Magnetrol Pulsar R86 26 GHz Radar Level Transmitter

Overview

The Magnetrol Pulsar R86 is a non-contact radar transmitter that looks down on the liquid surface and reports level, volume or open-channel flow over a two-wire 24 VDC loop. It is the 26 GHz member of the Pulsar family, sitting between the 6 GHz Pulsar R96 and the 80 GHz Pulsar R80, and Magnetrol positions it for process and storage vessels that need better resolution and a smaller beam than a 6 GHz unit but do not need the narrowest beam. Setup wizards, an echo rejection routine and plain-language diagnostics make the Magnetrol Pulsar R86 simpler to commission than older radar technology.

Seven Star LLC supplies the Magnetrol Pulsar R86 to refineries, petrochemical plants, power stations and water utilities across the Sultanate of Oman and the GCC. Our Muscat team helps customers choose horn size, process connection and output type, and checks the application against the datasheet limits for dielectric, turbulence and foam.

Operating Principle

The Magnetrol Pulsar R86 uses pulse burst radar with equivalent time sampling. The electronics emit short bursts of 26 GHz microwave energy, and the reflection from the liquid surface returns with a delay that depends on distance, using the relation distance equals the speed of light multiplied by the transit time and divided by two. Level is then calculated from the configured tank height, and signal processing separates the true surface echo from false target reflections and background noise. The circuitry is energy efficient enough that duty cycling is not needed.

Unlike guided wave radar, which sends a single fast pulse along a probe, the Magnetrol Pulsar R86 sends bursts through the air, so there is nothing in the liquid to foul, bend or corrode. Its performance does not depend on changing specific gravity or dielectric, and it tolerates visible vapours, turbulence, high fill and empty rates, and low to moderate foam and build-up. Circular polarization means the beam does not have to be rotated and aligned during commissioning.

Engineering Design of the Magnetrol Pulsar R86

The Magnetrol Pulsar R86 is available with horn antennas of 1.5, 2, 3 and 4 inch, and the 4 inch horn gives the strongest signal and the narrowest 9 degree beam. Antenna materials and seals cover PTFE, PEK, alumina and high-temperature options, with antenna designs rated to +400 °C and -1.0 to 160 bar depending on the seal. A quick connect/disconnect coupling lets the electronics be removed while the vessel stays sealed, and a heat extension protects the electronics in hot service.

The housing is die-cast aluminium rated IP67, with an optional stainless steel version, and the cable entry is 1/2 inch NPT or M20. Antenna extensions allow the transmitter to reach below nozzles up to 1.8 m high, and the unit can be mounted in a metal stillwell of 1.75 to 8 inches inside diameter. A four-button keypad and graphic LCD display give access to the configuration and the echo curve, with menu languages that include English, French, German, Spanish, Russian, Portuguese and Polish.

Key Features

This radar balances range, accuracy and ease of use. Key features of the Magnetrol Pulsar R86 include:

• Two-wire, 24 VDC loop-powered operation for level, volume or flow, with HART 7 or Foundation Fieldbus output.
• 26 GHz pulse burst radar with measuring range up to 130 feet (40 metres).
• Accuracy of plus or minus 3 mm or 0.1 percent of tank height, whichever is greater, and 1 mm display resolution.
• Antenna designs to +400 °C and 160 bar, with a quick connect/disconnect coupling that keeps the vessel sealed.
• Setup and echo rejection wizards, and proactive diagnostics that suggest troubleshooting steps.
• SIL 2 suitability with a safe failure fraction of 93.2 percent, supported by a full FMEDA report.
• PACTware and enhanced DTM support for advanced configuration and echo curve analysis.
• Open channel flow capability with 35 stored flume and weir curves, two flow totalizers and a 20-point custom table.

Industrial Applications

The Magnetrol Pulsar R86 suits storage and holding tanks, reactors and mixing vessels, enclosed sumps and open channels. In Oman, crude and product storage, refinery process units, cooling-water basins and desalination brine tanks all present liquids with changing dielectric, vapour and surface movement that the Magnetrol Pulsar R86 can handle. Where the application involves very low dielectric media, interface layers or heavy clutter, Magnetrol recommends a guided wave radar, and the Magnetrol Eclipse 706 is the natural companion for those vessels. Buyers comparing the technology can also review the ABB MT5200 guided wave radar transmitter.

Seven Star LLC supports projects in the Sohar and Salalah economic zones and in utilities across the GCC with engineering support in Muscat. For clients who want a second radar option in the same price class, we can quote the Endress+Hauser Micropilot FMR60 alongside the Magnetrol Pulsar R86 so that antenna, range and approvals can be compared side by side.

Technical Specifications

The table lists the main data of the Magnetrol Pulsar R86 from the Magnetrol datasheet. Pressure and temperature ratings depend on the antenna and seal selected.

Request a Quote for Magnetrol Pulsar R86

Send Seven Star LLC your RFQ for the Magnetrol Pulsar R86 with the tank height, process medium, dielectric, connection size, temperature, pressure and required hazardous-area approval. Our instrumentation division in Muscat will confirm the antenna and output option and attach the Magnetrol datasheet to the quotation. Seven Star LLC supplies Magnetrol equipment with manufacturer documentation and local engineering support across Oman and the GCC, so contact us today.