3.

2 Bubblers LI

XFI N2

D. S. KAYSER (1982) B. G. LIPTK (1969, 1995)

C. G. LANGFORD (2003)
Flow Sheet Symbol

Application Level, interface, and density; open or closed, pressurized tanks and vessels

Operating Pressure Limited only by the pressure of the available purge gas supply

Operating Temperature As required; limited only by materials in contact with the process; has been used on
such high-temperature processes as coal gasification

Materials Limited only by the availability of exposed pipe materials

Costs $200 for the simplest local indicator installation, can reach $5000 for installations
requiring special materials and remote transmission

Inaccuracy Function of error in the readout and other parts used, 0.05% to 2.0% of full scale

Range Unlimited as long as purge gas supply pressure exceeds that of the process

Partial List of Suppliers Bubbler-type level detector packages can be assembled from components described
in other sections, such as variable area flowmeters described in Section 2.27, various
types of pressure sensing and display devices described in Chapter 5

Prepackaged bubbler Aalborg Instruments & Controls (www.aalborg.com)

assemblies are also ABB Fischer & Porter (www.abb.com)
available from Blue-White Industries (www.bluwhite.com)
Brooks Instrument Div. of Emerson (www.emersonprocess.com)
Dwyer Instruments Inc. (www.dwyer-inst.com)
Flowmetrics Inc. (www.flowmetrics.com)
Krohne America Inc. (www.krohneamerica.com)
McMillan Co. (www.mcmillancompany.com)
Omega Engineering Inc. (www.omega.com)
Porter Instrument Co. (www.porterinstrument.com)
U.S. Filter Wallace & Tiernan Inc. (www.usfwt.com)

INTRODUCTION Figure 3.2a illustrates an air bubbler installation for an

Many industrial accidents are caused by incomplete or inac-
curate level information. Bubblers serve to solve that problem
in an inexpensive and reasonably reliable manner. The oper-
ation of an air bubbler is similar to blowing air into a glass
of water with a straw. The more water is in the glass, the
harder one needs to blow. Bubbler-type level sensors have
been in use for as long as compressed air has. If the air
pressure entering the dip pipe is greater than the hydrostatic
head of the process fluid in the tank, the air will bubble out
at the bottom of the pipe.
open (atmospheric) tank with various purge controls. The
transmission line should be sloped toward the tank so that,
if the purge is lost and process vapors enter the transmission
tube, the condensate will drain back into the vessel. If the
readout device must be below tank level, a condensate trap
can be installed as shown by the dotted line.
The purge supply pressure should be at least 10 PSI (69
kPa) higher than the highest hydrostatic pressure to be
gauged. The purge flow rate is kept small and relatively
3
constant at about 1 SCFH (500 cm /min), so there will be no
significant pressure drop in the dip tube. Usually, the purge

