Arab Academy for Science, Technology & Maritime Transport

Branch in Sharjah

Sheet (3)
Level Measurement

Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport – Branch in Sharjah
1) In an outer type ultra-sonic level gauge, the transmitter and receiver sensors are
established over a liquid tank such that their height from the bottom of the tank is 2
meters. If the time taken by the signal from the transmitting instant to the receiving
-3
instant is 2 x 10 sec. Find the liquid level height in the tank, taking into
consideration that the speed of signal is 350 m / sec.

Solution:

ℎ + 𝑑 = 2𝑚 T R

The time t = 2 x 10 - 3 sec.

The speed of signal is 350 m / sec.

2d 2d h+ d
Speed = = 350 =
t 2 10 −3
 d = 0.35m

 ℎ = 2 − 0.35 = 1.65𝑚

Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport – Branch in Sharjah
2) In a capacitance level gauge if the separation distance between the two square
electrodes is 5 cm. The capacitance C when the tank is empty is 20 x 105 pF. Certain
quantity of liquid is poured in the tank and the capacitance is dropped by 10 x 10 5 pF. If
the fluid dielectric constant is 0.1 and the air dielectric constant is 1. Find the height of
the fluid in the tank if the width of the electrodes is w.

Tank shell

Solution:
The total capacitance is:
𝜀𝑟 𝜀0 𝐴
𝐶 =
𝑑
Where:
𝜀𝑟 = Dielectric constant
εo = Permittivity = 8.85 pF / m
A = Plate common area.
d = Plate separation = 5 cm
For fluid 𝜀𝑟 = 0.1 & for air 𝜀𝑟 = 1
Plate width = w meter , square plates then. 𝐴 = 𝑤 2
1 ×8.85×10−5 ×𝑤 2
For air C= 0.05

= 20 x 10 5 pF
So W2 = 11299.435 m2. W = 106.298 m.
For fluid C =𝐶𝑎𝑖𝑟 + 𝐶𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 = 10 × 105 𝑝𝐹
1 × 8.85 × 10−5 × (106.298 × Lair ) 0.1 × 8.85 × 10−5 × (106.298 × Lfluid )
= +
0.05 0.05
= 10 x 10 5 pF
0.0188 Lair + (1.8814 x 10-3) Lfluid = 1 Lfluid + Lair = w = 106.298

Solve:
Lfluid = 59.0121 m. and. Lair = 47.2858 m.

Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport – Branch in Sharjah
3) In the design of a capacitance level gauge the separation distance between the two
plates is d cm and the dimensions of the plates are w meters width and h meters
height. The capacitance when the tank is empty is C pF. When certain amount of
insulating powder was poured in the tank the capacitance is changed to be 2C pF. If
the dielectric constant of the powder is 3 times that of the air. Compute the ratio of
the height of the powder to the total height of the tank h.

Solution:
The capacitance is:
𝜀𝑟 𝜀0 𝐴
𝐶 =
𝑑
Where:
𝜀𝑟 = Dielectric constant
εo = Permittivity = 8.85 pF / m
A = (𝑤. ℎ) Plate common area,
Plate’s width = 𝑤 and plate’s height or tank height = ℎ
d = Plate separation in cm
For air. 𝜀𝑟 = 1𝜀𝑟 & for powder = 3𝜀𝑟
For air, when the tank is empty, total capacitance is:
𝜀𝑟 𝜀0 𝐴 1𝜀𝑟 𝜀0 𝑤.ℎ
C= = 𝑒𝑢𝑞1
𝑑 𝑑/100

The total capacitance when the tank is filled with an amount of powder is:
1𝜀𝑟 𝜀0 𝑤. (ℎ − ℎ𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑑𝑒𝑟 ) 3𝜀𝑟 𝜀0 𝑤. (ℎ𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑑𝑒𝑟 )
2𝐶 = 𝐶1 + 𝐶2 = + 𝑒𝑞𝑢. 2
𝑑 𝑑
100 100

Substitute equ 1 in 2 we get

1𝜀𝑟 𝜀0 𝑤. ℎ 1𝜀𝑟 𝜀0 𝑤. (ℎ − ℎ𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑑𝑒𝑟 ) 3𝜀𝑟 𝜀0 𝑤. (ℎ𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑑𝑒𝑟 )

2( )= +
𝑑 𝑑 𝑑
100 100 100

𝑆𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑦 𝑤𝑒 𝑔𝑒𝑡:
2ℎ = ℎ − ℎ𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑑𝑒𝑟 + 3ℎ𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑑𝑒𝑟
ℎ = 2 ℎ𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑑𝑒𝑟
𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑐ℎ 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑖𝑠 ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑓 𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑝𝑜𝑤𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑎𝑛𝑑 ℎ𝑎𝑙𝑓 𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑦

Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport – Branch in Sharjah