level

Instrumentation Dept.
 AGENDA
• Definition of level
• Importance of level measurements in
industries
• Types of level measurements
• Industrial level measurements
• Level transmitter
• Application of level transmitter
 DEFINITION OF LEVEL
• Level measurement is one of the “Big 4”
measurements in industrial plants.
• Defined as the height of a liquid or solid above
a reference line
• If the dimensions of a vessel are known, then
the volume or mass of the contents can be
determined by measuring the level
 Importance of level measurements in
industries
• Maximize storage tank capacity
• Prevent spills
• Process blending
• Custody transfer
• Process supply
 Level Parameters

Interface

Level

Volume
Density Mass
 Types of level measuring technologies

• Continuous level measurement

o Method used to find all times the exact position of the

level in relation to one or more specific reference points.
o A gauge or sight glass can be used to continuously
observe the position of the interface.
 Contd...

• Point-to-point level measurement

o Certain process requires only that the level of a

substance be maintained between two points.
Frequently these points are a high level and a low
level.

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Industrial level measurement

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DIRECT LEVEL MEASUREMENTS

1. Visual level sensors

a) Sight glass
• The sight glass is a transparent tube of glass or
plastic mounted outside the vessel and connected
to the vessel with pipes.
• The liquid level in the sight glass matches the
level of the liquid in the process tank.

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Contd....

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b) Gauge glass

• Reflex glass is a type of gauge glass, working

principle is based on the light refraction and
reflection laws.

• Use glasses having the face fitted towards the

chamber shaped to have prismatic grooves with
section angle of 90°.

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• When in operation, the chamber is filled with liquid in
the lower zone and gases or vapors in the upper zone; the
liquid level is distinguished by different brightness of the
glass in the liquid and in the gas/vapor zone.

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c) Float-actuated device
 Contd…
• Float devices operate by float movement with
a change in level.
• The float is connected to an indicating device
with measurement graduations. As the float
moves with the level in the tank, a
counterweight moves along a graduated scale.
 INDIRECT LEVEL MEASUREMENTS

1) Pressure operated
• Variation of level in a process tank or vessel
causes the head pressure of tank to vary.
• By measuring this head pressure we can find
the level in the tank.
 Hydrostatic Pressure
The hydrostatic pressure exerted by the column of liquid
depends on the S.G. (or density) of the liquid and its
vertical height.
Density of liquid =D
Average cross-section area of vessel = A
Vertical height of liquid =H
Volume of liquid, V = HxA
Total weight of liquid, M = DxV =
Pressure at the bottom of liquid = weight
D x ofAliquid
xH
cross-section area
= =
(D x A x H) / A
DxH
With reference to inches or mm WATER  S.G x H
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 TYPES OF PRESSURE OPERATED

a) Gauge pressure measurement

• Any rise in the level causes an increase of
pressure, which can be measured by the
gauge.
• The gauge scale is marked in units of level. As
the tank fills, the pressure of the liquid
naturally increases.
• The increase of pressure can be read on the
gauge in feet or inches of level.
b) Differential pressure measurement

• The differential pressure (DP) detector method

of liquid level measurement uses a DP detector
connected to the bottom of the tank being
monitored.
• The higher pressure, caused by the fluid in the
tank, is compared to a lower reference
pressure (usually atmospheric) .
Open Tank
• The tank is open to the atmosphere; therefore, it is
necessary to use only the high pressure (HP) connection on
the DP transmitter.
• The low pressure (LP) side is vented to the atmosphere;
therefore, the pressure differential is the hydrostatic head,
or weight, of the liquid in the tank
• The maximum level that can be measured by the DP
transmitter is determined by the maximum height of liquid
above the transmitter. The minimum level that can be
measured is determined by the point where the transmitter
is connected to the tank.
 DP Level Theory

P= force / area
mass x g
 g = gravitational acceleration

r x volume  Density = mass/volume = r

height x area

• P = r x g x height x area / area

Phead = r x g x h

Pascal
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 DP Level Theory
Open Tank: (Example)
s.g. = 1.5 Zero Based
S.G process
Phead = 75 inches H2O

Since Phead = S.G x Height

Liquid Height = 75 / 1.5 Height Phead

= 50 inches
XMTR

H
What type of transmitter is
BEST suited for this
application? Gage Transmitter
23
 DP Level Theory 24

Open Tank - (Bottom Mounted Transmitter)

•In open vessel a pressure Patm
transmitter mounted near the
bottom of the tank will measure
the pressure corresponding to
the height of the fluid above it. Phead
Plow = Patm

Phigh = Phead + Patm Patm XMTR

Phigh - Plow = Phead L H

What happen to
Atmospheric pressure? Cancelled Off
 DP Level Theory
Open Tank: (Example)
s.g. = 1.5 Zero Based
S.G process
Phead = 75 inches H2O