421
2003 by Bla Liptk
422 Level Measurement
PCV
Transmission PI
Line A N2
Dip LI PCV
Pipe B FI PI
dPCV
C PI
FI
LI
dPCV
Purge
Control
D Variations
FI
SS
E FI PI PCV
PI
F Manometer
FIG. 3.2a
Variations of air bubblers for atmospheric tanks.
media is air or inert gas, although liquids can also be used.
Several methods of gas purge controls are shown in Figure
3.2a to illustrate some of the installation considerations. In
most traditional installations such as system A, nitrogen sup-
ply pressure is regulated to a value corresponding to a pres-
sure that is higher than the hydrostatic head when the tank
is full. The purge flow rate is adjusted by a needle valve and
is sent through a sight feed bubbler, which allows visual
inspection of the actual flow. This system allows for detection
of levels up to 10 ft (3 m).
If higher levels are to be detected, system B, which uses
a rotameter instead of a sight feed bubbler, can be considered,
because a rotameter can withstand higher pressures. In sys-
tems A and B, as the liquid level varies, the downstream
pressure also will vary, thereby causing variations in the
purge flow rate.
Since the purge pressure at the readout device is the sum
of hydrostatic head and the dynamic pressure drop in the dip
tube, variations in purge flow will cause errors. To correct
this condition, a differential-pressure control valve can be
installed across the fixed restriction of the needle valve as
shown in system C. This will cause the purge flow to be
uniform regardless of the liquid head.
If the process material can build up or plug the dip tube,
either as a result of loss of purge gas or because of the nature
of the fluid, an aerator selector switch may be installed as
shown on system D to allow for periodic blowing out of the
transmission line. System E can be considered in remote
locations where gas purge media is not available and a bub-
bler is desired instead of a liquid purge for level detection.
Here, water is jetted across a gap while air is aspirated into
the stream and compressed. The airwater mixture enters the
dip tube, where the small amount of water runs down the
inside of the bubbler tube while the pressure of the escaping
2003 by Bla Liptk
dPCV
ss
FI Remotely
Located
N2
PCV Components
N2 N2
dPCV
ss
FI
N2
Equalizing Line
Transmission Line
H2 O
LI
Dip Tube
FIG. 3.2b
Air bubbler installation for pressurized tanks.
air is detected as a measure of level. Such a setup would be
in service only when the operator wanted to make a level
reading, so the water would not flow into the vessel contin-
uously. System F shows a more common approach for remote
bubbler installations where a small hand pump is used to
compress the purge air.
For tanks that operate under pressure or vacuum, the
installation of a bubbler indicator becomes slightly more
complex, because the liquid level measurement is a function
of the difference between two bubbler pressures. Because of
the differential measurement involved, the readout device can
be a manometer or other type of differential-pressure detec-
tor. Figure 3.2b shows one of these installations. All of the
previously discussed variations apply to both pressure and
vacuum installations.
GENERAL
The bubbler detects the hydrostatic pressure in a vessel and
displays it in a more convenient location. The pressure of an
inert gas is used to transport the level information to this
more convenient location. Bubbler-type level detection has
been in use since compressed air became available. As illus-
trated in Figure 3.2c, after the air fills the dip pipe, its pressure
inside the dip tube will equal the hydrostatic head of the
process fluid outside the dip tube, and the excess air that is
introduced will bubble out at the bottom of the tube.
If the tank is not open to the atmosphere, a second pres-
sure tap is required to provide a reference pressure from the
vapor space. The dip tube can enter from the top or side of

Purged
Pressure
LI
Reference for
Non-Vented
Tank
A
Isolation
Valves as
Required
FIG. 3.2c
Bubbler-type level local indicator system.
the tank as long as it extends below the minimum level that
is to be detected. As shown in Figure 3.2a, various combina-
tions of valves, check valves, needle valves, and flow indi-
cators may be required for various applications.
Of the bubbler design options, the blow-back dip tube is
the simplest and usually the least expensive. Here, piping or
tubing is provided to bring the purge gas pressure to the level
display or transmitter. The bubbler, because of its simplicity,
is inexpensive and robust while being easy to maintain or adopt
to changing process conditions. The display portion of the
system is not wetted by the process fluid and is in a convenient
location. Calibration and replacement of the level readout or
transmitting devices is also safe and convenient if, before ser-
vice, the isolating valves (Figure 3.2c) are fully closed, and the
standard safety precautions (see Chapter 7) are observed.
If a short dip tube is inserted horizontally in the side of
the tank, the dip tube will be easier to access and support.
Figure 3.2d illustrates that a tap can be provided for cleaning
(rodding out) the accumulated deposits. In this design any
plugging or dirt accumulation can be mechanically removed
by inserting a rod into the dip tube. If it is desired to clean
out the dip tube while the process is in operation (or if the
tank is full or pressurized), packing glands are provided, and
a captive rod is permanently installed to allow clearing the
dip tube at any time.
2003 by Bla Liptk
3.2 Bubblers 423
FI
Typical for all: Isolation
Valve, Dirt Filter, and
Check Valve
FI Filter
Alternate Flow Control and
Indicator
Alternative Pressure Tap
Replaceable dip tubes, with or without packing glands,
have also been used on the more difficult applications. Other
options, such as dual or self-washing purges, will also be
discussed later in this section. In addition, jacketed dip tubes
are also available and have been successfully used in appli-
cations in which condensation or freezing is a concern
(Figure 3.2e).
One of the advantages of the bubbler-type level measure-
ment is that their readings are not affected (or affected only
very slightly) by foam and by variations in pressure or com-
position of the vapor space above the liquid. These changes,
particularly foaming, can interfere with many other types of
level detectors, as was shown in Table 3.1b. On the other
hand, process phenomena that change the density of the liq-
uid (bubble formation, boiling) will result in understating
the level, because a drop in density reduces the hydrostatic
head.
Purge Gas
Air and nitrogen are the most commonly used purge gases.
Other gases can also be used if, for some reason (such as
their available maximum pressure being insufficient), these
cannot be used. The measurement itself is as reliable as the
availability of the purge gas supply. The flowing gas also
424 Level Measurement

