CONTENT

1. ULTRASONIC LEVEL SENSOR

2. DISPLACEMENT

TYPE

LEVEL

SENSOR
3. GAMMA LEVEL SENSOR
4. CAPACITANCE
SENSOR

BASED

LEVEL

INTRODUCTION OF LEVEL
MEASUREMENT
Level measurement is an integral part of process control

The purpose of level measurement is to :-

Provide a measured variable representing the height or material presence within a vessel.

Detect the presence of the material.

Measure the quantity in hydrocarbon inventory management

ULTRASONIC

LEVEL SENSOR

THEORY
Sonic is the sound we can hear.
Ultrasonic is the sound above human hearing range.
Ultrasonic frequencies are above 20 KHz.
Ultrasonic waves are used to measure level of liquids and solid

objects in industries.
Ultrasonic level measurement is contactless principle and most

suitable for level measurements of hot, corrosive and boiling

liquids.
The normal frequency range used for ultrasonic level

measurements is within a range of 40 KHz to 10 MHz.

WORKING PRINCIPLE
The sensor is located at the top of the tank.
it sends out the sound waves in the form
of bursts in downward direction to the
fluid in the tank under level
measurement.
the directed sound waves hits the surface
of the fluid, sound echoes gets reflected
and returned back to the sensor.
This time duration is measured by the
sensor which is then further used to
calculate the level of liquid in the tank.

APPLICATION
Detecting Fluid Level

Fluid Identification / Concentration

Distance/Proximity Sensing

ADVANTAGES
Ultrasonic level sensors are usually non contact type i.e. they do
not make any contact with the process fluid under level
detection.
they consist of fixed components only hence require less
maintenance.
They are usually mounted at the top of the vessel due to which
they are less likely to offer leakage problems as compared to
entirely wetted means.

DISADVANTAGES
Ultrasonic level measurement technique can not be suitably applied in
all fields because many factors exist which have the tendency to
influence the returned echo signal back to the sensor. Some of them
include:
- Materials like powders
- Heavy vapors
- Foam
This type of sensor is not suitable for higher pressures in a vacuum
and temperature limits of up to 170 degree centigrade.

DISPLACEMENT TYPE LEVEL

SENSOR

THEORY
Displacers work on the Archimedes Principle
(indicates that the upward buoyant force that is exerted on a body immersed in a fluid,
whether fully or partially submerged, is equal to the weight of the fluid that the body
displaces )
When a body is immersed in a fluid it loses weight equal to that of the fluid
displaced.
By detection of the apparent weight of the immersed displacer, a level
measurement can be inferred.
When the cross sectional area of the displacer and the density of the liquid is
constant, then a unit change in level will result in a reproducible unit change
in displacer weight.

Figure 1 : The displacer level sensor

WORKING PRINCIPLE

The displacer is cylindrical in shape with a constant crosssectional area and made long or short as required.

As the liquid level increases , the displacer rod experiences a

greater buoyant force.
It appear lighter to the sensing instrument , which interprets
the loss of weight as an increase in a level .
It transmits a proportional output signal.

 As liquid level decreases , the buoyant force on the displacer

rod decreases with corresponding weight increases which is
interpreted as decreasing level which then give a corresponding
signal output.

The displacer is attached to a spring which restricts its

movement for each increment of buoyancy.
A transmitter is used to track the rise and fall of the displacer
rod as liquid level changes. Eg. LVDT linear variable differential
transformer
Isolation valveis avalvein afluid handling systemthat stops the
flow ofprocess mediato a given location, usually
formaintenance orsafetypurposes.

APPLICATION
Sewage handling (An air lift station for lifting sewage from
a sewage receiver tank in discrete ejection cycles by forced
air, is provided with means for maintaining constant the
quantity of air injected into a sewage receiving tank from an
accumulator tank.)
Foaming or surging liquids
Varnishes
Heavy oils
Liquids with solids

ADVANTAGES
Displacers work well with clean liquids and are accurate and adaptable
to wide variations in fluid densities.

However, the process fluid measured must maintain its density if

repeatability is required, this is particularly true of displacers.

They have high accuracy.

They are adaptable to liquid interface measurement.

DISADVANTAGES
Displacers are affected by changes in product density since the displacement
of the body (its weight loss) is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced.

The cost these devices increases noticeably for externally mounted units as
pressure ratings increases.

Internal units may require stilling chambers.

External units may require heating to avoid freezing.

GAMMA LEVEL
SENSORS

GAMMA LEVEL SENSORS

Gamma level sensor is a typical system

which consists of a gamma

source, detector and also a microprocessor.

Gamma level devices use electromagnetic radiation emitters and
receivers to measure the level of liquids in the tanks.

Versatile technology that can be used to measure continuous level,

point level, density of the media or interface.

Gamma devices, therefore gamma rays are being used.