Since Phead = S.G x Height

Liquid Height = 75 / 1.5 Height Phead

= 50 inches
XMTR

H
What type of transmitter is
BEST suited for this
application? Gauge Transmitter
25
Closed Tank
• When measuring the level in a closed tank that is
pressurized or the level that can become pressurized
by vapor pressure from the liquid, both the high
pressure and low pressure sides of the DP transmitter
must be connected.
• The high pressure connection is connected to the tank
at or below the lower range value to be measured.
The low pressure side is connected to a "reference
leg" that is connected at or above the upper range
value to be measured
• The reference leg must be maintained dry so that there
is no liquid head pressure on the low pressure side of
the transmitter
• The high pressure side is exposed to the hydrostatic
head of the liquid plus the gas or vapor pressure
exerted on the liquids surface
• The gas or vapor pressure is equally applied to the
low and high pressure sides. Therefore, the output of
the DP transmitter is directly proportional to the
hydrostatic head pressure, that is, the level in the tank.
 29

Closed Tank (Dry Leg)

•Dry leg: no fluid in low side Ullage or

impulse piping, or leg Vapor
•If the gas above the fluid does
not condense, the piping for the
low side of the transmitter will Phead
remain empty.

Phigh = Ptop+Phead XMTR

Plow = Ptop
L H
Phigh - Plow = Phead
 Level Compensation

• The measuring system has to consider the

hydrostatic pressure of the fluid in the sensing
lines themselves.
• This leads to two compensations required .

o Zero Suppression

o Zero Elevation
Zero Suppression

• In some case for maintenance purposes, the

level transmitter has to be mounted X meters
below the base of an open tank.
• The liquid in the tank exerts a varying pressure
that is proportional to its level H on the high-
pressure side of the transmitter.
• The liquid in the high-pressure impulse line
also exerts a pressure on the high-pressure side.
• When the liquid level is at H meters, pressure
on the high-pressure side of the transmitter
will be
Phigh = S.H + S.X + Patm
Plow = Patm
ΔP = Phigh - Plow= S.H + S.X
• The pressure on the high-pressure side is
always higher than the actual pressure exerted
by the liquid column in the tank (by a value of
S.X).
• The transmitter has to be negatively biased by a
value of – S.X so that the output of the
transmitter is proportional to the tank level
(S.H) only. This procedure is called Zero
Suppression
Zero Elevation

• When a wet leg installation is used the low-

pressure side of the level transmitter will
always experience a higher pressure than the
high-pressure side.
• The height of the wet leg (X) is always equal
to or greater than the maximum height of the
liquid column (H) inside the tank
• When the liquid level is at H meters,
Phigh = Pgas + S.H, Plow = Pgas + S.X
ΔP = Phigh - Plow= S.H - S.X = - S (X - H)
The differential pressure ΔP sensed by the
transmitter is always a negative number (i.e., low
pressure side is at a higher pressure than high
pressure side). ΔP increases from P = - S.X to P = -S
(X-H) as the tank level rises from 0% to 100%.
c) Air Bubbler Purge System
• 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.
• When the tank is empty, 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.
• 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.
2) Buoyancy operated

a) Displacement type level sensor (level troll)

• Uses the theory of Archimedes principle, which
states that “The force produced, when a body is
submerged into liquid with a constant density is
equal to the fluid displaced”.
• The displacer is buoyed up by a force proportional to
the weight of the liquid it displaces
• Vertical movement of the displacer is converted to
angular movement by mechanical linkages
3) Electrically operated 

• Common electrical/electronic type level instruments are

– Capacitance type

– Conductivity type

– Ultrasonic type
 
– Radar type
 
 
CAPACITANCE PROBE 44

• A capacitance instrument measures amount of capacitance

between two plates of a capacitor.
• The capacitance of a capacitor increases if a dielectric is
placed between the plates
• Circuit applies high frequency signal to probe
C = KEoA/d
where
k
• K = dielectric constant of material
• Eo = permitivity of vacuum
• A = Area of plates (probe)
• C = capacitance (pF)
• d = distance between plates
d

RMT Sales Training - 05 /98 Phase I - Level Fundamental

 45

How Capacitance Nonconductive

Coating
varies with process
d fluid?
Level is Level is
proportional proportional
to dielectric to plate area
change change
Nonconductive Fluid Conductive Fluid
• Process fluid is the dielectric • Process fluid is the second plate
barrier • Insulation on probe is dielectric
• Tank Wall forms second plate • The variation of the plate size is the
• The variation of dielectric is the measurement
measurement

RMT Sales Training - 05 /98 Phase I - Level Fundamental

 46

Capacitance Limitation

 Change in Dielectric creates error

 Coating on probe by product creates errors

 With non metallic tanks or tanks without vertical

walls, addition of reference probe is required

 Calibration can be difficult especially since one

cannot “bench calibrate”

 Changing vapor space can affect output

RMT Sales Training - 05 /98 Phase I - Level Fundamental
CONDUCTIVITY TYPE 47

Capacitance Limitation
• Conductivity level sensor makes use of
conductivity sensing technology or
conductance method for liquid level detection
• The liquid under measurement can typically
conduct a current with a low voltage power
source having voltage usually less than 20
Volts.
• “One common way to set up an electrical
circuit is to use a dual-tip probe that eliminates
the need for grounding a metal tank.

