Echotel Level Switches

Mark Mackinnon
 Contact Ultrasonic Basics

Sound passes through Sound cannot pass

the gap when filled with through an air-filled
liquid (wet gap) gap (dry gap)
 Sound Transmission Analogy

Vocal Cord/Eardrum Ultrasonic Transducer

Vocal cord converts Transmit crystal

mechanical energy converts electrical
into acoustical energy into
energy acoustical energy

Eardrum converts Receive crystal

acoustical energy converts acoustical
into electrical energy back into
energy electrical energy
 What is Ultrasonic?

Sound Wave Frequency (Hertz)

Thunder 20-40 Cycles/Second (Hz)
Man's Voice 130 Hz
Woman's Voice 250 Hz
Sonic-Ultrasonic Threshold 20,000 Hz
Dog Whistle 22,000 Hz
Gap Switches 1 MHz, 2 MHz, or 3 MHz

Ultrasonic frequencies are above the human

ear's audible limit of 20,000 hertz (20 kHz)
 Advantages of Ultrasonics

Easy to install, no calibration required

No moving parts to wear out, & minimal
maintenance
Not affected by changes in liquid properties (specific
gravity, dielectric or conductivity shifts, pH, etc.)
Broad range of metallic & plastic transducers
Dual point and remote mount capable (both
advantages over tuning fork technology)
Low cost OEM price units & full-featured advanced
units with self-test, time delay, and SIL ratings
 Limitations of Ultrasonics

Maximum temperature is 325 F (163C) & maximum

pressure is 2,000 PSI (138 bar)
High suspended solids content or highly viscous liquids
may absorb the signal (pulsed wave technology helps)
Extreme amounts of entrained air or foaming of a liquid
may absorb the signal:

Model 910 ignored this

foam and successfully
measured the liquid
media!!
 Echotel Product Line

910
940/941

961

962
 Echotel Contact Product Line

961/962 offers advanced

features for demanding/critical
point level switch applications
910 for applications where
a reliable switch is needed but
self-test and time delay is not
940/941 is lowest priced unit
(~$350) but has tip-sensitive
transducer & pulsed signal
technology
 Model 910

Low ($500) priced OEM account level switch

10A DPDT gold flash relay
(5A DPDT HS relay is optional)
316 SS is only transducer material
No self-test or time delay
Integral mount electronics only
FM, CSA & ATEX and INMETRO approvals
Worldwide agency nameplate
Two-year product warranty
 Model 910 Application

Seal Pot Level Alarm

Low and/or high level alarms required
to protect seal reservoir fluid from High level

Reflex Glass
entering the process vessel or from Level Gauge
leaking out of the seal pot:
Low level Low level

Low cost OEM priced application

Worldwide agency approvals needed
Gold flash or hermetically sealed relay
115/230 VAC or 24 VDC input power
Two year product warranty
Model 910 in Seal Pots
 Model 910 Application

Side mounted
Model 910

Generon Nitrogen Generation Skid

 Models 940 & 941

18" flying lead

potted cabling
Pulse performance, tip sensitive gap, and
$100 less than a Model 910 !!

Model 940 has a relay Model 941 has a mA

output: current shift output:
SPDT relay 8 mA = dry gap
1 amp @ 30 VDC 16 mA = wet gap
 Models 940 & 941

These 24 VDC level switches have:

2000 PSI rating for 1" & 2" transducers

SIL 2 rating for 940 and SIL 1 for the 941

18" flying leads of 18 AWG cabling

Optional housing (TK1 junction box shown

below) available if requested:
 Model 961/962 Switches

Tip sensitive arched gap improves

ultrasonic performance
Dual point has a flow-through upper
gap for improved rigidity
Pulsed signal technology
Integral or remote mount capable
Adjustable time delay (0.5 45 sec)
for turbulent/aerated liquids
Extensive FM/CSA/ATEX, GOST,
IEC, INMETRO, KOSHA & CCOE
hazardous location approvals
All versions have a SIL 2 rating
 Contact Ultrasonic Waveforms

Dry Gap Waveform Going Wet (minimum of Typical Wet Waveform

(with no digital pulses) 24 wet pulses needed) (more than 24 pulses)
Note: 24 wet pulses = wet gap signal. Eight consecutive wet gap signals
needed to indicate a wet gap condition for the 961 unit.
 Advanced Self-Test

What is self-test and why is it desired?

High Level
Switch Switches are often used as high or
high-high critical point level alarms
for aggressive chemicals
High level conditions may only occur
Toxic a few times per year
Chemical
Automatic self-test assures that the
level switch will work when needed
Pushbuttons allow manual self-test
 Model 961/962 Self-Test

Advanced self-testing verifies the

operation of:
Electronics boards
Transducer, wiring, & crystals
Presence of EMI/RFI noise
Self-test also diagnoses any fault
condition by flashing of FAULT LED:
One flash: wiring, transducer, or
piezoelectric crystals
Two flashes: electronics boards
Three flashes: EMI/RFI noise issue
 Model 961/962 Self-Test

If FAULT LED flashes once:

Check wiring from transducer!
Possible loose or broken wire
Possible shorted center conductor to shield

If FAULT LED flashes twice:

Need to replace the electronics module
Several 089-725X-00X kits available

Three flashes of FAULT LED:

Electrical noise is being detected and may
cause a false wet gap indication:
Check for EMI/RFI noise sources
 961 with Relay Output