PS
Air Header
Level Tap

PI PI
h

Auto Switching Valve

Gas Cylinder

FIG. 3.2f
Purge gas supply system with automatic backup.
Full Bore Ball
Valve (Typical) Plugged Rod- serves to keep the inside of the dip tube dry and clean. Proper
Out Tap
functioning requires that the purge air or gas pressure be
h
higher than the maximum process pressure plus the maxi-
mum friction drop anticipated within the dip tube. Reliability
is improved with increasing supply pressures.
Some bubbler-type level packages include an air pump
to generate the purge pressure and use a manometer to indi-
cate the level. The danger here is that any loss of air due to
air leakage or pump failure will result in a false low-level
indication. Therefore, it is more reliable to supply the bub-
blers from the central air supply of the plant.
FIG. 3.2d For critical applications, bottled gas, typically nitrogen,
Side entering dip pipe (tube) installations.
is used as a backup for the air supply. Pressure-operated
pneumatic valves can provide automatic switching of the gas
supply without electrical connections (Figure 3.2f). A low-
pressure detector switch can also be used and in that case;
Level Tap its contact not only can switch to the backup gas supply, it
can also initiate and alarm so that plant operators will be
aware of the loss of air.

SIZING CALCULATIONS

The bubbler is fundamentally a mass or weight detector,

because the pressure it senses is a function of both the liquid
height and density. Therefore, the pressure of the purge gas
reflects level only if the liquid density (composition and
phase) is constant.
Jacket Bubbler applications include level control, inventory man-
Connections
agement, custody transfer, overflow protection, flow rate
smoothing, and pump suction protection. For inventory control
or for accounting purposes, the information desired is not the
volume but the mass of the liquid. Chemical reactions are also
based on mass, and even fuels that are sold to end users by
FIG. 3.2e volume (gasoline, fuel oil, natural gas) are often sold commer-
Jacketed dip pipe (tube) installation. cially by mass. As discussed in Section 3.18, they are sold by

2003 by Bla Liptk

 3.2 Bubblers 425

standard volume, and this apparent volume is corrected for

density (or temperature) difference from the standard. FI

A narrow-range dip tube mounted near the top of a tank

can provide accurate overflow protection because, over that
Typical for all: Isolation
small range, the density correction is insignificant. Valve, Dirt Filter, and
Check Valve

LI
Mass and Level

Level is inferred from the pressure (H ) measured by the bubbler.

