EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Few things are as ubiquitous in the process control industry as the need to measure the level of a
process material in a container. Whether that material is water, waste water, petroleum, sugar, or
any other form of liquid or solid, level measurement accuracy can be a determining factor in both
profit margins and safety. Level measurement is important because by using the correct
techniques, it can benefits in terms of economic, product’s quality, equipment’s and worker’s
safety and reduce losses.

Because of the importance of accurate level measurement and the myriad of different process
materials requiring level measurement, an almost equal number of unique methods for detecting
level have been developed. Selecting the correct level measurement technique for a particular
application can seem like a daunting task in the face of so many options. All level measurement
systems rely upon certain characteristics of the process material, such as density, capacitance,
temperature, etc., and each has its own particular advantages and disadvantages. It is important to
understand the fundamental mechanics of the level measurement technologies being considered
in order to correctly specify the appropriate method (or methods in the case of redundant
systems) for the application

There are two types of level measurement known as direct and indirect or inferential
measurement. Direct level measurement involves the use of physical properties, like fluid
motion, as well as thermal, optical and electrical properties. Direct measurement is easy, simple
because measuring the level is just a matter of measuring the height of the substance in a vessel
and is used for the purpose of local indication. A leading advantage of all direct methods is that
they don’t require the operator to compensate for changes in level caused by temperature. While
liquids and gases might expand or contract due to temperature changes, direct methods of level
measurement will show the amount of the product.

Oftentimes, when measuring the level of the object directly, an operator may monitor the object’s
position visually, through a site glass, a float, or dip sticks. Alongside isolation valves, a number
of other products are utilized within direct methods of level measurement, including displacers,
air bubble systems and diaphragm boxes. The indirect method of level measurement involves
converting readouts and data of a known quantity, such as pressure ratio to the volume.
Inferential measurement is used when remote reading is considered necessary. Both direct and
indirect methods of level measurement are applicable to a range of industrial level analysis
applications. By utilizing an isolation valve in each of these methods, companies can provide
ease of field calibration, improve safety conditions, and obtain more accurate measurements of
their inventory.
LITERATURE REVIEW

Because for the sheer number of level measurement technologies, the following overview is not
meant to be all-inclusive nor is it meant to cover every intricacy of the technology in question. It
is meant instead to give a very high-level synopsis of some of the different types of technology
available and how each functions as a measurement device. More detailed information regarding
a specific measurement device can be found in the manufacturer’s documentation and should
always be consulted prior to purchase as every device uses level measurement methodology
differently. That being said, a broad understanding of how each technology category is meant to
function will give you a proper head start when specifying level measurement sensors.

The direct method measures the height above a zero point by any of the following methods point
by any of the following methods. Direct methods for level measurement are mainly used where
level changes are small and slow such as sump tanks and bulk storage tanks. Direct methods are
simple and reliable. There are four types of direct level measurement devices which are dip-sticks
& dip-rods, weighted gauge tape, sight gauges and floats.

Dip stick or lead lines have been used for centuries by seafaring men to gauge the depth of water
under their s hips. Steel tape having plump bob like weights and stored conveniently in a reel are
still used extensively for measuring level in fuel oil bunkers and petroleum storage tanks.
Another simple method is called sight glass. It is quiet straightforward in use where the level in
the glass seeks the same position as the level in the tanks. It provide a continuous visual
indication of liquid level in a process vessel or a small tank and are more convenient than dip
stick, dip rod and manual gauging tapes.

Many forms of float type instruments are available but each uses the principle of a buoyant
element that floats on the surface of the liquid and changes position as the liquid level varies.
Many methods have been used to give an indication of level from a float position with the most
common being a float and cable arrangement. The operational concept of a float and cable is
shown in the following diagram:
The float is connected to a pulley by a chain or a flexible cable and the rotating member of the
pulley is in turn connected to an indicating device with measurement graduation. As can be seen,
as the float moves upward the counterweight keeps the cable tight and the indicator moves along
the circular scale.

The indirect or inferential method of measurement uses the changing position of the liquid
surface to determine level with reference to a datum line. It can be used for low & high levels
where the use of the direct method instruments is impractical. There are also four types of
indirect level measurement devices which are hydro static pressure methods, displacement
devices, capacitance level instrumentation and radiation-based level gauges. In hydrostatic
pressure methods, a vertical column of fluid exerts a pressure due to the column’s weight. The
relationship between column height and fluid pressure at the bottom of the column is constant for
any particular fluid (density) regardless of vessel width or shape. This principle makes it possible
to infer the height of liquid in a vessel by measuring the pressure generated at the bottom. The
level of liquid inside a tank can be determined from the pressure reading if the weight density of
the liquid is constant. Pressure gauge is the simplest method for pressure gauge is located at the
zero level of the liquid in the vessel. Any rise in level causes an increase of pressure which can be
measured by a gauge.

In Displacer type level measurement: The leveltrol is one of the most common instruments used
measuring level in closed tanks. This instrument works of Archimedes principle. The displacer in
immersed in the liquid due to which there is loss of weight depending on the specified gravity of
the liquid. This displacer hangs freely on a knife transmitted to the pneumatic or electronic
counterpart at the other end. Differential pressure meter: Connection are made at the vessel top
and bottom, and to the two columns of the D.P. meter. The top connection is made to the L.P.
column of the transmitter and the bottom to H.P. column of the transmitter. The difference in
pressure in the vessel is balanced out, since it is fed to both the column of the meter. The
difference in pressure deducted by the meter will be due only to the changing, level of the liquid.
DISCUSSION

A good way to reduce the number of level measurement options is to categorize them into two
broad categories: contact and non-contact. Then you can filter choices by the type of material
they can measure.

The characteristics of the process material being measured, such as tank size and shape, the
pressure and temperature that the process requires, amount of material agitation, available power,
etc., must be taken into account when determining if a contact or noncontact approach is the right
option. One must consider whether the material is corrosive or tacky and could possibly cause
damage to the measuring device, whether it is volatile and a contact sensor might create a safety
hazard, whether the agitation, temperature, or pressure of the process material could affect the
reading of or damage the contact sensor, and any other troublesome possibility. On the other
hand, non-contact solutions may be outside of the budgetary constraints of the project or not
provide the necessary level of precision.

Process materials that need level measurement can generally be classified as liquids, granular
solids, slurries, and interfaces. Liquids vary greatly in density and can be under a wide range of
pressures and temperatures, depending on the process. These factors influence the types of level
sensors that can be used. Interface level, or the point at which two liquids of different densities
meet, requires special consideration over typical liquid level measurement. A lot of the sensor
technology that can be successfully employed in measuring liquid will be unwieldy or
simplyunusable when measuring granules such as loam and stone dust, or slurries such as
cement. For these reasons, it is important to understand the type of process material (at all stages
of the process) you are dealing with prior to looking into level measurement options.
CONCLUSION

The technologies described here barely scratch the surface of those available to the
industry (not to mention variations of these technologies). Due to the nearly countless number of
process materials and conditions in all of the industries that require level measurement for their
processes, an almost equal number of methods for measuring level have been devised. However,
understanding the differences between and limiting factors attributed to contact and non-contact
sensors, as well as the fundamental operating principles of some of the more common level
sensor technologies, should help when specifying what technique is best suited for a particular
application. Instances of level measurement and control failure, such as the events that unfolded
at the Hertfordshire Oil Storage Terminal, can lead to tragic and costly consequences that could
have been avoided. A level perspective is vital to maintaining accurate process control and
ensuring continuous safety.
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