Reliable liquid level monitoring solution for high temperature chemical application

11 November 2019

A producer of caprolactam – an organic chemical used as a precursor to the manufacture of synthetic fibres – required a solution to enable continuous monitoring of high-temperature liquid levels in tanks.

The temperature range of the medium could reach 170°C with an operating pressure of 3.5 bar(g).  Because they are part of the emergency shutdown (ESD) system the level devices had to be reliable and needed to be able to handle sudden spikes and turbulence.  

The company chose Magnetrol E3 Modulevel liquid level transmitters.  The Model E3 has ratings far above what was required for the application. It is SIL 2/3 certified, and can measure either total level or interface. 

Unlike torque tube displacer transmitters, the Model E3 utilises a precision range spring and a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) to detect and convert liquid level into a stable 4-20 mA output signal. The range spring and stem attached to the LVDT core move vertically, eliminates the occurrence of any friction or wear.

Although the displacers can vary widely in length, the LVDT core movement is only 32mm maximum. This minimal core movement, along with the damping spring, results in a stable output signal despite extreme turbulence to prevent false trips of the ESD system. 

The simplicity of the Model E3 construction – which consists of three main elements – allowed the chemical company to carry out repairs on its own after years of service. As a result, operating costs, maintenance time and spare parts were reduced, decreasing the overall budget of the retrofit project which consisted of over 120 level transmitters.


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