Safe, sustainable and efficient chemical tank farm management This success story from Friedrich Scharr KG’s state-of-the-art chemical tank farm in Stuttgart, Germany, highlights how intelligent measurement technology from VEGA, combined with well-thought-out plant design, contributes to safety, sustainability and efficiency in chemical logistics. W ith a storage capacity of 2 million litres, distributed across 40 tank chambers in 22 above-ground tanks,
a new tank farm at Friedrich Scharr KG is a high-performance centrepiece of the com- pany’s chemical logistics operations. A wide variety of water-polluting substances, such as solvents and fuels, are stored and processed there. A fully automated filling system for all con - tainer types and a 15 000-litre mixing tank for customer-specific solvents round out the ex - isting infrastructure. During the construction of the new tank facility, special requirements, such as earthquake safety and the placement of storage containers across multiple floors of the building, had to be addressed. The project aimed to improve economic efficiency, maxi - mise plant safety and minimise environmental impact. These requirements are being met thanks to advanced level and pressure mea- surement technology from VEGA. Efficient chemical logistics By eliminating internal shuttle trips between the old tank farm and the truck scales on the company premises, the new tank farm could also be optimised for emissions and energy consumption. The measurement technol- ogy integrated into the processes played a decisive role here. Precise pressure measure- ment technology and level monitoring, with continuous data transmission, ensure that hazardous substances do not escape or mix. The VEGA instrument technology, therefore, not only ensures safety but also helps to automate the filling and mixing processes. The use of renewable energy sources, such as photovoltaics and district heating, im- proves the ecological balance and promotes sustainability. Key technology supplied by VEGA For precise level monitoring, overfill protec - tion and early leak detection, the company relies on advanced measurement technol- ogy from VEGA. Among other instruments, around 170 VEGASWING series 63 and 40 vibrating level switches, as well as 40 VEGAPULS series radar level sensors, have been deployed. These not only enable con-
The new chemical tank farm at Scharr is equipped with around 170 VEGASWING 63 vibrating level switches, which protect the tanks from overfilling and leaks.
WHG testing of overfill protection devices is considerably simplified by using VEGATOR controllers.
tinuous level measurement but also provide reliable overfill protection in accordance with the WHG (German Water Resources Act). At the heart of the system is a VEGATOR controller installed in a switching cabinet, which allows the sensors to be tested cen- trally without entering hazardous areas. This controller transmits NAMUR signals (IEC 60947-5-6) and provides a relay output for VEGASWING, VEGAVIB and VEGAWAVE vibrating level switches. This effectively moves the test button for the function check from the tank level switch to the controller in the switching cabinet,
where a simple WHG-compliant function check can be carried out at the touch of a button, allowing all sensors to be tested cen- trally. And all of this without having to apply time-consuming and costly methods, such as filling the container to the response level during operation or manually checking the individual probes by dismounting them, an action that can also be extremely dangerous. The use of VEGA instrumentation, there- fore, not only saves time and money but also increases occupational safety. This represents a huge advantage in plant operation, especial- ly in the hazardous areas of chemical plants,
26 ¦ MechChem Africa • March-April 2026
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