Equation 3.2(1) shows how this hydrostatic head is calculated. Filter

H = (h) () (G/Gc) 3.2(1)

where
H = hydrostatic head
h = vertical depth FI
Filter
= average fluid density over depth
h
G = local gravity
Gc = units conversion factor, not required with SI units

The total mass of liquid in the tank is obtained by Equa-

FIG. 3.2g
tion 3.2(2).
The measurement of density by bubblers.
M = (H) (A) 3.2(2)
where
H = hydrostatic head
A = cross-sectional area of vessel Interface
Level
Signal
The mass calculations must be corrected for any varia-
Low Limiter
tions in cross-sectional area over the range of interest. The A B C
oil industry uses the term strapping to refer to the process of
calibrating a tank. Internal devices, construction tolerances,
and even the deformation of a large storage tank with level
variations affect the accuracy of any level gauge. Actual test 1
Interface
data is required for reliable measurement accuracy. Level
The prudent user will not calibrate the level measurement
2
to 100% of the tank height but will allow for errors and for
changes in density. If a tank is calibrated for 100% of full
tank level for a heavy liquid of, say, specific gravity of 1.2,
it will overflow if used on water with a specific gravity of
1.0. If the liquid cannot freely overflow, the hydrostatic pres-
sure will build up inside the vessel and create a lifting force
on the top while pushing the walls out. As a result, the side- FIG. 3.2h
to-bottom joints might fail. Density compensated interface detection with bubbler tubes.

The Hydrostatic Tank Gauge (HTG)
Density can be measured by detecting the pressure difference
from two dip tubes immersed in the liquid, with their bottom
ends vertically separated by a fixed distance h in Figure
3.2g. Where needed, a third pressure, the vapor-space pres-
sure above the liquid, is also measured and can be used to
determine the density of the liquid. If both level and density
are known, one can determine the mass in the tank. All three
values (volume, mass, and density) can be reported for dif-
ferent uses. Improved accuracy in pressure transmitters has
made it possible to install hydrostatic tank gauges (HTG),
which are illustrated in Figure 3.6e.
If there are two immiscible (nonmixing) liquids, then the
height of the interface above the more dense liquid may be
inferred by the HTG. Note that the difference in pressures in
the two tubes may be small and require a very accurate
detector and a large suppression of zero. Note also that the
interface measurement is affected by changes in density,
which can be caused by changes in composition or density.
Density
As shown in Figure 3.6e, the differential pressure can also
be a measure of density. Figure 3.2h shows how bubblers
can also be used to correct the level for variations in density

2003 by Bla Liptk

426 Level Measurement

or to measure interface or other hydrostatic-head-related Dip Tube Diameter Selection

variables.
Dip tube sizing is determined both by the pressure drop
through it, but mostly by the required mechanical strength of
Calibration the system. Up to a length of 8 ft in un-agitated tanks (or 5
ft in agitated ones), the size of the dip tube should typically
The bubbler differential pressure can be calibrated in inches
be 1 in. diameter, Schedule 40 pipe. Longer dip tubes must
or millimeters of level or in regular pressure units, but it is
be supported (Figure 3.2i). In case of even longer dip tubes
absolutely vital to have good records of the units used and
in agitated tanks, in addition to the guide support, a 2-in. (51-
of all the conversion factors. For high precision at very high
mm) pipe sheath is added as shown in Figure 3.2j.
operating pressures, it might also be necessary to correct for
the weight of the highly compressed gas column in the bub-
bler. Another factor to consider is the thermal expansion and Upsets and Plugging
contraction of the vessel and the dip tube caused by atmo-
spheric or process temperature variations. In addition, pres- The most common complaint about dip tubes is plugging,
sure changes and gravity forces caused by level variations whereby the purge flow is lost or is inadequate. Under these
should be considered. conditions, the process liquids may rise up inside the dip tube
and coat the walls. Over time, the coating will accumulate
and restrict the flow of the purge gas. The beginning of
plugging can be detected by slightly changing the purge flow
FLOW RATE AND PLUGGING CONSIDERATIONS
rate and observing whether a change in level follows.
The probability of plugging in saturated salt solution
Minimum Purge Flow Rate
services increases as the area of the tip of the dip tube is
For accurate level signals and to keep the inside of the dip reduced. To unplug the dip pipe, we can apply rodding out
tube dry, it is necessary to provide a sufficient mass flow rate
of purge gas to keep the dip tube full, even during a high rate
of level or vessel pressure increase. These required rates can
be calculated by first calculating the total volume of the tank Level Tap
corresponding to each inch of level change and, after that, Head Pressure Tap for
determining the corresponding mass of air in this volume. Non-Vented Tanks
The difference in this mass divided by the time for the pres-
sure or level to change is the average mass flow rate required.
A typical conservative value commonly used for atmospheric
tank level detection is 0.5 SCFH, or 50% of full range on a
0 to 1 SCFH range rotameter.

