DEPARTMENT OF TECHNICAL EDUCATION

ANDHRA PRADESH
Name of the faculty : D Saritha
Designation : Lecturer
Branch : D.A.E.I.E
Institute : Govt Polytechnic, Kothagudem
Year/Semester : IV Semester
Subject : Process Instrumentation –II
Sub-Code : AEI-405
Topic : Level Measurement
Duration : 50min
Sub-Topic : Pneumatic Level Switches
Teaching Aids : Diagrams
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 Objectives

Upon the completion of this topic would be able to

know about

Pneumatically operated level switches

• Construction and working principle
• Advantages and disadvantages

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 Recap

In last class we have discussed about

• Level switches

• Types of level switches

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 Working

• In a float-type level sensor the buoyancy force holds the

float on the surface of the liquid.

• The float carries a member having a magnetic coupling

with a transduction element (coil, magnetic reed, or Hall-
effect switch)

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 Working…

• That is mounted on the outside wall of the tank and can

be actuated by the proximity of the float.

• The switching system can respond to the restraining

force developed by an actuator of a force-balance servo
system

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 Float Materials & Design

• Standard floats are normally

• spherical or cylindrical for top mounted design
• spherical or oblong for side mounted designs
• Spherical floats are available from 3 to 7 inches (76 to
178 mm) in diameter.
• The small diameter floats are used in higher density
materials
• Whereas the larger floats are used for liquid-liquid
interface detection

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 Materials…

Materials used are

• Brass
• Copper
• stainless steel
• Monel
• Polypropylene
• other plastics

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Pneumatic Float Switch

Fig : 1
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 Construction

• Consists of a magnetic piston or attractor carried by

a float

• The piston moves in a non magnetic enclosure

• A magnetically actuated swinging carriage operates

the air valve through a lever and fulcrum assembly

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 Working

• Initially the attractor or magnetic piston is in the field of

the lower magnet.

• The pneumatic pilot air supply is open to flow to the

detector or pneumatic valve operator.

• When the level of the liquid reaches the preset

position, the attractor rises and the upper magnet pulls
in, rotating the carriage

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 Working…

• The carriage through a lever closes the air supply port

of the air relay and opens the exhaust port

• The second magnet provides the switch snap action.

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 Advantages

• Continuous level indication is possible

• Low cost

• Reliable

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 Disadvantages

• In some applications the size of the float is too large

• Cannot be used in dirty liquids as the moving parts are

exposed to the process

• Ferrous metal particles in the process can interfere with

proper switch operation

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 Summary

We have discussed about

• Level switches
• Construction & Working of Pneumatic Float level
switch
• Advantages and disadvantages

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 Quiz

1) Pneumatic Float level switch works on the

principle of

c) Electro magnetic effect

d) Photo electric effect
e) Buoyancy
f) None of the above

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 Quiz

2) The float materials used in pneumatic float

operated level switch

d) Silver
e) Stainless steel
f) Wood
g) None of the above

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 Quiz

2) The Pneumatic float level switch operates with

a) Hydraulic signal
b) Electrical signal
c) Pneumatic signal
d) None of the above

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 Frequently asked questions

2) Write the principle of operation of Pneumatic Float

operated level switch

4) List the advantages & disadvantages of Pneumatic

Float operated level switch

6) Explain the working of a of Pneumatic Float operated

level switch with a neat sketch

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