OGIM Formation

Module Instrumentation _Package 3

LEVEL & FLOW MEASUREMENTS

Objectives:
To understand the basic theory of design and principle of-
operation of Level and Flow Measuring Instruments.
To understand the primary elements of Level and Flow
measuring Instruments.
To understand the working of Level and Flow Instruments in
particular locations .
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 Expected Learning Outcomes
1. Awareness:-
♦ A general understanding of the working of LEVEL & FLOW
measurements.
2. Underpinning Knowledge:-
♦ Basic knowledge of LEVEL and FLOW measurements.
3. Developing Practical Skills:-
♦ Provide support to Instrument Technicians.
♦Correct & specific reporting of Instrumentation problems.
♦ Process troubleshooting with the best help of Instrumentation.
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LEVEL MEASURING INSTRUMENTS

INTRODUCTION:
LEVEL MEASUREMENT IS GAUGING THE POSITION OF THE
TOP SURFACE OF LIQUID or SOLID RELATIVE TO A FIXED
REFERENCE or ZERO POINT.

MEASUREMENT OF LIQUID LEVEL IS THE

MEASUREMENT OF LIQUID HEIGHT.

UNITS OF LEVEL MEASUREMENTS:

Level is actually the height, therefore unit of the length should be used.
Unit of length in SI is metre (m).
So the level can be given in millimetres, centimetres or metres.

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 Level measurements

Zero
point
oil
level Solid
Water Oil level
Zero Chemical
level point
water powder
Zero water
point

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 LEVEL GAUGES

For very low pressure For pressure vessels

The transparent tube is made of glass or plastic.

Sight glass is giving direct level measurement.
High pressure vessels have special types of level gauges.
Sight glass can give wrong reading if the tapings are plugged.
5

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 Float and Tape method

Float
Pipe

Take-up Reel
with Indicator

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•This method is used to measure the level in un pressurized
vessels.
•It consists of a float connected to a tape reel. The reel has a
mechanical indicator that gives the reading of the level in the tank.
•As the level of the tank changes , the float position also changes.
This change is noted on the indicator of the take-up reel.

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 Float and Cable method

Empty

Scale
Float
Weight
Indicator
Full

Steel wire is attached to the float and passed over pulleys.

Indicator moves along the scale.
It is attached to the wire.
The weight serves to keep the steel wire taut.
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 Displacer type Level measurements

linkage

gauge
displacer

Isolation
Valve
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10
This is a commonly found instrument in Oil and Gas Fields.
When a body is dipped or floated in a liquid, it experiences an
upward force from the liquid .This force is known as buoyant
force.
A displacer mechanism consists of a solid cylinder of some
lightweight material and connected to a meter through a linkage
mechanism.

The displacer is lowered into the fluid in a tank and the weight of
the displacer is directly acting on the linkage. As the level in the
tank changes the weight acting on the linkage also changes due to
the change in buoyant force.
The change in the weight is proportional to the change in level.

Displacer can also be used to measure interface level.

E.g. Water and Oil Interface Level measurements. 11

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HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE METHODS

EQUAL
PRESSURE
h

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THE HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE THAT A FLUID EXERTS
DOWNWARD IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE HEIGHT OF THE FLUID
COLUMN.
THE DOWNWARD PRESSURE OF THE FLUID DOES NOT INCREASE
AS THE HORIZONTAL SIZE OF THE COLUMN INCREASES.
BY NOTING THE CHANGE IN PRESSURE AT THE BASE OF THE
CONTAINER, WE CAN INDIRECTLY MEASURE THE LEVEL.
BY USING A PRESSURE SENSITIVE GAUGE AT THE ZERO POINT OF
A TANK, WE CAN MEASURE THE LEVEL.

Pressure exerted by a column of liquid depends upon

the height of the liquid column and the density of the
liquid

Pressure = Height X Density of the liquid x

Gravitational Constant
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 P= h x ρx g
P = Pressure in Pascals
h = height of the liquid in metres
ρ = density in kg/m3
g = gravitational constant ( 9.81m/s2)

h = p/ ρ x g
Find out the level of a tank contain oil , when
base pressure = 0.4 bar ( 40,000 Pa)
density = 800 kg/m3
g = 10 m/s2.

40,000 / 800 x 10 = 5 m.