A detector which is capable of measuring the amount of radiation from
the source, and it is installed on the other side of the tank

GAMMA RAYS

Gamma-rays have the smallest wavelengths which is < 1(nm)

The range of frequencies for gamma ray is > 3 1019 (Hz)
These waves are generated by radioactive atoms and in nuclear
explosions.
Gamma rays can penetrate through several centimetres of lead.

WORKING PRINCIPLE
The gamma source is normally mounted external
to the vessel and emits energy through the vessel
walls collimated in the direction towards the
detector which is mounted in the opposite side of
the vessel.
As the process level rises in the vessel, the gamma
energy reaching the detector will decrease in an
inversely proportional relationship to the level.

WORKING PRINCIPLE

On

the outside of one wall of the vessel, an installed

nuclear source emits radiation. A nuclear detector is

installed on the outside of the opposite vessel wall.

The gamma energy reaches the detector when the

vessel is empty.

As the process level rises in the vessel, the gamma

energy

reaching

the

detector

will

decrease

in

an

inversely proportional relationship to the level.

As

the

liquid

level

rises,

the

radiation

detected

decreases. The increase in level is determined from the

decrease in detected radiation.

The detector measures the level of energy and sends a

proportional signal to the microprocessor, where it
linearizes, filters
measurement .

and correlates this signal to a level

APPLICATION OF GAMMA
LEVEL SENSORS

- Detecting the interface level between two liquids in

the

same tank or vessel,

such as oil and water.

- Between two liquids it is known that the lower

density liquid will
float on top of the higher density liquid
-

Other situations include multiple interfaces between

more
than two products, or the interface between a liquid
and a
solid. In some cases, it may be
measure the
thickness of the upper layer

necessary to

APPLICATIONS OF GAMMA LEVEL SENSORS

Automatic compensation for vapor density changes

Automatic compensation for foam and gases.

Levels in liquids, pastes, bulk solids or liquefied gases

ADVANTAGES OF GAMMA
LEVEL SENSORS
Auto - calibration
Non- invasive and non contact
No moving parts
Accurately measure the most complex processes
They are unaffected by high temperatures, pressure, corrosive
materials.

DISADVANTAGES OF GAMMA LEVEL

SENSORS
Expensive compared to all the other devices.

Too many procedures before using the gamma level sensor

- need to implement different procedures and process

depending on
which country you are using the equipment in
- licensed required.
Density changes can create measurement errors

CAPACITANCE BASED LEVEL

SENSORS

AN INTRODUCTION TO CAPACITIVE LEVEL

SENSING

AN INTRODUCTION TO CAPACITIVE LEVEL

SENSING
A capacitor is formed by two electrodes electrically
insulated from each other
The electrodes themselves must be conductive and
typically made from metal
Capacitors have the ability to store energy in an electric
field between its electrodes caused when the voltage is
applied to the circuit

 By placing non-conductive material between the electrodes, the ability for the
capacitor to store energy increases and so the capacitance increases
This material between the electrodes is referred as dielectric
The key property of dielectric material is known variously as dielectric constant

SENSING LIQUID LEVEL

As dielectric liquid is introduced between the electrodes of the capacitors, the
capacitance change progressively and liquid
level can be determined
To measure variation in capacitance, electric
energy flow into and out of the electrode is
measured as circuit potential

A regular flow of energy is established by connecting the electrode to an

alternating current measurement circuit

The more energy flow to the electrodes, the greater the capacitance

 For sensor calibration, reference

measurement in empty and full tank
condition must be taken
Generally we need to know dielectric
constant of the liquid being measured to
calibrate the sensor at full rate.

APPLICATION
Capacitance used for measuring level of :
1. Liquids
2. Liquid metals at very high temperature
4. Liquefied gases at very low temperature
5. Corrosive materials like hydrofluoric acid
6. Very high pressure industrial processes.

ADVANTAGES
Relatively inexpensive
Requires minimal maintenance
Contains no moving parts
Easy to install and can be adapted easily for different size of vessels
Good range of measurement
Simple to use
Easy to clean
Can be designed for high temperature and pressure
applications

DISADVANTAGES
Prone to corrosion if liquids and materials are not compatible
Does not work properly if placed in a slurry or liquid solution with
surface particles
Can only be used with non-freezing fluids

THE CONCLUSION

Modern level sensorsproduce reliable results and are

easy and less expensive to setup.

Level measurement can be integrated into existing

control systems thanks to the enhanced communication.

Modern level measurement systems make use of a

number of materials and alloys in order to survive harsh
environments like acids, oils or high pressure and
temperature

REFERENCES
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/270607490_A_Review_on_Capacitive-Type_Sensor
_for_Measurement_of_Height_of_Liquid_Level
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0du-QU1Q0T4
http://encyclopedia.che.engin.umich.edu/Pages/ProcessParameters/LevelMeasurement/Lev
elMeasurement.html
http://coep.vlab.co.in/?sub=33&brch=91&sim=449&cnt=1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQsmq3Hu9HA

THE END
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