Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar

Department of Electrical Engineering

EE 402 Control System Lab.

B. Tech.: Electrical, Sem. : VII

EXPERIMENT 8: PROCESS MEASUREMENTS LEVEL

AIM
To study and understand the principle of a capacitive level sensor for liquid level
measurements and to calibrate the same.
THEORY
The capacitance level measurement system measure the overall capacitance of the
capacitor formed by the tank wall and a probe. A capacitor is an electrical
component of storing certain electrical energy. It basically consists of two metal
plates separated by an insulator known as a Dielectric. The Electrical size
( Capacitance) of a capacitor depends on
1. The surface area of the plates
2. Distance between the plates
3. The Dielectric constant of the material between the plales.
For liquid level measurement the first two will remain unchanged and the only
variable is the dielectric constant of the medium. When the process material (in
this water) replaces the empty space or air in the vessel the capacitance of the
capacitor increases.
THE SENSOR USED..
The

SAPCON

make

sensor

TRANSlite

is

composed

of

specially developed

Capacitance Change Gauging circuit. The capacitance is formed by the sense Rod
and the metallic container wall. The amount of capacitance is proportional to the
level of material between the sense rod and metallic wall of stilling tube or
container. The sensing rod which is Teflon coated. Opening the threaded aluminum
cover, an electronic insert could be found. This is the electronic unit which converts
the change in level into a change in capacitance and then into 4-20mA output
signal. This 4-20mA output can be converted into a voltage first and then be
calibrated to indicate level

Conversion Levels
100 Ohm
7

100 Ohm

741
Iin

4mA

= 0.4 volts

20mA =2.0 volts

RL
4

THE LAB SET UP

4-20mA signal

level sensor

Current to
Voltage
Converter

Sensor Output
in Voltage

Level control

THE SENSOR CONSTRUCTION DETAILS

EXPERIMENT
1. Install the Level sensor on the Tank/Tube where the level is to be
measured.
2. Fill in tank to near full level.
3. Complete the wiring for the Level transmitter.
(24 volts supply
connection and the 4-220mA output terminals to the current to voltage
converter circuit.)
4. Vary the level and identify the levels for output signals 4mA and 20 mA.
5. Setting these levels Min and Max record the sensor output verses level
6. Draw the graph giving the sensor characteristics ( Level vs output signal)
RESULT AND INFERENCE