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TH.
Applications Level detection of liquids, interfaces, and foam. Special units are available for the
measurement of the level of molten metals
Design Temperature Standard units can be used from -100 to 350⁰F (-73 to 177⁰C); high-temperature
units operate from -325 to 850⁰F (-198 to 490⁰C)
Response Time Response time is 10 to 300 sec for standard repose units; 1 to 150 sex for fast-
response units. The time constant in molten metal applications is < 1 sec
Inaccuracy The repeatability is 0.25 in. (6mm) for side mounted and 0.5 in. (13mm) for top-
mounted level switches. Transmitters are less accurate. The error in molten metal
level detectors is a function of thermocouple spacing
Cost The cost of a thermal level switch is about $300. The mold level systems are usually
configured and installed by the user.
THERMAL LEVEL SWITCHES The simplest of these designs is shown in Figure 3.19a,
where the sensor is used to detect a low level. The probe
The operation of these switches can be similar to the func- contains a resistance heater element that has a current flowing
tioning of the thermal flow switch described in Figure 2.7c. through it. A switch is used to monitor the temperature of
Thermal level sensors used in on/off services sense the dif- the probe. If the probe is submerged, the heat generated by
ference in the thermal conductivity of the process materials. the heater element will be carried into the water, and the
544
3.19 Thermal Level Sensors 545
To
control
heater Heater
element
Temperature
sensor
Sensors
FIG. 3.19a
Low level thermal conductivity switch.
element temperature will not rise much over the water tem-
perrature. If the level falls below the probe, the prove temper-
ature will begin to rise, because the water vapor and air above
the liquid have much lower thermal conductivity than does
water. The temperature switch is used to detect this rise, and its FIG. 3.19c
associated switch interrupts the power supply to the probe. The Vertically displaced thermal sensors for liquid-vapor or liquid-
opening of this same relay contact can be used to initiate a level liquid interface.
alarm of shutdown sequence.
and the unheated probes incorporate resistance elements that
If the unit shown in Figure 3.19a uses 120-V power and is
are located in the horizontal plane such that the rising liquid
used to initiate automate safety interlocks, it should be used
level will contact them at the same time. The heater element
only in the secondary nonhazardous services. Some of these
is arranged so that the active probe is heated. When the probes
level switch designs are also available in intrinsically safe
are in vapor phase, the heater will cause the active probe
configurations. Their applications include oil delivery trunk
to be warmer (its resistance to be higher) than that of the
controls or as tank overfill protectors.
reference probe, causing the bridge circuit to unbalance.
Figure 3.19b shows another thermal level switch design.
When the liquid covers both probes, their temperatures
The measuring portion of this switch contain two temperature-
will be much closer to each other, and that of the liquid and
sensitive probes and heater element. Both the heated and the
their resistance will also he essentially equal, balancing the
heater
bridge. The change in the balance of the bridge circuit is
detected and used to initiate alarm or interlock functions. The
sensitivity of this design is good, so the design can also be used
unheated for liquid-liquid interface detection or as a flow switch
probe (described in connection with Figure 2.7c).
Figure 3.19c illustrates a third design. The probe, which
can be a stainless-steel capsule, contains two resistive elements
that are vertically separated from each other. A voltage is
heated applied to both elements. If they are both in the vapor phase or
probe both in the liquid phase, the heat transfer rate from the
+DC Voltage resistors to the process fluid will be the same; therefore, their
resistance will also be the same, and the current flow to each
will be equal. If the lower one is in the liquid phase, and the
upper one is in vapor phase, more current will flow through the
To
Switch heated probe
lower resistor, because the liquid will cool it more, which means
that its resistance will also be lower. In this switch, a circuit is
used to detect this difference in current flow. The switch output
heater
can actuate alarm or control functions.
The unique feature of this design is that the capsule can be
cable-suspended in a tank, and the sensor output can be used to
unheated probe control the motor of cable take-up mechanism. In this fashion,
the assembly may he used as a continuous level detector for
FIG. 3.19b liquid-liquid or liquid-vapor interface. This sys-tem can he used
Thermal-conductivity type level switch (Courtesy of Fluid Compo- for tank-farm inventory monitoring as described in connection
nents INC.) with Figure 3.18p in the section covering tape level gauges.
546 3.19 Thermal Level Sensors
Expension
Steam
tube
Drum
Scale
Amplifier
V
and
Referrence
CONCLUSION
USING THERMOMETERS AS LEVEL SENSORS
Thermal level detectors cannot be used on caking or plugging
In a tank, if the Liquid phase is warmer or colder than the materials, nor can they be used when additional heating will
temperature in its vapor space, level can be detected by a cause product degradation. Their advantages include (a) a
temperature switch. On old swam boilers, the expansion-tube lack of moving parts. (b) the fact that they are based on sound,
type of inclined level indicators utilized this phenomenon easily understood principles, and (c) their reasonably good
sensitivity.