Instrumentation and Measurement

Lecture# 09
Level & Flow Measurement
Instructor: Engr. Muhammad Asif
Email: m.asif@uettaxila.edu.pk

Department of Mechatronics Engineering

University of Chakwal

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 1

Level measurement techniques
 Dipsticks
 Ordinary
 Optical
 Float systems
 Visual
 Intelligent
 Hot-wire elements/carbon resistor elements
 Other devices
Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 2
Level measurement
 Level of liquids
 Level of solids in the form of powder or
small particles e.g. “grains”
 Measurement accuracy
 Rough….Visual indicator
 Accuracy…Electrical signal

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 3

Level measurement
 Dipsticks
 Ordinary dipsticks
• Cheapest
• Metal bar with scaling
• Fixing the bar at known position
• Remove from the vessel and see the level
• Week accuracy

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 4

 Level measurement
 Dipsticks
 Optical dipsticks
• Little bit costly
• Metal bar with scaling
• Fixing the bar at known
position
• See the level without
removing with the help
of drive
• Better accuracy
Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 5
 Level measurement

 Float Systems
 Visual indication
• Little bit costly
• Float material
• See the level without
removing with the help
of drive
• Maintenance required

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 6

 Level measurement
 Float Systems
 Sensors indication
• Cap or res transducer
• Little bit costly
• Float material
• See the level without
removing with the help
of drive
• Maintenance required
• Better accuracy
Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 7
 Level measurement

 Float Systems
 Float and tape guage
• Tape attached to a float system that passes round a pulley
• The other end is attached to counter weight
• Amount of rotation of the pulley gives you the electrical
signal though pot coupling
• Better accuracy

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 8

 Level measurement

 Hot-wire elements/carbon
resistor elements Float and
tape guage

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 9

Other devices for level
measurement
 Hydrostatic systems
 Capacitive devices
 Ultrasonic level gauge
 Radar (microwave) methods
 Radiation methods
 Vibrating level sensor
 Laser method
 Thermography
Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 10
Flow rates
 “The rate at which fluid flows through a
closed pipe.”
 Mass flow rate
• Conveyor-based methods
• Coriolis flowmeter
 Volume flow rate
• Variable area flowmeters (Rotameters)

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 11

Mass flow rate
 To measure the matter in a solid, liquid or
gaseous state.

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 12

Mass flow rate
• Conveying Mechanisms
– Belt and pulley
– Conveyor
» Conveyor Roller
» Conveyor Belt
– Sprocket and chain

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 13

Mass flow rate
• Conveyor-based methods
• Used for small particles/packets produced by crushing or
grinding in the process industry or cement industries
mostly.
• Conveyor belt is necessary for grains.
• Conveyor rollers are useful for boxes or packets.

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 14

Conveyor-based methods
 A load cell measures the mass M of material distributed
over a length L of the conveyor. If the conveyor velocity is
v, the mass flow rate, Q , is given by

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 15

Mass flow rate
 Coriolis flowmeter
 Used to measure the mass flow rate of liquids.

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 16

Mass flow rate
 Coriolis flowmeter
 Pair of parallel vibrating tubes
 Tubes vibrates (180 degrees out of phase) to
deflect
 Tubes - Stainless steel.

 Shaped as B-shaped, D-shaped, U-shaped, triangular-

shaped, helix-shaped and straight

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 17

Mass flow rate
 Coriolis flowmeter

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 18

Mass flow rate
 Coriolis flowmeter
 Drive unit - electromechanical
 Vibration motion of each tube causes forces on the
particles in the flowing fluid.
 These forces induce motion of the fluid particles in a
direction that is orthogonal to the direction of flow, and
this produces a Coriolis force.
 This Coriolis force causes a deflection of the tubes that is
superimposed on top of the vibratory motion.

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 19

Mass flow rate
 Coriolis flowmeter

 where k is a constant, f is the frequency of the tube

vibration and R is the mass flow rate of the fluid inside the
tube

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 20

Volume flow rate
 Rotameters
 Rotameter is a tube made of plastic,
glass or metal combined with a float
 Visual indication
 Position of float is the measure of
effective annular area
• Hence the
 Cheapest

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 21

References
• Chapter#16, Alan S Moris “Measurement and
Instrumentation Principles” 3rd edition.
• Chapter#17, Alan S Moris “Measurement and
Instrumentation Principles” 3rd edition.

Lec#09 by Engr. Muhammad Asif 22