Optical Type Level

Transmitter

Prepared and reported by: Abdelrahman Mohamed Elshafei

Reported to: Eng. Moataz Sherif
Table of contents
1. ABSTRACT: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3
2. INTRODUCTION: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
3. THEORY OF OPERATION AND DIFFERENT TYPES: ---------------------------------------------- 4
4. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF OPTICAL LEVEL SENSORS: ------------------ 11
5. CONCLUSION: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11
6. REFERENCES: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12

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 1. Abstract:
In this document, I am going to give a brief introduction to the optical type
level transmitter and the advantages and disadvantages of using this type of
level transmitters.

2. Introduction:
Traditionally, when you want to measure or detect liquid, and that is what
these sensors do, they detect whether a sensor is sensing air or a liquid.
The traditional technology is a float switch. Now a float switch is quite large,
they are typically around this kind of size. They have to protrude into the air
where you want to measure liquid and they have moving parts.
Without any doubt, having moving parts is always an issue because that is
something to wear out or to get jammed or broken, or maybe it might freeze
and get stuck in place, the Optical Liquid Level Sensors are typically very
small and require no moving parts.
There is a range of technical terms used to describe this type of level sensing
technology. Optical prism, electro-optic, single-point optical, optical level
switch and the list goes on. The sensor operates very simply. Inside the sensor
housing is an LED and a phototransistor. When the sensor tip is in air, the
infrared light inside the sensor tip is reflected back to the detector. When in
liquid, the infrared liquid is refracted out of the sensor tip, causing less energy
to reach the detector. Being a solid-state device, these compact sensors are
ideal for a vast range of point level sensing applications, especially when
reliability is essential. Optical liquid level switches are suitable for high, low
or intermediate level detection in practically any tank, large or small. They are
also suitable for detecting leaks preventing costly damage. Reflected light,
such as in a small reflective tank, mirrored tanks, bubbles, milk or coating
fluids can often cause issues with delayed readings.

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 Fig. 1 Different shapes of optical level sensor

3. Theory of operation and different types:

The operation of optical level detectors can be based on the reflection,
transmission, or refraction of conventional, laser, or IR light.
Reflected visible or infrared light beams can detect the level of liquids or
solids. A beam of light is aimed at the surface of the liquid or solids and is
reflected back to a light-sensitive transistor, which is located in the same
holder as the light source.
As a point sensor (switch) on reflective, opaque liquids (such as milk) or on
solids services, the transistor sensitivity can be adjusted to detect distances
from 0.25 in. (6.3 mm) to 12 in. (300 mm). The sensor can be provided with
several light-sensitive detectors to permit multipoint switch actuation. The
allowable operating temperature range is from 40 to 150F (40 to 66 C).
Because of its non-contacting design, the switch is suitable for use on
corrosive, sticking, and coating process. The operation of the switch is
adversely affected by changes in the reflectivity of the process.

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 Fig. 2 Non-optical level sensor
The reflection of laser light is used in some specialized applications. The
measurement of the thickness of molten glass is illustrated in Figure 3. Here,
a laser source is mounted on one side of the process at an angle of between 15
and 60 from horizontal. The detector is mounted on the other side of the
process and at the same angle as the source. As surface level changes, the
reflected beam is displaced as shown in the figure. The detector is arranged
so that this displacement can be measured, and the control unit is calibrated to
convert the displacement to an analog signal proportional to level. It can also
be furnished with alarm or interlock contacts. For this unit to work properly,
the surface of the process level must be clean and reflective. The span is
limited to approximately 0.5 in. (12.5 mm). This non-contacting instrument
can be used, for example, to monitor the thickness of molten glass as it is
formed into sheets.

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 Fig. 3 A laser beam reflected from the fluid surface is tracked by a servo controller
detector.

When light is passing through a fixed distance in a fluid, the intensity of light
received at the detector can be used to measure the concentration of solids in
the liquid. This same principle can also be used to measure sludge level or the
interface between sludge and supernatant. The level sensor can be a point-
sensing switch or a continuous sludge depth detector.

Fig. 4 Optical sludge level detector

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In one design, the sensor and its electronics are portable, and the sensor is
attached to a 30-ft (9-m) cable with which the operator lowers the sensor into
the clarifier until the interface is detected between the low solids supernatant
and the high solids settled sludge. Wetted-parts materials are available in
nickel plated naval brass. The error in such measurement, assuming that the
cable is marked and read correctly, is 1 in. (25 mm).
In clarifiers, digesters, or air flotation thickeners, traveling scrapers are often
provided at the bottom of the tank. In such installations, the sludge depth or
the sludge-supernatant interface can be detected by pivoted probes that are
provided with an optical gap. Inside that gap, pairs of IR light sources and
detectors are stacked vertically on 3-in. (19-mm) centers.

