Level sensors

• Level sensors detect the level of substances that flow, including liquids, slurries granular
materials, and powders.
• Material level in a tank or vessel is a common process variable in plants.
• We measure level for filling control, for inventory control, And for providing safe
operation to personnel and equipment.
• Level sensing devices can be divided into four categories:
i. direct sensing, in which the actual level is monitored;
ii. indirect sensing, in which a property of the liquid, such as pressure, is sensed to
determine the liquid level;
iii. single point measurement, in which it is only necessary to detect the presence or
absence of a liquid at a specific level; and
iv. free-flowing solid level sensing .

v. Direct Level Sensing

• A number of techniques are used for direct level sensing, such as direct visual indication
using a sight glass or a float.
• The Sight glass or gauge is the simplest method for direct visual reading. As shown in
Figure L.1, the sight glass is normally mounted vertically adjacent to the container. The
liquid level then can be observed directly in the sight glass.
 Cont.…..
• The ends of the glass are connected to the top and bottom of the tank via shutoff
valves,
• It would be used with a pressurized container (boiler) or a container with volatile,
flammable, hazardous, or pure liquids.
• Glass gauges are cheap but easily broken, and should not be used with
hazardous liquid.
• For safety reasons, they should not be longer than 4 ft. Cold liquids also
can cause condensation on the gauge.
• Gauges should have shutoff valves in case of breakage (sometimes
automatic safety shutoff valves are used) and to facilitate replacement.

• Figure L.1
 Cont.……
•A devices used to provide a visual
indication of a liquid level that consist of a
glass tube connected above and below the
liquid level in a tank that allows the liquid
level to be observed .

•Used as a visual indication right at the tank

location. As the level of the tank increases
or decreases, the liquid level is observed
inside the glass tube.

Figure L.2: Transparent tube level detector

•Liquid level is the same as the level inside
• Figure L.1 (a) shows a gauge glass which is the tank. A GUAGE GLASS is depicted in
used for vessels where the liquid is at the figure.
ambient temperature and pressure conditions.
Figure L.1 (b) shows a gauge glass which is
used for vessels where the liquid is at an •A guard rod is attached above and below
elevated pressure or a partial vacuum. the gauge glass tube to help protect the tube
 Cont.……
Refraction gauge glass level detector.
• This type is especially useful in areas of
reduced lighting; lights are usually
attached to the gauge glass.
• Operation is based on the principle that
the bending of light, or refraction, will be
different as light passes through various
media.
• Light is bent, or refracted, to a greater
extent in water than in steam. For the
portion of the chamber that contains
steam, the light rays travel relatively
straight, and the red lens is illuminated.
For the portion of the chamber that
contains water, the light rays are bent,
causing the green lens to be illuminated.
The portion of the gauge containing water
appears green; the portion of the gauge Figure L.3: Refraction gauge glass level
from that level upward appears red. detector.
 Cont.……

Float sensors
• There are two types of Float sensors shown in Figure L.4. The angular arm and
the pulley.
• The float material is less dense than the density of the liquid, and floats up and
down on top of the material being measured.
• In Figure L.4 (a), a float with a pulley is used. This method can be used with
either liquids or free-flowing solids. With free-flowing solids, agitation is
sometimes used to help level the solids.
• The advantages of the float sensor are that they are almost independent of the
density of the liquid or solid being monitored, and
• They are accurate and robust, and have a linear output with level height.

• However, accuracy can be affected by material accumulation on the float,

corrosion, chemical reactions, and friction in the pulleys.
• If the surface of the material being monitored is turbulent, causing the float
reading to vary excessively, some means of damping might be required, such as
a stilling well. In Figure L.4 (b), a ball float is attached to an arm, and the angle
of the arm is measured to indicate the level of the material.
 Cont.……

Figure L.4 Methods of measuring liquid levels, using (a) a simple float with level
indicator on the outside of the tank, and (b) an angular arm float.
• In the case of high pressure or hazardous liquids, a nonmagnetic material can be
used for the sight glass with a magnetic float that can rotate a graduated disk, or
can be monitored with a magnetic sensor.
• The scale can be replaced by a potentiometer to obtain an electrical signal.
• An example of this type of sensor is the fuel level monitor in the tank of an
automobile.
• The fuel gauge shows the output voltage from a potentiometer driven by the float.
 Cont.……

(a) Ball Float level detector. (b) Chain Float level detector.
• Figure L.5 Figure L.5 Methods of measuring liquid levels, using (a) Ball Float level
detector, and (b) Chain Float level detector.
 Cont.……
II. Indirect Level Sensing
• A commonly used method of indirectly measuring a liquid level is to
measure the hydrostatic pressure at the bottom of the container.
• The level can be extrapolated from the pressure and the specific weight of
the liquid.
• Pressure is often used as an indirect method of measuring liquid levels.
Pressure increases as the depth increases in a fluid. The pressure is given
by:

where p is the pressure, is the specific weight, and h is the depth.

