A novel technique towards deployment of hydrostatic pressure based level sensor in nuclear fuel reprocessing facility

Abstract

A novel approach towards deployment of a hydrostatic pressure based level monitoring device is presented for continuous monitoring of liquid level in a reservoir with high resolution and precision. Some of the major drawbacks such as spurious information of measured level due to change in ambient temperature, requirement of high resolution pressure sensor, and bubbling effect by passing air or any gaseous fluid into the liquid are overcome by using such a newly designed hydrostatic pressure based level monitoring device. The technique involves precise measurement of hydrostatic pressure exerted by the process liquid using a high sensitive pulsating-type differential pressure sensor (capacitive type differential pressure sensor using a specially designed oil manometer) and correlating it to the liquid level. In order to avoid strong influence of temperature on liquid level, a temperature compensation methodology is derived and used in the system. A wireless data acquisition feature has also been provided in the level monitoring device in order to work in a remote area such as a radioactive environment. At the outset, a prototype level measurement system for a 1 m tank is constructed and its test performance has been well studied. The precision, accuracy, resolution, uncertainty, sensitivity, and response time of the prototype level measurement system are found to be less than 1.1 mm in the entire range, 1%, 3 mm, <1%, 10 Hz/mm, and ∼4 s, respectively.

Design and evaluation of a single-tube cross-capacitance fuel level sensor

“…The new sensor uses a quartz tube as a support structure, and a metal plating layer is plated on the outer wall of the quartz tube as an electrode. The metal plating layer is divided into a protective electrode by a scribe line and two sets of high and low electrodes [7][8][9]. The high electrode and the low electrode constitute a calculated capacitance structure for measurement.…”

Liquid level measurement using a single electrode capacitive sensor made of carbon nanotube-paper composite

“…Nevertheless, their practical implementation is hindered by methodological constraints, such as the placement of samples [3]. Hydrostatic pressure sensors have emerged as a low-cost option; however, they require direct contact with the liquid [4]. In contrast, optical and ultrasonic sensors have gained popularity due to their noncontact nature, which minimizes the risk of contamination [5,6].…”