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Basic Instrumentation Course: Prepared by
Basic Instrumentation Course: Prepared by
Prepared by
Eng\ Ahmed Mohamed Abdel-Halim
EMC, MIDOR Site
2008
3. Level Measurements
3-Level Measurement
Very simple systems employ external sight glasses or tubes to view
the height of the fluid.
Others utilize floats connected to variable potentiometers or
rheostats that will change the resistance according to the amount of
motion of the float.
This signal is then inputted to transmitters that send a signal to an
instrument calibrated to read out the height or volume.
So, we have
Sight-type Instruments
Pressure-type Instruments
Electrical-type Instruments
Sonic-type Instruments
Radiation-type Instruments
Sight-type Instruments
Glass Gauges The gauges are made of glass, plastic, or a
combination of the two materials must be able to withstand the
pressure in the vessel.
Sight-type Instruments
Sight-type Instruments
The pressure that the liquid exerts in the tank forces the liquid
in the sight glass to rise to the same level as the liquid in the
tank.
For the pressurized tank, the upper end of the tube is
connected to the tank.
This creates an equilibrium pressure in both ends of the tube,
and the liquid in the tube rises to the same level as the liquid
in the vessel.
Pressure at the base of a vessel containing liquid is directly
proportional to the height of the liquid in the vessel.
P=ρgH
The level of liquid inside a tank can be determined from the
pressure reading if the density of the liquid is constant.
Sight-type Instruments
There are two basic types of flat sight gauges: reflex and
transparent.
The reflex-type gauge produces a dark area where liquid is
present and a light area where vapor is present.
The reflex type gauge is normally chosen for liquids that
are colorless, clear, and nonviscous.
The transparent gauge is generally used when the liquid is
colored, viscous, and corrosive.
Sight glass gauges are installed with manual shutoff valves
at both ends so maintenance can be performed.
Sight-type Instruments
Magnetic Level Gauges
An external float chamber
connected to the tank.
The float has a magnetic
property that makes the
indicator goes up and down
on a scale according to the
level in the tank.
Tape Float
A tape is connected to a float on one end and to a counterweight
on the other to keep the tape under constant tension.
The float motion makes the counterweight ride up and down a
direct-reading gauge board.
Displacers
Displacer level gauges operate on Archimedes’ principle.
A body fully or partially immersed in a fluid is buoyed up by a
force equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.
By measuring the buoyancy force produced by a displacer, you
can determine a level value.
Displacer may used as a level transmitter for single liquid (LT), or
differential level transmitter for interface applications (LDT).
For empty tank (or filled with a light liquid), there is no (or
minimum) buoyancy force Maximum weight of the displacer.
For filled tank ( or filled with heavy liquid), maximum buoyancy
force generated on the displacer Minimum weight of the
displacer.
The displacer may be top mounted inside the tank or chambered
unit.
Displacers
Displacers Installation
Displacers (LT)
Displacers (LDT)
Pressure-type Instruments
The pressure at the base of a vessel containing liquid is
directly proportional to the height of the liquid in the
vessel.
As the level in the vessel rises, the pressure exerted by
the liquid at the base of the vessel will increase linearly.
Differential Pressure (DP) capsules are the most
commonly used devices to measure the pressure at the
base of a tank.
When a DP transmitter is used for the purpose of
measuring a level, it will be called a level transmitter.
DP Level Transmitter
When using pressure or differential Pressure
transmitters to measure tank liquid level, determining
the liquid density is important to accurately calculate the
level for a given liquid head pressure.
Tanks may be open (vented), or they may be closed
(pressurized).
With closed tanks that may have a pressure above the
liquid that is different from atmospheric pressure, a dry
leg or wet leg system may be used to port the top-of-
tank pressure to the opposite side of a differential
pressure transmitter that is connected to the tank to
measure level.
DP Level Transmitter
If it is a dry leg, then density of vapor or noncondensing
gas in dry leg is calculated and used to correct level
measurement for vapor density changes.
If it is a wet leg, density of liquid in wet leg is calculated
and used to correct the liquid level measurement.
Transmitter can be mounted at minimum level, or below
minimum level.
If transmitter is mounted below minimum level, the leg to
transmitter from the lower tank connection is assumed to
have liquid in it, and its density calculated to correct the
liquid level measurement.
Open Tank (Vented) or Closed Tank With Dry Leg
Assume dP cell below bottom tap
we make zero suppression
calculation.
The span points for the dP cell
are calculated as follows
DP0% = d ρ g
DP100% = (Lmax+d) ρ g
The DP transmitter must be
calibrated from DP0% to DP100%
Any condensation in the leg will
create an error in the level
measurement.
We can prevent condensation in most cases by doing steam
tracing of the reference leg.
Closed Tank With Wet Leg
Assume the leg filled with liquid that ( ρw > ρ ) to prevent the
serviced liquid goes to the transmitter cell.
Assume dP cell below bottom tap
we make zero elevation calculation.
The span points for the dP
cell are calculated as follows
DP0% = d ρ g – h ρw g
DP100% = (Lmax+ d) ρ g – (hρwg)
Any change in the height or
density of the wet leg fluid
influences the accuracy of the
level measurement.
Bubbler Level Measurement System
Used If the process liquid contains suspended solids or is chemically
corrosive or radioactive.
It is desirable to prevent it from coming into direct contact with the
level transmitter.
A bubbler tube is immersed to the bottom of the vessel in which the
liquid level is to be measured.
A gas (called purge gas) is allowed to pass through the bubbler
tube.
Consider that the tank is empty, so, the gas will escape freely at the
end of the tube and therefore the gas pressure inside the bubbler
tube (called back pressure) will be at atmospheric pressure.
As the liquid level inside the tank increases, pressure exerted by the
liquid at the base of the tank (and at the opening of the bubbler tube)
increases.
Bubbler Level Measurement System
As a result, the gas pressure in the bubbler tube will continue to
increase until it just balances the pressure of the liquid & any
excess supply pressure will escape as bubbles through the liquid.
A level transmitter (DP cell) used to monitor this backpressure.
The bubbler tube is connected to the high-pressure side of the
transmitter, while the low pressure side is vented to atmosphere.
The output of the transmitter will be proportional to the tank level.
Note that bubbling action has to be continuous or the measurement
signal will not be accurate.
The purge supply pressure should be at least 10 psi higher than the
highest hydrostatic pressure the process will encounter.
You should keep the purge rate small so no significant pressure
drop occurs in the dip tube.
The purge medium is air or nitrogen, although you can use liquids.
Bubbler Level Measurement System
Diaphragm Level Detectors