Exercise 4-4

Wet Reference Legs (Optional Exercise)

EXERCISE OBJECTIVE In this exercise, you will measure the level in a vessel using a wet reference leg.

DISCUSSION OUTLINE The Discussion of this exercise covers the following points:

ƒ Measuring level in closed tanks

ƒ Dry reference leg
ƒ Wet reference leg

DISCUSSION Measuring level in closed tanks

In a closed tank, it is possible to measure the level using a differential-pressure

transmitter. However, it requires a special installation for the transmitter impulse
lines that takes into account the pressure inside the tank. In a closed tank, the
pressure at the bottom of the tank is the sum of the static pressure, the
hydrostatic pressure due to the weight of the gas above the liquid, and the
hydrostatic pressure of the fluid as Figure 4-15 illustrates.

Gas (density = ȡg)

Liquid (density = ȡl)

Figure 4-15. Pressure at the bottom of a closed tank.

Using the definition of static pressure and hydrostatic pressure, the total pressure
at the bottom of a closed tank is:

ܲ஻ ൌ ܲ ൅ ߩ௚ ݄݃௚ ൅ ߩ௟ ݄݃௟ (4-10)

where ܲ஻ is the total pressure at the bottom of the tank

ܲ is the static pressure
ߩ௚ is the density of the gas above the liquid
݄௚ is the height of the column of gas
ߩ௟ is the density of the liquid in the tank
݄௟ is the height of the column of liquid

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Ex. 4-4 – Wet Reference Legs (Optional Exercise)  Discussion

In most cases, the density of the gas is much less than the density of the process
liquid. Thus, the pressure due to the weight of the gas can be neglected and
Equation (4-10) becomes:

ܲ஻ ൌ ܲ ൅ ߩ௟ ݄݃௟ (4-11)

There are two types of installations to measure a level in a closed tank using a
differential-pressure transmitter. Figure 4-16 illustrates both of them.
Figure 4-16a illustrates a dry reference leg installation and Figure 4-16b
illustrates a wet reference leg installation.

(a) Dry reference leg (b) Wet reference leg

Figure 4-16. Measuring level in a closed tank.

Both the wet reference leg and the dry reference leg installation use the same
principle. The reference leg allows the low-pressure side of the differential-
pressure transmitter to receive the pressure of the gas above the process fluid.
The difference between a dry reference leg and a wet reference leg lies in the
filling of the reference leg. In a dry reference leg installation, the process gas fills
the reference leg while in a wet reference leg installation, the process fluid or an
inert liquid fills the reference leg. A wet reference leg installation is required if the
vapors are corrosive, if they can clog the pipe or the transmitter, or if the vapors
can condense in the reference leg.

Dry reference leg

In a dry reference leg installation, the differential-pressure transmitter compares

the pressure in the reference leg (PR) to the pressure at the high-pressure tap of
the tank (PT) and returns the pressure differential. This pressure differential
corresponds to the hydrostatic pressure created by process fluid above the high-
pressure tap. From this pressure differential, one can easily deduce the level
from Equation (4-1). Modern differential-pressure transmitters enable the
conversion of the pressure differential to a level, if the density of the process fluid
is known. Figure 4-17 shows a typical dry reference leg installation.

192 © Festo Didactic 87996-00

Ex. 4-4 – Wet Reference Legs (Optional Exercise)  Discussion

Shut-off valve

Reference leg

Shut-off valve

Three-valve
Minimum
manifold
measurable level

Shut-off valve

Separator

Drain valve

Figure 4-17. Dry reference leg installation.

Measurement errors

When using a dry reference leg installation, level-measurement errors usually

come from changes in the temperature of the liquid in the tank or from an
accumulation of liquid in the reference leg. If the temperature of the process fluid
increases, its density decreases and the fluid takes more space in the tank.
Thus, the actual level of liquid in the tank is higher than the level that the
transmitter indicates. To prevent such an error, a transmitter with a temperature
compensation mechanism can be used.

Liquid can find its way to the reference leg either if the tank is filled with liquid
above the tap connecting the reference leg to the tank or if the gas at the top of
the tank condenses into the reference leg. In both cases, the liquid in the
reference leg exerts an additional pressure on the low-pressure side of the
transmitter and the transmitter displays a level lower than the actual level.

Wet reference leg

In a wet reference leg installation, the differential-pressure transmitter still

compares the pressure in the reference leg to the pressure at the high-pressure
tap of the tank; but, in this case, a liquid fills the reference leg. A condensing
chamber or pot is sometimes present at the top of the reference leg to facilitate
the condensation of the vapors. The pipe connecting the condensing chamber to
the tank is sloped toward the tank to allow the condensate to return to the tank.

