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Level Measurement
Level is another common process variable that is measured in many industries. The method used will vary widely depending on the nature of the industry, the process, and the application.
Inventory: a constant supply or storage of material Control: continuous, batch, blending, and mixing control stabilize flow to the next process Alarming: hi/lo limits, safety shut down Data Logging: material quantities for inventory and billing purposes and where regulatory requirements are necessary
What is measured?
The measured medium can be liquid, gas or solid and stored in vessels (open/closed tanks), silos, bins and hoppers.
Units of level can be expressed in: feet (meters) gallons (liters) pounds (kilograms) cubic volume (ft3, m3)
Direct Methods
Direct methods sense the surface or interface of the liquid and is not affected by changes in material density (Specific Gravity) Examples: Dip Stick Resistance Tapes Sight Glass Floats Ultrasonic
Selection Criteria
When determining the type of level sensor that should be used for a given application, there are a series of questions that must be answered: Open tank or closed tank? Can the level sensor be inserted into the tank or should it be completely external? Contact or non-contact? Continuous measurement or point measurement? Direct or Indirect measurement? What type of material is being measured? Liquid or Solid? Clean or Slurry?
Dip Stick
Simple and cheap Can be used with any wet material and not affected by density. Can not be used with pressurized tanks Visual indication only (electronic versions are available)
RodGauge - similar to a dipstick found in a car, it has weighted line markings to indicate depth or volume
Resistance Tape
The pressure of the fluid in the tank causes the tape to short-circuit, thus changing the total resistance of the measuring tape. An electronic circuit measures the resistance; it's directly related to the liquid level in the tank.
Sight Glass
Another simple direct method of measuring liquids. Can be used in pressurized tanks (as long as the glass or plastic tube can handle the pressure)
Good for applications where non-contact measurement is needed (like beverages)
Floats
Float rides the surface level to provide the measurement. Many different styles are available.
P = H x Density*
Pressure PSI
H=
Pressure Density*
*Note: For liquids other than water, use the density of water 0.0361 lb/in3 as a reference and multiply by the SG of the liquid.
Example
A dip stick measurement of the level of these 2 tanks indicates 30 feet of liquid in both tanks. Calculate the pressure that each gauge will read if tank 1 contains water (S.G. = 1) and tank 2 contains oil (S.G. = 0.85)
Height (H)
Height (H)
Tank 1
PSI
Tank 2
PSI
P = ? psi
P = ? psi
Example
A dip stick measurement of the level of these 2 tanks indicates 30 feet of liquid in both tanks. Calculate the pressure that each gauge will read if tank 1 contains water (S.G. = 1) and tank 2 contains oil (S.G. = 0.85)
Height (H)
Height (H)
Tank 1
PSI
Tank 2
PSI
P = ? psi
Example
A dip stick measurement of the level of these 2 tanks indicates 30 feet of liquid in both tanks. Calculate the pressure that each gauge will read if tank 1 contains water (S.G. = 1) and tank 2 contains oil (S.G. = 0.85)
Height (H)
Height (H)
Tank 1
PSI
Tank 2
PSI
Pressure PSI
This may not be practical in some applications where the tank elevation is below grade or where a remote visual reading is required.
Tank Elevations
Vertical rises and drops contribute to the overall height and therefore head pressure. Horizontal runs have no effect.
Water Density (D)
Height (H)
Bubblers
P
Bubblers allow the indicator to be located anywhere. The air pressure in the tube varies with the head pressure of the height of the liquid.
Cant be used in closed tanks or where purging a liquid is not allowed (soap). Very popular in the paper industry because the air purge keeps the tube from plugging.
Open tanks are vented to atmosphere so the pressure at the bottom of the tank is only due to the head pressure of the liquid.
P Head = h x D
P vapour
Closed tanks are not vented to atmosphere so the pressure at the bottom of the tank is due to the head pressure of the liquid + the vapour pressure above the surface.
P Head = (h x D) + P vapour
Displacers
Not the same as a float. The displacer is immersed in the tank and the buoyant force of the liquid produces a torque which is proportional the amount of liquid level.
The output force can be converted to provide a proportional pneumatic or electrical continuous output of tank level.
DC Excitation voltages may create problems with some liquids (polarization) AC excitation voltages can be used but some frequencies are not suitable for all liquids. Advantages and disadvantages Low Cost Conductive, non-coating liquids only Insulating coatings can cause problems
The only variable is the dielectric of the tank material that varies in proportion to the level. Conductive liquids like mineral water will short out the probe to the tank wall. Good for solids
These sensors have better performance in applications where vapour, dust or uneven surfaces exist.
Load Cells
Tank level is determined by the weight of the quantity of material Load Cells (strain gauge transducers) placed at the bottom of the tank measure the weight and then convert it to an electrical signal.
Summary
Hydrostatic Head Float Load Cells Magnetic Level Gauge Capacitance Conductivity Ultrasonic Radar Guided Wave Radar Dip Stick
Summary
Level is measured by locating the boundary between two media, called the interface Level can be measured directly or indirectly Noninvasive devices are preferred when the material is corrosive, hazardous, sterile, or at a high temperature or pressure
Batch application using point level measurement Detect if the level is at a predetermined point Generally used to detect either a lowlevel condition or high-level condition The output of a point level sensor is on-off, or 1 or 0 state digital signal