Pomace is the solid remains of grapes and other plants after pressing for juice. Even though it is mainly associated with winemaking, pomace also remains when carrots, tomatoes or apples are pressed.

Pomace is processed for a variety of purposes, for example, to produce brandy, fodder or fertiliser. Before the pomace is further processed, it is temporarily stored in silos, as is the case with a South German fruit juice manufacturer. The company modernized its 80-tonnes pomace silo with AFRISO level measurement technology and, in addition to highly accurate measured values, now benefits from reliable processes and dependable planning.

The weighing system in the pomace silo with a height of 20 metres of a fruit juice manufacturer exhibited increasing failure rates and kept delivering incorrect measurements as it was dated. As a result, often there was more pomace in the silo than expected and displayed so that a considerable portion of the pomace blown into the silo via a pipe landed on the roof.

In order to be able to rely on accurate measured values for filling and point level notifications for the emptying process, the juice manufacturer turned to the AFRISO engineering experts. The objective was to find a low-investment solution. With a customer-specific AFRISO level measurement system, consisting of a PulsFox® PMG 20 guided micropulse level indicator and a DA 12 digital display unit, a reliable and professional solution was implemented for the fruit juice manufacturer. The series PulsFox® 20 guided micropulse measuring instruments have been designed to accurately measure the level of high-viscosity or low-viscosity, adhesive, conductive or isolating liquids or bulk solids, for example, in storage or process containers, silos and tanks. Regardless of high or low tanks, disturbing installations, small distances or, for example, conductive foam on the medium to be measured - there is a suitable probe for virtually any application. The stability of the measurement and, by implication, the accuracy is neither influenced by turbulent, steaming or dusty surfaces nor impaired by changes in density, pressure or temperature. Thanks to the robust die cast aluminium housing, the devices are also ideal for harsh environmental conditions and outdoor applications.

The actual installation of the measuring device was quickly accomplished. The flexible, 4 mm thick cable probe was shortened to the required length and mounted in the silo. Thanks to the menu-driven programming display, programming was also a simple "setup job". The setup can be adjusted at any time and without extensive training by the maintenance staff. As part of this solution, the programming display remains attached directly to the measuring device for local monitoring - the actual visualization of the level values and setting of the limit values takes place via the digital display unit DA 12 integrated in the control room. Thanks to the standard rack mounting housing, the compact device could be mounted directly into the existing control panel and integrated into the control system via the voltage-free relay outputs. It now operates as a key instrumentation component in the control process.

Without having made a major investment, the fruit juice manufacturer can now exactly plan the supply and removal of pomace, based on the precise tonnage indication. And: No more pomace on the silo roof.