The demands placed on cities and municipalities to provide citizens with convenient, environmentally friendly living arrangements are increasing. The WILSEN.sonic sensors enable intelligent disposal management, in which the filling levels of used glass, old clothes, and recyclables containers are monitored remotely so that the containers are only collected once filled to a set amount. This leads to more efficient route planning and thus results in fewer emissions, traffic jams and noise in the urban area.

At the same time, this concept can also be successfully transferred to extensive company premises of manufacturing companies where recycling containers are used on a large scale. The integration of WILSEN.sonic IoT sensors makes it possible to optimize in-house waste disposal processes, thus saving time and money.

Regardless of whether bulk materials of various kinds or liquids are to be detected: The battery-operated WILSEN.sonic sensors offer both public institutions and industrial companies an efficient solution for gaining insights into a wide variety of containers without the need for complex wiring.

Depending on the type and size of the container, the Pepperl+Fuchs portfolio comprises various WILSEN.sonic variants with different ranges. While the versions with a detection range of up to 2500 mm are ideal for compact intermediate bulk containers (IBC), the WILSEN.sonic version with a detection range of up to 7000 mm is used in larger storage tanks such as the salt silo shown here. Thanks to the high degree of protection (IP66/67), the sensors are also reliably protected at all times against the ingress of liquids or dust particles in the containers.

In urban areas sealed by enormous concrete surfaces, underground rainwater retention basins are used to cushion heavy rainfall eventsand prevent flooding. With the help of WILSEN.sonic sensors, the water level in these reservoirs can be monitored even more efficiently: Mounted wirelessly on the ceiling of the retention basin, the sensor is protected against flooding by the water masses thanks to protection class IP66/67. Measured values are then reliably transmitted out of the underground basin. The integrated long-life high-performance battery lasts for years, saving service personnel frequent, time-consuming descents into the basin.

Thanks to its long transmission range, the WILSEN.sonic is also able to transmit fill levels to the nearest LoRa gateway even from remote above-ground rainwater retention basins. The wide temperature range of -25 ... 70 °C guarantees smooth operation of the sensor even in direct sunlight or harsh winter weather.

The risk of extensive flooding is omnipresent in many areas close to rivers. The WILSEN.sonic sensors are a key component in overcoming this danger. As these sensors not only transmit water levels, but also their geoposition, the data from various sensors installed on bridges, for example, can be spatially assigned and correlated.

This fine-meshed view of the development of individual water levels and the inclusion of historical and current weather data enables AI models to precisely predict when and where flooding is likely to occur. The necessary protective measures can thus be taken before crisis situations arise. By linking to current weather data, the transmission interval of the sensors can also be automatically adjusted so that they transmit data less frequently in fair weather conditions than when precipitation is forecast. This extends the service life of the already long-lasting batteries even further.

To check the fill level of agricultural silos, the outer layer is often tapped with a rubber mallet or a rod and the fill level is determined based on the acoustic resonance. This procedure naturally does not offer the precision of a sensor solution and, in the case of higher silos, also involves the risk of accidents on vertical ladders. However, retrofitting a sensor solution often seems too complicated or error-prone: in addition to the problem of ensuring the power supply to the silo, difficult ambient conditions and possible residues on the sensor make the use of many contactless sensor types almost impossible. Mechanical sensor solutions, on the other hand, are subject to wear and tear on moving parts.

The WILSEN.sonic provides a remedy here: the wireless ultrasonic sensor, which does not require an external power supply, can be easily mounted in the headspace of the silo using the supplied mounting plate, from where it continuously transmits level data via radio. In the unlikely event that dust deposits occur on the sensor's low-adhesion transducer, these usually have no effect on the reliability of the measurement results thanks to the low-interference ultrasonic operating principle. With its wide temperature range of -25 ... 70 °C and degree of protection IP66/67, the sensor can withstand temperature fluctuations in the silo as well as cleaning the inside of the silo with water.

The monitoring and emptying of slurry pits is one of the many tasks on farms. This is usually done on the basis of experience and regular visual inspections. Nonetheless, it cannot be completely ruled out that the task is forgotten for a short time, that an intermediate slide valve does not close properly or that the pit overflows unnoticed due to unexpected heavy rainfall. This results in unplanned work, soil contamination and, in the worst case, even legal consequences due to possible negligence.

This risk can be minimized with little effort using WILSEN.sonic sensors. Once a sensor has been mounted on a boom above the slurry pit, it monitors compliance with limit values at all times. If the limit value is reached, the farmer is notified in time by the downstream IoT platform. The robust design with a PTFE-coated transducer, protection class IP66/67 and a wide temperature range of -25 ... 70 °C, is also suitable for this challenging outdoor application.

The wireless, autonomous WILSEN IoT sensors reliably supply data regarding fill level, distance, valve position, and object presence to a LoRaWAN without a cable connection. Learn more about their functional principle and unique features.

How do you parameterize the WILSEN sensors from Pepperl+Fuchs via the downlink channel? In this video, our expert shows you how to set it up quickly and easily.