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3.

19 Thermal Level Sensors


To
On-Off
D. S. KAYSER (1982) B.G. LIPTÁK (1969, 1995,2003) LS
Receiver

TH.

Flow Sheet Symbol

Types Switches operate on either thermal difference or thermal dispersion. Transmitters


utilize the thermal conductivity difference between liquids and vapors. Metal mold
level controllers depend on direct temperature detection.

Applications Level detection of liquids, interfaces, and foam. Special units are available for the
measurement of the level of molten metals

Design Pressure Up to 3000 PSIG (207 bars = 20.7 MPa)

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

Area Classification Explosion-proof and intrinsically safe designs are available.

Materials of Construction Type 316 stainless steel, PVC, Teflon®

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.

Partial List of Suppliers Advantech Automation Corp. (www.advantech.com)


Burkert (www.burkert-usa.com)
Chromalox (www.mychromalox.com)
Flowline (www.flowline.com)
Fluid Components International (www.fluidcomponents.com)
Intek Inc. (www.intekflow.com)
J.H. Instruments (www.jhinstrument.com)
K-Tek Corp. (www.ktekcorp.com)
Kobold Instruments Inc. (www.koboldusa.com)
Lumenite Control Technology Inc. (www.luminite.com)
Magnetrol International (www.magnetrol.com)
Omega Engineering Inc. (www.omega.com)
Snell Infrared (www.snellinfrared.com)

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

Control Control Capsule


housing relay

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

Heated Unheated FIG. 3.19e


RTD RTD Expansion-tube-type steam drum level indicator.
Sensor Sensor

(Figure 3. 19e). The working element in this unit is an inclined


FIG. 3.19d metal tube with its upper end connected to the steam drum
Level monitor using the temperature difference principle. and its lower end to a point where the cold Iced-water enters
the drum. Because the water is at ambient temperature while
the steam is hot, the tower the level, the hotter the expansion
tube becomes. The scale is calibrated to relate (he amount of
THERMAL DIFFERENCE LEVEL TRANSMITTER expansion the water level in the steam drum.
In high-temperature processes, such as measuring the
level of molten steel in casting molds, thermometers are
The difference between the heat transfer of a liquid and that
commonly used as level monitors. Figure 3.19f describes an
of the vapors above it can also be used for continuous level
application in which 13 thermocouples are used to obtain a
monitoring. As shown in Figure 3.19d, the level probe con-
vertical temperature profile in the wall of the mold. A com-
tains a heated resistance temperature detector (RTD) sensor
puter or a modified potentiometric recorder can be used as
and an unheated RTD reference. A small electric current
the level recorder. The readout device registers the level in
(intrinsically safe) passes through the heated RTD cable
the mold as being at the point where the temperature is 80%
(Insulated and sheathed in nickel), which heats the cable to
of the difference between points #1 and #13. This point falls
a temperature above that of the process fluid. The electrical
on the portion of the temperature profile where the change
resistance of the sensor cable rises with temperature, and
in temperature is the fastest. The readout device can balance
the portion of the cable that is in the vapor phase will be
the system at that point. In the illustrated installation, the
warmer and therefore will have a higher unit resistance than
thermocouple spacing is 1 in. (25 mm), so the maximum
the portion that is cooled by the liquid. Consequently, the
error in level measurement is about 0.5 in. (13 mm).
total resistance of the sensor cable is inversely and linearly
The time constant of such a sensor is reported to be <1
related to the liquid level in the tank. The unheated RTD
sec. but that number does vary with mold wall material,
reference cable parallels the heated sensor cable and pro-
thickness, and the location of the thermocouples within
vides compensation for both ambient and process temper-
that wall. In controlling mold levels, one can keep the
ature changes.
withdrawal rate constant and regulate the inflow of steel
The two cables are usually installed inside stilling wells
into the mold by keeping the level constant. Another option
(tubes), and some designs can also be used not only on clean
is to leave the inflow unregulated and control the with-
process liquids but to detect foam and slurry levels. This censor
drawal rate on level. The thermoelectric level sensor
has been used successfully on liquid anhydrous ammonia ser-
described above has been successfully used in both modes
vice (-24 to 28°F, or -31 to -2°C), where it measured the level
of operation.
over a 0- to 20-ft (0- to 6-m) range in a barge tank.

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.

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