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 Differential pressure type
Atmospheric
Open tank pressure

D/P cell

Atmospheric
pressure
This method can be used to measure tanks and
containers levels. One leg of the D/P cell is connected
at the bottom of the tank and other leg is open to the
atmosphere. The D/P is proportional to the tank level.
Atmospheric pressure effect is negligible.
D/P = h . ρ . g 15 15
 Gas pressure

D/P cell

HP LP
Differential pressure method can be used to measure the level
of pressurised tanks and separators. One leg of the D/P cell is
connected to the top of the vessel and other leg will be
connected at the bottom. The level is proportional to the DP.
Gas pressure effect on the D/P cell is nullified.
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D/P = h . ρ . g
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 D/P cell wet leg (leg filled with liquid)

L.P line

Line filled
H.P line
with liquid

D/P cell
Some gas can condense in the measurement line.
Then the reading will be faulty.
In that case the L.P line is filled with the liquid.
This is known as wet leg.
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Meter zero is adjusted to compensate the L.P liquid pressure.
Capacitance device
Metal A

insulator
Metal B

Capacitance can be explained as a measure of the ability of

materials to store electricity.
Consider two metal plates separated by an insulating
medium. This combination is known as capacitor. The
insulating medium is known as dielectric which is storing
the electrical energy. The dielectric property for different
materials will be different.
Capacitance type meters can be used to measure the level
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of nonconductive fluids.
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 Capacitance meter
Electrode A

Electrode B

Tank shell acts as one electrode and the metal piece on

the probe is the other electrode. The fluid to be measured
acts as a dielectric and it increases and decreases the
capacitance as the level increases and decreases.
Change in the capacitance will be proportional to the
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change of the level in the tank. 19
 Ball Float Level Switch
Bending
Tube
Microswitch
Float Lever

This instrument can only show if the level is above or below the place
where it is attached.
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 Ball Float Level Switch

Round float is attached to the lever.

Lever is attached to the flange by a bending tube.
Bending tube is flat and lever can pivot around it.
A rod which is immovably attached to the lever, goes through the
tube.
The rod moves along with the float.
The movement of the rod is sufficient to operate the microswitch.
This is a switch with a very small operating stroke.
The bending tube transmits the movement of the float in a
pressurized area to the outside.
The lever is secured by a bracket.
Ball floats are usually fitted outside the tank for easy
maintenance.

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21
 FLOW MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
In oil and gas industries the measurement of flow is very
important.
Flow is the measurement of fluid movements.
We can measure the flow rate or total volume.
Flow rate is a measure of how much fluid is passing by a given
point over a specific period of time.
Total volume is a measure of the accumulated volume of fluid that
has passed a given point over an extended time period(E.g.24 hrs).
The unit for volume flow in the SI system is m3/s.
The mass flow in the SI system is kg/s.
There are two major types of flow meters.
22 25
Direct flowmeters and indirect flowmeters.
 Direct volume measurement.

A
B

To transfer a fixed quantity to B

Take a known capacity cup and transfer the desired amount,
say 5 cups, one cup at a time.
Fluid is transferred in discrete units and the total amount is
determined by adding together the number of individual units. 23

26
POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT METHOD

SLIDING VANE TYPE

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Positive displacement meters are direct flow
measurement devices.
There are many different types available, Sliding
vane type, Oval gear type, etc.
It consists of an external housing and an internal
measuring unit, and a mechanism to drive a counter.
The liquid enters into a measuring chamber and the
counter counts each time the chamber fills and the
total volume/flow can be calculated by adding each
counts.
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Orifice plate meters

Tapings for Gas Flow Measurements

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 Orifice plate meters

Tapings for Liquid Flow Measurements

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Orifice plate meters are indirect flow meters. A pressure
differential is created by inserting an Orifice plate into the
pipeline. As per the principle the square root of
Differential Pressure across the orifice is proportional to
the flow (velocity).
A differential pressure transmitter receive the signal from
the orifice tapings and transmits the DP.
Flow rate will be proportional to the D/P.

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In normal practice the orifice tapings will be taken
from the bottom of the liquid flow lines and the D/P
transmitters will be mounted below the tapings to
avoid gas entering into the tapings.
In gas pipelines the tapings will be from the top of the
pipeline and D/P transmitter will be mounted above
the tapings to avoid liquid entering into the tapings.

