Your browser does not support JavaScript!
http://iet.metastore.ingenta.com
1887

access icon free Design and development of a level transmitter using force resistive sensor as a primary sensing element

© The Institution of Engineering and Technology
Received 06/12/2016, Accepted 06/09/2017, Revised 22/08/2017, Published 11/09/2017

A simple, low cost liquid level measurement technique for all types of liquids has been proposed in this study. A force resistive sensor has been used to sense the height of liquid level in a storage tank. The force resistive sensor gives the information of the height of liquid level in terms of resistance. The resistance of the sensor corresponding to the height of liquid level is converted into a voltage signal with the help of a resistance to voltage converter. The resistance-to-voltage converter output has been passed through signal conditioning circuit and voltage-to-current converter to transmit the signal to a remote location like a control room. The theoretical equations explaining the operation of the force resistive sensor for the liquid level have been derived. The whole unit has been designed, fabricated and its function has been studied experimentally. The experimental results are reported in this study. A very good linear characteristic of the proposed transmitter has been observed with very good repeatability and with a very small uncertainty of measurement.

Inspec keywords: transmitters; force measurement; voltage measurement; signal conditioning circuits; electric resistance measurement; level measurement; force sensors; measurement uncertainty; convertors; height measurement

Other keywords: force resistive sensor; liquid level measurement technique; height sensing; level transmitter; storage tank; voltage-to-current converter; measurement uncertainty; resistance-to-voltage converter; signal conditioning circuit

Subjects: Spatial variables measurement; Level, flow and volume measurement; Sensing devices and transducers; Mechanical variables measurement; Impedance and admittance measurement; Convertors; Signal processing and conditioning equipment and techniques; Voltage measurement

