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

Area of Science:

• Instrumentation and Measurement
• Fluid Mechanics
• Sensor Technology

Background:

• Traditional liquid level monitoring devices face challenges with accuracy due to temperature variations and bubbling.
• High-resolution pressure sensors and complex calibration limit the effectiveness of existing methods.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel hydrostatic pressure-based level monitoring device for precise and continuous liquid level measurement.
• To overcome limitations of existing devices, including temperature influence and bubbling effects.
• To enable remote data acquisition for applications in challenging environments.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a high-sensitivity pulsating-type differential pressure sensor with a specially designed oil manometer.
• Implemented a temperature compensation methodology to mitigate ambient temperature effects.
• Integrated wireless data acquisition for remote monitoring capabilities.

Main Results:

• The prototype system demonstrated high precision (<1.1 mm), accuracy (1%), and resolution (3 mm) across the entire measurement range.
• Uncertainty was found to be <1%, with a sensitivity of 10 Hz/mm and a response time of approximately 4 seconds.
• The device effectively compensated for temperature variations and avoided issues related to bubbling.

Conclusions:

• The novel hydrostatic pressure-based level monitoring device provides a robust and accurate solution for continuous liquid level measurement.
• The integrated temperature compensation and wireless data acquisition enhance its applicability in diverse and remote settings.
• The developed system offers significant improvements in precision, resolution, and reliability compared to conventional methods.