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Ex. 4-4 – Wet Reference Legs (Optional Exercise)  Discussion

The process fluid is usually used to fill the reference leg. If the process fluid is
corrosive and might damage the differential-pressure transmitter, an inert liquid is
used instead. Figure 4-18 shows a typical wet reference leg installation.

Shut-off
valve Condensing
chamber

Reference leg

Shut-off Drain Drain

valve valve valve

Minimum Three-valve
measurable level manifold

Drain
valves

Figure 4-18. Wet reference leg installation.

Measurement errors

Similarly to a dry leg installation, measurement errors in a wet leg installation

usually come from an uncompensated difference of temperature between the
fluid in the reference leg and the fluid in the tank.

194 © Festo Didactic 87996-00

Ex. 4-4 – Wet Reference Legs (Optional Exercise)  Procedure Outline

PROCEDURE OUTLINE The Procedure is divided into the following sections:

ƒ Set up and connections

ƒ Transmitter calibration
ƒ Measuring the level of the liquid in a pressurized column
ƒ End of the exercise

PROCEDURE Set up and connections

a This exercise must be accomplished using the optional industrial differential-

pressure transmitter (Model 46929). Refer to Appendix I for instructions on
how to install and use the transmitter for level measurements.

1. Set up the system shown in Figure 4-19.

x Install the industrial DP transmitter on the instrumentation pipe.
x The pressure ports of the industrial DP transmitter should be
approximately at the same level as the lower pressure port of the
column.
x Make sure the top cap of the column is tightened firmly.
x Use a clear plastic tube as the reference leg. Leave it empty for now.

Overflow hose

Industrial DP
transmitter

Figure 4-19. Water level measurement in a pressurized column.

2. Make sure the reservoir of the pumping unit is filled with about 12 liters
(3.2 gallons) of water. Make sure the baffle plate is properly installed at the
bottom of the reservoir.

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Ex. 4-4 – Wet Reference Legs (Optional Exercise)  Procedure

3. On the pumping unit, adjust pump valves HV1 to HV3 as follows:

x Open HV1 completely.
x Close HV2 completely.
x Set HV3 for directing the full reservoir flow to the pump inlet.

4. Turn on the pumping unit.

Setting the wet reference leg

5. Make the pump rotate at maximum speed. Wait until the column gets full and
the excess water discharges to the reservoir through the overflow hose.

6. Bleed the high- and the low-pressure ports of the industrial DP transmitter.

7. Stop the pump. The water level drops in the column; but the reference leg
remains filled with water.

8. When the column is empty, remove the overflow hose that connects the top
of the column to the reservoir. Block the unused hose port at the top of the
column using a plug. This permits the column to be pressurized.

Transmitter calibration

9. Configure the industrial DP transmitter for pressure measurement. Adjust the

zero of the differential-pressure transmitter to read a pressure differential
of 0 kPa (0 psi) when the column is empty.

Measuring the level of the liquid in a pressurized column

10. By varying the pump speed and/or the opening of valve HV1, raise the water
level in the column from 5 cm to 29 cm by steps of 2 cm (or from 2 in to 11 in
by steps of 1 in).

After each new level setting, record the pressure differential between the wet
leg and the bottom of the column and record it in Table 4-4.

196 © Festo Didactic 87996-00

Ex. 4-4 – Wet Reference Legs (Optional Exercise)  Conclusion

Table 4-4. Pressure differential as a function of the column water level.

Ruler level ǻP
cm (in) kPa (psi)
5 (2)

11. Stop the pump and turn off the pumping unit.

12. From the data recorded in Table 4-4, plot the relationship between the water
level in the column and the DP transmitter output.

13. According to the curve obtained, does the pressure differential indicated by
the DP transmitter increase linearly as the level is increased? Why?

End of the exercise

14. Disconnect the circuit. Return the components and hoses to their storage
location.

15. Wipe off any water from the floor and the training system.

CONCLUSION In this exercise, you learned how to measure the level in a pressurized column,
using a DP transmitter and a wet leg installation. Since the pressure of the air in
the pressurized column was applied equally on both sides of the transmitter, its
effect was canceled out and the transmitter responded only to the hydrostatic
pressure of the water in the column. Consequently, the transmitter output varied
in direct proportion to the level in the column, as it did when the column was
open to atmosphere.

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Ex. 4-4 – Wet Reference Legs (Optional Exercise)  Review Questions

REVIEW QUESTIONS 1. Why are some vessels not open to atmosphere?

2. When can you neglect the pressure due to the weight of the gas above the
liquid when measuring the level in a pressurized vessel using a differential-
pressure transmitter?

3. In which condition is a wet leg installation required to measure the level

inside a pressurized vessel?

4. What is the difference between a wet leg and a dry leg installation?

5. What can cause an error in the level measured with a wet reference leg
installation?

198 © Festo Didactic 87996-00