References

    1. 1)
      • 9. Canbolat, H.: ‘A novel level measurement technique using three capacitive sensors for liquids’, IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., 2009, 58, (10), pp. 3762–3768.
    2. 2)
      • 8. Lu, G., Hu, H., He, B., et al: ‘A new-type sensor for monitoring oil-water interface level and oil level’. IEEE Proc. of Int. Conf. Electronic Measurement & Instruments, 16–19 August 2009, pp. 281–283.
    3. 3)
      • 12. Nakagawa, T., Hyodo, A., Kogo, K., et al: ‘Contactless liquid-level measurement with frequency-modulated millimeter wave through opaque container’, IEEE Sens. J., 2013, 13, (3), pp. 926–933.
    4. 4)
      • 3. Patranabis, D.: ‘Principle of industrial instrumentation’ (Tata McGraw-Hill, New Delhi, 2010, 3rd edn.).
    5. 5)
      • 14. Marick, S., Bera, S.K., Bera, S.C.: ‘A float type liquid level measuring system using a modified inductive transducer’, Sens. Transducers J., 2014, 182, (11), pp. 111–118.
    6. 6)
      • 2. Liptak, B.G.: ‘Process measurement and analysis’ (Butterworth Heinman Ltd., Oxford, UK, 2003, 4th edn.).
    7. 7)
      • 22. Chakraborty, S., Bera, S.K., Mandal, N., et al: ‘Study on further modification of non-contact capacitance type-level transducer for a conducting liquid’, IEEE Sens. J., 2015, 15, (11), pp. 6678–6688.
    8. 8)
      • 13. Cataldo, A., Piuzzi, E., De Benedetto, E., et al: ‘Experimental characterization and performance evaluation of flexible two-wire probes for TDR monitoring of liquid level’, IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas.,  2014, 63, (12), pp. 2779–2788.
    9. 9)
      • 6. Reverter, F., Li, X., Meijer, G.C.M.: ‘Liquid-level measurement system based on a remote grounded capacitive sensor’, Sens. Actuators A, Phys., 2007, 138, (1), pp. 1–8.
    10. 10)
      • 5. Kumar, B., Rajita, G., Mandal, N.: ‘A review on capacitive-type sensor for measurement of height of liquid level’, Meas. Control, 2014, 47, (7), pp. 219–224.
    11. 11)
      • 24. Jin, B., Zhang, Z., Zhang, H.: ‘Structure design and performance analysis of a coaxial cylindrical capacitive sensor for liquid-level measurement’, Sens. Actuators A, Phys., 2015, 209, pp. 84–90.
    12. 12)
      • 20. Maunder, A., Taheri, O., Fard, M.R.G., et al: ‘Calibrated layer-stripping technique for level and permittivity measurement with UWB radar in metallic tanks’, IEEE Trans. Microw. Theory Techn., 2015, 63, (7), pp. 2322–2334.
    13. 13)
      • 26. Gong, C.-S.A., Chiu, H.K., Huang, L.R., et al: ‘Low-cost comb-electrode capacitive sensing device for liquid-level measurement’, IEEE Sens. J., 2016, 16, (9), pp. 2896–2897.
    14. 14)
      • 15. Bera, S.C., Mandal, H., Saha, S., et al: ‘Study of a modified capacitive-type level transducer for any type of liquid’, IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., 2014, 63, (3), pp. 641–649.
    15. 15)
      • 18. Chetpattananondh, K., Tapoanoi, T., Phukpattaranont, P., et al: ‘A self-calibration water level measurement using an interdigital capacitive sensor’, Sens. Actuators A, Phys., 2014, 209, pp. 175–182.
    16. 16)
      • 21. Li, P., Cai, Y., Shen, X., et al: ‘An accurate detection for dynamic liquid level based on MIMO ultrasonic transducer array’, IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas., 2015, 64, (3), pp. 582–595.
    17. 17)
      • 11. Singh, H.K., Chakroborty, S.K., Talukdar, H., et al: ‘A new non-intrusive optical technique measure transparent liquid level and volume’, IEEE Sens. J., 2011, 11, (2), pp. 391–398.
    18. 18)
      • 17. Kshirsagar, A.A., Hippargi, S.: ‘Design and implementation of wireless sensor node for non-contact measurement of liquid’. IEEE Proc. of Int. Conf. INDICON, 11–13 December 2014, pp. 1–5.
    19. 19)
      • 1. Doeblin, E.O.: ‘Measurement system and application and design’ (McGraw-Hill, New York, NY, USA, 1990, 4th edn.).
    20. 20)
      • 23. Roy, J.K., Da, S.: ‘Low cost non contact capacitive gauge glass level transmitter suitable for remote measurement & control’. Ninth IEEE Proc. of Int. Conf. Sensing Technology, 8–10 December 2015, pp. 570–574.
    21. 21)
      • 4. Golding, E.W., Widdis, F.C.: ‘Electrical measurement and measuring instruments’ (Pitman, London, UK, 1963, 5th edn.).
    22. 22)
      • 10. Terzic, E., Nagarajah, C.R., Alamgir, M.: ‘Capacitive sensor-based fluid level measurement in dynamic environment using neural network’, Eng. Appl. Artif. Intell., 2010, 123, (4), pp. 614–619.
    23. 23)
      • 19. Kisic, M., Blaz, N., Zlebic, C., et al: ‘Flexible inkjet printed sensor for liquid level monitoring’. 38th IEEE Int. Spring Seminar on Electronics Technology, 6–10 May 2015, pp. 472–476.
    24. 24)
      • 7. Khan, S., Khalifa, K.K., Htike, A.H.M.Z., et al ‘A non-contact type level transducer for liquid characterization’. IEEE Proc. of Int. Conf. Computer and Communication Engineering, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 13–15 May 2008, pp. 1264–1269.
    25. 25)
      • 25. Kumar, B., Mandal, N.: ‘Study of an electro-optic technique of level transmitter using Mach-Zehnder interferometer and float as primary sensing elements’, IEEE Sens. J., 2016, 16, (11), pp. 4211–4218.
    26. 26)
      • 27. Jing, N., Teng, C., Zheng, J., et al: ‘A liquid level sensor based on a race-track helical plastic optical fiber’, IEEE Photonics Technol. Lett., 2017, 29, (1), pp. 158–160.
    27. 27)
      • 16. Chakraborty, S., Mandal, N., Bera, S.C.: ‘Study of and IR defusing surface as non-contact level sensor’, Sens. Transducers J., 2014, 183, (12), pp. 53–59.
http://iet.metastore.ingenta.com/content/journals/10.1049/iet-smt.2016.0513
Loading

Related content

content/journals/10.1049/iet-smt.2016.0513
pub_keyword,iet_inspecKeyword,pub_concept
6
6
Loading
Print this page
This is a required field
Please enter a valid email address