Maximum Purge Flow Rate

The tubing must be large enough to keep the pressure drop 1 Inch (25 mm) Pipe (Example)
between the air or gas supply regulator and the end of the
dip tube at a negligible value. Most users specify a minimum Guide Required for Over 5 ft
(300 mm), for Agitated Vessel,
of 3/8-in. (10-mm) OD tubing and, preferably, 1/2-in. (12- Over 8 ft (2500 mm), to 25 ft
mm) OD tubing or piping should be used. To test the maxi- (7500 mm) for Non-Agitated.
mum flow limit of a bubbler installation, make a small change
in purge flow rate and observe the effect. The level readout
should not change as a result.
Most problems with excessive pressure drops are caused
by damaged or deformed tubing or to partially closed valves.
Sometimes, when excessive leakage from the system is noticed, Support from Tank Wall
maintenance technicians will respond by increasing the airflow
sufficiently to keep the level detector in operation. The result- Notes: Dimensions
ing problem is that the level signal then will vary not only and SI Equivalents are
Only Suggested and
with level but also with the purge flow rate. On high-vacuum Nominal
processes, the low density, and therefore high specific volume
of the purge gas, will cause high gas velocities and will also FIG. 3.2i
increase the probability of leakage. Supporting long dip tubes.

2003 by Bla Liptk


2 Inch (50 mm) Pipe Sheath
1 Inch Pipe (25 mm) Dip Tube
Drill 41/2 Inch Diameter (12 mm)
Holes, 8 Inches (200 mm) from Top
Bracket for 12 ft (3600 mm) to 36
ft (10,000 mm)
11/2 Inch (40 mm) Pipe
NOTES: Dimensions and SI
Equivalents are Only Suggested and
Nominal
FIG. 3.2j
Sheath and bracket supports for dip tubes.
using a twist drill that has been welded to a rod so that the
end can be drilled clear. Special bubbler system designs can
be used when the process liquid is a saturated salt solution
and the salts are deposited inside the dip tube as the purge
gas dries the solution. In saturated salt solution service, one can
use water or a solvent to dissolve the deposits (Figure 3.2k).
In viscous fluid services, solvents are used at flow rates of
about 1 GPH to keep the dip tube clean. The solvent purge
flow rate should be enough to maintain high humidity within
the dip tube and to wash out any salts or solids.
When measuring the level of caustic, a common practice
is to add a secondary purge of low-pressure steam, which is
introduced very close to the point at which the dip tube enters
the tank. The steam flow is restricted by an orifice union,
typically bored for 0.125 in. (3 mm).
The theoretical design conditions in a plant can drasti-
cally differ from real-life and upset conditions. The prudent
design engineer understands that, at one time or another,
every instrument will be exposed to the pressure at which the
system relief valve is set to open. On the other hand, the
minimum pressure for a closed system is full vacuum. One
should also consider the plants safety in terms of the quality
and availability of experienced personnel if, for example, the
upset occurs at 3 A.M. on a weekend.
When a plant upset or system overhaul occurs, process
equipment designed to operate at a high vacuum will be
exposed to positive pressures as attempts are made to unplug
2003 by Bla Liptk
3.2 Bubblers 427
FI
Purge Gas
Liquid Solvent
FI
FIG. 3.2k
Alternate liquid purge can clean bubbler dip tubes.
piping or valves. As high-temperature processes are shut down,
they might suddenly develop high vacuums, because their
vapors cool and condense. Pumps, blowers, and other equip-
ment are all cycled on and off because of stuck check valves
or other system components. A power outage can also cause a
loss of control and, on top of all that, human beings are not
fully predictable, either. Some people, under an upset condition,
will react with great confidence and do exactly the wrong thing.
INSTALLATION DETAILS
There are two fundamentally different approaches to the
installation of bubblers, as illustrated in Figures 3.2l and
3.2m. Figure 3.2l illustrates a transmitter mounted on the top
of the tank and therefore has a shorter purged tubing run.
This makes the system less prone to plugging but also results
in a less convenient access for maintenance. In Figure 3.2m,