Line powered (4-wire) version is

102 265 VAC or 18 to 32 VDC
Level relay is 5 amp DPDT &
malfunction relay is 5 amp SPDT
Hi/Lo DIP switch for selecting
HLFS or LLFS configuration
I/J for Independent or Joint de-
energizing of LEVEL relay in case
of any fault conditions
Model 961 with Relay Output
Pushbuttons manually test the:
SPDT MALF relay
DPDT LEVEL relay
 961 with Relay Output LEDs

MALF LED shows status WET LED is Lit

of malfunction relay: when gap is wet
Lit: normal condition
FAULT LED:
Dark: malfunction
Dark under normal
LEVEL LED shows conditions
status of level relay: Lit during fault
conditions
Lit : Energized
Dark: De-energized
 961 with Current Shift Output

Loop-powered (2-wire) unit is 11 35

VDC
Hi/Lo DIP switch selects HLFS or
LLFS configuration
22/3.6 selects 3.6 mA or 22 mA for
fault condition
Pushbuttons will test:
Model 961 with
FAULT mA (22 or 3.6 mA) Current Shift Output
LOOP reverses 8/16 or 16/8 mA
 961 mA Shift Output LEDs

Normal condition produces FAULT LED per

an 8 mA output: NAMUR NE 43 is
HL switch with a dry gap selectable for:
LL switch with a wet gap 3.6 mA (less than
or = 3.6 mA)
Alarm condition produces
a 16 mA output: 22 mA (greater than
HL switch with a wet gap or = 21.0 mA)
LL switch with a dry gap
 962 with Relay Output

Line-powered (4-wire) version is 102

265 VAC or 18 32 VDC
Level relays are both 5 amp SPDT &
the malfunction relay is 5 amp SPDT
Hi/Lo selects HLFS or LLFS
configuration
LC/PC for level control or pump control
(auto-fill or auto-empty) applications
Pushbuttons manually test the: Model 962 with
Relay Output
LEVEL reverses state of both level relays
MALF reverses the state of malfunction relay
 962 with Current Shift Output

Loop-powered (2-wire) unit is 11 -

35 VDC
Hi/Lo DIP switch selects HLFS or
LLFS configuration
22/3.6 selects < 3.6 mA or 22 mA
(> 21.5 mA) for fault condition
Loop Test push button will:
force 8 mA to 12 mA Model 962 with
force 12 mA to 16 mA Current Shift Output

force 16 mA to 8 mA
 Competition Overview

Primary competition is
E+H, Vega, and other
tuning fork switches
Echotel is # 1 selling
gap in the world, but
E+H forks outsell us by
a 30:1 margin !!
Very minor competition
from Sensall, Ametek,
Mobrey, SOR and
other gap switches
 Tuning Fork Competition

Model 961/962 E+H Liquiphant

Self-test Mode Manual and continuous Continuous only
Diagnostic Relay 5 Amp SPDT None
Density Configuration None 0.5 to 0.7, or >0.7 SG
Transducer Materials 3 metals & 2 plastics 2 metals & 1 plastic
Maximum Pressure 2,000 PSI 930 PSI
Dual Point Capability Yes No
Remote Mount Yes No
Tuning Fork Competition

Tuning forks are configured

for a density range. A DIP
switch is moved one way for
liquids above 0.7 SG, another
way for 0.5 to 0.7 SG, and
cannot be used if the density is
less than 0.5 SG!!
Model 961/962 operates
independent of density!

Tuning forks cannot be

remote mounted and are not
offered as a dual point level
switch.
Model 961/962 can be
remotely mounted & only
require one opening for dual
point switch!
 Tuning Fork Weakness !!
Tuning fork density
DIP switch

Unreliability can exist due to variations in product densities when the DIP
switch is in different positions. If the DIP switch is in one position and the
product density changes, the tuning fork would be configured improperly!

Tuning Fork Density Configuration Zones

0.5 SG 0.7 SG
Acetylene, ethane propylene propane gasoline Water based

These density (SG) values vary with temperature also. Could

the temp vary enough to necessitate switching the switch??
Tuning Fork Weakness !!

Recent Echotel job

had 71 switches with
varying fluid densities

User would have

had to configure
different settings for
each fluid

Echotel is
completely density
independent!!
 Echotel Applications

Gaps
should be
vertical
when side
mounted

High/low level alarm Pump protection

Auto fill or empty control Sump levels
 Model 961/962 Applications

Model 962 dual point is mounted from the

top and used for level or pump control

Model 961 single point

switches can be
mounted from the side
or the top for high or
low level alarm
 Switches + Transmitters

Atlas & 961 LSHH

level switch
Jupiter

Echotel switches are

used as HH and/or LL
level switches with
Model 961 LSLL other Magnetrol level
level switch transmitters

Gas Separator @ Apache Energy in Australia

 Echotel Application Issue
My 961 doesnt work! It is not detecting a wet gap condition?

961 w/ SS
housing & 12"
long transducer

13" riser Opening to fill

piping with water

Installing transducers in risers or stilling wells can

create air pockets that do not allow liquid to wet the gap
 Pipeline Gas Filter Separator

Shawndra Multiple Stage Coalescing

Pipeline Filter for natural gas. Model
961 level switches measuring Hi and
Hi-Hi levels in different filter stages.
 Tank Farm Oil Storage

High-High Level application of petroleum products at the Shell

Kingston Terminal in Ontario, Canada. Terminal has several
961 and A15s to comply with API RP 2350
 Echotel Contact Ultrasound

Worldwide level and flow solutions