Design and development of improved linearized network based liquid level transmitter

In this paper, a liquid level transmitter using cylindrical capacitive sensor and an improved linearized network for capacitance measurement has been proposed to measure the liquid level and to convert level changes into an electrical current which can be transmitted to a remote indicator. The change in capacitance of cylindrical capacitive sensor due to change in liquid level is measured by an improved linearized capacitance measuring network. The offset capacitance of the cylindrical capacitive sensor and the stray capacitances that exist between sensor electrodes & metallic tank are measured before the liquid level measurement. The measured capacitances are used in the proposed capacitance measuring network to minimize the effects of offset capacitance and stray capacitances on liquid level measurement using dc control voltage and operational amplifiers with high input impedance. The experimental investigations have been performed to sense water level of metallic tank in both increased and decreased level conditions. In the first phase of experiment, a linearized network has been simulated using LabVIEW (Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench) and studied with the test capacitance, and in the second phase, the experimentation was done by replacing the test capacitance with a cylindrical capacitive sensor for the measurement of liquid level. As a result of investigations conducted, it has been observed that the variation in liquid level from 0 to 25cm having linear relationship with output dc voltage in the range of 0 to 5.5V. Corresponding to liquid level variations, the dc output voltage further converted into an electric current of 4 to 20mA for remote indication and control purpose. The experimental results of liquid level transmitter are found to have good linearity of about ± 0.2% and a resolution of about 1 cm. The sensitivities of the capacitance measuring circuit and level transmitter have been found about 6.5 mV/pF and 250mV/cm respectively.