where the transmitter is mounted at ground level, the purged
tubing runs are longer and more prone to plug, but access is
more convenient.
The ground-mounted installation is usually provided with
drip legs that, during upsets, can capture any liquid that might
leave the tank. The drip legs can thereby protect the trans-
mitter. In either case, the most important consideration is to
maintain the adequate and reliable flow of purge gas. As was
shown in Figure 3.2a, it is also advisable to prevent the blocking
of the flow of purge gas when the dip pipe rests on the bottom
of the tank. A simple solution is to cut the end at about a 45
angle to prevent blocking. On the other hand, this author has
428 Level Measurement
d/p Transmitter Purge
Panel
FIG. 3.2l
D/P transmitter mounted on the top of a tank.
not found that V-notches cut in the end of the tube will reduce
the size of the bubbles or damp the small bump in pressure
as each bubble escapes. This writer also believes that main-
taining the purge flow rate at a constant value is not essential.
Pressure and/or Flow Regulators
Figure 3.2a shows a pressure regulator, but it is not neces-
sarily true that a purge gas pressure regulator is necessary to
stabilize the purge flow rate; some designs use only a flow
rate regulator. For a properly designed system, the flow veloc-
ity in the tubing must be low enough that any reasonable
change in flow will have practically no effect on the gas
pressure at the tip of the dip pipe. If pressure changes with
purge rate, then something is wrong with the installation, and
the problem should be addressed.
The most likely cause is that the flow rate is restricted at
the wrong place. It is apparent to this writer that reducing
the purge gas pressure is not the preferred practice, because
it increases the probability of the loss of purge flow. This can
lead to plugging or to measurement errors.
The standard air supply regulator has a built-in overpres-
sure vent to protect pneumatic instruments. However, in bub-
bler service, this vent allows the process to back into the dip
tube if the process pressure exceeds the setpoint of the over-
pressure vent. Therefore, the nonbleed regulators should
be used on bubbler installations, which will not vent and will
therefore make the full air supply pressure available as the flow
is reduced to nearly zero. Nonbleed regulators are available
but are not always used, because of concern that they might
be accidentally installed on other pneumatic instruments as
instrument air supply regulators.
2003 by Bla Liptk
d/p Transmitter
Purge
Panel
Drip Leg
Drain Valve
Plug
FIG. 3.2m
Ground-level mounted d/p transmitter installation.
The purge gas supply pressure is commonly far higher
than the pressure in the dip tube, and the pressure drop across
the flow-restricting needle valve is large. This results in a
nearly constant purge flow rate, even if the pressure of the
air supply or in the dip tube changes. Yet, the full supply
pressure remains available if needed. This is similar to the
constant-current concept used in some electronic circuits.
The only remaining reason for having a pressure regula-
tor is to protect the pressure indicator, but, if there is no
pressure regulator, no gauge is needed. A modern d/p-cell
type of pressure transmitter will withstand the full instrument
air supply pressure without damage. For the above reasons,
it is this writers view that the traditional installations shown
in Figures 3.2a and 3.2b can be simplified by eliminating the
pressure regulators and by making sure that all instruments
and tubing components will withstand the maximum possible
supply pressure.
DIAPHRAGM-TYPE DIP TUBE
For some applications where the normal dip tube is not accept-
able, the dry dip tube or plug-proof dip tube is used, as
described in connection with Figure 3.5d in Section 3.5. All
that has been related here about purge supplies and sensors also
applies to these installations except that a barrier is provided
to prevent process liquids from backing up into the dip tube.
The diaphragm is not perfectly flexible and does offer
same resistance, so a small offset will exist in the resulting
signal pressure. There is a choice of diaphragm sizes, and