RMT Sales Training - 05 /98 Phase I - Level Fundamental

 48

• Such probes are generally used for pointlevel

detection, and the detected point can be the interface
between a conductive and nonconductive liquid.”
•  In this arrangement, two dual-tip probes are
employed which are helpful in indicating the highest
and lowest levels of fluid. As soon as the level of the
liquid approaches the upper probe, a switch gets
operated to activate the discharge pump whereas
when the level drops below and approaches the lower
probe, the switch gets deactivated and the pump gets
stopped.

RMT Sales Training - 05 /98 Phase I - Level Fundamental

ULTRASONIC TYPE 49

A sound pulse is transmitted and reflects off the surface

back to the transceiver. The true reflected echo pulse is
extracted and the time interval between transmission and
reception is evaluated electronically.
Sound Waves
Advantages:
Non Contact
No element contamination
Can be used for liquids and solids
Tolerates Many Process Conditions:

 Varying Density
 Corrosive Processes The higher
 Viscous Product the level the
 Varying Dielectric faster echo
 Sludge Buildup reflected

RMT Sales Training - 05 /98 Phase I - Level Fundamental

• The principle of the ultrasonic level gauge is that energy
from an ultrasonic source above the liquid is reflected
back from the liquid surface into an ultrasonic energy
detector
• The time of flight between emission, reflection off the
liquid surface and detection back at the bottom of the
vessel is measured.
• . Ultrasound speed also has a small sensitivity to
humidity, air pressure and carbon dioxide concentration,
but these factors are usually insignificant.
Ultrasonic Limitations 51

Ultrasonic Limitation
– not suitable for vacuum service
– Cannot tolerate high temperatures (>200 F)
– Foam interferes with signal
– Agitation may distort signal
– Internal obstacles can create false echoes
– Nearby equipment could generate
frequencies that will cause errors
– Vapor pressure limited to 50 psi

RMT Sales Training - 05 /98 Phase I - Level Fundamental

RADAR TYPE

• Radar type level transmitter is used for measuring the

closed tank level of the special liquid, especially
radioactivity liquid
• The radar instrument consists of a smart transmitter a
radioactivity ray emitting sensor, and an antenna.
• The two technologies on the market are frequency
modulated continuous wave (FMCW) and pulsed
wave time of flight.
• In pulsed wave time of flight radar pulses or ultrasonic waves are emitted
by a sender, reflected by the product surface and again detected by a
receiver
• the Time of Flight (ToF) of the pulse the distance between the sender and
the surface is determined using the known velocity of propagation. The
level can be calculated from this value taking the tank height into
consideration.
 
D= c t/2
 
c = speed of light 300,000 km/s
 
d= distance between transmitter/receiver and surface of liquid
• FMCW systems, however, continuously emit a swept
frequency signal and distance is inferred from the
difference in frequency between transmit and receive
signals at any point in time. This non-contact
technology produces highly accurate level
measurement in storage tanks and some process
vessels.
 Different Types of Radar for
Level Measurements 56

Pulse
Þ Measures range ( distance ).
Þ Transmits a pulse and measures time until echo is received.
Þ Accuracy depends on ability to measure time.
Þ Radar signals travel at the speed of light.
Þ Must measure in picoseconds ( x10-12 ) !
Þ Cost-effective electronics do not exist to do this accurately

FMCW : (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave).

Þ Does NOT calculate time-of-flight
Þ Time is NOT measured
Þ Measuring the frequency change of the returned signal against the
transmitted signal yields a result proportional to distance.

RMT Sales Training - 05 /98 Phase I - Level Fundamental

NUCLEONIC GAUGING 57

Single Point System

Gamma rays are emitted from the

source. The presence or absence of
the gamma rays is measured by the
detector.
Gamma Detector
Source
Nucleonic level switches use
radioisotope sources sized to
provide measurable radiation at the
detector when no product material is
present between source and
detector.

RMT Sales Training - 05 /98 Phase I - Level Fundamental

 Nucleonic Gauging 58

Continuous System
Nucleonic level transmitters use
the same radioisotope sources, but
respond to the total absorption of
gamma rays as they pass from Source
the source to detector.

The amount of radiation reaching

the detector is inversely
proportional to the amount of
material in the vessel. Detector

RMT Sales Training - 05 /98 Phase I - Level Fundamental

 Nucleonic Gauging 59

Advantages: Limitations:
– Unaffected by: – Large density changes
High temperatures can create errors
High Pressures
– Layer of coating on vessel
Corrosive Materials
walls create errors
Abrasive Materials
Viscous Materials
– Licensing Required
Agitation – Leak Checks required
Clogging/Plugging – Cost
– Point and Continuous
– Liquids and Solids
– Interface (based on H2
density)
RMT Sales Training - 05 /98 Phase I - Level Fundamental
 Electronic Pressure Sensors
Variable Resistance / Piezo-Resistive
 Process pressure transmitted thru isolating diaphragm
 Very small distortion in sensing diaphragm
 Applies strain to a wheatstone bridge circuit
 Change in resistance translated to 4-20mA or 1-5V dc signal
 GP XMTRs - ref. side of sensor exposed to atm. Pressure
 AP XMTRs - sealed vacuum reference.

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