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 Orifice plates are available in different sizes.
The pressure drop is very high across an orifice plate. This is the
main disadvantage.
Orifice plates need straight pipes minimum before and after the
meter. If a bent comes very near to the meter the reading will not
be accurate( D=Dia of the pipe).
Orifice plates can give problems when you use for oil or gas
which is having solid particles. This particles may accumulate at
the upstream of the orifice plate.

Flow =Co * P1-P2 = Co * DP

Co = Orifice constant and depends upon the properties of the

fluid, diameter of the pipe and orifice, etc. 30

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flow

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 HP side LP side

by-pass
isolation
valves

Flow Transmitter
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 Flow Transmitter

Isolation procedure:-
1.Open the by-pass valve slowly.
2.Make sure the meter reading came to zero.
3.Close the isolation valves of upstream & downstream
simultaneously.
4.Drain & depressurise.

De-isolation procedure:-
1.Open the by-pass valve (Make sure the by-pass is open).
2.Close the drain valve ( valves).
3.Open the isolation valves of upstream & down stream
simultaneously.
4.Close the by-pass valve slowly and fully.
5.Check the meter reading.
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 Venturimeter

HP LP

Venturi meter works on the same principle of orifice meter.

Instead of inserting an orifice plate into the flow line, ventury
meter has a tapered flow line and the D/P is measured at the
upstream and downstream of the tapered tube.
Venturi meter is normally used to measure gas flow in large
pipelines. Pressure drop is low when compared with Orifice
meter. 34

37
 Flowmeters Nozzle Types

Flowmeters nozzle type is similar to venturi and orifice

in operation
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Rotameter
Rotameter consists of a tapered glass tube
with a metal float in it. Fluid enters at the
bottom of the tube and lifts the float as the
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flow increases.
10
9 When there is no flow the float will be at the
8
7
bottom of the tube blocking the inlet, as the
6 flow increases the float will go up and the
5
4 flow rate can be directly measured from the
3
2
scale attached.
1
0 Purge air flow meter on instrument air
dryer line is a rotameter.

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Magnetic flow meters

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Magnetic flowmeters are making use of the conductivity of
the flowing fluid.
In a conductor which moves perpendicular to the magnetic
field, an Electromotive force (e) is induced which is
proportional to the strength of the magnetic field (B), the
length of the conductor (l) and the velocity(v) with which it
cuts the magnetic field.
e=Bxlxv
The amount of voltage generated depends upon the velocity
and conductivity of the fluid.
If we know the conductivity then the velocity can be
calculated from the generated voltage.
Flow = velocity x area (cross section of the pipe).
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 Pulsed output

Vortex meter
transmitter

Vortex element

detector
Flow

vortices

Vortex meter is suitable for measuring liquid flows at high

velocities. Fluid flowing through the vortex meter passes the
specially shaped vortex element which causes vortices to form
and separate from alternate sides of the element.
The breaking vortices create a Differential Pressure which can
be sensed by a detector. From this d/p the velocity and hence
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the flow can be calculated.
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 Turbine meter

Magnetic pick-up

Rotor

Hanger
Shaft

Rotor Blade
Meter Housing

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Turbine meter measures the flow indirectly.
It has a spinning rotor with magnetic tips.
The rotor which is placed in the fluid path, rotates as the fluid
moves over its vanes.
The speed of rotation is proportional to the flow rate.
A magnetic pickup coil connected, counts the number of
rotations.
Turbine meter performance will be good if the fluid is not
having any solids in it.

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 ULTRASONIC FLOWMETERS
(TRANSIT-TIME FLOWMETER)

TRANSDUCER B

Flanged
Flanged
end
end

V L O

TRANSDUCER A
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 ULTRASONIC FLOWMETERS

Different types of Ultrasonic flowmeters are available.

The principle of operation is measuring the velocity of a
flowing fluid with ultrasonic sound characteristics.
Flow = Velocity x Area
Since the cross-sectional area of the pipe section is known ,
the product of area and velocity will give the flow rate.

E.g Transmission Type Ultra sonic Flowmeters.

There are two transducers in it.
One upstream flow & One down stream flow.
It measure flow by measuring the time taken for an ultrasonic
energy pulse to traverse a pipe section, both with and against
the flow.
From the time the velocity can be calculated.
Once the velocity is known, flow can be easily calculated. 43