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Level Gauge Glass In Vessels

Started by drdave, Mar 24 2005 10:23 AM

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#1 drdave

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Posted 24 March 2005 - 10:23 AM

biggrin.gif
Hello Sir,

Level gauge glasses are provided invariably in steam drum,steam generator vessel, ammonia separator,reservoirs. But , its use to indicate level is highly unsatisfactory due to crack in glass or opaqueness appeared making surface invisible.
Why are level gauge glasses provided?
Is it any statutory requirement?
By which means can it be used effectively in right term of level show?
ph34r.gif Can you please help me on this process industry problem????

#2 gvdlans

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Posted 24 March 2005 - 11:56 AM

Apart from the items mentioned, level gauge glasses are a possible leakage point and therefore do not increase safety.

I would never specify a level gauge glass in high pressure or hazardous service bacause of the danger of a chemical spill due to glass failure. There is also a good alternative and that is a magnetic type level gauge (see for example http://www.kenco-eng...oduct.asp?id=1). A magnetic type level gauge doesn't have any of the disadvantages mentioned for the gauge glasses.

#3 Guest_Guest_djack77494_*

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Posted 25 March 2005 - 07:47 PM

Glass level gauges are indeed commonly found on tanks. Apparently like many other folks, I like the "eyes on" feeling of confidence one gets when viewing a liquid in a vessel through glass. Besides seeing the level, one can also confirm the presence of liquid, the color, and the presence of other phenomena such as foam. Of course, one sees what is present in the gauge, which may be different than what is in the vessel. And there is an assortment of problems and complications that can diminish the value of the observations made. Nonetheless, this way of "sensing" level is probably the most uniformly accepted/acceptable way, even among non-technical people. It also had the advantages of simplicity and low cost. Barring reasons to avoid a "gauge glass", and there are quite a few, I would heartily recommend their use.
Doug

#4 Guest_Ron_tex_*

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Posted 22 April 2005 - 02:48 PM

One must be careful in high-pressure steam drum applications for the reasons you note. My employer uses K-Tek type level transmitters (www.ktekcorp.com) in this service we experience (typically 600 psig and 1500 psig). However, for steam drums operating at these higher pressures, be aware corrections for conditions where the magnet is situated, (outside the drum), may be required. Therefore, we have specified a temperature transmitter be installed here for level indication compensation. The inputs to this are such things as float mass, float height, density of water in the drum, density of water in the level column (hence the need for a temperature), density of steam in the drum, etc.


I believe K-Tek is the originator of the correction equation, so they should be able to give more details.

Best regards

#5 JMW

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Posted 04 May 2005 - 01:21 PM

For large boilers/steam drums the Solartron Hydrotek (?) systems is used which is dual fault tolerant.
This comprises an array of electrodes. with remote electronics.

One of the advantages is that it transmits a signal which gives real time alarm monitoring. Often sight glasses are remotely monitored by CCTV and dead spots can develop on the screen.

The actual installation is designed to provide for a flow through by using steam condensing in the level guage. With a conventional arrangement where there is no flow through the water temperature can differ from that in the drum and hence a density difference can develop which means that the lebvel in the indicator is not the same as in the drum.

So irrespective of the type of indicator it is as well to be sure that the technology used is understood.
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