the larger diaphragms will have smaller offsets, whereas the
smaller diaphragms are less likely to fail.
SAMPLE CALCULATIONS
Level Detector Calibration Example
If one is to calibrate the range of the level detector (r) in
inches of water column ("WC) for a 25-ft-high tank contain-
ing a liquid of 0.85 specific gravity (SG), which corresponds
3 3
to 62.4 lb/ft or 999.8 kg/m , and it was decided that the tank
will be considered full at 80% of tank level.
Range (r) = 25 12 0.8 0.85 = 204 "WC (5182 mm WC)
3.2(3)
If the same level detector range is to read in units of PSI,
Range (r) = (25 0.8 0.85 62.4)/144 = 7.36 PSI
3.2(4)
If a tank contains oil (SG = 0.8) and water (SG = 1.0) and
we want to detect the movement of the interface in inches of
WC over a range of 10 in.,
Range (r) = (1.0 0.8) 10 = 2.0 "WC (50.8 mm WC)
3.2(5)
Density Detector Calibration Example
If one is to detect the average density of a 10" layer of liquid
in a tank by measuring the differential pressure across that layer,
which can contain any mixture of oil (SG = 0.8, density =
3 3
49.92 lbm/ft ) and water (SG = 1.0, density = 62.4 lbm/ft ),
the d/p cell range is:
Range (r) = 10 (1.0 0.8) = 2 "WC = 50.8 mm WC
3
= 49.92 62.4 lbm/ft 3.2(6)
CONCLUSION
The bubbler remains a valuable tool in level measurement
due to its low cost, simplicity, and flexibility. It is also valu-
able as an inexpensive and easily installed backup overflow
protector. For some specialized measurements, such as inter-
face detection between oil and water, the capacitance gauge
is more popular because of its higher sensitivity and better
performance.
When designing a difficult level-measurement system, a
prudent design engineer might do well to specify spare noz-
zles for installing a bubbler as a backup on a vessel if more
2003 by Bla Liptk
3.2 Bubblers 429
modern level sensors could fail to work properly. Successful
bubbler applications include polymers, tars, salts, and other
difficult fluids. Failures resulting from dirt and plugging can
be simpler to live with using a bubbler than with floats or
other devices that have moving parts. The advantages of the
HTG system (Figure 3.6e) can also be realized with the dip-
tube type of bubbler detectors.
There has been some environmental concern that, with a
bubbler, the purge gas that enters the tank also has to be
removed, but these purges are a very small portion of the
total gas and vapor flow that must be removed anyway. For
example, in the case of large storage tanks, the gas displaced
during each cycle of emptying and filling is usually more
than the volume of the gas used for purging at 1 SCFH for
a week.
The main advantage of air bubbler systems is their sim-
plicity and the ease with which the readout device can be
relocated to just about any convenient location. For remote
tank farms where compressed air is not available, one of the
simplest methods of level detection is to use a small hand
pump and a gauge. Bubblers are widely used in the waste-
water and food industries and in some bulk storage applica-
tions, but they have lost some of their earlier popularity in
the processing industries, where the trend seems to be favor-
ing nonflowing, solid-state electronic devices.
Bibliography
API Recommended Practice 550, Manual on Installation of Refinery
Instruments and Control Systems, Part I, Process Instrumentation and
Control, Section 2, Level, American Petroleum Institute, Washington,
DC.
Bahner, M., A practical overview of continuous level measurement technol-
ogies, Flow Control, June-July 1997.
Berto, F. J., The Accuracy of Oil Measurement Using Tank Gaging, ISA,
Research Triangle Park, NC, 881561.
Berto, F. J., Technology review of tank measurement errors reveals tech-
niques for greater accuracy, Oil & Gas J., March 3, 1997.
Control level under fouling conditions, Hydrocarbon Processing, November
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