Example L.1
• A pressure gauge located at the base of an open tank containing a liquid
with a specific weight of 13.6 kN/ registers 1.27 MPa. What is the depth of
the fluid in the tank?
 Cont.……
• a differential pressure sensor can replace the sight glass
• This method uses differential pressure (∆P) detector for liquid level
measurement, 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).
• This comparison takes place in the ∆P detector.

Figure L.6: Open Tank Differential Pressure level detector.

 Cont.…
• The tank is open to the atmosphere; therefore, it is necessary to use
only the high pressure (HP) connection on the ∆P transmitter.

• The low pressure (LP) side is vented to the atmosphere; the pressure
differential is the hydrostatic head, or weight, of the liquid in the
tank.

• The maximum level that can be measured by the ∆P 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.

• Isolation valves should be used for maintenance and replacement, and

cleanout plugs to remove solids. The dial on the pressure gauge can be
calibrated directly in liquid depth.
 Cont.……
III. single Point Sensing
• single Point Sensing In On/Off
applications, single point sensing can be
used with conductive probes, thermal
probes, and beam breaking probes.
• Conductive probes are used for single
point measurements in liquids that are
conductive and nonvolatile, since a spark
can occur.
• Two or more probes can be used to
indicate set levels.
• It consists of one or more level detectors,
an operating relay, and a controller. .
Figure L.7: Conductivity probe level detector.
• When the liquid is in contact with two
probes, the voltage between the probes • A third probe can be used to indicate when
causes a current to flow, indicating that a the tank is full, and to turn off the filling
set level has been reached. pump.
• • The use of ac voltages is normally
Thus, probes can be used to indicate
preferred to the use of dc voltages, to
when the liquid level is low, and when to
prevent electrolysis of the probes.
operate a pump to fill the container.
 BEAM-BREAKING
PHOTOMETRIC SENSORS
•They provide point level
measurement with a light source
and a detector.

•The light source shines a beam of

light to the detector (called a
reflector) that indicates a point level
•when the product level blocks the
beam indicating a full level has
been achieved as depicted below:
Figure L.8: Beam-Breaking Photometric
sensor
• Beam breaking methods are sometimes used for pressurized containers. For
single point measurement, as shown in Figure L.9 (a), only one transmitter
and one detector are required.
• If several single point levels are required, a detector will be required
for each level measurement, as shown in Figure L.9 (b).

Figure L.9: Liquid level measurements, made using (a) single point beam
breaking, or (b) multipoint beam breaking.
 Magnetic Bond Method Level Detector
• The magnetic bond mechanism consists of a magnetic float which rises and falls with changes
in level. The float travels outside of a non-magnetic tube which houses an inner magnet
connected to a level indicator.
• When the float rises and falls, the outer magnet will attract the inner magnet, causing the inner
magnet to follow the level within the vessel.

Figure L.10: Magnetic Bond level detector

 Ultrasonic Measurement systems
• Ultrasonic or sonic devices can be used for single point or continuous level measurement of a
liquid or a solid. A setup for continuous measurement is shown in Figure L.11. A pulse of
sonic waves (approximately 10 kHz) or ultrasonic waves (more than 20 kHz) from the
transmitter is reflected from the surface of the liquid to the receiver, and the time for the echo
to reach the receiver is measured. The time delay gives the distance from the transmitter and
receiver to the surface of the liquid, from which the liquid level can be calculated, knowing
the velocity of ultrasonic waves (approximately 340 m/s). Since there is no contact with the
liquid, this method can be used for solids, and corrosive and volatile liquids.

• Figure L.11: Use of ultrasonic devices for continuous liquid level measurements
 Applications of Level Sensors
Fuel Level Sensor in Generator, Car, etc:
• The Fuel Level Sensor used here could be a float-type liquid level sensor
that is used to measure the fuel level in a storage tank. The sensor can be
connected to RJ-45 Intelligent Sensor ports enabling the system to
continuously monitor the amount of fuel remaining in your storage tank.
For example, it can be configured to send normal notifications when the
fuel level reaches 3/4 and 1/2 tank, and send critical alerts when fuel level
drops down to 1/4 and 1/8 of a tank. A level sensor can also be used to
detect fuel theft or leakage by detecting a drop in fuel level while the
engine is off or if the fuel level drops too quickly when the engine’s
running.
 Applications of Level Sensors
Water Level Sensor in Boilers
• The typical steam boiler has at least two or more independent Low Water
Cutoff circuits, and the system comprises a water feeder (water make-up)
circuit responsible for replenishing water as it is converted to steam.
• Shown below is an electrical version using conductivity sensing probes,
one of the liquid level sensors we have.
 Applications of Level Sensors
Water Level Control in Elevated Tanker
• 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
deactivated to stop the pump motor.
• Whereas when the level drops below and approaches the lower probe, the switch
gets activated and makes the pump motor on.
 Applications of Level Sensors
• On the other side of the elevated tank, the level sensors can be used
to detect if the water reservoir has enough water to be pumped to the
elevated tank.
• In this case a, s 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.