Resolve that work plan with qualified site personnel rather than proposing an improvised pull from above.
Access Questions
Q1. Is a cable always easier to maintain than a rod?
Not necessarily. It can reduce rigid overhead length, but handling, deposits, movement and restraints still matter. Ask for the permitted handling procedure and assess the full installed route before selecting it for headroom alone.
Q2. Can a non-contact radar be removed from a pressurised tank?
Not simply because it has no immersed probe. The connection remains part of the process boundary. Follow the approved isolation procedure and verify the complete assembly before opening it.
Summary
Choose between MV-RD12 and MV-RD701 with operating suitability and maintainable access both demonstrated. Send the nozzle section, internal layout and removal-space drawing so the quotation describes an instrument the site can actually service.