Fig. 5 Optical sludge level detector for wastewater treatment processes.

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Infrared or visible light refracts when sent into a liquid through a submersed
prism. Figure 6 illustrates a simple and inexpensive use of that principle for
level detection. In this design, a light beam is directed along a cylindrical
translucent rod that has a 45 bevel at its base. When no liquid is present at
the tip, the beam is reflected back to a light-sensitive transistor. As the level
rises and covers the tip of the probe, the index of refraction increases, and
light escapes into the liquid. This reduces the amount of light received by the
transistor and triggers the switching action.

Fig. 6 Light-refraction type level sensor

The unit is small, lightweight, and available in plastic, brass,
aluminum, or stainless-steel construction. It is capable of
detecting such small changes in level as 1/16 in. (1.6 mm). The
probe has a pressure rating of 100 PSIG (0.69 MPa) and can
operate at temperatures between 15 and 250 F (90 and 121C).
The switch cannot be used in caking or coating liquids. Another
limitation is the false level indication that can result if drops of
liquid remain of the probe after the liquid level has dropped
down. In that case, the switch will continue to indicate a high
level. Therefore, the use of this switch is limited to clean, non-
coating services.

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Figure 7 shows how optical fibers can be used for liquid level detection. A
light beam travels in the illustrated fiber and, as long as no process fluid
contacts the fiber, the return beam will have the same intensity as the source
beam. As the level rises, and liquid covers some of the fiber, the index of
refraction increases, allowing some of the light to escape into the liquid. This
reduces the strength of the return beam.

Fig. 7 Fiber optics level detector.

In recent years, laser-based level sensors have become accepted in industrial
process control as a means of obtaining reliable noncontact level
measurements in difficult applications.
Three types of laser technology are commonly used in the process control
market today: pulsed, continuous-wave (frequency-modulated), and
triangulation.
The Pulsed laser sensor is time of flight based; it measures the time for
individual laser pulses to travel from the transmitter of the instrument to the
target (where the beam is reflected) and back to the receiver of the instrument.
The distance is then calculated using the time and the speed of light.
In general, pulsed lasers are used for most industrial level-monitoring
applications because they offer better range and penetration characteristics
(through dust and steam) without sacrificing accuracy and repeatability.

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Pulsed laser level sensors have improved greatly over the past few years with
respect to dust penetration and pulse discrimination, allowing them to be used
effectively in severe solids and vapor applications that were precluded in the
past.

Fig. 8 Detecting level by measuring the time of reflection.

Frequency-Modulated (Continuous-Wave) Sensors are depending on
continuous-wave laser technology that directs a continuous laser beam at the
target. When it hits the target, this beam is phase shifted and subsequently
returned to the receiver. The outgoing and incoming beams are compared to
determine the degree of phase shift and the distance is calculated on the basis
of frequency, wavelength, and phase shift. Continuous-wave lasers are better
suited for short-range, extremely high-accuracy, clean-air applications usually
found in laboratory-type settings.

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Triangulation Measurement Sensor depending on triangulation
measurement, which is done at an angle, with a sharply focused laser beam,
directed toward an object. The luminous spot on the target surface is optically
projected to a CCD device, which maps out the intensity distribution of the
reflected light. The electronics determine the illuminated CCD zone and the
angle to the luminous spot. Because the angle change is reduced with
increasing range, the accuracy also drops, making this type of measurement
suitable only for a relatively short range. Primary applications for this type of
measurement are object positioning and robotics. Because of these limitations,
this method is not used for industrial level sensing.

4. Advantages and Disadvantages of Optical Level Sensors:

The main advantages of optical level sensors are their compact size, their lack
of moving parts, and their low cost. However, while extremely accurate for
point level detection in high-stress environments, they are less useful for
continuous level measurement. In addition, optical level sensors are unsuited
for applications where top mounting is necessary; when top-mounted, the
accuracy optical level sensors may be adversely affected by moisture
condensation.

5. Conclusion:
The refraction-type optical level switches are not used in severe services,
because of their pressure and temperature limitations, and because they are
not suited for fouling and caking services. The reflection-type designs are
used as non-contacting sensors in processes in which the vapor space is clear
and the operating pressures are low. Their laser versions can provide high
precision on narrow-span applications. The light-transmission-type optical
level sensors have been used successfully in the wastewater treatment
industry.

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 6. References:
www.instumentationtools.com
www.electroschematics.com
www.fluidswitch.com
www.thomasnet.com
Lessons in industrial instrumentation
Instrument engineers Handbook

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